|
About the Cover
Saloons served customers such as fur trappers, cowboys, soldiers, gold prospectors, miners and gamblers. The first saloon was established at Brown’s Hole, Wyoming, in 1822, to serve fur trappers. The popularity of saloons in the nineteenth-century American West is attested to by the fact that even a town of 3,000 residents, such as 1883’s Livingston, Montana, boasted 33 saloons. Many of these establishments remained open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A saloon’s appearance varied from when and where it grew. As towns grew, the saloons became more refined. The bartender prided himself on his appearance and his drink pouring abilities. Early saloons and those in remote locations were often crude affairs with minimal furniture and little decoration. A single wood-burning stove might warm these establishments during the winter months. By way of entertainment, saloons offered dancing girls dressed in somewhat-revealing strapless dresses with feather boas, some of whom occasionally or routinely doubled as prostitutes. Many saloons offered Faro, poker, brag, three-card monte, and dice games. Other games were added as saloons continued to prosper and face increasing competition. These additional games included billiards, darts, and bowling. Some saloons even included piano players, can-can girls, and theatrical skits. When we think of the saloon we all have warm memories of the Western classic , Gunsmoke, with Miss Kittie and Marshall Dillion at the Long Branch Saloon. Cover Photo © Stephane Benito n Dreamstime.com |
We
can’t think of the "Wild West" without the saloon coming to
mind. The very term "saloon", brings up a picture in our minds
of an Old West icon, complete with a wooden false front, a wide
boardwalk protecting us from the dusty street, a couple of hitchin’
posts, and the swinging doors brushing against the cowboy as he made his
way to the long polished bar in search of a whiskey to wet his parched
throat.
