Bob Martin's Cigarette Dispenser
March 15, 2015: Bob Martin is one of St. Louis' most colorful historical characters. The stories and memories of his bars are legendary with locations near Christ Church Cathedral, the old McKinley Hotel (long gone), and finally at the infamous YMCA Railroad Exchange Building (today's Drury Inn at Union Station). It was at the Union Station site of Bob Martin's we hear about the "stairway to heaven" and the "wrinkle room." During this time Stephen Adams (Dusty Michaels) became friends with Bob, and it was through this friendship that the Project's most recent rare find came to be. Stephen tells the story of being in Bob's office at the bar one day and remarking how much he had always admired the antique cigarette dispenser on Bob' desk. Without missing a beat, Bob gave the musical dispenser to Stephen as a present. Stephen has treasured this momento for years, and has now donated the item to the Project. Thanks Stephen for this amazing piece of St. Louis LGBT history.