Boise's Oldest Bars

Determining the oldest bars in any area requires not just data and primary sources, but decisions on some fairly arbitrary criteria of what constitutes a single bar throughout the years. My data is far from comprehensive (and I'd love to get an email from anyone who can suggest additions), so this may remain a work-in-progress for some time. I have already benefited from much input from Boise historical groups, including several relatives of former owners. Let's start with the criteria I personally think make the most sense, with my best estimate of the years in which they were established:

Oldest bars in Boise, maintaining the same names, in the same buildings, and same locations

    1. 1940-1941 - Little Dutch Garden (building constructed 1940)
    2. 1949-1950 - 44 Club (building constructed 1946)
    3. 1953-1956 - Broadway Bar (building constructed 1925)
        1955-1956 - Overland Bar (building constructed 1954)

Oldest bars in Boise, maintaining the same names, but including those in different buildings and/or locations

Finally, if you allow for name changes, we must add the Crooked Bar / The Suds, established in 1947, Bar Gernika, which was The Cub Tavern since 1948 and the Trade Dollar Bar for some time prior to that, and perhaps 10th Street Station, in the old Idanha Hotel, which has hosted bars since at least 1905 and probably since 1901.

General Notes

Details about Age of the Bars

More Boise Bars with History

In addition to the bars listed above, there are a number of bars and bar locations that have hosted notable runs of bars over the years.

Neon sign from the old Cub Tavern in Boise
(Idaho Statesman photo)

Interior of Pengilly's Saloon, Boise










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If you have any corrections, additions, or other information on Seattle area bars built before 1950, please e-mail to kbar@peterga.com




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