Decorating the Walls of Saloons

In almost every saloon, one could depend on seeing the long paneled bar, usually made of oak or mahogany, and polished to a splendid shine. A gleaming brass foot rail encircled the bar’s base, with a row of spittoons spaced along the floor next to it. Along the ledge, saloon patrons would find towels hanging so they could wipe beer suds from their mustaches. Most saloons included gambling, such as games like Chuck-A-Luck, Three-Card-Monte, Faro, and usually an ongoing game of poker.

Decorations at these many saloons varied from place to place. Still, they most often reflected the customers’ ideals. In the cowtowns of the prairies, one might see steer horns, spurs, and saddles adorning the walls, while in the mountains, a customer would be met by the glazing eyes of taxidermied deer or elk.

Like today’s drinking establishments, the walls of Old West saloons were covered with advertising prints from beer, liquor, and tobacco distributors. But those historic walls also catered to their patrons’ fantasies, often displaying scantily dressed women for the viewing pleasure of the many men who frequented these countless saloons. These might include prints of dancehall girls, actresses, singers, and harem concubines. Often, an infamous nude painting of a woman hung behind the bar.