#1874 - Arnie's Horseshoe, Ellensburg, WA - 8/25/2011

I do not know how old the Horseshoe is, but a 1970 article in the Ellensburg Daily Record describes it as being sold to a new owner in 1918 (this account may not be entirely correct, as it describes that year as "a year before prohibition became law," and prohibition was in effect in Washington state Jan 1, 1916). Also, there is no bar listed at this address in either the 1937 or 1949 Polk Guides (I did not check under other business types), however there is one listed in 1911 under "Whitman & Lee" and again in 1913 under "C E Whitman."

In any case, the article recounts a storied history, back to the days when bars on the street were open 24-hours and the owner did much of his sales in gold. As was not unusual northwest bars in the late 19th and early 20th century, the Horseshoe also appears to have served as a bank, payroll office, and employment office -- e.g. distributing payroll to thrashing crews.

The current version of the Horseshoe positions itself as a sports bar, but more closely resembles a class, rural dive, with hunting trophies, paraphernalia for watery, corporate beers, and stickers sporting dopey jokes. Some of the latter evince a bit of the douchebag element that currently tends to hang out there ("Are all women on the rag the same day?" "Speak English or get the fuck out"). It can sometimes have a high BBCS (Backwards Baseball Cap Score), but most the folks there seem pretty agreeable.

106 West 3rd Avenue Ellensburg, WA 98926 - (509) 925-4044
Est. ? (1911 or earlier?)
Reviews and articles: Ellensburg Daily Record - yelp - urbanspoon

#1873 - The Palace Cafe, Ellensburg, WA - 8/25/2011

Ellensburg may be the best town in the state for old bars, and as you are reminded by a number of signs, the Palace Cafe has been around since 1892. It existed in a couple different locations until opening in the current space in 1949. However, it is not clear how long the cafe has also featured a saloon. The drinks are pedestrian, but it's got a nice vibe with lots of historical photos. And while it is not quite an alley entrance (always a welcome sign for a bar), there is a sort of back door side entrance that most the bar patrons use.

323 North Main Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 - (509) 925-2327
Est. ? (Restaurant est. 1892, in current location 1949)

Web site: thepalacecafe.net - facebook
Reviews: tripadvisor - yelp - collegehotsheet - urbanspoon

#1872 - Fat Cat's, Walla Walla, WA - 8/25/2011

Okay, I did not do a good job searching for the interesting bars in Walla Walla.

430 West Main St, Walla Walla, WA 99362 - (509) 529-8233
Reviews: insiderpages - yellowbot - tripadvisor - yelp 

#1871 - Bojack's Broiler Pit, Lewiston, ID - 8/25/2011

Named for original owners Bob and Jack, who for some reason decided to put a steakhouse restaurant in the basement of a rollicking dive bar upstairs, Bojack's is a local institution. It was founded in 1951, purchased by Wally and Katie Eglund in 1969 (the restaurant that is, they bought the bar later), and run by the Eglund family ever since.  The bar upstairs is fun, if a little intimidating for some diners to traverse, and there are nifty signs on either side of the building.  Locals recommend the Bite Sized Steak (tender deep fried pieces of steak).

311 Main Street, Lewiston, ID 83501 - (208) 746-9532           
Est. 1951

Web site: bojacksbroilerpit.com - facebook  
Best Reviews: inland360 - yelp - tripadvisor - urbanspoon 

#1870 - Brodock's, Grangeville, ID - 8/25/2011

Although it was staffed by nice people, this bar in Oscar's Restaurant seemed boring and formulaic when we visited, with the vibe of an Applebees.  But I've seen a few Oscar's reviewers who complained about all the noise coming from the bar, so we clearly did not come at a good time to judge.

Grangeville, Idaho is the largest town in Idaho County, at the base of the state's pan handle. It arose in a large meadow at the edge of the Nez Perce National Forest -- traversed by gold prospectors whose fortune seeking was not to be slowed by the treaty granting the Nez Perce control of the area. It was incorporated in 1889 and now has a population of around 3,000 people.  Brodock's is the most genteel of the handful of bars in town.

101 E Main, Grangeville, ID - (208) 983-2106
Reviews: localtom - tripadvisor - yelp - travel.yahoo  - beerandwhiskeybros

#1869 - The Establishment, Grangeville, ID - 8/25/2011

"The Establishment" was admittedly our second choice in Grangeville, after finding our original target, "Earnie's Man Cave," closed.  Earnie's was marked by the name formed in rope light above the door, signs on the door itself only partially obscuring the old NAPA Auto Parts signs, and a confusing sandwich board that listed the hours as "Open 1am to close."

So confused and disappointed, we wandered down to The Establishment, "North Central Idaho's Premier night spot."  That it may be, as one bitter online reviewer includes among his complaints that the (fairly sizable) place is "way too small for the crowd that it draws, especially in the summer time."  But on this lazy Saturday afternoon, it was just us and a bored bartender.

142 E. Main St, Grangeville, ID 83530 - 208-983-1830
Reviews: bermtopia - lewisclarknightout  - travel.yahoo

#1868 - The Silver Dollar, White Bird, ID - 8/25/2011

White Bird, Idaho, is named for the chief of the Lamátta band of the Nez Perce, a leader in the Battle of White Bird Canyon, where in 1877 the Nez Perce routed the U.S. Army in the opening skirmish of the Nez Perce War.  Although White Bird's resistance continued beyond the surrender of Chief Joseph (attributed with the line "From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever"), the U.S., of course, eventually prevailed, in what an 1877 New York Times editorial described as "On our part, the war was in its origin and motive nothing short of a gigantic blunder and a crime." (1)

In the current town of White Bird, population 91, down the canyon along Old U.S. Highway 95, is the Silver Dollar Cafe and Saloon.  You walk in under a baggie of water hanging over the door, which people believe keeps away flies.  The saloon is in front, where a woman with a beehive hairdo serves strong, cheap drinks.  Through the saloon is the cafe, where locals play cribbage and refresh their coffee at the self-serve stand.  The locals do not immediately cotton to out-of-towners, and it takes a while to find who might eventually warm up to chat with you.  We didn't find out how long the Silver Dollar had been around, but apparently an old version burned down, and this one was rebuilt around 1951.

100 Old US Highway 95 White Bird, ID 83554 - (208) 839-2293
Est. 1952 - Building constructed: 1951?
Reviews: barflyzen - earthwormenvy - richardbiking - yelp