Museum Collections

This matchbook came from the Eagle, a prominent leather bar that operated at 142 11th Avenue and 21st Street from 1970 until 2000, when it moved locations. In 1970 Jack Modica purchased the Eagle Open Kitchen, its original name since its establishment in 1931 as a longshoreman's pub. Modica transformed the Eagle into a leather-themed bar complete with black-painted walls and chrome accents reminiscent of a motorcycle. The Eagle operated seven days a week, including holidays, and catered to the gay community. Biker clubs often rented out the bar for their club nights, and frequent patrons often formed softball and pool teams that served as a form of community outreach through friendly competition. In 1980, Al Pacino starred in Cruising, which filmed a scene at the Eagle. In 2001 the bar reopened in a new location at 554 28th Street.