Salem Avenue Tour – Web Resources

Below you will find archival and other supplementary materials related to the Salem Avenue Historic District Walking Tour, which launched in March 2020. Materials are organized according to the stops on the tour and are drawn from the laminated handouts and tour script. We encourage educators and tour participants to continue their experience by exploring the materials below.

Introductory Stop:

Department of Historic Resources “Salem Avenue Historic District” Nomination Form

Racial Dot Map from the University of Virginia

Department of Historic Resources (DHR) Historic Districts Map for Roanoke, Virginia

Roanoke Police Department:

For more information on the Wasena Park police sting operation in 1998, see the following newspaper articles:

State’s Anti-Sodomy Law Used To Prosecute Men Accused of Seeking Sex in Roanoke Parks

Charges Dropped In 2 Park Sex Cases

The Horoscope:

“The Long Road from Man to Woman” article from The Roanoker magazine, 1977

Reproduced with permission, from the Holiday, 1977 issue of The Roanoker magazine, which in 2020 will celebrate its 46th year as Virginia’s longest-running city magazine. For subscription information: theroanoker.com; 540-989-6138.

The Corner Stone:

“The Corner Stone” Flyer, 1986

“Club 1919” Flyer, 1997

The Park:

Flyers from The Park Nightclub as seen on the tour are from the July/August/September 1985 edition and the June/July 1987 edition of the Blue Ridge Lambda Press.

July/August/September 1985 edition

June/July 1987 edition

Backstreet Cafe:

For more information on the 2000 Backstreet Cafe shooting, see the following newspaper article:

Gunman Hunted Gays