"Saturday Night in a Saloon" Picture Courtesy of Library of Congress |
Can you place it?
This iconic picture was used in the opening credits for the television show Cheers. A seemingly lighthearted photograph, this picture actually reveals a great deal about a town in Northern Minnesota that wasn't so idyllic.
Main Street, Craigville, Minnesota 1937 Picture Courtesy of Library of Congress |
A lumberjack after a brawl in a saloon on Saturday night. Picture Courtesy of Library of Congress |
With the influx of loggers (and their hard earned money), the town was filled with all sorts of criminal activity. Prostitution, murder, theft and bootlegging--to name a few. It was so bad, no one could do anything about it. The town had a terrible reputation, not only in Minnesota, but across the USA.
A lumberjack with two "attendants." Picture Courtesy of Library of Congress |
In 1937, photographer Russell Lee visited Craigville and documented the "seedy" lifestyle of the loggers, prostitutes, bootleggers and business owners. If you look closely, this man and his two "attendants" are the same people in the "Saturday Night in a Saloon" picture.
Researching can be an interesting adventure. You never know what you're going to unearth. Some of the stories I read about Craigville made me cringe. It was a dangerous town. I wanted to cry when I read about the prostitutes who inhabited the rough buildings. I always wonder what would lead a woman into such a sad choice. I don't think I'll ever look at this picture the same way.
Photographer Russell Lee |
I wonder if Russell Lee had any idea how famous his "Saturday Night in a Saloon" photo would become?
In the words of Paul Harvey: "And now you know the rest of the story."
Have you seen the photo "Saturday Night in a Saloon" before? Did you have any idea what the real story was behind it?
Gabrielle Meyer lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the Upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing historical fiction inspired by real people, places, and events.
I cannot recall seeing the picture of Saturday Night in a Saloon before. So much sadness from events that happened in saloons as portrayed in various old westerns. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen that photo of "Saturday Night in a Saloon". Very interesting. :-)
ReplyDeleteFascinating post! I love the connection to Cheers (I live in New England). I'm in MN for a wedding this weekend, so it was fun to read a bit of history about the state. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your interesting post. I have never seen the picture "Saturday Night in a Saloon." I would guess many a man bellied up to that bar!
ReplyDeleteI never heard of Craigville, Minnesota before or it's notorious
ReplyDeletereputation, though we've driven through northern Minnesota.
I do remember the iconic photo from Cheers. You never know
the real story behind a picture just from first impressions,
that's for sure. Very interesting post, Gabrielle!
No, I hadn't seen this before and I enjoyed learning about it. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete