Havens in a Heartless World Part III: Other Distractions of Virginia City's Saloons

Saloons were home to a wide range of activities besides drinking and eating. Patrons smoked and gambled, and poker was not the only option. Diversity dominated the spectrum of saloons, both in what people did for amusement as well as who they were. Men, women, and children were all found in saloons at one time or another. In addition, each ethnic group had places of leisure where they could retreat from the pressures of the day.

The foreign-born dominated Virginia City. People defined themselves and others according to their origins. Some of this was good natured, but it often assumed racist, hurtful forms. Among the artifacts collected from the four saloon sites were a few items that people may have regarded as ethnic. Given the importance of race and nationality, the scarcity of these artifacts is surprising. Once retrieved, archaeologists faced a central question: Were these items used in a way that people would have regarded as ethnic? Sometimes that question must be left unanswered.

Text by Ronald M. James, Nevada Historic Preservation Office, and Kelly J. Dixon, University of Montana; all images by Ronald M. James unless otherwise noted.

Previous Pause Next

Havens in a Heartless World: Glasgow Pipes

Photograph courtesy of Ronald M. James.

In the nineteenth century, pipes were one of the more popular ways to enjoy tobacco. Mass-produced, plain, white clay pipes from Glasgow litter nineteenth-century archaeological sites throughout the West.

Havens in a Heartless World: Red Clay Pipes

Photograph courtesy of Ronald M. James.

Red clay pipes are unusual in western sites. These were found at the Boston Saloon and are reminiscent of pipes found in African American sites in the south. The large bore accommodated a reusable stem.

Havens in a Heartless World: Spittoon

Photograph courtesy of Ronald M. James.

An oversized spittoon from Old Corner Bar, served the needs of patrons who chewed rather than smoked tobacco. (ca. 1870)

Havens in a Heartless World: Mutilated Coins

Photograph courtesy of Ronald M. James.

A mutilated half dollar and dime buried beneath the floor boards at the Boston Saloon are similar to artifacts found beneath slave quarters in the south. West African traditions including protecting a building by burying mutilated coins beneath the floor. The fact that this tradition also appears in the south indicates this Virginia City manifestation was indeed an African American tradition.

Havens in a Heartless World: Instrument Mouthpiece

Photograph courtesy of Ronald M. James.

A trombone or baritone mouthpiece from the Boston Saloon recalls an African American brass band that performed in Virginia City.

Havens in a Heartless World: Poker Chips

Photograph courtesy of Ronald M. James.

Part of the stereotype of the saloon of the Wild West was gambling. Poker chips fit in with cliché, and archaeologists found them at each of the sites.

Havens in a Heartless World: Dice

Photograph courtesy of Ronald M. James.

Die were also common, but how people used them remains a question. They were present in each of the saloons. These are from the Hibernia.

Havens in a Heartless World: Toy Horse

Photograph courtesy of Ronald M. James.

Toys suggest the presence of children. They were common at the Hibernia Brewery and Saloon. Toys from the Shooting Gallery and Saloon site were probably actually from activity along a neighboring alleyway. Toys were less common at Piper's Old Corner Bar and at the Boston Saloon, but the fact that they were found virtually everywhere reminds us that young people were a constant presence in the community.

Havens in a Heartless World: Cartridges

Photograph courtesy of Ronald M. James.

Archaeologists found hundreds of cartridges and bullets at the Shooting Gallery and Saloon. Many of the cartridges were "stubbies," which stored less powder, decreasing the velocity of the bullet and its effect if anyone was accidentally shot. Combining target practice and drinking may seem strange to people today, but it was a common distraction in nineteenth-century Virginia City.

Havens in a Heartless World: Toothpaste Container

Photograph courtesy of Ronald M. James.

A cherry toothpaste container from the African American Boston Saloon speaks to an activity not associated with the western saloon in the popular imagination. (ca. 1870)

Havens in a Heartless World: Ink Bottle

Photograph courtesy of Ronald M. James.

Ink bottles were common to saloons, these coming from the Boston and the Hibernia saloons. Were they only for the owners or patrons as well? Some questions remain unanswered.

Nevada Humanities

Support Nevada Humanities

Nevada Humanities produces and supports dynamic educational and cultural programs that enrich our lives and encourage us to explore challenging ideas. Nevada Humanities unites us through our history and heritage. Nevada Humanities inspires us to engage in our communities and with each other.

Donate Now