Any bar 80 year old bar located on Route 66 is bound to have
some history. And the Iron Hog Saloon does. It began life in Oro Grande back in
the 1890’s. In those days it was known as the Butterfield Stage Stop. The only trading
post in town. Oro Grande by the way means Big Gold in Spanish because
prospectors hoped to find lots of gold and strike it rich.
In the 1930’s the place was rebuild in the configuration we see today. But over the years the place wore a lot of hats. At one time or another, it was a farm equipment dealership, a road house, biker bar, strip club and allegedly a house of ill repute. Roy Rodgers, singing cowboy legend carved his initials in the bar. Its most famous performance was a by the man in black himself, Johnny Cash. If only the walls could talk. Hollywood has noticed Ironhogs scenic ambiance. So it’s been in several movies, most notably, EASYRIDER, POKER RUN and ERIN BROCKOVITCH. Today Oro Grande may still mean big gold but only the limestone quarries prosperous. |