NO IT'S NOT A MOVIE SET. IT'S
THE FOR REAL GENOA BAR AND SALOON
|
|
Just the phrase,
“Nevada’s Oldest Thirst Parlor”
coupled to one picture of this enduring revered landmark should be
reason enough to catch the next flight to Reno and head south on route
395 through the Carson Valley toward the GENOA BAR AND
SALOON.
Personally
I
would
recommend the slower southeasterly trek over the
Washoe Mountains. This approach offers stunning views of the Sierras
and the chance to build up a really big thirst. And if you’re unable to
keep that desire for libation at bay, I suggest a respite at one of the
better licensed premises in Virginia City before completing the journey
to Genoa.
|
HIGH IN THE WASHOE MOUNTAINS
WITH THE SIERRA NEVADA IN THE DISTANCE
SUNRISE OVER THE WASHOES
| Give or take a
couple of
wandering
souls,
approximately 250 people reside in this outpost at the base of the
mountains below Lake Tahoe. Settled by Mormon traders around 1850 it
became known as Mormon Station; but was renamed “Genoa” in 1855 by a
church elder who was assigned to the territory in order to survey the
town and establish a working government. Since 1853 the building which
today operates as the Genoa Bar, has provided comfort, aid and
entertainment to those generations of intrepid individuals that have
called this rugged and magnificent piece of western expanse home. |
GENOA, NEVADA CIRCA 1890
Much
of
my own
regard for the tavern life has
been
nurtured by those classic celluloid images of the western saloon.
Beginning with my hitchhiking days during the 1970s I ventured across
the continental divide in search of those vaunted swinging doors that
would provide a time portal back to the world of cowboys and cattle
barons, gun fighters and gamblers. More often than not those locations
were sullied by the trappings and technologies of the modern era. THE
GENOA BAR AND SALOON has been able to minimize the impact of
contemporary society
on its gracious old structure. This faithfulness to its original
purpose and design has made it a favorite location for artists, actors
and directors trying to capture the spirit and to tell the story of the
American west.
|
THE
GENOA IS ALSO A MUSEUM OF THE OLD WEST
| While much of that
story has
been
about
greed,
gun play and avarice; there is that side of the saga that speaks to the
better qualities of mankind. The staff and patrons of the Genoa Bar
have, with few exceptions, exemplified the benevolence, generosity and
supportive side of human nature. Why else would people like Mark Twain,
Ulysses S. Grant, Teddy Roosevelt, Clark Gable, Clint Eastwood, John
Wayne, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Raquel Welch
choose to hang their hats at this particular thirst parlor? Well
actually, truth be told, Raquel hung her bra here with the
understanding that all the other fine examples of women’s undergarments
that were on display be relegated to the safe. But even this bit of
Genoa lore is testament to the code of conduct and fair play
administered in this part of the old west. |
THE ONLY ICONS MISSING ARE ADAM,
HOSS, AND LITTLE JOE
| On this New Year's
Eve, as it has been for years past, the wood stove
will be lit, the neon and incandescent will be extinguished, and the
original oil lamps will provide illumination to friends and neighbors
gathered around the bar. From the heights of the Sierras one might
barely discern that faint glimmer of light from below; but from within
its walls the welcoming glow of a community celebrating life at
“Nevada’s Oldest Thirst Parlor” is
indisputable! It provides a feeling of transportation into a different time. Original hardware and adornments are still in place preserving the history within. The warm ambiance of an earlier era hangs well throughout each corner, nook, and cranny. |
SUBLIME IN THE SNOW
|
