Mascot Saloon

The Mascot Saloon was Skagway's longest operating saloon in the same location with the same owner.

NPS Photo/A. Rogers

Quick Facts

Location:

Skagway, AK

Significance:

During and after the Klondike Gold Rush, this bar earned the title of the longest operating saloon in the same location with the same owner.

Designation:

NHP and part of an NHL

Amenities

2 listed

Benches/Seating, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Originally built in spring 1898, the Mascot was one of many saloons in boomtown-era Skagway; some accounts report over 100 bars! The Mascot Saloon was one of the most popular, serving up favorites like locally brewed beer and free lunches that included menu items like clam chowder, spareribs, sauerkraut, and enchiladas. The saloon also offered gambling, cigars, a pool table, nightly music, and telegraph wires that brought in sports scores. One of the saloon’s most popular bartenders later became Skagway’s mayor.  

While a very popular spot for entertainment, not all in Skagway were invited to enjoy themselves here. Women were unable to drink in public spaces, and only some saloons allowed People of Color to drink inside. Notice this building’s side door – historically, women would have had to enter here and purchase their alcohol to-go.  

Today, the Mascot Saloon’s entrance has been restored to its 1904 appearance. Restoration work, originally done in the 1980s, was revisited in the 2020s. Once begun, restoration and historic preservation never truly end – the work done only adds more layers to the building’s history.