Excavating one of the Comstock’s classiest saloons.
If you equate the word archaeology with “dusty snooze,” this column may wake you up. The dig could be happening right in your backyard. It could be unearthing a Black-owned saloon in Virginia City. Would it also capture your interest if I told you one of the oldest Tabasco bottles ever found came from that excavation?
In the 1870s, Virginia City boasted more than 100 saloons, all competing for attention. Some saloons even had indoor shooting galleries, where patrons would fire shots while enjoying a few drinks. Amid this setting, a remarkable business thrived. In 1863, William A.G. Brown, a free-born Black man from Massachusetts, moved to the Comstock. One year later, he founded Boston Saloon, a drinking house that primarily catered to several hundred fellow African Americans.
Located at the intersection of D and Union streets, behind Bucket of Blood Saloon, the watering hole was called a “popular resort for many of the colored population,” by the Territorial Enterprise. When it was rediscovered in 1997 and excavated in 2000, archaeologists uncovered a sophisticated establishment: Patrons drank from crystal goblets and delicate Champagne flutes, played dominoes by the light of newly patented gas lamps, and ate the best food from fine dishes.
Few details of Brown’s early life are known. He likely attended a segregated school in Massachusetts (the likely origin of the “Boston” part of the name) and learned to read and write. Historians deduced that Brown, as a young man, was employed as a busboy or waiter at an upscale restaurant or hotel, where he learned the trade. His acquaintance with imported wines and liquors, his understanding of choice cuts of meat, and his selection of décor indicate a familiarity with posh dining.
Not Your Average Dive Bar
The excavation revealed many secrets. Unlike many saloons, Brown didn’t rely on beer and local “rotgut” whiskey. Remnants from bottles of French Champagne and Gordon’s (English) gin were found. Another fragment disclosed a soda water bottle from Cantrell & Cochrane of England. These imported items required cross-continent shipping and commanded big price tags. This was not your average dive bar!
The most definitive evidence of Brown’s good taste and elevated status was drawn from the animal bones found in the excavation. Of the four local saloons studied during excavation, Boston Saloon had the greatest abundance of beef and sheep bones, from expensive cuts of meat. Other Virginia City sites showed pork, a cheaper meat, associated with the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum. This suggests that many of Brown’s Black customers were affluent enough to enjoy upscale meals.
Spicing It Up
The most remarkable find at the Boston may be a Tabasco bottle, reconstructed from 21 shards found at the site. Tabasco was introduced around 1869 by the McIlhenny Co. of Avery Island, La., and the one found in Virginia City is the oldest style of bottle the company produced. It indicates that Brown was a trendsetter, using the condiment that ultimately would sweep the country.
“The Tabasco bottle is particularly intriguing because of what it implies about African American cuisine and the development of the West,” said Kelly Dixon, who supervised the dig. “This was an exotic product, and Comstock African Americans were apparently the ones breaking this new ground.”
In Ruins
Brown was fortunate to sell his business in 1875, shortly before a fire destroyed central Virginia City, including the Boston. The saloon was not rebuilt. Brown was about 45 years old and retired with his profits. Evidence remains that Brown stayed in the community as a landowner and businessman for several years.
The dust from excavation settled long ago, and today an asphalt cap behind Bucket of Blood Saloon occupies the space where Boston Saloon once stood. A historical marker remains on C Street, mounted on the ATM next to Bucket of Blood, recognizing the entrepreneur William A.G. Brown and his classy establishment.
Sharon Honig-Bear was the longtime restaurant writer for the Reno Gazette-Journal. She is a tour leader with Historic Reno Preservation Society and a supporter of the cultural and historic. She can be reached at Sharonbear@sbcglobal.net.
