Person

JoAnn Kilsdonk

Milwaukee

Biography

JoAnn Kilsdonk co-founded the Sugar Shack, Milwaukee's first lesbian-owned bar for women, in 1975 with Sharon Dixon. She ran it until selling the business around 1981 and died in November 2019.

Facts

Associated City: Milwaukee
Roles: Business owner
Associated Businesses: Sugar Shack

Sources

Research adapted from the Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project. Archive page links below point to archive.wislgbthistory.com; for current news and community events, visit wislgbthistory.com.

Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project — JoAnn Kilsdonk (retrieved 2026-06-01)

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