The Continental Baths Pin

The Continental Baths was a gay bathhouse in the basement of The Ansonia Hotel in New York City, which was opened in 1968 by Steve Ostrow. It was advertised as reminiscent of "the glory of ancient Rome. The features of this bathhouse included a disco dance floor, a cabaret lounge, sauna rooms, a narrow "Olympia blue" swimming pool, bunk beds in public areas, and tiny rooms as one would find in any gay bathhouse. The facility had the capacity to serve nearly 1,000 men, 24 hours a day. One gay guide from the 1970s described the Continental Baths as a place that "revolutionized the bath scene in New York City." Some features of the Continental Bathhouse included a warning system that tipped off patrons when police arrived.