The entry on street was marked by a simple white line and by the house number. The Mineshaft had two floors, both without windows. Jack Fritscher, who was his lover, had introduced him to it. Robert Mapplethorpe took many pictures of the Mineshaft and was at one point its official photographer. The costumers could do what what they wanted without fear of being judged. Quickly, it became the ‘temple’ of non-traditional sex. Usually the customers wore leather, cowboy clothing, motorcycle wear, workers gear or uniforms like those of the police. The men who frequented the Mineshaft were hyper-masculine in the body, in their type of sex, and in the dresscode. During the week, however, people arrived early and went home early too. The Mineshaft was attended by numerous celebrities like the filmmakers Vincente Minnelli ( An American in Paris), Rainer Werner Fassbinder ( Querelle), Rock Hudson ( Giant), and the artists Tom of Finland and Keith Haring.ĭuring weekends, only a few people came before 2am the bar became full around 5 am. Originally the Mineshaft had a room for coprophilia, but it was soon abandoned as too extreme. Many gay bars, also leather and fetish, were in this area of New York, called Meatpacking District. It was located at 835 Washington Street, in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. The Mineshaft opened as a private club on October 8th, 1976. The Mineshaft was a prominent leather bar and private club in New York City.
