Esperanza and Irwin explore the rich history of the Swamp, the iconic gay nightclub. From the time Bill Higgins opened the Swamp in 1977 and its sister restaurant The Annex next door, he made his policy clear. This is a gay male club said the sign outside the door. The writer Steven Gaines said "Higgins thought having women around ruined things". But the history of gay nightlife on eastern Long Island goes back even further. Gay friendly night clubs in Wainscott dated back to the 1940's, including Out Of This World, a dance hall geared to the theater crowd. While the Swamp survived until early 2001, the AIDS epidemic took its toll. After Higgins death, partner Brent Newsom tried to admit more women and straight couples. But the Swamp never regained its former energy. Subsequent reincarnations to the Star Room and Swa did not have staying power. By 2018, the buildings were demolished and the property purchased via the Community Preservation Fund with a contribution from Friends of Georgica Pond. It's new life is as the Rick Del Mastro Memorial Park. Efforts by Hamptons Pride to memorialize the site as a homage to the Swamp are in the planning stages.
