Saloons existed in America virtually since the first settlements on the east coast. Sailing ships brought large supplies of liquor from England. These places served the same purpose as the western saloon, but it was a much more respectable place then. So much so that it wasn't uncommon to see women as tavern owners and barkeepers. The men were frequently mayors, postmasters, or some other respected member of the town. Clergymen of all types felt that partaking was a necessary part of life. They drank applejack, rum, brandy, whiskey, hot toddies, and beer, though bartenders were capable of mixing drinks. It was also thought to be healthful to imbibe in hard liquor.
After the Revolutionary War was over, adventurers started heading west. Virginians heading west into Kentucky and Tennessee put a new face on the western saloon. They were hard drinkers, loved to play cards, and enjoyed female companionship. The next generation of saloons began to cater to them. It became common to drink whiskey, even for breakfast. As people pushed even further west, even more taverns sprang up, because places to rest and have a drink were few and far between and even ranches, always hospitable to travelers, could be 50 miles apart.
The first place to be called a saloon was Brown's saloon, established in 1822 at a place later known as Brown's Hole near the Wyoming-Colorado-Utah border. The big fur trade rendezvous took place in this area and Brown made a fortune selling the traders' liquor. When the miners came out to California, Colorado, and Montana, saloons followed them. Even riverboats on western rivers carried large quantities of liquor for travelers. In towns so new people were still
