Page 82 - All About History - Issue 54-17

Last Orders

Bar

at the

Step through the swinging doors of the Old West’s wildest watering holes
Words and pictures by Jan MacKell Collins

GAMBLING AND GAMES
n the American West, saloons were a staple
of any budding boomtown. Whether high Jan is an American author As well as drinking , brawling and trying to pick up
in the primitive mining camps of the Rocky and speaker who writes women, saloon patrons would often play a variety
Mountains or on the low, dusty plains and and gives presentations of games. Most historians tend to think poker was
Ideserts of the southwest, men were in need about various aspects of the name of the game in the 1800s. In truth, faro
of a place to sip libations, socialise and escape the Wild West, including was much more popular, for the simple reason that
their dreary lifestyles. As romantic as they sound, saloons and bawdy it was amazingly easy to play. The game originated
those with occupations like cowboys, farmers, houses during the 1800s. in France as ‘pharaoh’, but was shortened to faro in
ranchers and miners worked and lived in lonely, the US. It was also known as ‘bucking the tiger’ due
mostly uncomfortable conditions. The beds were to the picture of a tiger that often appeared on the
hard, the nights cold and the time in between In spite of their hospitality, those friendly back of American playing cards.
work shifts could be downright monotonous. saloons could also be the scenes of fights, Faro consisted of one deck and a faro board, and
Visiting a saloon meant more than just robberies, shoot-outs and other mayhem that the cards were dealt one at a time into two piles.
quenching one’s thirst. Here, a new fellow in town came with the territory. It was certainly not Simply put, the pile on the left lost and the one on
could learn about his surroundings as well as the unusual to see fights break out over cheating at the right won. The numerical order of the cards
latest news. He could ask for directions or seek cards, courting another man’s girl or sometimes was unimportant; players placed their chips on
the whereabouts of some place or person he was simply just the need to let off some steam. While the painted cards on the board to bet whether that
looking for. He could find a job or secure a place to some men actually relished a good fisticuff, particular card would appear in the winning pile.
sleep. Most importantly, he could relax, sip a little good-natured tussles could turn deadly in an Variations of the game as it played out allowed for
whiskey, play some cards and perhaps dance with instant. But that was the way of the West, in an more betting, and the final hand, known as ‘calling
a pretty girl. A good tavern offered all of these untamed land that found its footing via alcohol the turn’, could pay four to one — but the odds of
opportunities and could even serve as a selling and games of chance. winning were purely chance. Because the game
point for a town, enticing settlers to move there.
For the miners — a transient bunch that tended “FRIENDLY SALOONS COULD ALSO BE
to travel wherever their luck held out — the
local saloon was like a second home. In Cripple THE SCENES OF FIGHTS, ROBBERIES,
Creek, Colorado, saloon and gambling house
owner Johnny Nolon was known to allow SHOOT-OUTS AND OTHER MAYHEM
prospectors and others down on their luck to sleep
on his pool tables and floor for the night. He even THAT CAME WITH THE TERRITORY”
provided blankets.
82