Stonewall Saloon

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Stonewall Saloon in Montague County. Now settle in, because this old building has lived more lives than most people do. Back in 1873, somebody laid native stone in Montague County and built what would become the town's first permanent building.

First permanent building. Everything else out there was temporary, provisional, making do. This one was here to stay.

And what did they put in it? A saloon and a rest stop for trail drivers. You can almost picture it, weary men coming off the trail, stepping through that door, grateful for something solid under their boots and something cold in their hand.

They named it after General Stonewall Jackson, and the name stuck. Now, the saloon ran just fine until 1897, when Montague County went dry, prohibition-style. And here is where the building shows its character.

It didn't fall apart. It didn't sit empty. It simply changed its clothes and got back to work, housing offices and a bank.

The stone walls that once held the sounds of trail hands now held the quiet scratch of ledger books. Then came 1930, or thereabouts, and somebody decided that native stone needed a coat of stucco. The original face, covered over.

And if that wasn't enough change for one building, 1964 brought a wooden facade on top of everything else. Layer upon layer upon layer. First stone, then stucco, then wood.

Montague County's longest-standing building, wearing its history like an overcoat with too many layers to count, still standing right where that first permanent stone was set in 1873.

What the marker says

Built 1873 as saloon and trail drivers rest stop. After county prohibition, 1897, housed offices and bank. Named after Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson. Town's first permanent building, originally of native stone. Stuccoed in 1930's; wooden facade added in 1964. (1967)