The Great 'Old Junction' Saloon Scandal of 1871
When the city's most beloved watering hole shut its doors, 10,000 disgruntled Seattleites felt the thirst.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
NOTICE! TO THE PUBLIC: The 'Old Junction Saloon' has gone from us, no more can be got there. BUT, the people of Seattle mutually agree that they can't get along without Sam Raymond and his Gold Tea, at the CE O FINO. Signed by SAM RAYMOND, and 10,000 others.
“The people of Seattle mutually agree that they can’t get along without Sam Raymond and his Gold Tea.”
This quirky bit of 1871 marketing highlights how the social fabric of early Seattle was built around central hubs of community life. Today, as neighborhood icons and third places continue to be threatened by rising costs and redevelopment, the '10,000 strong' protest echoes the modern frustration of losing a vital piece of the city's identity.
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