Fairly specific historical question.

[anactoria]

Hey all

Comments

[amarissia]

I'm woefully ignorant of my own country's history, but would a speakeasy suit your needs? Here's the wiki for it: here!

[alextiefling]

That's not really 'in public', is it?

[anactoria]

I think the below poster's suggestions are more what I was thinking of, but thanks for the link! Might well come in useful in future. :)

[tisiphone]

Youngish, upper-class white guys didn't go to bars before Prohibition just to chat. There were a few gentleman's clubs here (still are, in fact), but there were also social clubs, athletic clubs or gyms, university clubs, and so on.

[anactoria]

A university club is probably the sort of thing that I'm looking for. Thanks very much! :)

[alextiefling]

I think there were a reasonable number of non-alcoholic bars and cafes serving health tonics, milky drinks, etc.

[anactoria]

Thanks!

[sassylidge]

I agree with the comments above, but would add to that church clubs or events.

[messy_hair_girl]

Yes, this. Church socials, church teas, church dances, church bingo, church dinners, church pot-lucks and etc. We're churchy people, we Americans.

There's also a long tradition of people gathering at highschool events especially in rural areas and the south. A lot of people will still go to their highschool football games, even if they are no longer in school and do not have children who attend. It becomes a community function.

[catrin_santiago]

I was going to suggest church functions.

I find the 'churchiness' and public nature of religion of Americans to be quite the culture shock. Especially here in the US army community. I come from a place where faith is a person's own affair and where it doesn't affect the choice of people you hang out with. Which it seems to here. There are entire groups of people in my husband's unit that don't speak to me because I'm not a Christian.

[alanahikarichan]

I have nothing to add, but I believe there's a comm called littledetails or little_details that is made for questions like this, if you'd like additional input? :3

[anactoria]

Oh, thanks for that! Shall check it out. :D