The Alamo Saloon
Home of Choctaw Jack!
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Brave the muck-filled streets of
old downtown to visit the locally famous Alamo Saloon and experience the
atmosphere of a turn of the century watering hole. The Alamo Saloon,
owned and operated by Otto Schmidt, the son of a German immigrant, is a fairly
respectable drinking establishment and gathering place for Dallas working men,
members of the local German community and sometimes slightly shady ladies.
The Saloon is home to Choctaw Jack, the last bear in the Dallas Zoo at City
Park who, upon his untimely demise, was purchased and mounted by Mr. Spiess to
grace the interior of his new drinking and gaming establishment. As a local
celebrity of some notoriety Choctaw Jack draws many visitors to the saloon to
view his ferocious countenance and cool off with a crisp Budweiser or Imperial
Pale Ale, all the way from St. Louis. Not to be slighted beers from Dallas five
local breweries and a variety of stronger beverages are available for the
discerning palate along with a wide variety of cigars and tobacco products.
Customers can pull up a seat at one of the tables provided and play a hand of
cards or a round of dominoes. On some evenings they may enjoy the sounds of
talented Miss Elisa Spiess on the piano or in a whistling solo.
About the building itself - Constructed in 1904 by D. B. McCall, this general
store served the small community of Snow Hill, Texas, near McKinney. The "false
front" rising above the pitched roof was a common feature in store buildings of
the period.
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