No matter what you wanna call it – a bar, lounge, pub, club, speakeasy, drinkery, joint, dive, watering house, taproom, bistro, canteen, rathskellar, gin mill, roadhouse, tavern, or whatever....a saloon is a saloon.

It's very likely most Michiganders have been to one, either regularly or occasionally, by choice or were dragged along.

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These places have been a part of our country's history for centuries, even popping up in trading posts, forts, tents, and inns. People have always enjoyed drinking alcohol, whether it's to relax, drown your sorrows, celebrate, or for a buzz.....it's consistently been around for Americans, even illegally during Prohibition.

The photo gallery below is not to celebrate drinking, but to take a look at many Michigan saloons and taverns, going as far back as the 1860s! It's an interesting comparison of what these gathering holes were like then, to how they are now.

Take a look at the 50 photos below!

OLD MICHIGAN SALOONS

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