Becoming "Sinners"

As the Sin in the Sagebrush exhibit opening approaches, the Living History department is creating the characters of miners, gamblers, saloonkeepers and “working women” of the High Desert frontier. They will portray how these people dealt with the universal need for community and connection.

Research for male characters focuses on two roles: gamblers and saloonkeepers. The gamblers will know all the “tricks of the trade,” including several card and dice games – and how to cheat at them. When the exhibit opens on Feb. 13, visitors should be sure to ask how these men fell into their professions. Or, you can tempt Lady Fortune yourself at Chuck-a-luck or faro.

And, if you don't win big, you can find a sympathetic ear with the saloonkeeper. Barkeeps in mining towns were known for their genial nature. Saloons were the most common retail business in mining towns, and each sold the same product, so a saloonkeeper’s welcoming personality was the only way to beat the competition.

Here are some stats about the typical saloonkeeper in the West in 1880:
Average age: 33
Job history: Most likely tried his hand at other occupations before opening a saloon. The most common previous occupations were mining (45 percent) and working as a clerk (25 percent).
Martial Status: Unless extremely lucky, single.
Origins: The ratio between native-born Anglo-Americans and immigrant saloonkeepers was nearly 1:1 and 30 percent of all saloonkeepers were Irish or German immigrants.

So come and sidle up to the mahogany bar and have chat. We'll be waiting for you. Sin in the Sagebrush will run through September.