"When did "Bar" become used in US?" Topic

I am painting up some buildings for ACW.

In towns of that era, were buildings selling liquor classed as "bars" or "saloons" and have signs as such?

Use saloon, unless the place dates back to the Colonial period, where tavern was common. Old West would be saloon. Bar is really a 20th century term in the US, though it was used as far back as the Renaissance with the same meaning as today.

What he said. Tavern, to saloon, to bar. Saloon was the common term until at least prohibition.

The building may or may not have a sign stating hotel, saloon, card room, etc.

Bloke walks into a bar.

It was an iron bar.

:-)

Saloons are really a term from the 1870's or later. They are sort of similar to the modern brew-pub, having a close relationship to brewers. They are also often a political meeting place which contributed to the ire they received from the Anti-Saloon League post 1893.

Saloons grew to have a relationship with the brewers; the term itself was used decades prior to the 1870s and was popular by the 1850s.

Many thanks.

Tavern was still a term used extensively. See, for example, the Elkhorn Tavern at Pea Ridge.

And correspondingly, prior to the 20th century the permanent inhabitants of public houses were saloon-flies.

Bars were commonly frequented by lawyers.

I was under the impression that the term "bar" was in reference to the metal bar attached to the floor where patrons place their feet whilst imbibing, no stools being supplied. I have spent enough time in them but once again that does not make me an expert. Thanks, John Miller

"THE TERM, "BAR AND GRILLE" DERIVED FROM THE SECURITY CAGE THAT AN INN'S PROPRIETOR WOULD LOCK AFTER HOURS TO PREVENT ANY PILFERING BY "SLEEPWALKING" GUESTS."

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For what it is worth a quick search of the 1874 Langley's directory for San Francisco shows 2 bars, "The Grand Hotel Bar and Billiard Saloon" and the "Lick House Bar and Billiard Saloon".

The 1864 directory for San Francisco refers to the Cosmopolitan Hotel as having "gentleman's office, bar room, cigar room, saloon room" as well as referring to numerous city residents as bar-keepers.

Not really definitive, but I would guess if you saw the word bar in a sign it would most likely not be in the name but a list of features.

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Scroll down to: Word Frequency History

In the photo's I've seen they've been Saloons or Hotels.

In the antebellum South the most common names I've seen would have been tavern, house, ordinary, and hotel. The bar itself was usually just part of an operation that also provided meals and rooms. In the post-war era the term saloon was commonly used by those who sought to shut down establishments that sold alcohol.

When I saw this thread, I expected a discussion on the Browning Automatic Rifle.

I figured to read something like the "Confederates received BARs and the British army has Bren Guns. They used them at Gettysburg."

The British allied themselves with the Rebels. This was prompted by the drunken Captain of a Union barge which sunk the Titanic, which had on board two Confederate envoys to the Court of St. James.

A hundred thousand British Red Coats arrived just in time to give the Union the coup de gras at Gettysburg. Meanwhile one lone British submarine sinks the entire Union Navy from Baltimore to Brownsville. Boy that would be so cool to do. Hey, it could of happen.

Ummm, Rallynow, I think the term you wanted to uss was "coup de grace" --pronouced like "grass"-- (finishing blow), rather than"coup de gras" --pronouced like "grah"--(a hit with a glob of grease or suet). Most like to not take your mortally wounded opponent out of action. Might really p!ss him off though.