Huff Post Travel listed 5 Old West saloons everyone should visit before they die. This is a fine list of old establishments, but they missed my
favorite, The Palace on Whiskey Row in Prescott, Arizona.
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| Vintage Palace Saloon |
Wyatt Earp, Virgil
Earp and Doc Holliday patronized The Palace, and the film Junior Bonner (Steve McQueen) used the saloon for location shots. I’m
also partial to The Palace because I used the saloon in Murder at Thumb Butte, and I seem to have a fuzzy recollection of
having a few drinks there on occasion.
In 1900, the original mid-19th century building burnt down,
but the bar is authentic because loyal customers carried the heavy wooden structure across
the street. I guess they figured that fire could take the rest, but they needed a
place to rest their boot and elbow. The Palace reopened in 1901 and has continued
to be a town fixture. It certainly feels more Old West than the Crystal Palace mentioned in the Huff Post article.
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| Palace Saloon today showing rescued bar |
The Palace is almost authentic, unlike The Old Style Saloon
#10 in Deadwood, South Dakota. Unfortunately, the displayed death-chair for
Wild Bill Hickok is not authentic either. Nevertheless, #10 is still a fun visit.
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| The Old Style Saloon #10 in Deadwood |
I also have fond memories of the saloon in Mitchell, South Dakota, across from
the Corn Palace. It might not have been a genuine article, but the beer was
cold and the décor creative.
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| Mitchell, South Dakota |
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| A few beers even made the Corn Palace seem interesting. |