A State-by-State Guide to America’s Oldest Bars

Bars and pubs have been popular for thousands of years, a concept that dates back to Roman times, when taverns were built along Roman roads. It was a popular concept not seen elsewhere until the Romans began conquering other regions, like Britain and a significant portion of Europe, and brought with them the bar and tavern. The British then brought the concept with them to the colonies. Many of these bars harken back to the colonial days before the U.S. was even a nation. This is a state-by-state guide to America's oldest bars.

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered many dining and drinking locations, like McCrady's, the oldest bar in South Carolina, founded in 1778, locations that have survived and thrived are still serving customers since they began almost a century ago. We may all have a place we like to frequent, whether it's a restaurant, bar, or coffee house, and every state in America has something to offer. (Check out these towns founded before the American Revolution.)

To give you a state-by-state guide to America's oldest bars, 24/7 Tempo reviewed establishments that have been in the same location from the time they started serving alcohol, although continuous operation was not required. Whenever possible, we consulted local experts and state historical societies. In each bar's description, the date listed is when we believe the establishment first served liquor on its premises. (Don't miss the history behind America's national anthems, songs, and marches.)

Methodology

To be considered for this state-by-state guide to America's oldest bars, a bar had to have been in the same location from the time it started serving alcohol, although continuous operation was not required. These places sometimes changed hands and names.It wasn't always easy to determine a founding date, often depending on the claims of the establishments themselves. Whenever possible, we consulted local experts, state historical societies, and more. In each bar's description, the date listed is when we believe the business first served liquor on its premises.

• Bar name: Peerless Saloon
• Original bar founded: 1899
• Location: Anniston

The original proprietor of the Peerless Saloon was Robert E. "Daddy" Garner, known for serving its own Old Wildcat whiskey. The building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1985 and the saloon features the original mirrored back bar that the owners claim was exhibited at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. The second floor of the Victorian Neoclassical building was a brothel at one point.

• Bar name: B&B Bar
• Original bar founded: 1906
• Location: Kodiak

The B&B Bar's liquor license is the oldest liquor license issued in the state. The bar serves just bottles of beer — nothing on tap — and is cash only. The wood frame building is across from the marina, which is home to America's second-largest fishing fleet and supplier of many of the bar's patrons.

• Bar name: The Palace
• Original bar founded: 1877
• Location: Prescott

Among the early patrons of The Palace were Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp, and Doc Holliday. The infamous Whiskey Row fire on July 14, 1900, gutted the Palace, but the original bar, still used to this day, was saved by patrons who carried it across the street to safety.

• Bar name: Ohio Club
• Original bar founded: 1905
• Location: Hot Springs National Park

This bar was also a legal casino during its first eight years of existence. Even after gambling was declared illegal in 1913, the Ohio Club's casino and sports book remained open and in operation until 1967. A haunt of celebrities — famous and infamous — patrons included Babe Ruth, Al Jolson, and Mae West as well as gangsters Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Bugsy Siegel, and Bugs Moran.

• Bar name: Smiley's Schooner Saloon
• Original bar founded: 1851
• Location: Bolinas

Built during the Gold Rush days for Captain Isaac Morgan, who also owned an apple orchard and schooner building, Smiley's Schooner Saloon survived the temperance movement of the 1860s, Prohibition, and the Great Earthquake of 1906. During Prohibition, the front was a barbershop, and a door led to the bar. Leila Monroe, who purchased the bar in 2015, is the first woman to own the establishment.

• Bar name: The Legendary Silver Dollar Saloon
• Original bar founded: 1879
• Location: Leadville

Originally known as the Board of Trade Saloon when it opened in the Clipper Building, the Legendary Silver Dollar Saloon has been entertaining people since 1879. Gunslinger and gambler Doc Holliday played poker at the saloon. The bar's name was changed to Silver Dollar Saloon in 1935 and it still has an old phone booth, the original tile floor, and the back bar that was made by the Brunswick Company.

• Bar name: Tap Room in the Griswold Inn
• Original bar founded: 1776
• Location: Essex

The Griswold Inn was established during the American Revolution and survived an 1814 raid by the British during the War of 1812. Known as the Gris, the bar thrived during the golden era of steamboating and still features an impressive collection of marine art and artifacts from the 1820s. The tap room was originally used in 1730 as a schoolhouse.

• Bar name: Cantwell's Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1822
• Location: Odessa

Initially called Cantwell's Bridge Hotel and Tavern, this Federal building was built by William Polk and remained in operation for the next 100 years. The clientele was primarily merchants, ship captains, and visitors to this port town. Cantwell reopened in 2011 as an early 19th-century-style tavern, and the flooring on the first floor is the original.

• Bar name: The Palace Saloon
• Original bar founded: 1903
• Location: Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island

Originally a haberdashery before it was converted into a tavern, the Palace Saloon is known as the "Shipcaptain's Bar," and owner Louis Hirth had his friend Adolphus Busch (founder of Anheuser-Busch), help design the establishment. The last bar in America to close when Prohibition became the law of the land, the Palace Saloon served ice cream and sold Texaco gas.

• Bar name: The Pirate's House
• Original bar founded: 1753
• Location: Savannah

Located just one block from the Savannah River, this bar was a popular meeting spot for seamen and pirates. It was also the site of the first public agricultural experimental garden in the country. Legend has it the bar is haunted although the most famous ghost to haunt the place is a fictional character.

In Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island," Captain Flint dies in an upstairs room, shouting, "Darby M'Graw – fetch aft the rum…". The dilapidated saloon was slated for demolition in 1945 but was restored to its former glory with the help of Mary Hillyer.

• Bar name: Smith's Union Bar
• Original bar founded: 1934
• Location: Honolulu

Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, each ship in the Navy had a bar that its sailors frequented. Smith's Union Bar was home to the crew of the ill-fated USS Arizona. Every year on Dec. 4, Lauren Bruner went to Smith's for a drink in memory of his shipmates.Bruner was a 20-year-old Fire Controlman on Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese attack sank the ship and killed 1,177 of the 1,512 crewmen on board. He passed away on September 10, 2019, at 98 years of age.

• Bar name: White Horse Saloon
• Original bar founded: 1907
• Location: Spirit Lake

The White Horse Saloon is not only the oldest building but the tallest as well. With its peanut-covered original wood floors and bar, this saloon offers an extensive drink menu for all to enjoy. The building, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, also houses a restaurant and an eight-room hotel. It's also believed to be haunted by "Big Girl," a spirit who is said to roam the second floor.

• Bar name: The Village Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1847
• Location: Long Grove

The Village Tavern is known for its massive 35-foot mahogany "President's Bar" which survived Chicago's 1967 Great McCormick Place Fire, and is a treasure trove of antiques. One of these is a grandfather clock from the 1893 Chicago World's Fair as well as a front door that was in the entryway back in 1847.

• Bar name: Knickerbocker Saloon
• Original bar founded: 1835
• Location: Lafayette

The Knickerbocker Saloon was established inside the Larh Luxury Hotel, although it didn't arrive on its current name until 1874 and was originally known first as the Gault House Tavern and then the Cherry Wood Bar. Providing an array of cocktails to guests, from Neil Armstrong, Mark Twain, President Ulysses Grant, and Al Capone. The current bar, which is made of walnut with an inch-thick cherry veneer, replaced the original bar in 1891.

• Bar name: Breitbach's Country Dining
• Original bar founded: 1852
• Location: Sherril

President Millard Fillmore issued the federal permit allowing the bar to open. Since Jacob Brietbach purchased the bar and restaurant in 1862, it has been passed down through six generations. Fires burned the building to the ground — twice in 10 months in 2007 and 2008. However, the bar was rebuilt and remains a popular spot.

• Bar name: Hays House Restaurant and Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1857
• Location: Council Grove

Original owner Seth M. Hays, who founded the Hays House Restaurant and Tavern, was the first European settler in the town and is considered the founding father of the city. A great-grandson of Daniel Boone, Hays established his namesake restaurant that was built on the Santa Fe Trail. In the 1800s, it was a mixed-use building and in addition to being a bar, restaurant, trading post, courthouse, and post office, it even held church services.

When the building had its thatched roof, which was destroyed in a fire in 1886, theatrical performances were held here, and with the new construction of a flat roof, the ten rooms were rented to overnight guests. The original bar can still be found in the stone basement, which is sometimes opened for special occasions.

• Bar name: The Old Talbott Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1779
• Location: Bardstown

The Old Talbott Tavern is known as the oldest stagecoach stop west of the Allegheny Mountains. Its exact location, according to the tavern, is at the crossroads of the young West, where the Post roads, North, East, South, and West met, which is partly why many stagecoaches made this their stop.

The original eastern end of the building has 2 feet-thick Flemish stone walls that are said to be an extremely rare example of Flemish bond stonework. Since opening, the tavern has attracted many celebrated visitors, including Daniel Boone, Abraham Lincoln, the exiled King Louis Philippe of France, Jesse James, and General George Patton.

• Bar name: Old Absinthe House
• Original bar founded: 1870
• Location: Bourbon Street, French Quarter, New Orleans

One of the most prominent historical landmarks in the "Big Easy", the Old Absinthe House, is a more than 200-year-old building that became a regular drinking establishment in 1870. The building was erected in 1806, and in 1815 it was known as "Aleix's Coffee House," later renamed "The Absinthe Room" in 1874 thanks to its new specialty, the Absinthe House Frappe, created by mixologist Cayetano Ferrer.

From 1912 to 2007, when absinthe was illegal in the U.S., the bar had to substitute a substitute for its most famous concoction. The original bar is now Belle Époque, an adjoining speakeasy-style cocktail bar.

• Bar name: Jameson Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1801
• Location: Freeport

This tavern began as a private residence, built in 1779, and was later purchased in 1801 by Captain Samuel Jameson. Jameson's widow sold the establishment to Richard Codman in 1828 when it became Codman's Tavern and remained in business until 1856. A bronze plaque on a granite marker outside the tavern proclaims it and Freeport to be the "birthplace of the state of Maine."Famous guests that have stopped by were the poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and John Greenleaf Whittier. The tavern reopened in 1982 and is located next to L.L. Bean's main store.

• Bar name: Middleton Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1750
• Location: Annapolis

During the American Revolution, the Middleton Tavern was where several founding fathers frequented, including Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe, as well as members of the Continental Congress. Although the building was constructed in 1740, it wasn't until 1750, when it was sold to Horatio Middleton, that it began operating as a tavern, or as it was then known an "Inn for Seafaring Men". The tavern went through several names until, in 1968, the new owner changed it back to its original name.

• Bar name: Warren Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1780
• Location: Charlestown

One of the most historic taverns in the country, the Warren Tavern was built in 1780 and is one of the first buildings erected after the British burned the town in the Battle of Bunker Hill. The beams used for the ceiling came from the Charlestown Navy Yard and are even older than the building, and the tavern was named in honor of Dr. Joseph Warren, who was killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Warren is accredited with directing Paul Revere and William Dawes to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams that the British were coming to arrest them in 1775. Famous patrons include George Washington, who stopped by while in Charlestown, and Paul Revere, who was a regular.

• Bar name: Old Tavern Inn
• Original bar founded: 1835
• Location: Niles in the village of Sumnerville

The Old Tavern Inn was once on the trail that connected Chicago to Detroit. It is the oldest bar and business in the state, recognized by the State Historical Society and the State Chamber of Commerce, and was established two years before Michigan entered the Union.

• Bar name: Neumann's Bar & Grill
• Original bar founded: 1887
• Location: North St. Paul

Established in 1887 to serve the local beer, made by Hamm's Brewery, to the community, Bill Neumann founded Neumann's Bar & Grill in the settlement that was once called Castle, later changing to North Saint Paul. The brewery helped put the bar on the map and provided Neumann with the back bar that still serves patrons today. Jim Neumann added the small frog pond at the front window vestibule around 1930 and to this day it remains a delight for both young and old.

• Bar name: Under-the-Hill Saloon
• Original bar founded: 1800s
• Location: Natchez

Under-the-Hill Saloon earned the title of oldest state bar when the former oldest bar – the King's Tavern – closed in 2012. Although the exact date of establishment isn't entirely known due to a fire, it is believed that the Under-the-Hill Saloon opened in the late 1700s/early 1800s.

The building that houses the saloon was also used as a brothel, general store, warehouse, and of course, the saloon, which is the last remaining establishment in the building. Named for the section of town it's in, it is at least 200 years old, and Mark Twain is said to have roomed upstairs.

• Bar name: O'Malley's
• Original bar founded: 1842
• Location: Weston

O'Malley's was once the second oldest pub in the state, but with the uncertain future of the oldest pub, J. Huston Tavern, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the reins have passed for the moment. J. Huston Tavern is temporarily closed; the group that managed the location, the non-profit Friends of Arrow Rock, ended their agreement with the state to manage the property.

Per the Missouri State Parks Department, dining reservations for the J. Huston Tavern are temporarily on hold for the 2024 season, but they anticipate the continued operation of the restaurant shortly.

O'Malley's Irish pub has functioned as a brewery on and off since it began and although it was forced to close briefly during Prohibition, it was reopened for a short time in the 1990s. It was then purchased by current owners, Michael Coakley and Corey Weinfurt, in 2005 who restored it to its former glory.

• Bar name: Bale of Hay Saloon
• Original bar founded: 1863
• Location: Virginia City

The Bale of Hay Saloon was originally known as the J.F. Stoer Saloon but when the building was sold, it was renamed to the Smith & Boyd Saloon. Once Charlie Bovey purchased it, the salon was renamed the Bale of Hay Saloon. Once a brothel for Virginia City's mining community, the saloon features old furniture and fixtures, including a giant hand-carved mahogany bar. It depends heavily on seasonal tourism and is only open from May through September.

• Bar name: Glur's Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1876
• Location: Columbus

This saloon was originally founded as the Bucher's Saloon, after its namesake owners, William and Joseph Bucher who came from Switzerland. Bartender Louis Glur, who had worked at the bar since he was 17 years old, purchased the establishment in 1914, renaming it Glur's Tavern. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it counts William "Buffalo Bill" Cody as one of its early customers.

• Bar name: Genoa Bar
• Original bar founded: 1853
• Location: Genoa

The Genoa Bar has changed names, and ownership, several times since it was established in 1853. This gentlemen's saloon was originally called Livingston's Exchange, which was then renamed "Fettic's Exchange" in 1884 and is currently owned by Willy and Cindy Webb. Many original elements of the saloon are still featured, including the diamond-dust mirror behind the bar, which came from Glasgow, Scotland in the 1840s.

Quite a few famous people have frequented this tavern, from Mark Twain and Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Teddy Roosevelt to Raquel Welch, who left behind a black leopard-print bra that still hangs from the rafters.

• Bar name: The Hancock Inn
• Original bar founded: 1789
• Location: Hancock Historic District

Currently listed as temporarily closed, with an expected reopen date sometime in 2024, the Hancock Inn was founded in 1789 by Noah Wheeler. While the original name of the tavern and inn is unknown, it went by the Fox Tavern once it was taken over by Wheeler's son-in-law, Jedediah Fox.

Previously owned by Jarvis and Marcia Coffin, it was sold to the Main Street Realty Group LLC in 2022 and is currently undergoing renovations but all changes require approval from the Hancock Historic District Commission.

• Bar name: The Barnsboro Inn
• Original bar founded: 1776
• Location: Sewell

In 1776, then-owner John Barnes, who called the building home, petitioned the Gloucester County Court judges to license his home as a tavern. Built in 1720, it was purchased by Barnes in 1751 and after being granted his license, it became a bar in 1776. The oldest part of the Barnsboro Inn is the cabin, built of squared cedar logs, and stands just as sturdy as it did in the 18th century.

The Barnsboro Inn has gone by several names over the years, from the Spread Eagle and the Barnsboro Hotel to the Crooked Billet Inn, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in 1973.

• Bar name: El Patio Cantina
• Original bar founded: 1934
• Location: Mesilla

Located in one of the most historic buildings in the town, the El Patio Cantina was established in 1934, just after Prohibition ended. The original owner was Colonel Albert Jennings Fountain, noted as a legendary lawman, Civil War veteran, and attorney, who called William H. Bonney (or Henry McCarty), a.k.a. Billy the Kid, a client. It has been operated continuously by direct descendants of Fountain.

The building dates back to the 1800s, and before it became the El Patio Cantina, it was home to the Butterfield Overland Mail, the Mesilla Times, Sam Bean's Saloon, a Blacksmith's forge, the Albert Fountain Mercantile, and even a U.S. Post Office.

• Bar name: The Old '76 House
• Original bar founded: 1668
• Location: Tappan

Not only is the Old '76 House the oldest bar in New York, it is one of the oldest taverns in the country. This 300-year-old landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, dates back to 1668 and was used as a meeting place for patriots during the American Revolutionary War and served as a prison for just one person – the famous spy John Andre, a major in the British Army, who plotted with General Benedict Arnold.

The building was host to founding father George Washington, his chief provisioner Samuel Fraunces (who turned the NYC building on Pearly Street into a tavern), and many Continental Army generals.

• Bar name: Antler's Bar
• Original bar founded: 1932
• Location: Blowing Rock

The previous title holder for the oldest bar in North Carolina went to the Tavern in Salem, dating back to 1784. However, when it closed, the title was given to Anther's Bar in Blowing Rock. Founded in 1932, this saloon sits inside Bistro Roca and began serving alcohol during prohibition.

• Bar name: Peacock Alley American Grill and Bar
• Original bar founded: 1933
• Location: Bismarck

Following the end of prohibition, the Peacock Alley American Grill and Bar opened its doors in what used to be the Patterson Hotel lobby. The structure that houses the saloon was once the tallest in the city. While it officially opened in 1933, it was covertly serving alcohol during prohibition, using an elaborate system of alarms to alert the presence of unwanted guests.

The hotel has since been converted into senior housing, but the bar remains. The Peacock Alley still has the original Herman Kretz vintage decor, and the scroll decoration around the door area inspired the bar's name.

• Bar name: Spread Eagle Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1837
• Location: Hanoverton

The historic Spread Eagle Tavern was commissioned by Will Rhodes in 1837 and is still known today as one of the top examples of Federal Period architecture. The renowned late 18th-century architect Asher Benjamin inspired the inside decor and the building was home to the Hanover's Justice of the Peace. It is said that the tavern welcomed Abraham Lincoln in 1864, and it was also a stop on the Underground Railroad.

• Bar name: Eischen's Bar
• Original bar founded: 1896
• Location: Okarche

Eischen's Bar was originally known as Eischen's Saloon when it was opened by Peter Eischen in 1896, 11 years before Oklahoma entered the Union. When prohibition ended, it was reopened by Eischen's son Nick and grandson Jack and renamed Eischen's Bar. The bar was destroyed by fire in early 1993 but reopened after it was rebuilt in the summer of 1993. Part of the antique back bar is still on display.

• Bar name: Huber's
• Original bar founded: 1879
• Location: Portland

Known as the Bureau Saloon in 1879 when it was established by then-owner W. L. Lightner, it was renamed to Huber's in 1895 when bartender Frank Huber purchased it. It moved to its current location in 1910 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Huber brought on Chinese immigrant Jim Louie to work the lunch counter.

Upon the passing of both Frank Huber and his wife Augusta, their son John partnered with Louie, who left his share to his nephew who eventually bought the restaurant from John. During prohibition, it was able to thrive by converting to a full-time restaurant and serving its specialty turkey dinners, which are still on the menu today. It is still currently owned by the Louie family.

• Bar name: King George II Inn
• Original bar founded: 1681
• Location: Bristol

The King George II Inn was originally founded in 1681 by Samuel Clift, who called it the Ferry House. Clift was granted 262 acres along the Delaware River by the provincial New York governor, Edmuch Andros. Andros had one condition – that Clift build a river ferry and a pub. Ferry service was established between New Jersey and Pennsylvania and the inn acted as a stopping place for passengers. The Inn claims George Washington slept there on his way to his first military commission.

• Bar name: White Horse Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1673
• Location: Newport

The building that houses the White Horse Tavern was constructed in 1652 as a residence for Frances Brimley. Said to be America's oldest bar, the Tavern was acquired by William Mayes, Sr. who established it in 1673. It became the meeting place of the Colony's General Assembly, Criminal Court, and City Council. Tavern keeper Jonathon Nichols renamed it the White Horse Tavern in 1730.

In 1954, the Preservation Society of Newport County rescued the building from demolition by restoring it to its former glory. This National Historic Landmark is the 10th oldest bar in the world.

• Bar name: Villa Tronco
• Original bar founded: 1940
• Location: Columbia

McCrady's Tavern was once the oldest bar in South Carolina, founded in 1778, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to shutter its doors permanently. This resulted in Villa Tronco taking the title of the oldest bar. It is also the state's oldest family-owned restaurant, founded 80 years ago, and was originally the Iodine Fruit Store.

It then transitioned into the Iodine Grill and then Tony's Spaghetti House, becoming the first Italian restaurant in the area that served Italian meals during WWII to soldiers of Italian descent who were homesick. It eventually became Villa Tronco.

• Bar name: Buffalo Bodega Bar
• Original bar founded: 1877
• Location: Deadwood

The Buffalo Bodega Bar was established by Mike Russell in 1877 and named for his friend and hunting partner, Buffalo Bill Cody. Although the town had many other drinking establishments at the time, the Buffalo Bar is one of the few that has stood the test of time. Today, it is part of a complex that offers dining, gaming, and live entertainment.

• Bar name: Springwater Supper Club
• Original bar founded: 1896
• Location: Nashville

It may look like a dive bar from the outside but this bar is said to be one of the best local bars in the city. This bar served drinks during the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition in 1897 and converted to a speakeasy during Prohibition. This cash-only venue, known as the Springwater Supper Club since 1978, has hosted a variety of famous patrons and it is said that Al Capone and Jimmy Hoffa have gambled here.

• Bar name: Scholz Garten
• Original bar founded: 1866
• Location: Austin

Founded by German immigrant and Civil War veteran August Scholz in 1866, the Scholz Garten claims to be the oldest continually operated biergarten in the United States. This establishment has been a popular stop for local politicians and hosts fundraisers and other political events. It was honored in the 1966 state legislature when House Resolution 68. recognized Scholz Garden "as a gathering place for Texans of discernment, taste, culture, erudition, epitomizing the finest tradition of magnificent German heritage in our State."

• Bar name: Shooting Star Saloon
• Original bar founded: 1879
• Location: Huntsville

The building where the Shooting Star Saloon currently resides was built in 1850 and was once a mercantile shop for fur trappers and traders, Native Americans, herders, and settlers to the town. In 1879, it changed to a saloon originally named Hoken's Hole after owner Hoken Olsen. It converted to a speakeasy of sorts during Prohibition but in 1929, Olsen sold the business to Carl Stokes who renamed it to its current moniker.

• Bar name: Ye Olde Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1790
• Location: Manchester

Ye Olde Tavern was built in 1790 by Dorset Master Builder Aaron Sheldon and was originally called the Stagecoach Inn. It later became the Lockwood's Hotel and in 1860 changed to the Thayer's Hotel after new owner Steven Thayer. In the early 1900s, it went by the Fairview Hotel until its license was revoked, shuttering the hotel.

It reopened in 1934 as another hotel and antique shop. In 1976, after extensive renovations, it reopened yet again as Ye Old Tavern. In 2020, under then-owners Michael and Minna Brandt, it was recognized as a green business and was listed on the Vermont Register of Historic Places. It is now owned by Joseph Iraci.

• Bar name: The Tavern
• Original bar founded: 1779
• Location: Abingdon

The Tavern is not only the oldest bar in the state, it is also the eighth-oldest bar in the country. The oldest historic building in the town began as a tavern and inn, housing prominent guests from Andrew Jackson and King Louis Philippe of France to the designer of Washington, D.C., Pierre Charles L'Enfant.

From its inception until now, it has housed numerous businesses, some of which were a bank, bakery, private home, and post office, with the original mail slot still in place. It also served as a hospital for Confederate and Union soldiers during the Civil War.

• Bar name: The Brick Saloon
• Original bar founded: 1889
• Location: Roslyn

Just nine years after opening, the Brick Saloon was rebuilt with 45,000 bricks, which earned it the name Brick Saloon. Its 100-year-old back bar originated in England and the bar's 23-foot-long running water spittoon is still featured, and operating today. The saloon also appeared in the TV series "Northern Exposure" that filmed in Roslyn.

• Bar name: North End Tavern & Brewery
• Original bar founded: 1899
• Location: Parkersburg

The North End Tavern & Brewery, known as the "NET" to locals, has been continuously operating since the 19th century. The addition of a microbrewery in 1997 expanded the site, with hops grown on the premises and between three and six different hand-crafted craft brews offered each month. North End is also known for its burgers, German-American fare, and craft brews.

• Bar name: The Uptowner
• Original bar founded: 1884
• Location: Milwaukee

Originally founded as the Barnet Kozlowski Saloon, this establishment was so successful that in 1891 the Schlitz Brewing Company contracted with owner Kozlowski to operate as a "Tied House," selling only Schlitz beer, which was known as the beer that made Milwaukee famous. It operated during Prohibition as the Gordon Park Pharmacy, allowing certain guests to purchase "medicinal beverages." It was renamed to the Uptowner in 1952.

• Bar name: Miner's and Stockmen's Steakhouse
• Original bar founded: 1862
• Location: Hartville

The oldest bar is located in the oldest incorporated town, which began as a mining town. Miner's and Stockmen's Steakhouse was once a haven for prospectors and law-breaking cattle rustlers. While copper is no longer mined in Sunrise Mines, and the population is not much more than a few dozen, this high-end steak establishment offers its patrons more than just fine steak – there are 35 different whiskeys on the menu.