Paper written for a class: Gay/Lesbian Capstone Archives Course: The Resurrection of the Transfusion Inn, Did it Exist? James S. Loos Prof. Mussey December 4, 2000. “There was a bar on 316 W. Burnside in the mid-seventies in Portland, Oregon, this I am sure of. As an investigator assigned to uncover any information on what was supposedly called 316 by GLAPN [Gayl/Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest], I went in search of a place which had no real identity in license, name, or directory. What’s below relies on oral testimony somewhat confirmed by information found in the Oregonian newspaper, the Portland Journal, and OLCC file documents. 

The way Ron McCarty remembers it – it was called the Roaring ‘90s or Valhalla’s or was it Natasha’s? Like any politician with a past, McCarty’s memory with respect to personal controversy gets a little cloudy. He owned it, the restaurant that housed Tasha’s - the little bar tucked way back of the American Museum Restaurant. McCarty remembers Natasha, the lesbian woman who managed the little bar in the back, “Yeah, she was nice.” [Ron McCarty referring to Natasha, a lesbian employee of his, in a phone interview on Nov. 124, 2000] And of the lesbians who frequented the beer and wine bar, “they were all nice people”. McCarty’s memory fades when it comes to when the bar existed. He thinks it was anywhere from 1969 to 1974 through an interview with Sally Cohn places Tasha’s a little later somewhere from 72 to 74. 

One thing is certain, both Cohn and McCarty agree, Tasha’s was a part of the American Museum Restaurant and thus had no liquor license separate from American Museum. Sally remembers seeing the license and Ron’s name along with American Museum on it. Clientele was able to enter the bar freely and then later, the bar was separated by a doorway. The clientele was mostly lesbian. 

According to Ron, he helped run the place. On occasion, if one of the women called in sick or did not show up for a shift, he’d have to work back there. He also remembers that straights were allowed to go back there as long as they were not disruptive.  If they (the lesbian employees) had any trouble, he’d be there to take care of the problem. Ron remembers being a support for the bar back then. However, his track record with both the OLCC and the employees seems to contradict this.

Sally Cohn remembers hanging out at Tasha’s quite a bit. Sally Bird, a friend of  Cohn’s, helped manage the bar. Cohn recalls Bird having to “put up with” quite a bit of what's called “Ron’s weirdness”. There were often Sundays when Ron didn’t have enough beer for the bar and they’d run out. It was then up to the lesbian employees to go around to different bars to pick up beer so that they could still serve. 

Sally Bird, either tired of working for the quirky McCarty or tired of working in a lesbian bar that allowed anyone to enter, quit and later opened the Rising Moon Tavern across the street from American Museum in 1978. She and her partner operated the controversial women’s-only bar until 1985 when the couple decided to split up and sell the place. 

Tasha’s, as an establishment of legitimacy for women, did not exist on any paper. The Portland City Directory at the Oregon Historical Society for the years of American Museum’s operation does not have Tasha’s as a listing for the address. Tasha’s had no phone and thus, no vehicle for voice. In addition, the liquor license had Ron’s name and American Museum listed. And finally, the file on Ronald Dale McCarty at the QLCC lists American Museum as the establishment hosting a number of violations.  

In 1974, American Museum was refused renewal of its Liquor license. Several changes and violations had already been logged from 1969 to 74. Some of the violations included serving alcohol to a minor (this was a repeat offense), serving someone who was already visibly intoxicated, sanitation conditions, failure to display liquor license, and finally for maintaining a “lewd, unsanitary establishment”. Sally Cohn remembers the OLCC charging in and “shining flashlights”. The agents demanded to see the entire establishment. Their reasons? To check for sanitation conditions in the basement. Apparently, Ron denied them entrance for whatever reasons – thus further exerting his control over the space. According to the Portland Journal, Ron McCarty sued the OLCC in 1974. [The Portland Journal ran an article on August 22nd, 1974 titled Taven Sues OLCC in section 3, page 6.]

As Sally Bind and her partner at the time dreamed up plans of the Rising Moon, McCarty’s weirdness took a wild turn. Possibly distraught over haranguing with the OLCC or perhaps he was having trouble with his new bar at 316 W Burnside (the Single Guitar Tavern), Ron put a gun in his pocket and on Christmas Eve stormed into the OLCC Headquarters on Milwaukie Avenue and demanded the name and address of a specific agent. He was arrested and was sentenced for a short time in jail and community service. He described his armed threat as a “prank”. [This was his definition according to the article in the Oregonian on July 166, 1976. The article explained the outcome of his sentencing for the threat.] 

Tasha’s functioned and operated successfully – despite McCarty’s weirdness – solely as a word of mouth business. In those days, the clientele beat a path between the Magic Gardens, Dema’s, and Tasha’s. A positive note may be sounded to know that the bar did not close down because of its violation or lack of business. McCarty's long list of affronts with the OLCC indicates that he may have encouraged the conflict between himself and the agency. But who is to know the intentions of the OLCC? Tasha’s and the bar’s lesbian employees may have been somewhat at fault for some of the notations. But then again, there is no one at the OLCC who was able to explain “lewd, unsanitary establishment” to me.”

citations & references:

• Some ads placed in various places have both ‘316’ and ‘TASH’s’ at the same place at the same time.

Next to Metroplois [underage nightclub], then Chang’s Mongolian Grill and presently Dante’s. Present 2022 photo shows only a parking lot.

history: