Classic Images of American Taverns, Bars, and Saloons Through the Years

Photographs allow us a glimpse into the past, to see how life once was in a time much different than what we are accustomed to. Technology was non-existent or perhaps just beginning to emerge, and styles in just about everything, from architecture to fashion, were vastly different. The way of life of yesteryear was both simpler and more difficult at the same time and old photos often depict this. Not just any photos, but photos of taverns, bars, and saloons offer us a unique glimpse into the past, where we can see the social and cultural norms of a bygone era that capture changes in design, fashion, lifestyle, and even beverage preferences. To curate an album of classic images of American taverns, bars, and saloons, through the years, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the catalogs of Getty Images, Picryl, Wikimedia Commons, and the Library of Congress. Images selected were between the years of 1861 to 1979. (To glimpse more historical watering holes, look at the oldest bars in America.) These photos are a perfect depiction of how life in the United States has changed over the years. Some portray simple watering holes in rugged outpost towns on the American frontier, others show lavish establishments with well-dressed patrons and well-stocked bars. While a few of these bars have managed to survive to this day, most have shut down or been transformed for alternative uses. Certain parts of the country feature more prominently, with New Orleans and New York, both places that are famous for their nightlife, appearing several times. These images show that while much has changed over the years, people still gather in bars to relax and socialize. (See what life was like for women 100 years ago; and what life is like for female gymnasts on Team USA, like Simone Biles and Suni Lee in the 2024 Paris Olympics.) Here are classic images of American taverns, bars, and saloons through the years. Saloon Arrest In Denver Year: 1872 The engraving appeared in Detective John W. Cook’s memoir about his time fighting crime in rugged Colorado in the 1800s. It depicts Cook and his partner, Detective Smith, arresting fugitive Bill White in a crowded saloon in Denver Columbian Hotel bar Year: 1880 The bar in a lavish hotel in Trinidad, Colorado, built in 1879, featuring bas-relief friezes of country scenes, both gas and electric lamps, carved and lathe-turned wood detailing, and taxidermy pheasants. In the 1800s, the most luxurious bars were often in hotels. A stand selling beer and ice cream Year: 1885 A stereoscopic image of customers by a small outdoor bar with a sign reading “Lager Beer and Ice Cream Saloon” near the Augusta Arsenal in Augusta, Georgia. h The bar at the Table Bluff Hotel and Saloon Year: 1889 A few rugged men pose at this hotel saloon in the town of Table Bluff in California’s Humboldt County. The unique chairs were made by the famous local hunter and “mountain man”: Seth Kinman, who once played a tune for Abraham Lincoln on a fiddle he made from a mule’s skull. A Southern California tavern Year: Circa 1890 The bartender raises a glass in a toast to the camera at this tavern somewhere in Southern California – possibly San Juan Capistrano. The Arcade Saloon Year: 1898 Several men stand outside the Arcade Saloon in Eldora, Colorado. At the time, Eldora was a mining town; now it’s a getaway for skiing and other outdoor activities. Drinking at the Road House Saloon Year: 1906 Several mustached men crowd around a table at this saloon in Bluff City, Alaska. Bluff City was established as a mining camp in 1900 during the Nome gold rush on the Seward Peninsula. Perley McBride’s shop Year: 1906 A bartender poses behind the bar, surrounded by an array of bottles, location unknown. Jean Lafitte’s Old Absinthe House Year: 1906 The historic bar at this famous institution on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, opened in 1806. A tap on the bar dispensed absinthe, the anise-flavored spirit that was banned in the U.S. for its supposed mind-altering effects in 1912, becoming legal again only in 2007. “Making a tenderfoot dance” Year: 1907 Cowboys in an unnamed saloon, location unknown, aim guns at another man’s feet, suggesting the old Western tradition of shooting at a newcomer’s feet to make him “dance.” The Carlton Hotel Club Bar Year: 1920 The Carlton Hotel’s art deco-style club bar. The hotel, located in Washington, D.C., just two blocks from the White House, still exists, now branded as a St. Regis. The bar at the Almas Temple Year: Circa 1920 A view of the bar at the Almas Temple, longtime home of the Washington D.C. chapter of the Scottish Rite Temple. Modeled off the castles of Moorish kings in 13th-century Granada, the building still exists today. Man and cat at a bar Year: 1937 An unhappy-looking man spends his Saturday night with his kitten at an unnamed bar in Craigville, Minnesota. Saturday night in Craigville Year: 1937 Another shot of a bar in Craigville, Minnesota, shows a few men talking while one holds a box of R.G. Dun cigars. Today, the boxes are vintage collectibles and can be found for sale on eBay. Crab boil night Year: 1938 A bar filled with people in Raceland, Louisiana, on crab boil night. Seafood boils remain popular throughout the state. Drinking in Pilottown Year: 1938 A group of men enjoy beers at a little bar in Pilottown, Louisiana. In the background is a poster for Falstaff beer, a major brewery for much of the 20th century. A saloon on Decatur Street Year: 1938 A man in all white gets a beer from the bartender in a well-stocked bar in New Orleans’s French Quarter. A bar in Pottsville Year: Circa 1938 Two bartenders watch as their picture is taken in the bar at the Necho Allen Hotel in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Pottsville was a coal mining town, and one of the bar areas in the hotel was called the Coal Mine Tap Room. The private Seagram’s bar Year: 1939 The Seagram’s Distillers Corporation rented a floor in New York City’s iconic Chrysler Building and created an office that included this private executive bar designed by architect Morris Lapidus. A brewery bar Year: 1940 The bar at the Carson Brewery in Carson City, Nevada, the state capital. A picture of a bar in Nevada’s capital shows a group of people standing around enjoying themselves. A few of the men are covered in grime, perhaps after a day’s work. Bill’s Gay Nineties Year: 1940 Bill’s Gay Nineties was a New York City bar that started out as a speakeasy in the 1920s. Over the years it transformed into a restaurant and piano bar and eventually closed in 2012. In this 1940 photo, the barman is wearing a fake mustache. Drinking in Norfolk Year: 1941 Several men enjoy beers one night at a bar in Norfolk, Virginia. Behind the men are racks filled with magazines. At the crossroads Year: 1944 Frenchie’s, a combination beer garden, juke joint, barbecue place, and gas station at a crossroads in Melrose, Louisiana. Tavern on the Green Year: 1944 A bar at New York City’s iconic Tavern on the Green in Central Park, originally built in the 1880s as a place to house the sheep that grazed in New York’s Central Park. It was transformed into a restaurant and bar in 1934 and is still open today. Sammy’s Bowery Follies Year: 1945 A woman plays the violin during New Year’s Eve celebrations at this Lower East Side Manhattan bar. Sammy’s stayed open until 1971, a year after its founder passed away. The “21” Club Year: 1945 The famous jockeys, wearing the racing silks of stables owned by wealthy customers, outside the “21” Club in New York City. Opened in 1930 as a Prohibition-era speakeasy, it was designed with secret doors and cellars to hide alcohol. The establishment lasted until 2020, when it closed as a result of the pandemic. Paddock Lounge listening Year: 1950 Patrons watch live music in this French Quarter bar in New Orleans. The Paddock Lounge was opened in 1925 by racehorse owner Steve Valenti and played a major role in the 1950s in the revival of New Orleans jazz. A New York bar scene Year: 1951 A man stands drinking at an unnamed bar in Manhattan. Some historians refer to the 1950s as a golden age of entertainment and nightlife in New York. Taxidermy in California Year: 1954 Two men marvel at the decorations in Foster’s Bighorn in Rio Vista, California. The establishment is filled with stuffed animal heads owned by hunter William Foster. The restaurant and bar, which still exists today, has over 300 stuffed hunting trophies on its walls. Outside the bar Year: 1957 A man sprawls on the sidewalk outside the Blue Moon café and bar, probably in New York City. La Casa de los Marinos Year: Circa 1966 This was a notorious dance club and bar on Decatur Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Blues bar Year: 1977 A band performs at the Checkerboard Lounge in Chicago, a popular blues venue where the Rolling Stones and Muddy Waters recorded a live album in 1981. After the barbecue Year: 1978 People drinking beer at Zabala’s Bar in Paradise Valley, Nevada, after enjoying a barbecue. In Paradise Year: 1978 Patrons at a combination bar, diner, and store in Paradise Valley, Nevada. Bar Interior, Paradise Valley Bar and Store Year: 1979 Locals at the Paradise Valley Bar and Store. The Club Moderne Year: 1979 This historic art deco-style bar in Anaconda, Montana, was chosen as America’s favorite historic bar by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2016. Drinking in the tepee Year: 1979 No longer open, Geronimo’s Castle Bar once served the small town of Bowie, Arizona. Bowie is near the area where the Apache leader Geronimo fought a war in the 1800s against the encroaching U.S. government and was eventually defeated and imprisoned. Take This Retirement Quiz To Get Matched With An Advisor Now (Sponsored) Are you ready for retirement? Planning for retirement can be overwhelming, that’s why it could be a good idea to speak to a fiduciary financial advisor about your goals today. Start by taking this retirement quiz right here from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes. Smart Asset is now matching over 50,000 people a month. Click here now to get started. The post Classic Images of American Taverns, Bars, and Saloons Through the Years appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..