Eat! Drink! Sleep!

Travelers who love the Old West and want to experience its history firsthand on a Western heritage vacation have many key decisions to make before hitting the road, including where to visit, eat and sleep. At True West magazine, we believe one of the best ways to discover and enjoy history in person is to plan a vacation that combines tours of communities that have made a commitment to preserving their past, including their historical sites, museums, hotels, restaurants and saloons. Fortunately, preservationists, proprietors and community leaders have worked diligently for decades to save, restore and modernize vintage hotels, restaurants and saloons across the Western United States. From boutique downtown lodges to historic inns and multi-generational guest ranches, hundreds of heritage properties celebrate the lore of the West in their guest rooms, bars and dining rooms.

For this, our 2020 guide to historic hotels, restaurants and saloons, we have selected 20 places exemplifying both the ideals of community preservation and Old West tourism. We encourage you to begin scheduling your long weekend or extended vacation across the Western United States and plan to stay at one of these inns and enjoy meals and libations at the historic restaurants and saloons. Use this guide to inspire your next road trip to eat, sleep and drink where history happened and make memories that last a lifetime.

Travelers who love the Old West and want to experience its history firsthand on a Western heritage vacation have many key decisions to make before hitting the road, including where to visit, eat and sleep. At True West magazine, we believe one of the best ways to discover and enjoy history in person is to plan a vacation that combines tours of communities that have made a commitment to preserving their past, including their historical sites, museums, hotels, restaurants and saloons. Fortunately, preservationists, proprietors and community leaders have worked diligently for decades to save, restore and modernize vintage hotels, restaurants and saloons across the Western United States. From boutique downtown lodges to historic inns and multi-generational guest ranches, hundreds of heritage properties celebrate the lore of the West in their guest rooms, bars and dining rooms.

For this, our 2020 guide to historic hotels, restaurants and saloons, we have selected 20 places exemplifying both the ideals of community preservation and Old West tourism. We encourage you to begin scheduling your long weekend or extended vacation across the Western United States and plan to stay at one of these inns and enjoy meals and libations at the historic restaurants and saloons. Use this guide to inspire your next road trip to eat, sleep and drink where history happened and make memories that last a lifetime.

ARIZONA

BIG NOSE KATE’S SALOON

Tombstone, Arizona

Tombstone’s Big Nose Kate’s Saloon was once the Grand Hotel, originally built in 1881. On October 25, 1881, the night before the Gunfight Behind the O.K. Corral, the Clantons and the McLaurys were guests here. This was the place to stay! Nowadays, the changes made to the structure after it burned down and was rebuilt are evident. The bar area, housed in the basement of the old hotel, is now located on the main level. In the basement is a gift shop, but the tunnel leading to the mine shafts still exists. The saloon holds the Grand Hotel’s original long bar, the only one that survived the fire of 1882 and still serving thirsty patrons. Imagine setting your elbows down on the very place that the Earps, Doc Holliday and the Clantons once did!

17 East Allen Street, Tombstone, AZ 85638
520-457-3107 • BigNoseKates.info

THE COPPER QUEEN HOTEL

Bisbee, Arizona

The Copper Queen Hotel was built in 1898 and completed in 1902. While the town of Bisbee has grown, it has not lost its boomtown heritage. Soon after Bisbee became a town, Phelps Dodge Mining Company built The Copper Queen Hotel as a place for dignitaries and investors to relax in luxury. When completed, the hotel was one of the most modern in the West. Today, The Copper Queen maintains the highest standards while retaining its historic charm to accommodate the modern-day traveler.

11 Howell Avenue, Bisbee, AZ 85603
520-432-2216 • CopperQueen.com

GADSDEN HOTEL

Douglas, Arizona

With pink marble pillars, stained-glass windows, gold leaf and an Italian marble staircase, the four-story Gadsden Hotel opened at a cost of $200,000 in 1907. The luxurious hotel was named for Ambassador James Gadsden, who negotiated the Gadsden Purchase of 1853. Today, the hotel’s owners are dedicated to restoring one of Arizona’s “grande dame” hotels to its storied past, and rooms can be booked on the mezzanine level. Don’t miss a chance to dine and have a drink in the 333 Cafe, Restaurant & Bar and the historic Saddle & Spur Tavern.

1046 G Avenue, Douglas, AZ 85607
520-364-4481 • TheGadsdenHotel.com

THE HASSAYAMPA INN

Prescott, Arizona

With Spanish Colonial Revival and Italianate features, the Hassayampa Inn in the historic district of Prescott offers comforting small-town charm while being closely situated near the sights and sounds of Prescott. This prime location is walking distance to the Courthouse Square, art galleries and unique one-of-a-kind shops, eateries and antique stores. Designed by Southwest architect Henry Trost, it was built as a luxury hotel in 1927 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

122 East Gurley Street, Prescott, AZ 86301
800-322-1927 • HassayampaInn.com

LA POSADA HOTEL

Winslow, Arizona

In 1927 the Santa Fe Railway decided to build a major hotel in the center of Northern Arizona. La Posada was to be the finest in the Southwest and they chose Mary Jane Colter to design it for Winslow. It was the finest hotel on Route 66 until it closed in 1957. In 1997, a new ownership group began renovations on the hotel and today La Posada has become an icon of the Southwest, a story of redemption and rediscovery.

303 East 2nd Street, Winslow, AZ 86047
928-289-4366 • LaPosada.org

THE PALACE RESTAURANT AND SALOON

Prescott, Arizona

The Palace is Arizona’s oldest frontier saloon and restaurant. Past patrons include the Earp brothers, Doc Holliday and Big Nose Kate. Prescott’s famous Palace Restaurant and Saloon opened on Montezuma Street. It opened in 1874 as the Cabinet Saloon, where Doc Holliday was sure to have been a patron. The building was destroyed in the Whiskey Row Fire of 1900. Patrons moved the bar across the street and drank and watched Whiskey Row burn to the ground. It was rebuilt in 1901. For the next nine decades, the Palace maintained itself as the centerpiece of  Whiskey Row. The 1972 Steve McQueen classic Junior Bonner, filmed entirely in Prescott and Yavapai County, featured the famous saloon. (The screenplay was written by my father, Jeb Rosebrook.) In 1996, the Palace was sold and completely renovated. Today, The Palace maintains its history, grandeur and old Wild West atmosphere with its famous bar, a full dining room and regularly scheduled live music.

120 South Montezuma Street, Prescott, AZ 86303
928-541-1996 • WhiskeyRowPalace.com

ARKANSAS

1886 CRESCENT HOTEL & SPA

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Perched high on a crest of the Ozark Mountains, the four-story Crescent Hotel stands like a storybook castle. The Frisco Railroad and the Eureka Springs Improvement Company joined forces to build the “Grand Ol’ Lady of the Ozarks.” The hotel presently offers 72 rooms and four cottages, set amid 15 acres of manicured gardens and lovely woods laced with hiking trails. Guests at the Crescent may dine at the 1886 Steakhouse in the Crystal Ballroom, an elegant space featuring high ceilings, walnut walls and crystal chandeliers.

75 Prospect Avenue, Eureka Springs, AR 72632
855-725-5720 • Crescent-Hotel.com

CALIFORNIA

ALMOST HISTORICAL RIVER CITY SALOON

Sacramento, California

River City Saloon has a long, rich history. It is located in the historic Old Sacramento district, where, in 1861, it was one of the original houses of ill repute owned by Johanna Heigle. Shortly after that, it became Parker French’s Saloon, owned by Mr. Parker French, who was a colorful Sacramento newspaper man. In 2007, new owners Sean and Erika Derfield remodeled it to its original grandeur and renamed it The River City Saloon. One of the architectural highlights of the historic pub is a 1905 Triple Arch Brunswick bar similar to one that was in the pub in 1871.

916 2nd Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
916-443-6852 • TheRiverCitySaloon.com

CITY HOTEL & FALLON HOTEL

Columbia, California

Columbia’s old Gold Rush-era business district has been preserved with shops, restaurants and two historic hotels—the City and the Fallon. Visitors have a chance to “time-travel” to the 1850s, when gold miners rubbed shoulders with businessmen and other residents in Columbia. They experience a bygone era by watching proprietors in period clothing conduct business in the style of yesterday. There are opportunities to ride a 100-year-old stage coach, pan for gold and explore the real working businesses of Columbia. The California State Historic Park was once known as the “Gem of the Southern Mines.” Between the 1850s and 1870s, over one billion dollars’ worth of gold (at today’s value) was mined in the area. For a time, Columbia was the second-largest city in California. Visitors can relax at one of two comfortable hotels, listen to music in historic saloons, including the What Cheer inside the City Hotel, and take in a performance at the Fallon Theater.

California State Historic Park
22768 Main Street, Columbia, CA 95310
209-532-1479 • VisitColumbiaCalifornia.com

COLORADO

THE BUCKHORN EXCHANGE RESTAURANT

Denver, Colorado

Denver’s oldest eating and drinking establishment, The Buckhorn Exchange, is now in its second century of operation. A city and county historic landmark, the restaurant has liquor license Number One in the state of Colorado. Henry H. “Shorty Scout” Zietz, easily recognized as one of the most colorful figures of the Old West, founded the famous restaurant on November 17, 1893. The Buckhorn Exchange brims with a 125-piece Old West gun collection, historic artifacts and a rare 575-piece collection of taxidermy.

10th Avenue, Denver, CO 80204
303-534-9505 • Buckhorn.com

THE CLIFF HOUSE AT PIKES PEAK

Manitou Springs, Colorado

The Rocky Mountain retreat with 54 rooms decorated in a late-1800s motif opened in 1873 at the base of Pikes Peak. The original 20-room boardinghouse started as a stage stop and in the ensuing decades it was expanded to 200 rooms. With the nearby mineral springs and spring water, the luxury hotel became a popular destination for the rich and famous, including U.S. presidents and European royalty. After the hotel suffered a series of fires, ownership dedicated itself to restoring the historic property in the 1990s, and today the Cliff House at Pikes Peak is one of the finest, most luxurious resorts in the Rockies.

306 Cañon Avenue, Manitou Springs, CO 80829
719-785-1000 • TheCliffHouse.com

THE STRATER HOTEL

Durango, Colorado

Walk inside the doors of The Strater Hotel in Durango, Colorado, and open a world of living history that becomes part of every visitor’s personal story. The Strater is a complete experience where guests tour through pristine, interesting halls and stay in rooms restored to their 1887 glory. Every detail—from amazing antique Victorian furniture to meticulous Bradbury wallpapers—holds stories of the Southwest, from 1887 through today.

A founding member of Historic Hotels of America, The Strater is Durango’s living history museum. Ninety-three unique storied rooms, the Henry Strater Theatre, The Mahogany Grille, The Office Spiritorium and The Diamond Belle Saloon are all steeped in craftsmanship at every level. Visitors enjoy fabulous food and creative drink, shadow boxes that tell stories of the past and the Strater team’s genuine connection to every guest—all within the iconic brick building in the heart of downtown Durango. Famous for live music, the Diamond Belle brings saloon girls and Victorian-era bartenders together with guests as they belly up to the historic bar.

699 Main Avenue, Durango, CO 81301
970-945-6511 • Strater.com

THE HOTEL COLORADO

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

The Grand Lobby and Baron’s Restaurant were restored to reflect their original charm. Guests dine beside an interior waterfall or enjoy beverages near the original grand fireplace. During the summer, guests dine in the scenic courtyard, or warm themselves by fire pits while enjoying stunning views of Mt. Sopris. For 125 years, timeless secrets of extensive journeys have been held within the hotel’s  walls. The Hotel Colorado welcomes guests into oversized rooms and suites, all with high ceilings, spacious closets, and some with balconies and scenic views. Join the list of legendary figures from the past who have stayed there, and experience a chapter of America’s West.

526 Pine Street, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
970-945-6511 • HotelColorado.com

KANSAS

Hays House

Council Grove, Kansas

Seth Hays, Daniel Boone’s grandson, was the first white settler in Council Grove in 1847. In 1857, Hays built a two-story wood-frame building. The site served as a trading post, restaurant, hotel, courthouse, post office, printing office, meeting and social hall, and offered weary traders journeying between New Mexico and Missouri supplies, meals and rooms. Jesse James and General George Armstrong Custer were a few famous patrons of the Hays House. Today, the Hays House Tavern and Restaurant is famous for being the oldest continuously operated restaurant west of the Mississippi. Inside, diners can find historical artifacts, artwork, arrowheads and American Indian relics. The business has had many owners and survived a kitchen fire in its 150-plus years. A group of 25 local residents pooled their money together to buy the business after the fire. The Flint Hills Investors reopened Hays House to the public in May 2012.

112 West Main Street, Council Grove, KS 66846
620-767-5911 • HaysHouse.com

MONTANA

HOTEL ARVON

Great Falls, Montana

The vision of Great Falls founder and Montana mining and ranching entrepreneur Robert Vaughan, the Hotel Arvon opened its doors, along with an adjacent livery, in 1890. Named for Vaughan’s daughter Arvonia, the hotel is located on the Arvon block in the city’s oldest commercial building. The beautifully restored inn has 11 historically named suites and 22 luxurious guest rooms. Guests can enjoy dining and drinking next door at The Celtic Cowboy, an Irish pub that honors Vaughan, who embraced his nickname during his colorful years as Montana pioneer.

118 1st Avenue  S, Great Falls, MT 59401
406-952-1101 • HotelArvon.com

TEXAS

CROCKETT HOTEL

San Antonio, Texas

Built in 1909 just behind the Alamo, the historic hotel is within walking distance of many of San Antonio’s most popular sites, including the Shrine of Liberty and the popular River Walk.

The building’s seven-story west wing was added in 1927. The hotel and its 138 guest rooms were completely renovated in 2007. One of the most striking features of the Crockett today is its six-story-high atrium, created when the hotel enclosed its outdoor courtyard in the 1980s.

320 Bonham, San Antonio, TX 78205
210-225-6500 • CrockettHotel.com

OLD CENTRAL FIREHOUSE BED AND BREW

San Angelo, Texas

Centrally located in downtown San Angelo, Old Central Firehouse was built in 1929. One of the first firehouses in San Angelo, the stately building remained in service as a firehouse until 1976. Newly renovated into a bed and brew, it is near the city’s dining and entertainment district, as well as many local historic sites including Fort Concho. Old Central Firehouse provides a unique, relaxing getaway within walking distance to many of the things that make San Angelo so great.

200 S Magdalen Street, San Angelo, TX 76903
325-703-2029 • OCFBedAndBrew.com

WYOMING

BUFFALO BILL’S IRMA HOTEL

Cody, Wyoming

Visit the Irma Hotel—a place that Buffalo Bill Cody called “a gem”—just outside of Yellowstone National Park. Cody built the hotel in 1902 and named it for his daughter, Irma. Today, you can stay in historic rooms that housed some of the most famous personalities the world has ever known, including Frederic Remington, Annie Oakley and Calamity Jane. You can even stay in Buffalo Bill’s private suite. There are a host of other historic and non-historic rooms, all with up-to-date amenities and air conditioning. While at Buffalo Bill’s Irma Hotel, sample the famous prime rib; choose from an expansive selection at breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets; or select from a full menu. Enjoy a drink and friendly camaraderie in the Silver Saddle Saloon. Or sit on the porch where Buffalo Bill and Irma sat, and enjoy a meal while you experience the sites of Cody. Fancy enough for royalty and comfortable enough for cowboys and cowgirls, the Irma Hotel is the heart and spirit of Cody, Wyoming.

1192 Sheridan Avenue, Cody, WY 82414
307-587-4221 • IrmaHotel.com

OCCIDENTAL HOTEL

Buffalo, Wyoming

The Occidental Hotel was founded in 1879 in a tent before the log structure was constructed in 1880. The hotel hosted many famous people of the Old West. Owen Wister, author of The Virginian, frequented the region and based his characters on gunslingers and cowboys he’d met in the Occidental Saloon. The current hotel, built between 1903 and 1908, guarantees today’s visitors an Old West experience at its historic Occidental Saloon, Busy Bee Cafe and The Virginian Restaurant.

10 Main Street, Buffalo, WY 82834
307-684-0451 • OccidentalWyoming.com

SHERIDAN INN

Sheridan, Wyoming

The end of the Johnson County War opened the door to expansion of tourism in Wyoming, including the opening of the Sheridan Inn in 1893. A gathering place for travelers for decades, the inn was completely restored and reopened in 2013 with 22 fully restored rooms and a popular banquet facility for weddings and reunions. Ask about the inn’s five-bedroom Mountain Lodge, available to rent with a three-day minimum. The Sheridan Inn is the perfect headquarters for exploring the Big Horn region of Wyoming and Montana.

856 Broadway Street, Sheridan, WY 82801
307-655-7861 • SheridanInn.com