The Cherry Grove Archives Collection’s photography exhibition, Safe/Haven: Gay Life in 1950s Cherry Grove, opened at the New-York Historical Society’s outdoor courtyard exhibition space in New York City, on May 14, 2021. This exhibit will be on view every Friday-Sunday, from May 14th-October 11th, 2021.
You might be surprised to discover that 1950s Cherry Grove was even then an unconventional, isolated beach community where a joyous freedom of expression existed for gay men and women during an otherwise oppressive and dangerous time for homosexuals in America. Authors, poets, and artists like Truman Capote, W.H. Auden, Carson McCullers, and Patricia Highsmith often visited the Grove to enjoy campy theatrical presentations in the Community House, weekend costume parties, sexual freedom, and the liberated atmosphere that fueled their creativity.
There are approximately 70 large archival photographs taken during the 1950s in Cherry Grove on display (with accompanying ephemera) that illustrate the sense of freedom gay men and women felt at that time. Admission is free but due to COVID-19 restrictions you must reserve timed-entry tickets in advance.
The Cherry Grove Archives Collection is a committee of the Arts Project of Cherry Grove.
Information about the Safe/Haven exhibition may be found here
and instructions on how to obtain free tickets may be found here