#3600 - Bux's Place, Challis, ID - 8/20/2018

Bux's Place, Challis, ID

When I first found a photo of the sign outside of Bux's Place I knew I had to go there. It obviously had some age and character, but I wouldn't know how much until I visited. The bar has been Bux's since 1949, owned by Willis and Sylvilla Buxton until they sold it to Tony and Madge Yacomella in 1981. The sign had just gone up the previous year, but the bar has been there far, far longer. Once you step inside you clearly see the rounded log structure of the place, though the clapboard and shiplap facade is also original, dating back to the Central Hotel, constructed in 1877. The back section was added in 1879 and the current window treatment in front is said to date back "only" to the 1930s. (IHS) 

It is, in fact, the only commercial log structure that has survived since the 1880s in this old mining town -- there for the boom times of the late 1870s, surviving the fire of 1894, and also the earthquake of 1983. Challis's current population of around 1,000 people is actually not all that different from the mining boom years, reaching 614 in 1880, dying out with the mining, but climbing back up over 800 in the 1930s as the economy shifted to agriculture and lumber. It's enough people to make it the largest city in Custer County, Idaho, and in one site's rankings placed 9th in the 10 Most Redneck Cities in Idaho -- with Bux's being all the article talks about. But if so, I'll take it. The beer was cold and the people friendly.

The Idaho historical society has described the surroundings thusly:

"The town of Challls lies at an elevation of 5,280 feet in Round Valley, a circular yalley formed by a bend of the Salmon River as it flows through the southern Salmon River Mountains. To the north the town abuts a bluff of volcanic tuff and columnar rhyolite. U.S. Highway 93, which connects Mackay and Salmon, runs near the eastern edge of town. To the west the valley narrows into Garden Creek Canyon, where cottonwoods are abundant. North, west, east, and south, the valley is surrounded by the rugged, pine-skirted Salmon River Mountains and Lost River Mountains. In this physically isolated and sparsely populated area, the town of Challis grew up as a trade center for mines farther north and west in the central Idaho mountains." (IHS)

Patrons Suzie and Crockett, owner Madge
Bux's Place, Challis, Idaho

The first Europeans, appear to have passed through the area in fur trading expeditions in 1822, with prospectors beginning to arrive in 1864. "The settlers who had come to Challis by 1880 were a predominantly Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern-born group, but a substantial number were immigrants from England, Ireland, and Western Europe. There were, in addition, eight Chinese households. As one would expect, men outnumbered women five to one, and there were few children. Slightly less than half of the population were miners; the remainder were occupied with services and trades necessary for the subsistence of Challis and the surrounding mining towns." (wikiwand)

The Yacomella family still own and run Bux's, Tony and Madge's son Bill the manager, and Madge still pouring drinks when I was there. The large space serves as an unofficial community center for Challis, hosting birthday parties, memorials, and weddings -- with limited gambling events that would be a lot more common, I was informed, "if not for the goddamn Mormons." The "Testicle Festival" celebrating "Rocky Mountain Oysters" is a highlight. Madge is said to be "the true matriarch of Challis" (SVM), and as people relate past hijinks of people riding horses and motorcycles into the bar "There is a general acknowledgement that such tomfoolery doesn’t occur when Madge is around."

The interior is highlighted by ancient murals of mountain scenes on the upper walls, old taxidermy big game heads and antlers, a wood stove, and the aforementioned friendly people. Another highlight is the beautifully ornate, antique Brunswick back bar. It is both living history and a charming place to visit, not to be missed in any central Idaho roadtrip.

321 Main St, Challis, ID 83226 - (208) 879-4464
Est. 1949 - Building constructed: 1877
Previous bars in this location: Central Hotel Saloon, Challis Hotel Saloon
Web site: facebook 
Articles: sunvalleymag - yelp - wikipedia - national historical places description 

#4049 - Jersey Lilly, Ingomar, MT - 7/18/2020

Jersey Lilly, Ingomar, MT

The unincorporated community of Ingomar Montana is down a short dirt road off of Highway 12 and appears like a ghost town -- abandoned buildings, trailer homes, horses and mules wandering freely down the dirt roads. Classic tumbleweeds bounce down the roads, and the promised bison are nowhere in evidence. Ingomar was put on the map by the Milwaukee Railroad in 1910. Local history has it that in the 1910s it was either the largest sheep shearing and wool shipping center in the world, or one of the largest in the country, depending on your source. In any case, it was booming, with 46 businesses, 2,500 homesteading filings per year, and 2 million pounds of wool shipping out each season -- the largest commercial hub between the Missouri, Musselshell, and Yellowstone rivers.

Boots Kope, owner, Jersey Lilly, Ingomar, MT

But by the end of that first decade, the boom had already started to fade, and after several years of too little rain, a fire that burned much of the town down in 1921 hastened the long running decline. The high school closed in 1952, the wool warehouse shuttered in 1975, and rail service ended in 1980. In 1992 the elementary school, which had a total of 3 students the previous year, ceased operations and the historic school building shuttered. With the railroad gone, there were no more shipments of water, until several years later a spring system was built and piped into town. The population dwindled down to single digits.

Jersey Lilly Saloon, Ingomar, Montana

The first brick building in the community was the Wiley, Clark, and Greening Bank, which opened in October 1914. That went under in 1921. At the end of prohibition, Clyde Easterday opened the Oasis Bar there (1933). Easterday brought in a cherry wood bar from St. Louis, up the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers. (I presume this was a Brunswick, but have not been able to confirm this.) The bar remains to this day. In 1948 Bob Seward, who had been a Rosebud County deputy sheriff, came into possession of the bar -- either by simply purchasing it or, as histories say, winning it in a poker game. Seward, a Texan, renamed it the "Jersey Lilly," after the famous saloon of Judge Roy Bean in his home state. He also introduced the signature bean soup that is a favorite to this day. Also remaining to this day are the outdoor outhouses -- the only public facilities in town, helpfully marked "Bull Pen" and "Heifer Pen," and with a slanted tin "cowboy rain gutter urinal" hanging inside the former. Back inside, under the pressed tin ceiling, the walls are lined with memorabilia and animal heads -- deer, antelope, elk, a moose, a buffalo, and, of course, a jackelope.

Ten years later, Bob turned the bar over to his son Bill, who had been a professional boxer in Chicago, winning 45 fights with 38 knockouts between 1939 and 1941 (hence the boxing memorabilia still in the bar today). Bill also opened up the dance hall portion, lining the walls around a wood burning furnace with wood from and old barn, a space which between the occasional dances and special events serves as additional dining space, with folding chairs and tables. Bill was a popular character, known as the unofficial mayor of Ingomar, and created the Lilly's other famous dish, it's "sheepherders' hors d'oeuvres," comprising saltines, onions, orange slices, and cheddar cheese. "You stick it in your mouth one bite, just like an old hound dog eating hot cakes," Seward explained. (atlasobscura).

Sheepherder's Hors d'Oeuvres, Jersey Lilly, MT

In 1995, Bill finally sold the bar to Jerry Brown, who'd been telling him on their hunting trips for many years that he would like to own the place. Brown was a burial vault magnate, who'd made a good living manufacturing and installing "concrete outer internment receptacles" in Milwaukee and elsewhere, in addition to owning livestock. In 2004, Boots Kope and June Nygren met at the bar, and where later married. Like the several previous owners of the place, Kope and Nygren valued the community center role of the bar, now the only remaining business in Ingomar. When they saw it starting to decline, they purchased the place themselves in 2010, and have run it ever since, most of the time with only the two of them, taking off only one or two weeks a year for vacation.

Ingomar, Montana

When I rolled up to the Jersey Lilly, the place was closed, with no vehicles in sight. There was a note in the window about how it would open late that day. I later learned this was due to a long drive to resupply the oranges for the sheepherders' hors d'oeuvres. I also learned that it was unwise to go to the Lilly without a reservation, and I was fortunate that they could slip in one extra if I was okay sitting at the bar (I am very much okay sitting at the bar). Boots brought me out a serving of their iconic appetizer, and explained as he no doubt has many hundreds of times that I should try them even if I don't like onions, as the oranges combine in an unexpected taste. He was right, of course.

Bull Pen and Heifer Pen outhouses at 
Jersey Lilly Saloon, Ingomar, MT

I had a good, local beef burger and fried potatoes, wandered the place taking pictures and reading the many newspaper clippings on the walls, returning to the bar to chat with Kope as June worked the kitchen. I felt fortunate to get in, and even more fortunate that people like Boots and June were around to preserve this great place. They have steady business from around the world -- there are precious few people living nearby and their guest book contains visitors from Switzerland, Mongolia, Germany, China, Tanzania, and many, many other far flung places from around the world and across the U.S. And yet the future of the Jersey Lilly is uncertain. The couple has had the place for sale for some time now, not due to lack of business, but from a desire to move closer to their kids and grandkids. They want very much to sell it to someone who will preserve and carry on the cherished traditions, but admit that eventually, if no buyer is found, they will simply shut it down. This would be sad indeed, so if you get a chance to go, you must take it (and make sure to call for a reservation!).

Est. 1948 - Building constructed: 1914
Previous bars in this location: The Oasis (1933-1948)
Web site: facebook - facebook 
Reviews: billingsgazette - atlasobscura - greatfallstribune - montana-mint - missoulian.com - onlyinyourstate - yelp - tripadvisor - visitmt  

#3993 - Linger Longer Tavern, Albany, OR - 3/8/2020

The Linger Longer Tavern, Albany, OR

Albany, Oregon, with a population of around 50,000 citizens, lies at the confluence of the Calapooia and Willamette rivers, about 10 miles due south of Salem and 60 miles sound of Portland. The Linger Longer has operated here on Main Street since 1930 and is said to have been a bar since shortly after the close of federal prohibition in 1933. The building,  constructed in 1905 and one of the oldest in the city, was dragged across the street and a block north up Main Street to its current location in 1921. This street was one of two that battled for the position of the heart of downtown since the mid 19th century, a feud exacerbated by two founding families on separate sides of support in during the civil war. Eventually Main Street, championed by the pro-southern family, conceded defeat to the First Street.

Today the Linger Longer Tavern is classic, older, quieter type of neighborhood dive bar, brimming with historical artifacts and adhering to old school tavern standards -- e.g. no hard liquor and cash only. While the pool table tends to draw much of the action and attention, the centerpiece of the decor is the beautiful pre-prohibition Brunswick back bar, topped with old saddles. It is enlivened by local characters -- and also the occasional robbery or lottery fraud.

To my delight the bar not only has been around for many generations and features a beautiful antique back bar, but the owners actually gave a a great little printed history, which I have reproduced below. The bar appears to have had relatively few owners over the generations, and has primarily belonged to just two women over the last 60+ years. The tavern was said to be established by Russell Deere in 1933, and a 1941 city directory shows him as still the owner at least eight years later (although his name is spelled "Dear" therein). The obituary of Rita Miller (born "Kotthoff" and later "Case") claims that she purchased the bar from her father in the late 50s -- after building B-17s during WWII -- and the bar's history notes observer that she sold it to the current owner Ruth in 1979.

Ruth Tribur has turned management of the bar over to her son Bret Smith, but as of my visit still opened the business herself on Saturdays and Sundays (and celebrated the 40th anniversary of her ownership last November 1). Again, I am grateful for the staff there sharing their historical write-up which I quote below. As you will note the fully history of the back-bar is unknown, but there are a number stories floating around as to how it came to the Linger Longer. Each of these is quite possible, although it is unlikely that it was "three part set" with its remaining parts located in other bars in the area. For some reason these stories -- often involving the parts being actually sawed apart -- tend to be quite commonly associated with these bars, even when the existing piece is quite clearly a full unit exactly as pictured in the Brunswick-Balke-Collender (in the case of the Linger Longer, the "Mont Oro" model). But the Brunswick bars were manufactured primarily in Dubuque Iowa and in the years 1878 to 1912, so it certainly dates back around the 1880s, and as the Panama Canal was yet to be completed, west coast deliveries were often shipped around Cape Horn.

Quite frankly I would want to stop at the Linger Longer for the name alone, but it also makes a fine stop for anyone who would enjoy a cold beer amidst some local  history. And I wish every old bar I visited had compiled such helpful notes:

"The building you are in was constructed in 1905. It originally sat on the SE corner of Main Street and Old Salem Rd (one block to the south). The NW corner of the building would have been located above the new round-a-bout as you turn into Salem Ave. Around 1921 the whole structure was moved to its current location by Mr. Calvin, owner of Calvin's Drug Store. 

During the 1920's the are you are inhabiting was a clothing store. In 1930 it was converted into a cafe and became Linger Longer Lunch. After repeal of prohibition in December 1933 it was established as the Linger Longer Tavern by Russel and Hortense Deere. The tavern has had several owners througout the decades. The Case family owned it for 2 generations. The current owner, Ruth, purchased the tavern from Rita Case (her maiden name), and the building from Dr. Frances Keiser on Nov 1, 1979." 

"In the early 1950's, the back-bar, which was manufactured around 1880, and counter were moved to their current locations. The back-bar faced west and sat in front of the beam that dissects the ceiling. There was seating in the front area and a kitchen behind the back-bar. During the past 39 years that Ruth has owned the tavern, there have been numerous stories told about how the back-bar came to the Linger Longer Tavern. It has been said that it came around Cape Horn on a ship, or that it was stored in a barn then moved here, or that it came across the company on a train, or that it was taken off of a cruise ship, or that it is one part of a three part set and another part is located in (insert name of city here, as there have been dozens). You probably have figured out that we don't know how it came to be here. Many patrons used to play a game where they would try to toss coins over the top of the bar. Whoever made it over first, won, causing the other player to buy the next round. The coins that didn't make it over became the bartenders to keep as a tip. 

The bar is now managed by Ruth's son Bret. He is here Monday through Friday opening every day at 7 a.m. Ruth celebrated here 83rd birthday in January. She still enjoys opening on Saturdays and Sundays."

145 Main St SE, Albany, OR 97321 - (541) 926-2174
Est. Dec 1933 - Building constructed: 1905
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook
Articles: democratherald - corvallisadvocate - yelp - 2008 lottery ticket theft - 2002 robbery - yahoo

#2900 - Pioneer Saloon, Goodsprings, NV - 11/29/2015

Roadsideamerica.com, Culturetrip.com, atlasobscura.com, Bucket List Bars -- sometimes I could know a bar I wanted to visit just by the sites that write about it. But there was never any doubt that the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings, Nevada was going to be high on my to-do list. There was little chance I'd miss this one -- despite being the only surviving business in a tiny ghost town, with 20% of its income now coming from its use in movies, the bar has its own PR agent. And once you see a few pictures, you have to go.

It's welcoming and fairly large, but somehow doesn't feel too touristy. We had a pleasant chat with Noel Scheckells, the current owner, whose sons run the bar and kitchen, and also with patron Jim, who is a session musician and told us he played drums on Patsy Cline's "Crazy," Bob Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde" album, "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," various Carpenters tunes and many others.

Of course it has ghosts, of course it has a great antique Brunswick back bar, and of course it has bullets in the wall (which may have come from a dealer shooting a cheating card player or may have come from former owner Don Hedrick's appreciation for a good story). It also features chicken shit bingo, barbecues where you can cook your own food, an expansive patio, and a 100-year-old urinal.

I like the history of the place compiled on this excellent page about Nevada's Brunswick bars:

"Built in 1913, the Pioneer Saloon, one of the nation's oldest stamped-metal tin buildings, is up for sale. The $1.35 million asking price includes two other buildings, all of the bar's antique fixtures and, of course, its colorful ghost stories and history. "I am asking a lot for the place because I want the new owners to be committed to it living on," said Don Hedrick, whose family has owned the saloon -- the last remaining commercial business in Goodsprings -- for 40 years. Hedrick has managed the business on State Route 161, seven miles west of Jean, since his father, Don, died in 1996. (The Saloon was turned over to its new owner, who was also a long time patron of the Pioneer Saloon, in December 2006. Less than a year later on October 17th, 2007 the long time, loved, and respected, former owner Don Hedrick Jr. passed away.)

The Pioneer Saloon was built by George Arthur Fayle, who had served as a Clark County Commission chairman and owned the Fayle Hotel in Goodsprings. The saloon has changed little since indoor toilets were installed in the 1930s. The interior and exterior walls are of stamped tin
and manufactured by Sears and Roebuck. It is thought to be one of the last, if not the last of its kind in the United States. The legendary cherry wood bar installed in 1913 was manufactured by the Brunswick Company in Maine in the 1860's. It was shipped in three sections around Cape Horn to San Francisco. Two of the sections were lost and the third became a fixture in a bar in Rhyolite, now a Nye County ghost town, before it was shipped to the Pioneer.

The saloon gained international attention in 1942 when screen legend Clark Gable hung out there for days afterhis wife, actress Carole Lombard, was killed in a plane crash at nearby Mount Potosi. No one is sure whether Lombard's ghost still wanders into the saloon looking for Gable. But some patrons among today's eclectic crowd of primarily townsfolk, bikers and tourists swear they share bar stools with spirits. The back room of the Pioneeris a mini-museum, filled with memorabilia of Gable and Lombard, historic framed newspaper front pages and old bottles. In the bar area, the original pot-bellied stove stills heats the building. Over the years, the Pioneer Saloon's charm has made it a popular spot for filmmakers. The town of Goodsprings was originally know as Good's Spring after its founder Joseph Good. Joseph Good settled in the area in the 1860's mainly because of the rich under ground spring. Many of the Cottonwood trees found in Goodsprings were originally planted by Mr. Good.

Goodsprings, Nevada became a booming Mining town in the early 1900s when the Yellow Pine Mine was established as well as the Fayle Hotel, the General Mercantile and yes the World Famous Pioneer Saloon. Next to the Pioneer Saloon is the Goodsprings General Store. This was at one time the Goodsprings Cafe and it is said that George Fayle built the Goodsprings Cafe first and lived in it while he built the Pioneer Saloon. Later in 1915 across from the Pioneer Saloon Mr. Fayle built a General Store and Icehouse. The store burned down in 1966 but the icehouse and a storage room still stand to this day." 

310 NV-161, Goodsprings, NV 89019 - (702) 874-9362                                             
Est. 1913
Web site: pioneersaloon.info - facebook
Articles ranked: bluerevelation - reviewjournal - bucketlistbars video - culturetrip - daytrippen - roadsideamerica - huffpo - kensphotogallery - travelnevada - yelp - tripadvisor - atlasobscura - mydigimag - vegasoffroadtours  

#2638 - Big Lake Bar and Grill, Mount Vernon, WA - 10/19/2014

Big Lake Bar & Grill, Big Lake, WA

The city listed in the address for the Big Lake Bar and Grill is nearby Mount Vernon, but passers by know it as Big Lake and older locals refer to it as the old community of Montborne. The lake itself is not huge, but it stretches for over two miles along Highway 9, about two thirds the way from Seattle to Canada. Inside the Big Lake Bar and Grill there's a large old photo of the old Montborne community, founded by Dr. H.P. Montborne in 1884, and snippets on the area's history and historic houses.

There's been a tavern at this location for many years. "The tavern operated under several names: the Montborne Tavern, Jim's Tavern, Pat and Marty's Tavern, Sherm's Tavern, and Jo D's, and it is currently the Big Lake Bar and Grill, referred to by locals as the Big Lake Tavern." (Big Lake Valley)

Big Lake Bar & Grill

Today it is a 50s themed diner and bar, with many of the stereotypical touches of the theme -- the Route 66 signs, classic cars, photos of Elvis, black and white checkered patterns. The menu is also lartely what you would expect with this theme, augmented by an outdoor barbecue and a good selection of beers.

18247 Washington 9, Mt Vernon, WA 98274 - (360) 422-6411                  
Previous bars in this location: Montborne Tavern, Jim's Tavern, Part and Marty's Tavern, Sherm's Tavern, Jo D's
Web site: facebook
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor - jeepspubtaverns
Big Lake Bar and Grill song - youtube 

#2617 - Baldwin Saloon, The Dalles, OR - 9/12/2014

Baldwin Saloon, The Dalles, OR

Baldwin's Restaurant was first founded in this location in 1876 and soon became a saloon, still in the midst of the gold rush days when the Dalles had some 30 saloons. The building hosted a range of non-bar businesses for most of the 20th century until 1991, when Mark and Tracy Linebarger purchased the building and refashioned it into the Baldwin Saloon again.

The Dalles, Oregon was named for the French word for "slab" ("dalle"), inspired by the flat slabs of rock that populated this part of the Colulmbia river. The locals will tell you that the city was the true termination of the Oregon Trail, as gold miners and other emigrants ended the land portion of the route here and floated the rest of the way to the coast down the Columbia.

The current Baldwin Saloon offers a large menu of mostly traditional American favorites made from scratch, with an occasional anomaly ("Chef Tammy's Thin Mint rubbed lamb roast!"). They have a very nice selection of craft beers and their cocktails -- well, let's just say the cocktails are not among the many reasons it is worth going out of your way to stop by.

Baldwin Saloon, The Dalles, OR

Above the dark woody booths and wainscoting and around the attractive, antique, mahogany back bar the exposed brick walls are covered with period oil paintings, with the focus on a growing collection by landscape artist John Englehart. The owners were not afraid to take an ethical stand on the 2017 "Day Without Immigrants," and include a few offbeat attractions. Perched on a ledge high about the tables is an 1894 Schubert mahogany piano, which includes a live pianist on weekends, described thusly: "Caroline Homer, 78, who's been playing an 1894 Schubert piano at the Baldwin every Friday and Saturday night for 20 years, except when she goes elk hunting."

To close with a bit more history I quote the saloon's own web site:

"It all began in 1876 with the Baldwin Brothers, James and John, as the original proprietors of the Baldwin Saloon. With the railroad right out front and the Columbia River nearby, business at the Baldwin Saloon kept the two brothers busy, as it was said to be the headquarters for the many men who worked the river and the railroad.Following the era of the Baldwin brothers, an interesting fellow by the name of Dr. Charlie Allen operated a saloon in this same building. Allen was an arrogant man who used the title “doctor”, although his previous occupation consisted of simply selling and adjusting eyeglasses.Allen insured his time spent at the Baldwin Saloon would go down in history when he had caduceus (medical insignias) included in the cast façade that trims the original front of the building. This cast iron façade was made specifically for this building by Golden State Iron Works in San Francisco.During the ownership of Dr. Charlie Allen, a brothel in a small frame building was attached to the back of the saloon. The operator of this establishment later married Allen, and they operated their businesses together.

The Baldwin Saloon
Photo from Wasco County Pioneer Assoc.

Since those colorful times 0f long ago, the Baldwin Saloon building has served many other purposes including a restaurant, a steamboat navigational office, a warehouse, a coffin storage site for a nearby mortuary and a state employment office.In 1962, Garth and Evelyn Bonney purchased this building for their business, Bonney Saddle Shop. For nearly 30 years Garth worked at this location making quality saddles by hand, a rare and true art passed on to him by his father. Then, only months shy of Garth’s 80th birthday, the Bonneys retired, selling their building to Mark and Tracy Linebarger, new owners with an old business in mind.They restored the saloon to its original use as a restaurant and bar. ‘the renovation process, including the conversion of the unfinished basement into a commercial kitchen, took almost one full year. Finally, on December 15, 1991, the Baldwin Saloon opened its doors and welcomed history all over again.

Today’s Baldwin Saloon certainly doesn’t have the bawdy atmosphere of its predecessor. The interior has a simple, yet elegant look that radiates warmth and comfort. Rich mahogany and golden oak booths and tables are complemented by various brass fixtures throughout the restaurant. Beautiful turn-of-the-century oil paintings are all around, and the original brick walls and old fir floor have been uncovered and given new life.

Inside the Baldwin Saloon are several old fixtures of interest. The most talked about is an 18-foot long mahogany backbar made in the early l900s. It features large columns topped with scrolls and the original mirror is trimmed with stained glass panels.

A large pendulum clock with local historic significance now hangs in the Baldwin Saloon. In 1879, this clock hung in the Umatilla House, another historical building which carries much of The Dalles’ early history. This unique clock was made in the early 1800’s and is inscribed “This clock belongs to Judd S. Fish”, who was one of the owners of the Umatilla House. Another clock like this one, but still in its original wood encasement, can be seen at the Fort Dalles Museum.

At the end of the bar is a big brass cash register that today’s bartenders use with the same enthusiasm as they did in the 1920s. To ring up a sale, the bartender must crank around the register’s arm, which in turn opens one of the three mahogany drawers the register rests on. Also on display are an old floor safe and a scale, both originally used by saddle maker Henry Kuck. Ralph Bonney (Garth Bonney’s father) and Henry Kuck were partners in the saddleshop business years ago. Kuck and Bonney Saddles was located at the corner of 2nd and Laughlin downtown The Dalles. This is where Garth first got started in the business.

Nestled up on a ledge above the dining tables is a 1894 Schubert mahogany piano. Weekend evening guests are entertained by melodies of the past sent sweeping through the building, creating a genuine feeling for the turn of the century.

The Baldwin Saloon’s history is forever in the making. As additional Englehart oil paintings are acquired and historically significant pieces are found, they will continually be added to the collection that makes the Baldwin Saloon so unique. This is a building whose spirit will live on forever."

Source: http://baldwinsaloon.com/our-history/



205 Court St, The Dalles, OR 97058 - (541) 296-5666
Est. 1876/1991 - Building constructed: 1876
Web site: baldwinsaloon.com - facebook
Reviews: eater - sticksandscones - yelp - tripadvisor - judysbook  

#2563 #S1263 - Brunswick & Hunt, Seattle - 6/18/2014

Update: Brunswick & Hunt closed Jan 31, 2020.

---

This is a very fine bar in several different ways. First, it adds a second quality cocktail location (along with Essex) just on this little out-of-the-way strip of  NW 70th Street. Second, the food is excellent (try the roasted chicken). Third, if the opening day was any indication, the service will be friendly, attentive, and competent. Finally, as the name indicates, they have done a service to the community by rescuing a trashed but fantastic antique Brunswick-Balke-Collender bar and sunk a small fortune into restoring it to its considerable glory.

It is amazing that the life this bar must have had in Winlock and elsewhere, well over a hundred years of what must have been considerable pre-prohibition saloon mayhem, decades of neglect and abuse, and many more years of irreverent treatment in everything from a Bavarian restaurant to a punk bar, has left it so intact. It's beautiful refurbished state, reflecting the grand antique painting across the room, are a welcome nod to bar history. But while you can come here for the museum quality pieces, you are likely to stay and return for the quite nice drink options (including a well-made daily punch option) and the fine food (the roasted chicken, prepared sous vide and roasted with rosemary, was quite simply my favorite chicken I've ever tasted).

Brunswick & Hunt, Seattle, WA

B&H was created by Barry Rogel (DeLuxe Bar & Grill) and Scott Rogel (The Athenian). Noticing my admiration for the antique Brunswick "San Domingo" bar, Barry kindly engaged me with the details of the purchase and restoration of the bar. It is a great pleasure to see the work invested into rescuing this fine, old piece, and to be able to admire it over a lovely cocktail and meal.

Brunswick & Hunt, Seattle, WA

Brunswick & Hunt, Seattle, WA

Brunswick & Hunt, Seattle, WA

Brunswick & Hunt, Seattle, 

1480 NW 70th St, Seattle, WA - (206) 946-1574                      
Est. June 18, 2014 - Closed Jan 31, 2020 - Building constructed: 1927
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: brunswickandhunt.com - facebook
Articles ranked: chowdownseattle - seattlemet - myballard - suzi-pratt - culturalambassador - thestranger - eater -  yelp - chowound - tripadvisor

#2541 - Pastime Bar and Grill, Oroville, WA - 5/25/2014

The Pastime Bar & Grill, Oroville, WA

The "Pastime" is the most common name used for bars in Washington state's history but only a few remain, and I make a special point to try and get to them. (At last count I'd identified 59 cities in Washington that have had at least one bar named the Pastime, but I count only 7 or 8 that remain open today.) Oroville's version includes the bonus of an antique Brunswick back bar, which one person associated with the bar said they heard came to Oroville via a bar in Loomis.

I don't know how long there's been an actual bar in this building, but it's been a while. My sparse evidence from city guides has them listed in the bar section at least as far back as 1954. From the current owners:

Antique Brunswick bar at the Pastime in Oroville, WA

"Our building was originally constructed as two side by side establishments, housing in its south half, Prince’s Thrifty department store, an important part of the economy in Oroville, WA. The structure dates back to the 1930s when Prince’s Thrifty department store opened in one half and a pool hall operated next door, becoming one space after the departure of Prince’s to new quarters. Gaming took place in the billiards parlor next door, becoming one space after the departure of Prince’s to new quarters."

They also add that, "Back in the 70s, the Pastime sold more Olympia Beer than any other tavern in Washington State."

Today the dark wood bar and black metal stools seem more like a framed exhibit than an integral part of the bright, capacious and light-colored restaurant. This is a modern restaurant and pub, with fairly upscale food choices and more suited to brunch after church than nursing a cold one with the boys. The old neon sign has been carted away. The spare, clean decor feels like a new craft brewpub, and indeed, since this visit new managers are currently moving in the brew tanks. No doubt the food and beer choices are much better than they were in the old incarnations. Once again I feel the tension between my once-every-couple-years visitor's preference for places that feel old and a bit shabby, and my bittersweet gratitude that someone appears to be pragmatic about what it takes to keep the old places thriving. As long as they keep the old name and that backbar, I'll be back.

Old Oroville Pastime sign
(Photo from Pastime Facebook page)

1307 Main St, Oroville, WA 98844                                    
Est. April 26, 2013 - Building constructed: 1925
Web site: pastimebarandgrill.com - facebook
Reviews: gazette-tribune - oliverdailynews - yelp - tripadvisor - route97