There is a real work of art in the great Lone Cone Saloon and Restaurant in Norwood, Colorado.I say great because aside from a really good green chili cheese burger, they have a magnificent bar and liquor cabinet. A truly beautiful piece of furniture. It’s made of fine burl cherry and mahogany wood. A work of art in my opinion.
You know how much I enjoy things that are well made and this is one of them. There is a book on the great old wood bars of the west. It’s called “Hoist a Cold One”. I’ve mentioned it before so I won’t go into deal.
This particular bar, back bar and liquor cabinet in Norwood was made in the late 1800’s in Dubuque, Iowa where it made it’s way down the Mississippi to St. Louis. From there it was put on a wagon and hauled out west to the town of Rico. After the gold and silver played out in Rico, the bar was moved to The Grand Imperial in Silverton.
The Grand closed during the depression in the ‘30s and the furniture was bought in 1938 and added to the new salon attached to the restaurant in Norwood in 1940. Been there ever since. Amazing it held together and is in such fine shape after all of those moves.
Many of those old works of art that adorned the saloons and bars of the day fell victim to the ravages of the prohibition. The lady’s of temperance were known to have gone into these places and destroyed the pieces with axes and flames.
To avoid their destruction, many of the finer pieces were moved into hiding even as far south as old Mexico where they were forgotten about. Many were then rescued and put back into use but it makes me wonder if there are still a few of these wonderful pieces of furniture still in hiding, long forgotten.