Cherry Grove Stories

Cherry Grove Stories

In an era when it was illegal for two men to hold hands in public, the pristine beachfront hamlet of Cherry Grove on Fire Island, N.Y. was a safe haven for gays who were often targeted for arrest and prosecution. Through interviews with residents and new and archival footage, Michael Fisher's oral history of the enclave uncovers long-hidden secrets and exposes little-known stories that are more relevant than ever today. Fisher, who has been going to Cherry Grove for 32 years, was inspired to make the film by long-time resident Michael Delisio. "Michael was one of the first men to go to Cherry Grove in the 1950s," Fisher says. "He is a great storyteller, and his tales of the early gays of Cherry Grove inspired me to capture the many anecdotes about the community before all the old-timers are gone."

In Cherry Grove Stories, residents recount the history of the hamlet, starting in the 1940s when gay men first began congregating in a place that offered a rare refuge from the pervasive homophobia of the time.