Western saloons were establishments that primarily served liquor to customers such as gamblers, cowboys, and miners. The first saloon opened in Wyoming in 1822 and early saloons were crudely built. As cities grew, saloons became more refined and took on the iconic look seen in movies. Saloons fell into three categories: first-rate, working-class, and dives. Prohibition in the 1920s put saloons out of business and they were replaced by speakeasies. When Prohibition ended, saloons were called bars and nightclubs.
Particular to the American Old West, a western saloon was a commercial establishment that primarily served liquor. Today it could be called a bar, alehouse, pub or tavern. During their heyday in the 19th century, Western saloons primarily served customers such as gamblers, cowboys, fur trappers, soldiers, gold prospectors, and miners.
According to historians and archaeologists, the first establishment to be called a saloon was opened in 1822 in Brown’s Hole, Wyoming. It was opened to serve fur trappers who were traveling through the region. The first saloons were not like those usually depicted in Wild West movies.
As people made their way west, liquor could be sold from wagons and saloons could be built from whatever materials were at hand. Early saloons, usually crudely built, might be dug into a hillside, be in a sod hut, or be little more than a tent or shack. Spirits such as bourbon and rye or a homemade whiskey made with burnt sugar, raw alcohol and chewing tobacco can be served.
As cities and populations grew, the western saloon became more refined and eventually took on the iconic look made famous in the movies. A pair of batwing doors at the entrance was a defining feature of the typical Western saloon. These doors extended from knee to chest level and swung on double-action hinges. The interior usually contained a long wooden counter with a brass rail running along the bottom where customers rested their feet, and a large mirror hung behind the counter.
In new towns or settlements, saloons were often the largest and first buildings built. At its height of popularity, the Western saloon fell into one of three broad categories: first-rate saloons, working-class saloons, and dives. The best saloons were full-service businesses that offered private gaming rooms, entertainment, and a full list of commercial-grade whiskeys and wines. The working-class Western saloon served a limited selection of liquor of uncertain quality and was usually a one-room structure with a few tables and chairs, a bar, and perhaps a pool table in the back. Dives sold home-made whiskey called rotgut, sold tobacco, and usually lacked ventilation or sanitation.
The advent of Prohibition in the United States in the 1920s put Western saloons out of business. For several years, speakeasies took the place of saloons. When Prohibition ended in 1933, the word “saloon” had so many negative connotations that the new commercial establishments were called bars and nightclubs, among other nicknames.
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