One of Elko's oldest saloons first opened in a tent at this location in December 1868. The present building was completed in 1913 at a cost of $50,000, and the saloon featured tiled floors, a metal ceiling, mahogany furniture, and a mirrored back bar. After the upper floors were converted to a hotel, the saloon remained an informal employment office for local ranchers. Remodeling in 1981 closed the saloon for the first time in 112 years. Through a donation by George Gund, the building was purchased in 1992 by the Western Folklife Center, which sponsors the Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering and hosts many other events throughout the year.