Local
Kameny house sold to private buyer
New owner must abide by historic designation rules
5020 Cathedral Ave., N.W. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
The estate of the late gay rights leader Frank Kameny has sold Kameny’s house at 5020 Cathedral Ave., N.W., for $725,000 without the services of a realtor, according to estate attorney Glen Ackerman.
Ackerman said the settlement for the sale of the house took place May 25. He declined to identify or provide information about the buyer other than that he or she is a private individual who likely plans to live in the house, which is located in the city’s upscale Palisades neighborhood.
In March 2009, the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board designated the house as an historic landmark, marking the first time a gay-related site had been approved for landmark status in the nation’s capital. Shortly after Kameny’s death in October 2011, the U.S. Park Service listed the house on the federal government’s National Register of Historic Places.
The Rainbow History Project, a local LGBT group that submitted the successful application to obtain the landmark designation from the D.C. government, said that beginning in the 1960s, the house became an office and center for carrying out Kameny’s widely recognized role as a local founder and national pioneer of the modern gay rights movement.
“Historians consider him a landmark figure in articulating and achieving gay civil rights in federal employment, criminal law, security clearances cases, and in reversing the medical community’s views on homosexuality,” the Rainbow History Project said in its application for the historic designation.
Mark Meinke, a Rainbow History Project official, and Charles Francis, co-founder of the Kameny Papers Project, which arranged for the purchase of most of Kameny’s historic papers and their donation to the Library of Congress prior to Kameny’s death, had expressed interest in converting Kameny’s house into an LGBT history center or possible museum. Both talked about this prior to Kameny’s death.
But Meinke told the Blade on Monday that no serious effort emerged to move ahead with such a proposal.
“It was more of a pipe dream,” said Meinke.
Under the city’s and federal government’s historic designation, the new owner of the house is prohibited from demolishing it or making major external changes. Under D.C. regulations, some external change could be made upon approval by the city.
Ackerman said the publicity surrounding Kameny’s death and the subsequent tributes and memorial services recognizing him as a nationally acclaimed civil rights leader prompted potential buyers of the house to approach the estate. Ackerman said the house was not listed for sale on normal real estate listing services.
The new owner of the Kameny house, like the owners of all real estate, will be identified in public city records. As of Monday, the sales transaction had not been published in the online site of the D.C. Recorder of Deeds, which keeps real property ownership records.
In his will, Kameny designated Timothy Clark, his friend and housemate of 19 years, as the beneficiary of his house, car, and all other property other than his papers, which he bequeathed to the Library of Congress.
Ackerman said the probate process for the estate has yet to be completed.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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