Multimedia | Page 127

California Wine Shop interior

Interior of the California Wine Shop (29 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis), July 10, 1960. In his documentary of life on Skid Row, the self-proclaimed “King of Skid Row,” John Bachich, recalled that bottles of wine could be bought “corked” or “uncorked” at California Wine Shop, near his own Sourdough Bar. While most of Skid Row’s residents did not have problems with alcohol, a minority were chronic alcoholics who served as frequent fodder for the Minneapolis Tribune’s investigative journalists.

Calixto Martinez, Mike Bergeron, and Edwardo Rodriguez

Calixto Martinez, Mike Bergeron, and Edwardo Rodriguez at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin. Printed in GayLife, Friday, August 8, 1980. Original caption: "Calixto Martinez (left) and Edwardo Rodriguez (right) pose with Gay Life's managing editor, Mike Bergeron. Calixto and Edwardo are lovers. Calixto cut all his pants into shorts only to discover that the other refugees in the camp recognized him as being gay. Several of the non-gay refugees tried to rape Calixto and lover Edwardo stepped in to protect him. Edwardo was stabbed. A Minneapolis sponsor attempted to get both Calixto and Edwardo out together. Ultimately, they were represented by two different agencies. The agency representing Calixto allowed him to leave with the sponsor. The agency representing Edwardo would not allow him to go. Calixto refused to leave without his lover. Eventually, Calixto was convinced that he should leave and they would continue the attempt to get Edwardo released. A tearful moment came for the GayLife staff members when Calixto boarded a bus for Minneapolis. Edwardo just sat down in the corner of the yard, sighed, and watched his lover leave without him." Thom Higgins papers, Manuscripts Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul.

Call to Arms: Minnesota Steps Forward—1861

Governor Alexander Ramsey was in Washington, DC, at the outbreak of war. Jayne Becker (Alexander Ramsey House) explores his motivations to volunteer troops and Wayne Jorgenson (author and collector) explores the motivations of the men, from across the young state, who took up arms in defense of the Union.