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Paisley's Pioneer Saloon and Restaurant celebrates 140 years
Paisley's Pioneer Saloon and Restaurant celebrates 140 years
May 10, 2023
The Piooner Saloon and Restaurant is pictured in 2023 with its new storefront and signage.
Submitted photo
In 14 decades, the faces of the Pioneer Saloon and Restaurant’s local patrons have changed, but the Brunswick bar they raise their glasses at and the grit that pervades their spirits are the same as those who first sat at the Pioneer’s stools in 1883. Paisley locals and the many visitors who have stopped through while exploring the Oregon Outback’s natural beauty will celebrate 140 years of history, camaraderie and good old-fashioned spirits and comfort food.
“I think the general population has an idea of what it means to be a cowboy and that often comes from Hollywood. What it means to settle and survive is very different than how the old west can be portrayed,” said John Steffes, who purchased the bar in 2015. “The pioneers that settled here, how much thought and perseverance it took to homestead and make a life, start a town — there’s nothing easy about that. That takes courage and whole lot of hard work.”
The historic watering hole, nestled in the “Oregon Outback,” a scenic byway on Highway 31, sits 45 miles north of Lakeview and just a couple hours’ drive south of Bend. It is one of two original buildings left standing in a town with a population of 252. Originally settled by Scottish and Irish ranchers, the area is still home to multiple centennial ranches, including Withers Ranch which still operates on the land it was settled on, and ZX Ranch, one of the largest in the country. Modern-day ranchers can still be seen ranching on horseback just like their predecessors and it’s not uncommon to see spurs resting below the Pioneer’s bar.
In addition to the original back bar, the saloon is dotted with nods to its raucous past. Historic photos adorn the walls with local brands stamped alongside them and unverified folklore that has withstood the test of time is still traded among patrons. One favorite tale is about the bartender who was killed by a Civil War Veteran over a card game gone south. Another is the local who was found dead in the saloon in 1906, with a whiskey bottle in one hand and a bottle of liniment in the other.
{snip}
May 10, 2023
The Piooner Saloon and Restaurant is pictured in 2023 with its new storefront and signage.
Submitted photo
In 14 decades, the faces of the Pioneer Saloon and Restaurant’s local patrons have changed, but the Brunswick bar they raise their glasses at and the grit that pervades their spirits are the same as those who first sat at the Pioneer’s stools in 1883. Paisley locals and the many visitors who have stopped through while exploring the Oregon Outback’s natural beauty will celebrate 140 years of history, camaraderie and good old-fashioned spirits and comfort food.
“I think the general population has an idea of what it means to be a cowboy and that often comes from Hollywood. What it means to settle and survive is very different than how the old west can be portrayed,” said John Steffes, who purchased the bar in 2015. “The pioneers that settled here, how much thought and perseverance it took to homestead and make a life, start a town — there’s nothing easy about that. That takes courage and whole lot of hard work.”
The historic watering hole, nestled in the “Oregon Outback,” a scenic byway on Highway 31, sits 45 miles north of Lakeview and just a couple hours’ drive south of Bend. It is one of two original buildings left standing in a town with a population of 252. Originally settled by Scottish and Irish ranchers, the area is still home to multiple centennial ranches, including Withers Ranch which still operates on the land it was settled on, and ZX Ranch, one of the largest in the country. Modern-day ranchers can still be seen ranching on horseback just like their predecessors and it’s not uncommon to see spurs resting below the Pioneer’s bar.
In addition to the original back bar, the saloon is dotted with nods to its raucous past. Historic photos adorn the walls with local brands stamped alongside them and unverified folklore that has withstood the test of time is still traded among patrons. One favorite tale is about the bartender who was killed by a Civil War Veteran over a card game gone south. Another is the local who was found dead in the saloon in 1906, with a whiskey bottle in one hand and a bottle of liniment in the other.
{snip}