The Bird Cage Saloon

The Bird Cage Saloon was the first saloon we found ourselves in after having some lunch at Pearl’s Place Cafe to establish some base for the large amount of beer I would consume that day! Locate on Whiskey Row, 148 South Montezuma, Prescott Az, I sat down and ordered a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and began taking pictures of what I consider to be a really awesome place. The saloon is named for the large collection of mounted birds on display in glass cases in the saloon and it is one of the longest running bars on Whiskey Row. Some of the birds were displayed at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.
Here is a shot of one of the glass cases of the birds on display.

The back bar is a beautiful piece of history. According to Debi Stamm co-owner of the Bird Cage the back bar was built in 1867 by the Brunswick Company in Boston. This bar was put on a ship, sailed around the horn, up through the Sea Of Cortez and then up the Colorado River where it was then put on mule train through the desert to Prescott, AZ. As you can see, the dark wood and hand carvings are beautiful and after taking my pictures and settling onto my bar stool, I began to drink in the history. Back during a time when cowboys, ranchers and gamblers would wander in off the dusty trails and streets, order a beer and maybe take in a game of cards with Doc Holiday or enjoy the company of a saloon girl. The feel of The Bird Cage was great!

Bryan, enjoying the view of the bar.

Bill Stamm bought the bar in 1969 when it was D’s Bar. John Stamm, his son took over in 1982. Interestingly, during prohibition, The Bird Cage Saloon was a mercantile, a Chinese restaurant, and a Chinese laundry. Before that though, it was a pretty wild place with a brothel upstairs and opium dens in the back of the saloon. John noticed that the bar had a crawlspace in the floor near the where the stage is and in it he found an old original attaché box inscribed D Holliday.

This is considered one of only 3 of the oldest back bars to reside in Prescott.

There is a sign in The Bird Cage which defines their philosophy, “Be Nice Or Leave.” Hard not to be nice there, I felt at ease and comfortable. I didn’t want to leave. After returning home from my trip, I contacted Debi Stamm, owner with John her husband and I learned much of the history of the bar. She is responsible for bringing in good talented entertainment at the saloon. Debi is very nice and approachable so if you are ever in The Bird Cage and she is there, don’t hesitate to say hello. She will be more than happy to sit down and talk to you about the bar and its fascinating history.