Note: The Oak Harbor Tavern, which appeared to reside in a building established as a saloon and
store by sea Captain Edward Barrington circa 1852 and at least by 1856, finally closed in March 2020.
It was later dragged across the street to its current location, and eventually took the name
"Oak Harbor Tavern" in 1939 (previously Forner's Tavern).
Thus this is the physical structure that had been a bar for the longest time in the state of
Washington and by a considerable measure -- at least 26 years -- and could be again if a new bar
is established there, as the property owner hoped, but which had not been done at last check.
If we consider a physical location, and not just a particular building, then we must move
a number of bars up these lists:
There are quite a few bars that claim to be the oldest in the state in one form or another,
and as I mention above, the definition and age of a bar are not simple questions, so it is
not impossible for multiple such claims to be true by certain criteria.
At other times the claims appear to be merely hearsay, or a lack of knowledge of some of the
other old bars in existence.
Below is my assessment of some of these claims given the best information I can find.
If I misinterpret the claim or am lacking certain data, I would much appreciate being informed of this.
I have included here many bars across the state that I believe opened in the 1930s (or earlier).
However, I have not included the 20 or so bars in Seattle that opened during the 30s -- for a
list of those see my page on Seattle's Oldest Bars.
| Name | Build | Loc | Bar | Notes |
|---|
| 1878? | 1878? | 1930s? | Carbonado Saloon, Carbonado |
It's tough to find historical information on the Carbonado Saloon, and I have
not included it in the lists above because the dates are especially speculative.
But it is believed that the building was constructed in 1878 and later moved to
its current location.
When exactly it first hosted a bar, at some point called the "Carbonado Canteen," is
also unclear.
The space has served as a barber shop, post office, and general store.
It is believed to have become a bar again at some point in the 1930s.
In any case, it is a fine old place and the current owners have a real interest
in local history, and include many old photos and artifacts in the bar.
|
| 1890 | 1890 | 1890 | Merchants, Seattle |
Merchants was built in 1889-1890 right after the Fire of 1889.
|
| 1890? | 1890? | 1890? | Exchange Tavern, Spanaway |
I have not found primary sources to verify this age of The Exchange, but Jean Sensel,
a previous owner of the bar, writes "I found original sales documents for all the land
east of Spanway Lake by a development company that platted the area as Lake Park.
The parcel where the Exchange sits is the only one that was not in the sale, lending
credence to the recollection of older residents that the tavern was in place when the
Lake Park Land, Railway, and Improvement Company bought the properties around it in 1889,
or at the latest, when the railway was completed in 1890, the Exchange was in place."
(personal correspondence, Sep 6, 2015)
The Exchange Tavern is said to have run as a bar since then, although officially a
general store during state-wide and then federal prohibition.
It and the building that was moved after serving as the adjacent "Wine Room" for lady guests
were the only two buildings that survived the 1922 fire, which destroyed what was then the
business district of town, and is now a little used road a few blocks from Pacific Ave.
|
| 1891? | 1908 | 1891 | Olympic Club, Centralia |
This has been called the "second oldest saloon in Washington State," and
perhaps it is in terms of a bar under its current name, although not
necessarily in the current building for all of that time.
The Olympic Club and Micro Brewery is located in a landmark building at
112 North Tower Avenue, Centralia.
Originally built in 1891, the saloon was rebuilt after a fire in 1908.
Original details include a sign at the entrance which reads
"Women's patronage not solicited."
|
| 1892? | 1902 | 1902 | The J&M, Seattle |
The J&M claims to be "Seattle's Oldest Bar" and traces its origin to 1889.
However, this seems to be based strictly on the construction date of the J&H
Hotel, the building where it now resides, and where there was no bar in 1889.
The site further states that owners Jamieson and McFarland "opened for business in Pioneer
Square in 1892." This too seems dubious, as neither Jamieson nor McFarland
are listed as saloon owners in the 1895, 1898 or 1899 Polk directories.
They appear first in the 1900 directory at 207 1st Ave S, i.e. the current
location of the Central Saloon. Some historical sources have stated that
they moved to their current location in 1902, which seems generally
compatible with Polk guides from around that time, which list it at the 207
address in the 1900 though 1902 editions, then list Jamieson and McFarland
at both the 207 and 201 (current J&M) addresses in 1903
(as well as a third location at 115 Washington), and the 201 address for the next
couple years.
By 1907 the location is listed as owned by "Jamieson and Moffett" with a
McFarland Cafe appearing at 1222 2nd Ave and later at 922 1st Ave (the
buildings from the time at both locations have since been demolished).
Thus I would estimate that the J&M began -- in the sense of its original owners
starting the business -- in 1900 or possibly 1899; and began in its current
location in 1902.
Given how owners buy and sell various bars, often with no visibility to
bargoers, I believe it makes most sense to count only the time in its current
location in the age of a bar, and thus I date it to 1902.
But by any reckoning I do not see a justification for dating it earlier than Merchants,
which began business with its current name and location in 1890.
|
| 1897? | 1897? | 1897? | The Chester Club, South Bend |
Various sources report the Chester Club in South Bend as founded by Oscar Chester in 1897,
although I have not seen any primary sources to support this and the only Oscar Chester
I could find in the area in census records was born in 1889 (and presumably unlikely to
establish a saloon at age 8).
In addition, no saloon at this address (or even on that side of the road) appears among
the South Bend saloons listed in the 1914 and 1915 Lewis County Polk directories --
nor one owned by Oscar Chester.
|
| 1898 | 1898 | 1898 | The Brick, Roslyn |
In 1889, after an 1888 fire destroyed most of the Roslyn business section, the city
rebuilt the downtown section in the western frontier style that we see today, and
John Buffo and Peter Giovanni opened a tavern at 1 Pennsylvania Street in Roslyn.
In 1898, the tavern was rebuilt out of 45,000 bricks and took the name "The Brick."
The exterior of the building was used for shots of the fictitious tavern of the same name
in the television show Northern Exposure.
|
| 1898 | 1898 | 1898 | Old Inn Tavern, Snohomish |
I have not seen any primary sources on the Old Inn except for a 1913
newspaper article on a shooting there.
But various accounts date it back to 1898 as a bar, when it was named
the "Inn Saloon," becoming the "Old Inn Tavern" at some point in the 1940s.
The building is said to be constructed in 1889.
(Notes and materials from current owner Don.)
Thus this appears to be one of the three oldest bars in the state, along
with Merchants and The Brick, in terms of places more or less continually
operating under basically the same name.
|
| 1898 | 1933? | 1898 | Joe's Place, Bucoda |
Joe's Place has been family operated since it was established by Joe Farrington in 1898.
The original building burned down during prohibition (in 1919).
The current building is the only one in Bucoda to have survived a great fire in 1930.
The original walnut back bar was consumed in yet another fire during the 50s, but the
matching original front counter remains.
Joe's was perhaps a working bar through prohibition, possibly taking advantage of the
trap door in the floor behind the bar, which was also used in lieu of refrigeration.
In any case, it seems likely that it resumed as a licenses bar very soon after prohibition,
so I have guessed that the bar in the current building dates back to Dec. 1933.
|
| 1900 | 1990? | 1990? | Old Edison Inn, Edison |
If you count an institution that has moved, one of the oldest in the
state is the Old Edison Inn, which is said to have been started in 1900,
and the one of four Edison saloons to survive prohibition.
It has apparently moved twice after that, the last time some year (?) after 1978.
|
| 1901 OE | 1901? | 1890 OE | Queen City Grill, Seattle |
UPDATE: The Queen City is closed and replaced with "BOCA."
Dating the Queen City Grill is somewhat problematic. There were bars at this address
at least since 1890 (under Alexander Meister, in the Polk city guide),
and "Queen City Saloon" appears by 1901. However, I have not been able to ascertain
the date of the current brick building, which replaced the wooden structure at the same
address and which at least briefly housed the Queen City Saloon (there is an undated
picture of this in the restaurant).
King County parcel info lists the build date as 1900, but this was often used as a
shorthand for anything 1900 or earlier. Other articles have listed the construction
date as 1901 and 1909.
Since it has been the Queen City Saloon/Lunchroom/Tavern/Grill since at least 1901,
I currently date the bar back to that year.
In 1987 the current owners converted the divey tavern into an upscale restaurant
(which still has prominent bar).
|
| 1901 | 1901 | 1901 | Melrose Grill |
According to materials
from the current owners and supported at least approximately by various photos in the
bar itself, the current Melrose Grill was built and opened in 1901.
It included a saloon from the beginning, retaining the original back bar (shipped around Cape
Horn from Europe) to this day, and it appears to have included a bar ever since with the exception
of prohibition when it continued as a pool room, card room, and soda parlor.
The structure was originally three stories but a fire in 1928 destroyed the upper floors
and a portion of the ground floor, mercifully sparing the saloon.
|
| 1901 | 1901 | 1901 | Frosty's Tavern, Napavine |
The bartender told us that Frosty's has been a bar in its current location and
with the name Frosty's since 1901.
I have not seen any primary sources verifying this, but they have liquor licenses
going back to at least 1903 framed right on the wall.
|
| 1901 | 1901 | 1901 | Opal, Tacoma |
I have found quite inconsistent dates attributed to the opening of the Opal Saloon,
including 1906 and 1912 and there is an old photo of the saloon behind the bar that
was subsequently labeled "1902," but this shows the Opal in the building just north
of the old Edison Soft Drink Parlor (constructed c. 1900), an address that is now 5220.
And the "Opal" name is not listed in any Tacoma Polk guides from pre-prohibition years.
Nevertheless, I am fairly confident the Opal Saloon was established in its current
locatiion by 1901.
Various documents associate the ownership in the early years with the Yorkheimer
brothers, and Polk Guides list a saloon owned by "Yorkheimer Bros" and later just
Frank Yorkheimer from 1901 through 1915.
The Dec 31 1915 issue of the Tacoma Times, which includes comments from virtually
all bar owners in town on what they planned to do when statewide prohibition went
into effect Jan 1, 2016 also puts the Opal Saloon at the current 5226 address,
and quotes owner Frank Yorkpheimer saying, "I am going to put in a pool table
and will sell near beer and lunches."
|
| 1902? | 1902? | 1902? | Town Bar and Grill, Mansfield |
The sign for the Town Bar and Grill in tiny Mansfield says that it was established in
1902 and one of the owners told me that the only previous name it had was the
Town Tavern.
It's unlikely that the name "Tavern" dates back to 1902, so I am somewhat dubious
about the "Town" name going back that far as well, but will list it here until I
can find some additional information.
|
| 1903 | 1903 | 1903 | The Virginia Inn, Seattle |
Wikipedia dates the Virginia Inn to "approximately 1908,", but the bar's web site
claims they were established 1903. The building was constructed in 1901 and and
I have found a bar listed in Polk guides at this address, owned by William Herdmon,
from at least 1907 to 1913, so until I see a starting date from a primary source or
historian, 1903 seems most likely.
|
| 1904 | 1904 | 1904 | Headquarters Tavern, Mineral |
I've found virtually nothing on the history of the Headquarters Tavern, located in tiny Mineral, WA.
But the sign over the door and the understanding of at least some of the locals is that it
has been around since 1904, in the current building, under the current name, and with the
the current ornate back bar.
It is difficult to find much help from primary sources.
Lewis County Polk guides of the early 1900s list multiple saloon owners in Mineral by name,
but there is no indication of precise location or name of the bars.
The first mention of the "Headquarters" name I have found is in the Morton Polk guides,
beginning in 1969.
|
| 1904 | 1934 OE | 1904 | Rainier Bar and Grill, Enumclaw |
The
Facebook page
for the Rainier Bar and Grill claims that the location hosted the Rainier Wine House as far back as 1904,
and the Bohemian Bar shortly after that, and features a photograph of a wooden building featuring both names.
The current brick structure was built during state-wide prohibition in 1917.
Wally Duchateau writes in the Enumclaw
Courier Herald
that it was a "a speakeasy in the 1920s,
a card room in the 1930s and 40s and a favorite watering hole for loggers in the 1950s."
However, it is listed as the "Rainier Bar" already in the 1934 Sigrist city guide, so it was
likely a licensed bar very soon after the Beer and Wine Revenue Act took effect in April 1933.
|
| 1910 | 1910 | 1910 | H&H Tavern, Issaquah |
Said to have begun as a tavern in 1910. Building constructed in 1890s, originally Schomber's Bakery.
|
| 1910 | 1910 | 1910 | Pete's Club, Carnation |
Pete's Club in Carnation (previously Tolt) is said to have been opened in 1910 by Pete Dereiko.
Dereiko clearly owned the bar in 1937, when he passed away and his wife Laura took over, and
he clearly owned a bar in Tolt/Carnation pre-prohibition.
County records indicate that the current building was constructed in 1910.
I am still hoping to get confirmation that a bar named for Pete was there in 1910.
|
| 1910 | 1910 | 1910 | Triangle Pub, Seattle |
UPDATE: The Triangle has now closed.
The quirky "Flatiron" building was completed in 1910 at the corner of Railroad Way
and 1st Avenue S. (formerly "Commercial St.") and housed the Triangle Hotel and Bar.
The bottom floor of the 56'x48'x28' structure continued to host a bar until 1929,
when it became a Western Union branch office, sending its messages to the Cherry
Street headquarters via brass pneumatic tubes (which I am told can still be seen
on the rare days that the basement space is open).
Western Union departed in 1954 and the space resumed being a tavern.
The hotel above, which was a brothel from the 20s until the end of WWII, originally
had 8 small rooms, but now holds 2 apartments.
It is said to have once been featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not as the smallest
hotel west of the Rockies.
|
| 1910? | 1910? | 1910? | Town Bar and Grill, Mansfield |
This one is very highly speculative: The folks at the Town Bar and Grill in Mansfield, WA
claim that he bar has been around since 1902, and one told me that it was previously the
"Town Tavern," and was known by that all the way back to 1902.
I haven't seen any confirmation of these facts, and in fact Douglas Country tax records
date the building to 1910.
And the name "tavern" was rarely used in the years before prohibition ("saloon" would
have been more likely).
But 1910 would have been shortly after the railroad came to town, and perhaps there was
a bar in this location in a previous building.
I am looking for more information.
|
| 1912 | 1912 | 1912 | Slim's, Lind |
I have seen no primary sources or historical research that Slim's dates back to 1912,
but I do have this from Floyd "Skip" Thompson, who has owned the place for 40 years and
purchased it from the family of Slim Nichols. There are photos on the walls of Skip,
Slim and other scenes from Lind history.
|
| 1914 OE | 1933? | 1933? | Antlers, Twisp |
I do not have good data on how long ago there was an "Antlers" bar in Twisp,
nor how soon after prohibition it was a bar again.
But there is a picture on the wall of the current location that says it is
Antlers in 1914.
The current Antlers structure was built in 1924 (during Prohibition),
on the site of the Old Twisp Motel after fire destroyed much of downtown.
|
| 1914? | 1914? | 1914? | Knemeyers, Waterville |
The current owners and web site for Knemeyers (AKA "Kneymeyers" and followed by Saloon, Tavern,
Eatery & Spirits, Bar & Grill, and just Grill) date the bar to 1914, when the current building
was constructed by O.C. Knemeyer. There are also bars listed under W.H. and L.C. Knemeyer
(sometimes Kneemeyer) in Waterville in all the preprohibition Chelan Polk directories I have found,
i.e. 1907, 1910, 1912 and 1914, although the addresses are unknown.
It is not clear that the O.C. Knemeyer location contained a bar from day 1, and I have
very few primary resources to inform me how consistently it hosted a bar after prohibition.
But at minimum elderly locals recall that it has been a tavern for as long as they can remember.
|
| 1915 OE | 1915 OE | 1915 OE | Arnie's Horseshoe, Ellensburg |
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 "the year before prohibition."
Given that it appears to have been a bar before prohibition, I think it is reasonable to
guess that it dates back to at least 1915.
|
| 1933 | 1892 | 1892 | The Central Saloon, Seattle |
Originally Watson Bros. Famous Restaurant, est. in 1892,
then the “Seattle Bar” in 1901, it has been the “Central"
Cafe/Saloon/Lunchroom/Tavern from 1919 until today.
Of course 1919 would have been during prohibition in Washington state, and thus this place could
not have been officially a bar until 1933 at the earliest.
The Central claims to be "Seattle's oldest Saloon."
This claim would seem to refer not to how long there has been a bar there but rather
being the oldest extant Seattle bar allowed to use the word "saloon" in their name
(the term was banned, along with "bar" and "barroom" by the "Steele Act" in 1934).
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | Alger Bar and Grill, Alger |
The Alger Bar and Grill, formerly the Alger Tavern, claims to have been running from the
current location since 1933.
The building does not anywhere appear that old, but county tax records indicate that it was
built in 1915, and we were informed it has has various extensions over the years.
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | Athenian Inn, Seattle |
The Athenian has been a restaurant in the Pike Place Market since 1909.
It is not clear however, when the bar was added.
|
| 1933 | 1933 | 1933 | Bethel Saloon, Port Orchard |
The web site for the Bethel Saloon notes that it because a tavern in 1933,
right after prohibition, and "converted to a bar" in the 1940s (by which I
presume means selling hard liquor?).
The main bar is now in a portion which used to be a general store
(I spoke to locals who recalled this clearly),
and the old wood floor on the old bar side sags pleasantly as you walk around.
"The building was one of the nation's first official Texaco Gasoline Service
Stations in the late 1920's. It's also served as a general store, cafe,
dry cleaners and pottery shop."
There are several old photos of the place in the bar.
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | The Brown Derby, Spokane |
There is no doubt that the Brown Derby, constructed in 1932, was operating as a restaurant
under that name since 1933. The question in this context is how long it has actually been a bar.
It is listed under restaurants and lunch rooms in the 1933 Spokane Polk Directory,
but it does not appear under bars ("beer parlors") until sometime between 1944 to 1947.
|
| 1933 | 1890s | 1890s | The Brown Lantern, Anacortes |
The Brown Lantern was establish just after prohibition in 1933, but the building is
said to have been constructed in the 1890s and to have housed an establishment known
as "The Anchorage."
|
| 1933 | 1933 | 1933 | The Cabin, Shoreline |
Built in 1927 and said to have received one of the first five or six
post-prohibition liquor licenses in the state of Washington in 1933,
it is now the oldest continually running business in Shoreline.
The building was rolled across the street on logs to its current
location, with the logs remaining under the structure to this day,
resulting in the a V-shaped crook in the middle of the floor and bar.
|
| 1933? | 1940? | 1940? | Caroline Tavern, Seattle |
The Caroline itself includes mentions of a start date in 1933,
and a Seattle PI blog entry states that "The Polk directory shows the
Caroline at that address at least as early as 1937."
However, I'm pretty confident that this is mistaken, and that while
the bar may possibly date back to 1933, it was at a location on Victory Way
until approx. 1940.
In the late 30s and early 40s the Caroline was owned by Mrs. Mary McNulty.
The 1937 Seattle Polk guide includes no mention of the Caroline or McNulty,
but the 1936 through 1939 telephone directories list the Caroline Tavern
or a tavern under Mary McNulty at 12341 Victory Way (now Lake City Way).
Then in 1940 the telephone directories and eventually the Polk Guides
begin to list the Caroline Tavern, Mary McNulty, or both at the current address.
It is not unusual for Seattle directories of the time to be missing bars
that are so far out from downtown, and I would not at all be surprised to
see the that the Caroline does indeed date back to 1933,
but I have not yet found any primary sources to confirm this.
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | The Checkerboard Bar, Spokane |
The Checkerboard is one of the bars claiming to have the oldest continuous
liquor license in the state of Washington.
These claims are virtually impossible to document (e.g. the state liquor
board does not track age of licenses), and I have yet to find primary
evidence that the bar existed before 1937.
E.g. it is not listed in either the Polk Guide of 1934 nor the Spokane
telephone directory of 1935 (nor any other bar at the address).
But the building has been there since 1928, so it's possible.
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | Corner Pub, Bow |
Said to be established as lunchroom in 1931 and a bar shortly after prohibition
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | Five Point, Seattle |
The Five Point opened as a restaurant during prohibition in 1929, and presumably
was a bar very soon after prohibition ended.
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | Hilltop Alehouse, Seattle |
The original Hilltop Tavern is said to have opened in 1933 and closed in 1993;
the more upscale Hill Top Ale House opened in 1994). The first city guide listing
I have found for it is 1935.
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | Lone Fir, Kelso |
The folks at the Lone Fir told me it is the "oldest bar in Cowlitz County,"
which is exactly what the folks told me at the bar we visited just before this.
However, in the case of the Lone Fir, they have photos right on the wall from when
it started out as a gas station, to adding a tavern, and eventually converting
completley to a bar. Also on the wall is a liquor license dating back to 1934,
the year after prohibition.
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | Marko's Place, Roslyn |
The Marko's sign says that it was established during prohibition, in 1931, and while
it is unclear when it became a legal bar, it seems highly likely that this was shortly
after the federal Beer and Wine Revenue Act took effect in April 1933.
Two daughters of founder Marko Korich, Mary and Eva, have left audio recordings
describing their father buying the place around the start of the decade and selling
wine made in the basement as well as bootleg whiskey there through prohibition.
While at the bar I also chatted with Alex, now 84, who remembered sneaking into the bar
when he was 11-- i.e. in 1939. The 1937 Polk Guide lists a bar owned by Marko Korich,
but at the address of 13 1st N. I'm fairly confident this was the same building,
because we already know that Roslyn changed the street numbering scheme along this street,
as The Brick, now listed at 100, was listed at 1 in the 1930s and 40s.
In addition, Marko's daughters allude to the bar being in the same building the entire time.
The sisters also mention that Marko purchased the bar from a Mr. Bruno, and a 1913 Polk
Guide lists a bar owned by Bruno & Filberto.
This listing does not include an address, but it is intriguing to consider whether it is
the same location.
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | The Mecca, Seattle |
The Mecca was opened as a restaurant in 1930 and presumably a bar very
soon after prohibition ended
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | Oasis Tavern, Skamokawa |
NOW CLOSED. The Oasis Tavern was closed for a few years recently after long-time owner Wanda
Rudy passed away in 2008, but was very substantially remodeled and reopened in
Sep. 2012. The current owners have heard that it is "the second oldest in the
state," and that it opened shortly after prohibition. Thus my guess is that it
opened in December 1933.
|
| 1933 | 1925 | 1919 | Porter Saloon, Porter, WA |
AKA "Porter Creek Saloon," the only bar between Oakville and Elma has been around for a
very long time, but its beginnings are unclear.
Kay Lee, the current owner, believes it was established, as the "Porter Saloon," in 1919
and that it is the "second oldest bar in the state of Washington." But that would have
been during statewide prohibition -- so it seems unlikely that it would have been established
with "Saloon" in the name in that period (let alone a liquor license). And numerous bars across
the state make the claim to being the first or second liquor license after prohibition.
A newspaper article in the bar contains an interview with previous owner Opal Butterfield,
who says she purchased the place with her husband in 1935.
Wikipedia
says that "Porter Saloon was re-built" in 1925, a year after a fire destroyed it and much of
the town. The Wikipedia article adds that "When it re-opened in 1933 following the repeal of
Prohibition, it was one of the first establishments to receive a liquor license in the
State of Washington," but contains no references.
Thus with no primary references, my best guess from what I've found so far is that there was
some kind of business built here in 1919, it burned down in 1924, and was rebuilt in 1925,
it became a bar in Dec. 1933 (still probably not with "Saloon" in the name, as it could not yet
legally serve hard liquor). It has been the Porter Saloon for many years, and in the last few
years has had a quite remarkable remodel by Ms. Lee.
|
| 1933? | 1933? | 1933? | Smead's Pub, Washougal |
Said to be established in 1928 and a bar shortly after prohibition
|
| 1934? | 1934? | 1934? | Beach Tavern, Tacoma |
The Beach Tavern at Titlow Beach is said to have been established in mid-1934.
|
| 1934 | 1934 | 1934 | Blue Moon, Seattle |
Est. Mid April 1934, (Another Blue Moon Tavern location and owner proceeded it
in 1933 into the early 30s on Roosevelt Way)
|
| 1934 | 1934 | 1934 | Club Crow, Cashmere |
Some folks have referred to Club Crow as the "oldest still operating bar in
the State of Washington."
Lots of bars make this sort of claim in one fashion or another, and it's hard
to square the Crow's claim with a number of other bars that have been (legally)
operating since shortly after prohibition ended (Dec 5, 1933), let alone the
handful of bars that were in operation before prohibition.
But it is quite old -- established as a pool hall, tobacco shop, and barbershop
in 1918, and as a tavern in 1934, apparently called "The Club."
The original owner of the tavern, Stillman Miller, operated the club until 1978.
|
| 1934? | 1934? | 1934? | The Duchess, Seattle |
The Duchess first appears in city guides at its current address in 1937,
although it then disappears from 1938 through 1944.
A photograph in the bar itself is accompanied by a plate dating it to 1934.
The building was constructed in 1926.
|
| 1934 | 1934 | 1934 | Engels Pub, Edmonds |
"The last of its kind, Engel's Pub was established in 1934 as one of
the original pubs in downtown Edmonds.
When Prohibition ended in late 1933, the Engel Family quickly recognized
an unfilled need and the pub was opened in early 1934.
Operated by the founding Engel family until 1981, the pub grew up along
with the City of Edmonds, an to this day is the longest continually
operating business in within the City, and still operates under the
original liquor license, which is the 2nd oldest liquor license in
the State of Washington." (Engel's Facebook site)
|
| 1934 | 1934 | 1934 | Fiddler's Inn, Seattle |
Constructed in 1934 by Walt Haines, who ran the bar for many years thereafter.
|
| 1934 | 1934 | 1934 | Logs Inn, B Z Corner |
The Logs In claims to have been established in 1934.
|
| 1934? | 1908 | 1908 | The Dog House, Langley |
This bar closed in June 2008, but I am leaving it listed for now as I have heard
that it may be re-opening.
Built in 1908 as the Olympic Club, said to be used informally as a bar, converted to
The Dog House Tavern soon after prohibition.
It is the only building in Langley on the National Register of Historic Places.
|
| 1934? | 1934? | 1884 OE | The Spar, Tacoma |
Site of the Tacoma Bar which is now commonly said to have been established in 1884,
but which
some sources date back to 1872.
which was torn down in 1916.
Current building constructed in 1917, became "The Spar" in the 1920s, and was
a bar again right after prohibition.
|
| 1934? | 1934? | 1934? | The Windmill, Wenatchee |
It's difficult to discern when the Windmill, constructed in Wenatchee in 1931, became a
legal bar, but it appears to be shortly after prohibition.
From the web site: "In its early years, The Windmill was a typical “road house” of its
time as it was on the northwest fringe of Wenatchee. It was said to have been frequented
by counterfeiters and legend has it that the upstairs room was a meeting place for bootleggers.
The Windmill had gained a “late night” reputation.
Following the repeal of prohibition, The Windmill was granted an unusual state liquor
license allowing the sale of unopened containers “to go”. This was evidently due to the
operators practice of putting a bottle of beer in sack lunches made for State Highway
Department Road Crews. The Highway Department remains our neighbor today just to the
north of our building."
|
| 1935 | 1941? | 1941? | Deluxe Bar and Grill, Seattle |
A plaque in the current Deluxe describes the place as a Capitol Hill institution since 1934,
although at that time it was located up the street and named "McClanahan Beer Parlor"
for owner Thomas McClanahan.
In 1935 he changed to "The DeLuxe," although the former name is also listed in city guides
for the next several years.
Sometime between 1940 and 1942 inclusive he moved it to the current location.
It was purchased in 1963 by Joe Rogel and Bernie Minsk, and remains operated by
Joe's son Barry at this time.
Barry Rogel has described it as the first post-prohibition tavern in Seattle,
though a number of bars make similar claims, and it seems likely that the first would have
begun in April 1933 very soon after the Beer and Wine Revenue Act took effect.
|
| 1935 OE | 1935 OE | 1935 OE | Golden West Tavern, Tacoma |
The Golden West or Golden West Tavern begins appearing in city guides at this address in 1935.
|
| 1935 OE | 1935 OE | 1935 OE | Mt. Si Tavern, North Bend |
The Facebook page for this bar puts the start date at 1923, but of course it could not have
been a (legal) bar at that time.
The bar itself contains old photographs of what appears to be the current building,
despite going through various modifications, and these photos are labeled "1935"
and "1938." The building is flat-roofed and smaller in the first photo, and has a
a no-longer present porch in the second, but a few apparent consistencies in the
structure and landmarks tend to confirm that this is the current structure.
It may well have become a legal bar very shortly after prohibition, i.e. mid to late 1933.
|
| 1935 OE | 1939 OE | 1935 OE | Mountain Tavern, Tacoma |
Pierce County tax records list this building as having been constructed in 1939.
However, city guides show a Mountain Tavern at this address at least as far back as 1935.
|
| 1936 OE | 1936 OE | 1936 OE | Boots Tavern, Black Diamond |
Hanging in the bar there is a King County Assessor photograph of the Boots Tavern labeled 1939.
JoAnne M. of the Black Diamond Historical Society informed me that portions of the buildings in
this area were constructed in 1918, 1936 (at least the front portion of the current tavern), and 1939.
King County tax records confirm that the tavern building was constructed in 1936.
In "Black Diamond: Mining the Memories" Boots himself, along with his brother Emilio, recall
building the place, starting to seek a license in 1935 and obtaining it a year later.
|
| 1936? | 1907 | 1907 | Jules Maes, Seattle |
Jules Maes features signs that prominently claim "Since 1888," and local newspapers
have refered to Jules Maes himself working there in 1888.
This would make Jules the oldest bar in the current Seattle city limits (the Georgetown
area was annexed by Seattle March 29, 1910) and either the oldest or second oldest in
Washington state, depending on you count.
However my research indicates that these claims are not accurate.
First, the building at 5919 Airport Way was not constructed until 1898.
According to the most comprehensive history I could find, the building was first a
saloon in 1907.
Second, it was not leased to Jules Maes until 1936.
Jules attended and/or owned other bars in the area in the early 1900s, but not earlier.
His bar was located at 5953 Airport Way in 1934, before moving into the current building
in 1936 (the 5953 location then became the "Georgetown Tavern" from at least 1939 into the early 2000s.)
|
| 1936 | 1940? | 1940? | Mike's Chili Parlor |
The web site notes that Mike's was established in 1922 (i.e. during Prohibition) and does not
specify how soon they started serving alcohol after the 21st amendment.
I suspect it was around 1933 or 34, but so far I've only found it listed under bars ("Taverns")
as early as 1936, and this was at a different address across the street (1453 Ballard Way).
(It seems to be missing from Polks City Directories, but included in telephone directories.)
The current building was constructed in 1940.
|
| 1937? | 1937? | 1937? | The Club, Winlock |
The Club claims to have been established in 1933. The building was constructed in 1924.
However, while I have found it in the 1937 Lewis County Polk directory, it is not listed
among Winlock bars in the 1934 edition (I do not have the '35 or '36 editions).
So until I can find some primary or historical evidence dating earlier, I am listing it at 1937.
|
| 1937? | 1937? | 1948? | The Shanty, Seattle |
The Shanty Tavern goes back to at least 1937, although it was previous located in a couple
different locations up the road on Lake City Way.
The 1937 listing has "Mack's Shanty" at 8816 Lake City (AKA Bothell Way AKA Victory Way),
and it is listed in a few subsequent years under the name of owner Doris McLeod.
In the 1941 guide, Mack's Shanty begins appearing at an 8916 address, and then shifts to
the current 9002 address around 1948.
In at least this last move, and perhaps the previous one, the actual building (constructed in 1932)
was moved. It continues to be listed as "Mack's Shanty" into 1960.
In 1961 it was purchased from the original owner by current owner John Spaccarotelli,
and changed the name to just "The Shanty."
|
| 1938 | 1935 | 1935 | 5th Avenue Tavern, Seattle |
This starts appearing in city guides as "Stewart's" in 1935, but is listed as "5th Ave Tavern" by 1938.
|
| 1939 OE | 1933? | 1933? | Hub Tavern, Spokane |
The Hub, later Hub Tavern, was preceded by the Glass Front Beer Parlor, which is said
to have begun as the Glass Front Butcher Shop.
The Glass Front is listed as a beer parlor in the 1934 Polk Directory, I have seen it
described as founded in 1933 (unfortunately I have lost the source), and the building
was constructed in 1933, so it may very well have been a bar very shortly after
prohibition in mid to late 1933. It changed names to "The Hub" sometime between 1937
and 1939, changed to "Hub Tavern" in the late 40s, and has been operating as that ever since.
|
| 1939 | c1852 | ? | Oak Harbor Tavern, Oak Harbor |
UPDATE: The most recent owner of the Oak Harbor Tavern has closed it and
removed virtually all of the interior items including the bar.
That owner says that he wants to re-establish the bar in a different location.
Meanwhile, the owner of the original location is looking for a new tenant,
but it seems unlikely (?) they will be able to use the Oak Harbor Tavern name?
The current Oak Harbor Tavern appears to reside in a building that was
established as a saloon and store by sea Captain Edward Barrington circa
1852 and at least by 1856. It was later dragged across the street to its
current location.
It took the name "Oak Harbor Tavern" in 1939 (previously Forner's Tavern).
Thus if one allows name changes over the years as a single "bar," this is
the oldest bar in Washington state by considerable measure -- at least 26 years.
(One source is historical author Peggy Darst Townsdin, who is the great,
great grand-daughter of Capt. Barrington.)
|
| 1940 | 2013 | 2013 | Von's 1000 Spirits Seattle |
Von's has only been in its current location since 2013, and has been called "Von's"
only since 1940.
However, I include it here because through several changes of location it has been
a continuously operating restaurant (and bar?) since being established as Rippes in 1904.
|
| 1886 | 1958 | 1958 | Horseshoe Cafe, Bellingham |
The Horseshoe Cafe traces it's history under the Horseshoe name back to 1886.
It moved into its current location in 1958.
This location hosted other bars at least as far back as 1903 (The Oxford Bar)
and probably earlier. The history of the Horseshoe before moving to 113 E Holly
is a bit convoluted.
I have found "Horse Shoe" bars listed at 102 E Holly in 1903, at 914 Harris Ave in 1905,
and at 106 E Holly in 1909.
|
| 1960 OE | 1940s OE | 1940s OE | The Log Cabin, Shelton |
The Log Cabin in Shelton says "Since 1923" and it appears to have been some kind
of business since then, but it is unclear when it first hosted a bar and when it
became known was the Log Cabin.
It was previously the Ray Mitchell Tavern in the 30s and/or 40s.
It would not have been a (legal) tavern in 1923, as this was in the midst of prohibition.
It became the Log Cabin sometime before 1960.
|
| 1967 | 1905 | 1905 | Hattie's Hat, Seattle |
This is said to have first been established as the Old Home Saloon and appears
to have remained that or just "The Old Home" through prohibition. In the 1950s,
Gus and Pat Malmgren renamed it "Malmen's Fine Foods" (it retained a bar), and
it was re-named Hattie's Hat sometime around 1967.
|
| 1972 OE | 1972 OE | 1972 OE | Three Fingered Jack's, Winthrop |
Three-Fingered Jacks does not appear to be as old as most the bars on this list,
but is included here because it includes signs proclaiming it
"Washington state's oldest running saloon." A contact with the bar informed me
that this is because they sued the state for the right to serve spirits, and
"saloon" has traditionally been associated with liquor, not just beer and wine.
However, it appears to me that this story has evolved from a 1972 suit that was
actually over the right to put the word "saloon" on its sign.
(This was verified for me by an old customer.)
However, Jack's was preceded in this space by the Winthrop Billiard Parlor, which
I presume was a bar and may well have a bar history that runs well before the current
name.
|
| 1978 | 1908 | 1908 | Boots and Saddles Saloon, Ione |
The Boots and Saddles is very evidently a very old bar, with great, old, uneven, wooden floors.
The bartender there told me that it has been named the Boots and Saddles since 1978 and that
it has housed a bar back to 1908.
|
| 1980 | 1933 | 1933 | Doc's Tavern, Ocean Park |
According to owner Don Sheldon Doc's can track its lineage in its current buliding back to July 4, 1933
(see his history quoted here).
However, the current name dates back to 1980 and the preceding bar was in another location for the years 1936-1948.
Nevertheless, the business appears to have had a remarkable total of three owners dating back from now to 1933.
|
| 1988? | 1938 | 1938 | Toby's Tavern, Coupeville |
This place has been "Toby's" since sometime between the mid 70s and late 80s (1988?),
but it has been a bar since 1938. The construction date of the building is unknown,
but at least a portion of it goes back to at least 1890, with various estimates
ranging from 1869 to 1875.
It is one of a handful of buildings built by John Alexander S. Robertson in the
19th century which are still in use today.
The back bar dates back to the 19th century, and was moved to its current location
in 1943, when Vique Sealey purchased the place and moved the bar there from his
Central Hotel location across the street, which had been seriously damaged by fire.
The back bar had been used in the Ft. Casey Officers Club in the early 20th century,
and stored at Ft. Worden during prohibition.
The business was Sealey's Tavern until at least in the early 70s.
|
| c1993 | 1898 | 1898 | Conor Byrne, Seattle |
The Owl appears to have been founded in 1898, and the Ballard Chamber of Commerce calls this
the "oldest continually operating drinking establishment west of the Mississippi."
Whether they date that through prohibition or not, it's difficult to see how this could be true,
given some of the other bars mentioned here, let alone places like "The Saloon" and "Little Shamrock"
in San Francisco.
But Conor Byrne continues an old and fine tradition of music in this space in Ballard.
|
| 1995 | 1908 | 1908 | Landmark Tavern, Tenino |
Although the "Landmark Tavern" has only been here since around 1995, this location has hosted a bar
since at least 1909 and probably 1908, the year it was built by Columbia Brewery of Tacoma.
By 1909 it was known as "Lee's Place," owned by Lee Waddell.
It was apparently the "Quarry Bar" at some later point, and then "Anderson's Tavern" for many years.
It is said to have been a pool hall and soda fountain during Prohibition, suspected of being a
speakeasy for local quarrymen, as the boom years of the local sandstone quarry, which supported 12 bars
before prohibition, continued into the 20s.
I have not determined how soon it became a legal bar after prohibition.
Assuming there was no "local option" in place, one suspects they would have been licensed very shortly
after the Beer and Wine Revenue Act took effect April 7, 1933.
But the first mention of "Anderson's Tavern" I can find in the limited city guide data I have is in 1959.
Anderson's Tavern continues to show up in Polk Guides and telephone directories up until 1992.
"LJ's Place" is listed at the address in '93 and '94, and finally "The Landmark" beginning in 1995.
(Sources include Joy Orth, Tenino Independent, and city councilman Wayne Fournier, great great nephew of Lee Waddell,
personal correspondence)
|
| 1997 | 1913 | 1890s | Olympic Club, Centralia |
Originally the Oxford Hotel, the Olympic Club was renamed when it was acquired by the McMennamin's
chain, and is said to look very close to what it did after a major reconstruction and remodel in 1913.
It was originally built in the 1890s and rebuilt in 1908 after fire destroyed most the buildings on the block.
|
| 2002 | 1914 | 1907 | Barrel House, Yakima |
There has been a bar in this location since at least 1907, and it has been called
"The Barrel House," as it is now, off and on since at least 1914, the year that the
previous wooden structure was replaced by the current brick building.
In 1907 it was the "Jean B. Dazet and Company Saloon," and it was Mr. Dazet who
first named it The Barrel House, which it appears to have remained that through prohibition,
converting to a billard room and soft drink hall, by which time it was owned by William Harrington
It was briefly renamed "Harrington's," in the late 30s, but returned to Barrel House.
After WWII, it was renamed the Olympia Tavern, and appears to have been out of business
for much the 1960s.
It was reopened in 1970 as the "Blue Banjo" by James and Norma Chapman, and gained a
reputation as the roughest bar in the roughest part of Yakima until it closed in 2001.
In 2002 it was reopened as the current Barrel House, in a substantially more clean, upscale form.
|
| 2005 | 1934 OE | 1934 OE | The Castle, Sedro-Woolley |
"F.A. Hegg opened a grocery on the lot, the first Woolley grocery store,
in about 1895. A 1939 history of the town in the Sedro-Woolley Courier-Times
notes that a man named C.T. Mescher opened the Vienna Bakery there in 1904....
"The B&A Tavern (southwest corner of present Metcalf and State streets) was
the first tavern licensed in town, in December 1933 or January 1934.
Soon afterwards the present Castle was opened by Clyde Minkler as the Minkler Tavern....
The Castle closed its doors in January 2005 and was then reopened on April 22
that year by brothers Jim and Jerry Meiers, former owners of the Four Aces Tavern.
They operated under a number of new names from Cues & Brews to the most recent, Dusty's."
(SkagitRiverJournal)
|
| 2007 | 1891 | 1891 | Couleegan's, Coulee City |
Couleegan's was established here in 2007, but bars appear to have been in this building
for well over 100 years. I have not found any dates from historians or primary sources,
but in the bar itself there is an old photo labeled "Madden and Sargent's Saloon,
Coulee City 1891," and said by the bartender to be in this building.
It could not have been much older than that because Coulee City was platted and
built in the Spring/Summer of 1890.
It also would also have had a longer interruption of service as a legal bar than some
bars of comparable age across the state, as the city apparently voted itself dry in 1908,
and remained that way until the end of federal prohibition.
|
| 2007 | 1913 | 1913 | The Matador, Redmond |
Although The Matador itself was established here only in 2007, and
the building has hosted non-bars for most of its history, it does also
have a lineage as one of the older bar spaces in the state.
The building was constructed in 1913 and first hosted the Bill Brown Saloon
for three years until Washington state pass prohibition.
|
| 2009 | 1910 | 1890s | Mestizo, Sedro-Woolley |
"This is most likely the oldest building in Skagit County that has always been
dedicated to serving liquor....James Wilson opened the Wilson Saloon when the
Gateway opened in the summer of 1910.... As a saloon, then tavern, then cocktail
lounge, it has dispensed hospitality, spirits, beer, wine and food.
Except, or course, during Prohibition, when "wink wink" not a drop of liquor was
available.... A saloon had been located on the present site of Mestizo since the
early '90s, when it was one of the first licensed drinking establishments in Woolley.
When the miners began returning, the saloon was soon renamed the Klondike....
[and later The Schooner]
On that blessed day in 1934 or maybe 1935, when the bar reopened,
in the Wixson Club the 3.2 percent beer flowed" (Skagit River Journal)
|
| 2012 | 2012 | 2012 | Stanwood Hotel and Saloon, Stanwood |
I can place the date of the first Stanwood Hotel bar with no more
precision than "somewhere between 1890 and 2012."
This historic hotel was recently re-opened with a Saloon.
I do not know how far back there was a bar here, but it was a hotel at
least as far back as 1890. It had been dated back to 1894, but a piece
of 1891 newspaper found in the walls of a local cabin and discussing
local visitors, shows that it dates back to at least 1890.
|
| 2012 | 1890 | 1890 | Stage, Seattle |
While it seems absurd to attribute any great age to the "ultra-lounges" recently opened up in this space,
they are operating in what is surely the most storied, historical bar space in Seattle.
The basement space is a remaining portion of the People's Theater, constructed in 1890, and the most
notorious of Seattle's 19th century "box houses." In these saloons with card rooms and theaters,
women performers would serve drinks in between their stage acts, and if a patron was feeling particularly generous,
the women would accompany them to curtained off boxes for more personalized services.
The People's Theater was eventually run by John Considine (AKA "Boss Sport"),
who would battle it out for Seattle's theater and gambling audiences with such rivals as Alexander Pantages
and Wyatt Earp (yes, THAT Wyatt Earp, who owned the Union Club on the next block).
He also battled Seattle Chief of Police William L. Meredith, a feud that culminated in a shootout in a drug
store on 2nd and Yesler that left Meredith dead.
Considine would go on to establish theaters across the west and midwest, create the first popularly-priced
vaudeville chain in the world*, co-found the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, and eventually move to Los Angeles
and produce movies. His lasting legacy to the Seattle bar and nightclub world was his leading role in
establishing Seattle's "Tolerance Policy," a well-established system for paying off the police,
which lasted through the 1960s.
It was this very tolerance policy that in the 1930s would allow the old People's Theater space to become
the most famous open place for gay people on the west coast.
In 1930, Joseph Bellotti purchased the space, with John and Margaret Delevitti operating it, and it
soon became a nationally known club for gays, unofficially known as "Madame Peabody's Dancing
Academy for Young Ladies." With Delevitti paying off the police, men could dance openly with other men
at The Casino (an impossibility in most other cities) and drag queens could remain largely unharrassed.
The Casino and the Double Header upstairs, which remains to this day, would attract gay visitors and
various celebrities from around the country, including the likes of Rudolph Nureyev, Johnny Ray, Margot
Fonteyn, and Tallulah Bankhead. The unrestrained Ms. Bankhead is cited by historical sources as entering
the upper bar with her retinue, ringing a cow bell, and shouting to the assembled queens, "Avon calling
all you beautiful motherf***ers!" To this day the cow bell remains hanging on the wall of the Double Header
(which has a fairly compelling argument for being the oldest continually running gay bar in the United States).
Before it became the rather formulaic 21st century dance clubs Heaven, then Volume, then Stage, the space also hosted
The Catwalk from 1994 to 2005.
The Catwalk brought a modernized edge to the place's bawdy history, hosting various S&M and gothic events,
as well as fetish fashion shows.
|
| 2013 | 1898 | 1898 | Percy's, Seattle |
This building, constructed in 1898 (after the great fire along this strip in 1895),
originally hosted the Ballard Bar.
The bar currently in the space is called "Percy's" and serves a "Sankey Sour" in
honor of the Ballard Bar owner, Percy Sankey.
After Prohibition it was the Silver Spot and then Enger's Fish Knot Inn.
It became the Old Town Ale House in 1995, and Percy's in 2013.
|
| ? | 1882 | 1882 | Bluebird Inn, Bickleton |
This building was constructed and began business as a bar in 1882.
Previous names have included The Pool Hall, The Club, The Bickleton Tavern, and The Bluebird Tavern.
|
| ? | 1888 | 1902 | Kuk's Tavern, Northport |
According to a historical
plaque
featured on Kuk's Facebook page, the current building hosting Kuk's was constructed in 1888 and started then as a saloon
and brothel, apparently called "Skrobian's".
An 1898 photo in "Gold Creeks and Ghost Towns of Northeastern Washington" shows what appears to
be the same building under the sign of the Silver Crown Hotel.
In 1902 the building was moved on logs to its current location.
It was later named "Fred's Pool Hall" by Fred Skrobian, and became "Kuk's" at some point under
ownership of Marion Kukuk.
|
| ? | 1890s | 1873 | Frontier Tavern, Ellensburg |
A saloon was established in this location in 1873, which makes it probably the oldest bar location,
currently hosting a bar, that I have found in Washington state (as of the closure of the Oak Harbor
Tavern). However, that building burned in 1889 fire,
and the current building was constructed a few years later (Watering Holes of the Northwest)
|
| 1950s? | 1933? | 1933? | Rubbatino's/Owl Room, Renton |
Rubbatino's has been said to have been established in 1917, and is said to have originally
been the Owl Annex Beer Parlor.
However, it's unlikely that a new place would be named as beer parlor when state-wide prohibition
was already in place.
Further, King County tax records indicate the that current building was not constructed until 1927,
so it does not appear that there could have been a bar in the current structure until after
prohibition.
There are some vestiges of the "Owl Room" around the bar and back entrance.
It most likely started as the "Owl Cafe," and it is unclear when it took the
name Rubbatino's.
|
| 2001 | 1893 | 1893 | City Hall Saloon, Cumberland |
The building hosting the City Hall Saloon in Cumberland appears to have been constructed as a hotel
for coal miners in 1893.
I was told by one of the locals that it featured a saloon at the time, although I have not seen any
verification on this.
The bar has been known as Big Mike's, Carolyn's, and the Eager Beaver.
Since April 2001 it has been "City Hall Saloon" (although it never actually hosted a city hall),
and is referred to by regulars as "the community center."
|
| 2012 | 1933 | 1933 | Scotty's, Puyallup |
The 2J's appears to have have operated in this space from 1933 until 2012, when it was renamed Scotty's.
It was constructed circa 1890 and known originally as the Valley Drug Store
(personal correspondence with owner, Washington state historical survey of Puyallup)
|
| 2015 | 1935 OE | 1935 OE | Delia's Oakland Lounge |
Delia's Oakland Lounge is in a building that dates back to the 20s and in a space that has hosted bars
since at least 1935, and probably a year or two earlier given that it was reputed to be a speakeasy during
prohibition. In 1935 it was the Nineteenth Hole, and operated under that name into the 1980s.
In subsequent years it was known as June's Tavern and Seafari Sports Bar.
|
| ? | 1894? | 1894? | Kelly's Restaurant and Lounge, Newport |
From historylink.org:
"Newport’s oldest building, the Koch Saloon, originally known as the Newport Club and now
Kelly’s Restaurant and Lounge, was built in 1894. Its bar was brought around Cape Horn by ship
and then transported overland to Newport.
It claims the distinction of being the second oldest saloon in the state."
I can't see the claim to the second oldest saloon (unless this is a claim to being allowed to
use the word "saloon" post prohibition -- see Three Fingered Jacks).
I also don't know how long Kelly's Tavern -- now "Restaurant and Lounge" -- has been there.
But this seems to imply that the Newport Club opened with the building in 1894 and that
the place has hosted a bar for most of the time thereafter.
The only primary source for Newport I have at hand is 1913 city guide which lists a saloon
owned by John Koch (no business name or address).
|
| ? | 1? | 1933? | Last Frontier Saloon, Fall City |
Built 1930; Lars Johnson turned into beer parlor; was Pioneer Saloon, torn down in 1929;
was Talk's Tavern in 1950s (see "Jack's History of Fall City")
|
| ? | 1950s | ? | Lyman Tavern, Lyman |
I have very little idea how long ago there was a tavern at this location, but the
locals talk about it going back to the early days of the town.
The current building was constructed at the location of the Lyman Tavern that
burned down the morning of Feb. 9th, 1950.
The current owner is also the mayor of Lyman.
|
| ? | ? | ? | Wagon Wheel Restaurant and Lounge, South Prairie |
I was informed by folks associated with this bar that it dates back to 1930, and indeed
Pierce County tax records indicate that is when the building was constructed.
But of course it would not have had a liquor license or openly operating bar in 1930.
Perhaps it opened as a restaurant (named the "Wagon Wheel"?) in 1930 and added the bar
shortly after prohibition. But I have not been able to locate any primary sources to
support this.
|
