California's oldest continuously operating bar remains a living remnant of the state's colorful Gold Rush era.
Pockmarked by bullet holes and sporting what is considered the finest-looking bar in Yosemite, the Iron Door Saloon has been quenching the thirst of countless visitors for more than 150 years.
Located in Groveland near the western entrance to Yosemite National Park, the saloon is named for the hefty English-manufactured doors installed later for fire protection.
While the Iron Door Saloon has all the modern trappings of a popular watering hole, including a full bar, cocktails, meal service, live music, and chef specials, it also offers a glimpse into the past when patrons rode up on horseback and a couple of card games were on deck.
Watering hole for thirsty Gold Rush miners
The
Iron Door Saloon began in 1852 as the "Granite Store." According to local history, the historic building is the only one in Tuolumne County built in granite instead of the more commonly used slate rock.
Built by Peter King, the store sold general merchandise and liquor to thirsty miners toiling for gold in the Sierra foothills.
In the 1860s, James Tannahill, Groveland's first postmaster from 1863-1880, took over the spot and operated the local post office from there. In 1896, the establishment became an official saloon and was renamed "Jack's Place" by its new owner, Giacomo DeFarrari.
The saloon continued to operate and serve liquor, with some speculating it did so even during Prohibition.
In 1937, the saloon got a major revamp when a second story was added to the building. Heavy doors, manufactured in England and shipped by way of South America and finally by muleback across the Tuolumne River were installed. The new doors, sold to the saloon as a way to protect folks from fire outside, gave the establishment its new name: the Iron Door.
According to saloon lore, the iron doors are the same as the day they were fitted, and inside, patrons will experience the bar pretty much the same way the old miners and cowboys of old once did.
Along with its historical surroundings, the Iron Bar Saloon and Grill has a collection of historical artifacts for visitors of all ages. There is a tribute to "Black Bart," otherwise known as the Gentleman Stagecoach Robber. "Black Bart" (real name Charles Boles), gained notoriety for robbing Wells Fargo stagecoaches in northern California between 1875 and 1883, but with panache.
The story goes that the outlaw was afraid of horses, so he fled on foot; he never swore or shot his gun during a robbery, and on at least two occasions, left poems behind.
The saloon also has a natural history museum of animal species found in the Sierra, and a collection of historical memorabilia, including historic photos of the Hetch Hetchy Valley and John Muir, whose advocacy helped establish Yosemite National Park.
How to visit the Iron Door Saloon & Grill
Address: 18761 State Highway 120, Groveland.
More information: https://www.irondoorsaloon.com, 209-962-8904.
Note: San Francisco's Old Ship Saloonoriginally opened in 1851 but was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire. Rebuilt on the same site, it reopened in 1907 and has operated ever since.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California's oldest bar still pouring drinks 150 years later
