The American West was often a brutal and lonely place for the fearless men who took it upon themselves to purge the area of its technophobic Stone Age culture. Saloons of the Old West. Explore 10 true stories of the Wild West, some of them stranger than fiction. Get this from a library! The Best Cowboy Bars in the West. Home»Legends of America Photo Prints»Old West»Saloons, Women & Gambling»Saloon Style Women « Previous Next » 67 of 104 photos The saloons, which were were particular to the Wild West, were often the first establishments to open in frontier towns. What I found was that there was a great deal of difference between the saloon girl and the prostitute of the Old West. The saloon was often a town's first public building and served almost every human need. One of the Old West's first saloons that catered to soldiers was at Bent’s Fort, Colorado in the late 1820s. The most notable shootouts took place in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The adventurous female spirits who fled the comfort of … Faro was by far the most popular and prolific game played in Old West saloons, followed by Brag, Three-card-monte and dice games such as High-low, Chuck-a-luck, and Grand Hazard. This is a list of Old West gunfights. Before long many of the Old West mining camps such as Deadwood , Leadville , and Tombstone became as well known for gunfights over card games than they did for their wealth of gold and silver ore. Earlier, when white men first entered the West, the saloons were, well, functional. Still located on that same historic corner of Allen and 5th Streets. From what they drank to what they wore and how they swore, the guys and gals who created the myths and magic of the Old West are all here. 10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Old West. 1 /22. The carved-wood bar, back bar, and break front in this century-old establishment were built in Chicago in 1860 and moved to Colorado by wagon train. In their best days, the saloons were glorious and enchanting places. White Elephant Saloon in Fort Worth, Texas. The gold rush caused another increase in the construction and popularity of saloons. 303-567-2729. The Crystal Palace Saloon is about the most authentic old West saloon in town: now an eating and drinking establishment. The wind blows mighty cold out on the lonesome prairie, and womenfolk were few and far between. Other nicknames for these women, who were as much a part of the Old West as were the outlaws, cowboys, and miners, were “scarlet ladies,” fallen angels,” “frail sisters,” “fair belles,” and “painted cats,” among dozens of others. By 1893, the situation seemed so out of control that the Anti-Saloon League was established, determined to end the age of uncompromising debauchery. I’d used the term “saloon girl,” but was thinking more of a Gunsmoke-Miss Kitty type. In fact, it was an all-men world where women were often not allowed in unless they worked as saloon entertainers or dancers. Silver Dollar Saloon in Leadville, Colorado. Old West saloons frequently accommodated opium hideaways or brothels. Inside the Silver Dollar Saloon. Times were hard, the trails were dusty and R&R (rest and relaxation) did not come by way of a luxurious Resort Hotel! The biggest difference in the American West was the presence of girls in saloons.