REMEMBER: MONROE'S UPTOWN HOUSE CIRCA 1940

Harlem Bespoke:  We were trying to look up photos of the Harlem's first club known as Barron Wilkin's Club through the city archives but discovered a little history on what came after.  A photo from circa 1940 shows an awning on the side street of 134th Street just around the corner from 7th Avenue (today's Adam Clayton Powell) and a close up reveals some signage at the entrance.  Somehow we figured that it all spelled out Monroe's Uptown House and did a little research.

Wilkin's establishment was a black tie club from 1915 until the end of the roaring twenties but then a black former dancer named Clark Monroe would take over sometimes in the 1930s and founded the swing jazz spot to be at.  Billie Holiday reportedly had a residency at Monroe's and Charlie Parker was also a featured soloist.  Monroe's would stay uptown until 1943 when everything packed up and moved to midtown like some of the other clubs. Number 198 West 134th Street still stands today and live music can be heard a couple of doors down at Shrine which now carries on the tradition: LINK

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