ALONZO E. REAM AND HILTON R. MACBETH CIGARS

295 Morrison (old number, between 4th and 5th; building demolished by time of the 1931 readdressing of the city)

Years: about 1898 to 1900. 

citations & references:

PER GLAPN website: Alonzo E. (“Billy”) Ream (1856-1930) was one of the men arrested in the Vice Clique Scandal of 1912.  He had lived in Portland since about 1891 and spent his entire career in occupations bringing him into contact with other men – railroad telephone operator or cigar store owner.  For a time, he co-owned a store with Hilton R. Macbeth (1871-1935), then operated his own.  Ream’s solitary store was at 148 5th, between Alder and Morrison, (old numbering system; also demolished by time of 1931 readdressing), in business about 1900 to 1907.  While there is no information listing these locations as specifically gay-related, the fact that cigars were pretty much socially limited to men and that Ream was gay, there is the possibility of these cigar stores being meeting places for the city’s gay men.citations & references: