Historic Atlanta Eagle, Southeast’s First Gay Landmark, Devastated by Massive Fire

ATLANTA – Authorities are assessing the extent of damage to the historic building that once housed Atlanta’s first gay nightclub. A massive fire ripped through the Atlanta Eagle Thursday evening.

Although the nightclub moved after the pandemic, the historic significance of the vacant building is not lost on the LGBTQ+ community.

Historic Atlanta Eagle Nightclub

“It has a lot of history for us. It was the first building to be designated as a landmark for the gay community in the Southeast,” said Richard Ramey, owner of the Atlanta Eagle.

The building that housed the Atlanta Eagle until November 2020 dates back to 1989, while its neighbor Kodak Building has a history dating back to 1905. Both structures were originally part of a large residential property before being converted to commercial use in the 1950s.

The Atlanta Eagle, located at 603 Ponce De Leon Avenue, acquired a one-story brick facade in the 1960s. Opening its doors in the summer of 1988, the Atlanta Eagle became the city’s first true gay bar. city, taking over the space previously occupied by the Renegades, a country-western club opened a year earlier. The establishment quickly became an iconic landmark within Atlanta’s LGBTQ community.

“It was Renegades for a year, a country-western bar, and right before that it was called Celebrity Room and that’s where RuPaul started dancing. He danced in a cage, and we got him still at the new Atlanta Eagle location,” Ramey said.

In 2009, the Atlanta Eagle made headlines following a controversial police raid by the APD’s now-defunct “Red Dog Unit,” a SWAT-style force typically targeting high-traffic areas drug. Although none of the 62 customers present during the raid were arrested, eight employees were charged. Most of these charges were later dropped or resulted in acquittals. This operation gave rise to legal proceedings and ultimately led to the dismantling of the APD’s specialized unit. Many in the LGBTQ community have drawn comparisons to the police raid of the Stonewall Inn in New York in 1969, which sparked a riot and galvanized the gay rights movement.

The Kodak Building, originally constructed as an Italian Renaissance house, underwent commercial modifications in the 1940s with the opening of Star Photo. This building is historically significant for its role in the rise of commercial amateur photography in the mid-20th century and served as the campaign headquarters for Shirley Franklin, Atlanta’s first female mayor. Although vacant, a large Kodak sign remains like a sentinel on the premises.

Preservation efforts, including those led by the Georgia Trust, have continued for several years. However, volunteers emphasize that the persistent vacancy of these buildings remains a significant obstacle to their restoration and revitalization.

“It was an important place for the LGBTQ+ community because, for about 30 to 35 years, it was a safe place to party and have fun. RuPaul had one of his first performances there. It’s a heritage, a historic designation in the city, and we want to make sure it’s preserved,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said.

The Atlanta Eagle has reopened two years after closing in a new location in the Ansley Square shopping center on Piedmont Avenue.

Atlanta Eagle fire under investigation

“It’s very rare during a fire to see the mayor, the fire chief and the police chief all together. It really meant the world to me that they were all there,” Ramey said.

“The firefighters were putting it out, they had three ladder trucks, we had about five engines,” Mayor Dickens said.

Firefighters battled the massive blaze Thursday evening for several hours after receiving multiple 911 calls shortly before 8 p.m. The intersection of Ponce De Leon Avenue and Argonne Avenue was closed as first responders began attacking the fire. An imposing plume of smoke was visible across the city.

Atlanta Fire Chief Roderick Smith reported that firefighters have begun focusing their efforts on the historic portion of the building. The fire gutted the more than 100-year-old two-story structure behind the street-level facade. Due to the intense flames on the second floor and the dilapidation of the building, firefighters evacuated as a precaution.

Three ladder trucks were deployed, dumping thousands of gallons of water onto the inferno. Chief Smith confirmed there were no water supply issues.

On Friday, state and city arson investigators were on scene reviewing evidence of how the fire started. Concerns were raised about the intentional fire, especially when this fire occurred less than two weeks after a small fire occurred at another iconic Atlanta gay bar, Blake’s On The Park. This bar remains closed.

Chief Smith noticed Thursday evening that a fire had broken out in the old Kodak building next door. This is believed to have been caused by vagrant occupants.

“June is Pride Month, and we were looking to see if there was malicious intent…Is someone trying to disrupt Pride Month? Investigators say no, it wasn’t a fire criminal, but we will continue to remain vigilant and review it,” the statement said. added the mayor.

As Atlanta celebrates Pride in October, many activities and events still align with this national celebration.

The fate of the building remains uncertain.