Club Hippo photograph and ephemera collection

Club Hippo was an LGBTQ+ friendly nightclub that operated for over 35 years at the intersection of Charles and Eager Streets in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. While predominantly a queer venue, the Hippo donned the motto, “where everyone is welcome.” The club opened as The Hippopotamus on July 7, 1972 and was originally owned by Kenny Elbert and Don Endbinder, later to be known as the Hippo or Club Hippo. Charles “Chuck” Bowers purchased the club in 1978. E. Farrell Maddox was the primary DJ (disk jockey). The building originally housed the Chanticleer Club from 1939 until 1967.

During the 1970s, Mount Vernon began to form into a "gayborhood" due to the establishment of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore (now known as the Pride Center of Maryland) as well as the opening of several gay bars and nightlife entertainment venues. Starting in 1975 the neighborhood began hosting the city's annual Pride parade, with Club Hippo becoming a cornerstone for the Pride Block Party.

Additionally, the Hippo hosted performances by solo artists, groups, drag queens, Broadway performers, and events such as the Miss Gay Maryland pageants and Mr. Maryland Leather contests. As a community-oriented club, the Hippo also hosted Twelve Days of Christmas, an annual event benefiting local non-profit organizations, and a weekly Gay Bingo that shared proceeds with local non-profits. During the 1980s AIDS epidemic, Bowers was an advocate for gay men who contracted the disease and donated significant funds to LGBTQ+ non-profits. The Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids organization sponsored performances by Broadway stars at the Hippo to raise money and spread AIDS awareness. Due to increasing costs, Club Hippo closed in 2015.

Club Mitchell was a lesbian bar located at 1003 East Pratt Street in the Little Italy neighborhood of Baltimore. Club Mitchell was the most popular women’s bar in the city and was open seven days a week. In the 1960s, the building originally housed a lesbian bar called Snugs Tavern. Club Mitchell took over the space in 1979 by owner Mitch and his business partner, Rickie. E. Farrell Maddox was also the DJ at Club Mitchell. The club changed ownership in 1991 and became Club Orphesus, which closed in 2020.