In the early 20th century, saloons were popular social hubs in the United States, especially in the West and urban areas. They were often places for men to gather, drink, socialize, play cards, and enjoy entertainment like live music or dancing. Many saloons served as informal community centers where business deals and political discussions took place. These establishments were typically characterized by their rustic, dimly lit interiors, with a long bar counter and tables for patrons.
With Prohibition in the 1920s, many saloons were forced to close or transform into speakeasies, operating covertly to continue serving alcohol. These vintage photos show what the inside of saloons looked like in the 1900s and 1910s.
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No barstools in any of the pictures. Wondering when they came into popular use...
ReplyDeleteInteresting observation.
DeleteIt was easy to “belly up to the bar” without barstools!
DeleteHad to work in Wyoming for a year, and where I lived in Rawlins, they boasted that they were the oldest bar in the state. I walked in the establishment for the first time, and wow. I felt like I went back in time. The pictures in this article, didn't do justice. The wood work alone would cost 2 arms, and 2 legs. I imagined to myself that, the history this joint could create in book form, would take a lifetime to read.
DeleteBarber shops would send runners (often small boys) to the saloon to get buckets of beer for their customers. Buckets seldom made it back full.
ReplyDeleteSpittoons seem ubiquitous! When did spittoons disappear from use?
ReplyDeleteI recall them in at least one saloon in Bayonne, NJ at Halloween of1952!
DeleteOne doesn't see may women enjoying the libations served up by the barkeeps back then.
ReplyDeleteThey were too busy baking pie in their homes as was intended by their creator.
DeleteAlways a misogynist in the crowd... Valentine Goesaert, Fannie Porter or Klondike Kate, real name Kate Mctigue the richest "saloon girl".
DeleteI believe my grandfather and a partner owned and ran a saloon in Arizona around this time or sometime earlier.
ReplyDeleteI would have loved to live back then….
ReplyDeleteBars were taxed based on the number of seats that they had. Therefore most bars had no seats. Some had a side room for food.
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