As we progress moving to Miles....was curious if there are any cool little S**t hole bars to hang in....if so do they have:

Juke Box?
Tv's for Nascar
any live tunes ever in town?


any bars for sale?

I would suggest the Alta or the Log Cabin. Maybe the Drake.

I am a big fan of the Wild Horse Pavillion...

however if you are truely looking for a "dive" where NASCAR rules...look no further than the Yellowstone Tavern.

I think the bar in Hathaway, MT might be for sale...

You guys are way off. It's totally the Crystal Pistol.

When in town, I like to stop at the Montana.

That said, in MC you are really better off staying away from the bars. Grab a cold 18-pack of Busch Light, and head to the river with a dozen worms instead.

when we do go out (which is like NEVER anymore!), We like the Texas Club; Bojangles is ok, if you want to go dancing or to karaoke, or if someone other than yourselves buy the drinks!

When was the last time some of you were in Miles City?? Alta burned down many moons ago-Wild Horse also died from who knows what, the Drake is now the Texas Club and there isn't a Hathaway fun house any more. I agree with the 18 pack and the river.

Nobody mentioned the Bison?

When was the last time some of you were in Miles City?? Alta burned down many moons ago-Wild Horse also died from who knows what, the Drake is now the Texas Club and there isn't a Hathaway fun house any more. I agree with the 18 pack and the river.

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Hey GLM:

The word of the day is "Facetious."

When I really want a drink before dinner, I stop at the Red Rock on the way out to the Crossroads.

Grab a cold 18-pack of Busch Light, and head to the river with a dozen worms instead.

If you're taking Busch Light, why not just drink out of the tongue river instead?

the cattleac has the best food. they have live music every fri.a nd sat. nites..the full menu is available until 10p.m nightly and smoking is still allowed in the saloon aka Joelo's Honky Tonk.. for a few more months.the house band (DR.JACK)puts on a great show and great dancing to most of their music...the drinks are a great price and the weekend bartenders make sure all of the customers have a great time. the front of the house has a romantic flair for that quite evening out. great servers and great cooks...live tunes what else is needed but more seating because the place is always full.maybe we will run into you all there.

[This message has been edited by 58softtail (edited 4/2/2008).]

They are all s**t hole bars, but that's the best kind. To catch the local flavor and go back in time try Parker's bar next to the library. It has a nice long bar and there seems to be a number of different characters sitting at it every time I go in.

Ahh, yes....Parker's. I had forgot about Parker's. Good call, Chuck.

Parker's is best experienced around 3 in the afternoon during a workday.

This will probably be the last time my brother speaks to me, but here goes:

No matter which bar Chuck goes into he's bound to find an ex-wife or something close to it.

And... Barney's Bar is my pick for the best.

- Dave

is there a bar at the country club? Please excuse another dumb question....do anyof them have video golf? We have bars out here where you bring your golf clubs and they have cages with video screens you golf into and play 18 holes?

I bet people who have a hard time holding onto their clubs are really unpopular in those places.

I think the Bison welcomes golf clubs on Friday and Saturday night, however I don't believe it is for the same reason as your bars do.

...some nights I like to take my golf clubs into the bison, just in case I get into the middle of a local fight... KIDDING! I love the BISON BAR! And, my favorite...they have "Touch Tunes"... Now, if they would get a shuffle board table, Golden Tee and Big Buck Hunter, I would never leave!

I like Sully's Pub. It's very nice and clean. There is no smoke fog when you walk in, like some of the other bars. Their smoke eaters are on and work! Nice bar staff. They also make sure the restrooms are very clean and there always soap and paper towels and facuets on the sinks. I went to a bar that had no paper towel, no soap or no facuets on the sink! I'm surpise they had toilet paper.
Sully's is a great place to go watch NASCAR. They have lots of fun during NASCAR and other sport events. Sully's also have a Casino if you like to gamble a bit.
Sully's is the best Bar/Casino in Miles City with the BEST Customer Service!

Where is Sully's? Never heard of it.

All joking aside...the "train's" top 3:

1. The Montana...you just can't beat it. I would put that bar up against any bar in the world. Living history.

2. The Bison...a no thrills bar, but that's the thrill. I love how when I walk in that place, it is always bright as the florescent light You can't beat tradition, and the Bison has a ton of it.

3. The Golden Spur...good sports bar. Stanley has evolved into perhaps the best bartender in town.

I also like drinking beer at the bar in the Hole in the Wall. That is a beautiful bar. Probably worth more than the business itself.

Sullys is the old 600 Lounge, on the corner, between the Bison and the Bowling Alley...

And... Agreed on your top 3 bars! All very true!

The Hell Creek in Jordan. If we have a Super County I think we can count it as one of our own.

My favorite MC bars from the past since I no longer live in the ole' cowtown were:

The Montana

The original 600 Lounge which was below the 600 Cafe

Kelly's Gaslight

Someone who currently lives in MC should list the bars that are there now and let everyone else figure out what they were in the past

Sully's was the Old 600 which use to be under the 600 Cafe then move in to the old Moose Lodge and was owned by Paul(Pauly)Grenz.
The 600 was a great bar. It was cool having the upstairs and downstairs bar. The downstair bar was more a game room. It was fun.
Cool Decor over all just a fun place to play pool and darts.
Sometime Pauly would play the old piano. He sure could play. He was very nice person and fun to visit with. May he rest in peace.
Sully maybe new but it #1 place to go it still has the old bar from the Moose and there still history in the old bar along with the new.
Downstair bar not open yet but would be cool if it did open up to be used as a game room again for pool and dart leagues and just hanging out too.

I would like to affirm Chuck's comment on Parkers. As one of the regulars there when I can find the time I always have a good time there. The only problem with Parkers is being an older crowd every now and then someone is missing when you go back in. The Montana is still the classist bar in town and I always take out of town guest there. If you are looking for interesting characters try the Trails Inn on a weekend. The Bison sort of turned into a "Kiddie Cowboy" bar on the weekends but on sale day you still see some of the old crowd. Sully's is ok except for the goofy name and all the "ghosts". I still think of Pauley when I go in there. They have a good happy hour that extends an hour past Parker's happy hour which is still the best deal in town. Hope to see you all in som s**t hole bar some time soon. Leif

The Miles City Bars (I know I'm going to miss a few)
Texas Club
Bison Bar
Montana
Range Riders
Trails Inn
Bojangles
Yellowstone Tavern
Miles City Club
Golden Spur
519
Parkers

That's all I can think of.

My personal favorites are the Texas, Montana and the Tavern. The Texas has a younger crowd and Golden Tee. The Montana has the great history and the Tavern has the huge beers and shuffle board.

Some people have a hard time getting past that flea-bitten sheep in the front window at the Montana.

Over the years,there's been quite a few watering holes in the MC area;
Wild Horse Pavillion
Leon Park
Crossroads
Corner Pockets/yellowstone Tavern
Red Rock
Aloha
Alta Club
Sundance Inn
Klamms/Barneys Bar
Parkers
Kellys Gaslight/Drake/Texas Club
Log Cabin
Bison
Montana
The Spur
600 lounge/Sullys
Stockman Bar/Hole in the wall
Trails Inn
Range Riders-upstairs and groundfloor
519
Olive
Keglers
Moose
VFW
Elks
Eagles
Golden West/Spur
Camelot/Gentleman Jims
Gallaghers
Crystal Pistol
Airport Inn
Town and Country Club
Miles City Club
CattlAC
Cellar

Was the upstairs Range Riders once called the Sports Page or was that the name of the bar downstairs with the Cellar?

Good list, Ken. I do think that the upstairs of the Range Riders Bar was called the "The Sports Page" at one time.

I don't recall where "Camelot/Gentleman Jim's" was located?

There was the "Varsity Club" (?) which became Louie's Steakhouse and then it became Jewels and it's now the Gold Dust Casino.

Stagecoach Station's bar has some good beers on tap... like Guinness Stout.

- Dave

The Camelot Lounge was part of the Interstate Exxon building which incidentally is now Lucky Lil's,which also has a bar I think.I would imagine some of the casinos serve beer and wine,also.

"I don't recall where "Camelot/Gentleman Jim's" was located?"

It was in the old Interstate Exxon building on Haynes Ave accross from Gallaghers.

Not to open a can of worms here...but I HAVE to ask this:

Weren't Kelly's Gaslight AND Sports Page BOTH nudie bars at one time? I'm pretty sure they may have been - I was too young to visit such establishments at the time, but heard stories...of course I heard stories about the Wild Horse, too, being Miles City's version of the "Bunny Ranch".

When I was living in Miles as an adult, though, I liked the Drake, Log Cabin, Alta and sometimes the Montana...sadly only one of them still exists.

The Drake exists, it's just the Texas now. I remember the Log Cabin when I first moved to Miles City, had a lot of fun in there. But sadly, it closed not too long after I came.

Eagle Room

Home of AP and the midnight raiders.

Shu said:

> of course I heard stories about the Wild Horse, too, being Miles City's version of the "Bunny Ranch".

I went to the Wild Horse only once (just had to see it in person). This was back in the 80's. I was probably about 17, and brought along my cousin who was about 15. From what I've seen of "Cathouse" on HBO, it was no "Bunny Ranch".

Now, I'm not sure how to say this nicely, but two things became immediately apparent ...

1. The crowd was the ugliest I had ever seen. It is not a good sign, when everyone turns as you walk in with a look like, "What in the hell are you doing here?"

2. The woman dancing (if you want to call it that) was quite overweight, didn't exactly look healthy, and was completely 100% nude. It was not a pretty sight.

She also didn't seem to have a problem walking around the bar and generally hanging out in her emperor's new clothes. There may have been some sanitation issues in regards to the bar stools.

The drinking age was 18 at the time, however, neither of us had any problem ordering and receiving a beer. The scene was so creepy though, we downed our drinks as quickly as we could, and immediately split ... a bit concerned about potentially getting stabbed at any moment.

Ahhh, the good old days.

does anyone out there know that the old log cabin back bar and the front bar now lives at Joleos' Honky Tonk Saloon, that is the bar at the cattlac in the back.they have live music every fri. and sat. night starting at 8p.m. until midnight.stop by and see if your picture is on one of the walls of FAME. you might see someone you know.

[This message has been edited by 58softtail (edited 4/5/2008).]

Larry...I had the exact same experience when I was sophmore in high school with a one difference....there was no girl dancing, but there was a girl in her lingerie hanging out. She was pretty rough looking. Otherwise, your story is exactly how I remember the place. Every scum bag for a 100 mile radius eyeing you as you walk in the place. And they didn't mind serving minors.

A couple of years later after going into that place, some friends and I were out at the Alta Saloon and my buddy says, "Hey let's go out to the Wild Horse." This big ogre looking ruffian hears that and says..."Sorry boys, it's closed down."

My buddy says, "Oh yeah, is that because they were selling drugs across the street?" And the guy says.."Mother @#$%er! I live across the street!" The guy pulls out one of those Jim Bowie knives and we all got the hell out of there. True story.

I was too young t have ever been to the Wild Horse, I think it closed about the time I started high school, but I remember the owner driving an antique car in some parade with a banner on the side that said "I fought the law and the law won". At least he had a sense of humor about it.

My one experience with the Wild Horse was eerily similar to Larry's and Mule Train's. Larry, was I with you? (BTW, the drinking age was 19 back then but fortunately that didn't matter at the Wild Horse -- and, at seventeen, Larry looked at least 25 anyhow. )

My dad was the Custer County Justice of the Peace for many years and I bet he would say that the Wild Horse Pavilion was the most unusual place out of the many where he performed marriage ceremonies. I think that wedding may have even made the Miles City Star.

- Dave

> BTW, the drinking age was 19 back then

I stand corrected. In that case, I may have been 1 year older (me 18 and my cousin 16). I'm not sure. I do know both of us were underage though.

> Larry, was I with you?

You know, we may have also went there once about the same time or later ... that does seem vaguely familiar ... if so, it was probably to prove my story of the place to you.

Re Bars: The Montana is good to hang in as is the Bison(live poker). Then there's Parker's with their clients showing up as early as 8:00 am.

[This message has been edited by Patricia (edited 4/5/2008).]

Ha, Ha, me, too, when I visit from Texas..meant for those places like the Red Rock and the Crossroads from our memories are gone..long gone...

However, have got a collection of postcards of these landmarks I hope will finance my retirement ...someday...may when I turn 75 -- in about l5 more years....

[This message has been edited by Maryann McDaniel (edited 4/5/2008).]

Ahhh...even though I'm gay, I look back with fondness for the first time I ordered, "Titties on Fire" at the Wild Horse. I remember those days, thinking fondly how they formed my sense of self.

ABC

Your being a little hard on the old wild horse saloon. As I remember it was a quite family bar that held early Sunday prayer services. Opening at 8 AM to catch the all night party goers that where out of luck in MC because the bars could not open until 1:00 PM on Sundays.

Maryona Cunningham ran the bar and was like a mother to a big bunch of Miles Cities most notorious characters so I will admit the place was a little scary to walk in to. Maryona latter became the greeter at Walmart when it first opened. I was always afraid she was going to nail me for an old bar tab when I walked in to Wally World, cash was optional at the Wild Horse. Maryona was always will to give credit.....for anything.

David, I'm sure it was in the paper when Dad married the two bikers at the Wild Horse, I carried a clipping for a while in by wallet. I'm thinking she was a striper at the bar (sister of an ex girlfriend) and he was a member of a Billings motor cycle club. Leif and/or Minow may have been there.

The Wild Horse was the only bar I ever went to where you could buy bullets at the bar and shoot a real gun at targets. And horse thief Lyle killing bats with his black hat and burning them in the stove he fueled with old shingles. I was in there one time when a hell of a wind came up and I swear the roof lifted up. The ealier posts about the quality of the strippers was pretty acurate but not many people really went there for that, most just wanted to tell people they were there. They had a couple of biker weddings out there I believe Terry Hanson performed one of the services. We had a security gaurd from Pine Hills back in those days who went out there and got himself ass shot by a biker pimp. It was not a boring bar at any rate. Leif

I have fond memories of the upstairs Range Riders in the early 70s. I spent far more time and money than was good for me at the Gaslight in the mid 70s.

Parker's was a good place for a Saturday morning beer - as was the Corner Pockets on a Sunday morning.

But my all time favorite watering hole would have been Barney's - I had good times there with good friends, many of whom, sadly, are no longer with us.

As far as the Wild Horse went - I never spent much time there, but I never found it to be an especially "scary" bar.

I'm going to agree with Ken and Hal. My best times ever had at a bar were at Barney's. But these days I like having an Olympia on the porch of the Olive Hotel.

At one time there was a bar next to the Olive on main street. I think it was part of the Olive or shared their license, that may have been Gentleman Jim's.

Hal
What was the name of the bar upstairs at the Range Riders? I liked that bar too.

I think it was Barb's bush country, named after Earl Kelly's charming wife Barb and ......oh never mind.

Tom,

It might have went by another name later on, but at the time I'm thinking of (when Arlene ran it in the early 70s) it was just called the upstairs at the Range Riders.

Is that the time frame you are thinking of too, say 72-74 or there abouts?

Arlene Kopp, I forgot about her, she was a hell of a bartender and a great gal as well. I think it was just the upstairs of the Range Riders then. It was latter in the 70's and 80's when Barb and Earl Kelly had the bar and strip club.

Upstairs at the Range Riders -- wasn't it kind of like being in somebody's attic? I thought it was unique. Tom, I think you're the one who took me there.

In its day the Upstairs was the place to be. I don't like to mention peoples' names here who don't post here, so I won't list them - but most everyone Chuck and I came up with hung out there for a time.

I bounced there off and on for a while. I don't recall there ever being much in the way of trouble - I'm sure my diffident appearance and gentle demeanor brought out the best in the everyone so that they were careful to behave ;-) But mostly it seemed that folks just went there to have a good time.

If memory serves me correctly in the mid to late 1940s the upstairs at the Ranger Riders was known as the Range Riders Lounge and they had a great restaraunt up there. It was a great place at the time for a nice dinner and drinks. I don't think I have been up there since about 1949. Ted Schmidt

Ah yes,the 'ol "Crazy Pony"-I mean the Wild Horse Pavillion.Lyle's X-rated version of "The Strawberry Roan" was hilarious.Maryona had a poster with Waylon,Willie,Hank Jr. and David Allen Coe that they each autographed for her at a concert in North Dakota.One of Lyle and Maryona's good friends D.P.grew up in Miles City and was a charter member of the Oakland Hells Angels and he was Waylon Jennings and Jessie Colter's personal bodyguard for years.If you read Waylon's autobiography,he makes reference to the time D.P.met Lyle Alzado for the first time.
In 1990 Lyle,Maryona,her son JA ,me and a few friends were guests of DP at the Angel's Bent Shoe campground at Sturgis.We camped backstage and got to meet Waylon,Willie and Jessie.I'll never forget seeing all those beautifully mural painted Bluebird buses pull in to camp.What a week.

Waylon and Willie -- WOW -- that brings back memories -- Was Tom Masa there -- I wouldn't be surprised, whenever I hear either of them I think of Tom cuz he was so into them in the 70's.

Since I am underage, but I can still input, i shall. Out of every bar I have been in over the years in miles city, which is every single one *Thanks to my mom and her having friends everywhere*, i have to say it is the bar my step-family owns... The Yellowstone Tavern.

Reasons being... Cheap Prices, Family Friendly atmosphere, HUGE TV for Nascar!!! *Personal favorite*, they serve something BESIDES Nachos..., *My parents work there(which is a reason)*, it has the most pool tables in one building in town, friendly/experienced/speedy staff, and a Quote-on-Quote hangout.

Also, most other bars in town, when busy, get so crowded you can't even walk. No so at the tavern, due to the multitude of locations to be. Plus.............. WE HAVE PACMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *muhaha*

I once took a friend to Barb Kelly's Upstairs lounge..it was hilarious. We sat in one of those large rounded booths. The stripper came over to our booth and realized my friend's obvious discomfort in the presence of an almost naked woman. So she of course took advantage of that fact. She sat up on the back of the booth and proceeded to give my friend the night of his life!

Another evening I took a very prim and proper friend to Kelly's Gaslight. I said we were going in for a drink. Did not mention Jumping Jack, the male stripper. It seems that strippers can sense virgins in the crowd! Jack honed right in on my friend and gave her a night she still speaks about thirty years later!

So thank you to Barb and Earl Kelly for the entertainment!

Can you send me directions?

[deleted - duplicate]

Some of these places are no longer open.

As someone who was still underage when I left MC, the Tavern is probably the best bar in MC to be underage in if nothing else .

The absolutely best bar in Miles City was the Montana Bar on the night before my wedding.

gvc's wife

Any bands playing during Thanksgiving weekend?

No...but apparently Ozzy Osbourne is playing at Bojangles tonight... watch out MC!!

ozzy tribute band