Saloons Once Big Business

A revised copy of an article titled “Saloons Once Big Business”

by Earl Underhill dated August3-4, 1968.

      There probably are a few old timers who can remember when we had several saloons some of them less than fifty feet apart.  The first one was built in the late 1880s when other business houses were being built along North Front Street from the old National Bank of Washington north to Shintaffer Street. It stood on the site of the Dreamland Theatre (Castle Rock Dance Hall or the BET).  Facing east, it was known as the Port Stevens Saloon (1887).  The false front on the bar signage displayed the Olympic Beer logo with the words “It’s the Water.”  Using the Olympia Beer logo on saloons was common practice.

     The Cyrus Noble Saloon, a second saloon, was later built on the bank corner.  Across the street was the BRICK SALOON (1887), the third saloon, owned and operated by Tom Bertrand.  It was a two-story building (known as the Brick Building and the Powell Building) constructed with brick from Winlock by a man named Powell.  An earthquake in the 1940s caused the second story living quarters to be condemned and removed.

     The fourth saloon was next to the Brick Bar where the Cowlitz Advocate was once located.  Across the street was the Harry Peabody’s Saloon, the fifth saloon.

     All these saloons had bat wing doors as seen in Western television pictures except the saloon next to the Brick Bar.  Mr. Underhill was curious as to the merits of this kind of door.  Maybe one could look over the door to avoid being knocked down by a drunk leaving the bar by a bouncer hired for the job.  The doors also let in more light.