The Pioneer Saloon

One of the pleasures of living in Las Vegas is that there are a handful of interesting roadside tourist attractions outside of the city. I've been to the Clown Motel and the Bottle House, but even closer to the city is a small town called Goodsprings.

It takes about five minutes to go all through the town. The only notable establishment is The Pioneer Saloon, a bar and grill that has been continuously operating since 1913. It's a nice place, a bit pricey for the food. I went with a friend and we had hamburgers and listened to some live music.

What distinguishes this place from any other roadhouse is that for three days in 1942 it was basically the home of Clark Gable. Goodsprings is in the shadow of Mount Potosi, which was the sight of an airplane crash. Gable's wife, Carole Lombard, was among the passengers. He held a vigil at the bar while a rescue effort was held. Sadly, the effort was in vain, as all aboard were killed.

Those three days have now dominated the saloon. The dining room is also called the "Memorial Room," where there are many photos of Gable and Lombard, and newspapers detailing the event. Walking around back we found two iron gates with the names of the stars on them. It's interesting history, but one wonders what the bar would be like if this had never happened. It's not exactly exploitation, but it hovers close.

I'd go back again if I had a visitor who wanted an offbeat place to go on a Vegas visit. It's only about a half hour away from the city. If you really want fine dining, there are steaks available for about sixty bucks.