Saturday, November 12, 2016

November 10, 2016 - Crystal Palace Saloon - Tombstone, Arizona

I am spending two day in Tombstone, Arizona with Jeanne and Willie Stecher.  We just finished watching the Gunfight at the O. K. Corral, watching the presentation of the history of Tombstone at Tombstone's Historama, looking at some of musuem sites in the Gunfight Stage area.  We decided to walk down Allen Street and have lunch at The Crystal Palace Saloon and Restaurant.

Jeanne ordered the BLT with Fries, Willie chose the Pot Roast Sandwich with mashed potatoes and corn….with lots of gravy…it looked good.  I decided to try the Patty Melt which would not make my top 10 List but was good with cole slaw.

The food wasn't anything out of the ordinary but it was very good.

Here's my one negative comment about this eatery.  I put my meal on my credit card.  I have noticed as I posted the charge to my accounting program that I was charged $1 to use my credit card.  I do not approve of businesses that do this.  At the very least, warm me but I didn't see any signs anywhere that stated there would be a charged for using my credit card..or even one that said all credit cards must be for a $10 plus charge.  I had plenty of cash.  Given the options I could have made a choice.  I am still a big girl.

I most likely will never eat there again or direct people there for a meal when I am visiting Tombstone.  I guess to make a "buck" that business gave up lots of money from my future visits.

Crystal Palace Saloon and Restaurant
436 E. Allen Street
Tombstone, Arizona
(520) 457-3611
Hours:  Daily 11:00 a.m.  – 8:00 p.m.

History:

In 1880, Benjamin Wehrfritz and Seigfried Tribolet opened the Golden Eagle Brewery on the corner of 5th and Allen.  They featured a German style lunch offering Swiss and limburger cheese, sardines, pigs feet, smoked halibut, herring, head cheese and obviously, cold beer.  Later, it was called the Fredericksburg Lager Beer Depot.  The Golden Eagle Brewery was burned in the 1882 fire.  When it was rebuilt, it was a much larger two story Palace Saloon.  Eighty feet were devoted to the Crystal Palace Saloon.  It was lavishly furnished and showcased a fountain and goldfish pond in the center of the room.  Dr. George Goodfellow, who became renowned for his treatment of gunshot wounds, had an office on the second floor as did Marshal Virgil Earp.  The Crystal Palace has had its share of ups and downs over the years.  In 1914, state prohibition closed all the saloons and in 1915 it was renovated and reopened as a theatre.  It featured variety shows, comedies, dramas and motion pictures.  A three reel motion picture shown was Universal’s “the Tenth Commandment”.  After prohibition the Crystal Palace Saloon was reopened.  In the early 1960s, the Crystal Palace was purchased by Tombstone Historic Adventures.  They restored the Crystal Palace as it was in the 1880s.  The Crystal Palace sell sits in its original location and remains a popular saloon in Tombstone.

                                           - Tombstone's Historic Locations  
                                              Tombstone Map - History - Walking Tour
                                              Tombstone Restoration Commission
                                               Pages 29-30 

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