Saloon owner Red R. Trusty and George Atmore play a game of pool in the Oak Bar on Antelope Avenue. Before owning a bar, Trusty had been a night telegraph operator for the Southern Pacific.
The saloon was equipped with a pair of old-fashioned swinging doors at the entrance; one of the more distinctive features of the typical saloon. The doors operated on double action hinges and extended from chest to knee level.
These "batwing" or "cafe" doors provided easy access while allowing people to see who was entering the saloon, they blocked dust from outside and provided ventilation. Most importantly, they shielded the goings-on within the saloon from those who might be passing by -- as usual with these establishments, women, and children were not allowed inside.
"Gurba, Norma H. Lancaster. Arcadia, 2005.
Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections"
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