 |
In 1911 a serial newspaper story carried mention of several mythical saloons. "Sandy Bent Hoke" by M. Quad, copyright 1911 by the American Literary Press was carried in several Oklahoma newspaper including the Capital Hill Press (Oklahoma County). "M.Quad" was a pseudonym of Charles Bertrand Lewis (M Quad) (1842–1924).
In the series he names two saloons, The Red Dog Saloon and the Dead Shot Saloon.
They may have given inspiration in later days to local establishments made notorious. One in particular: The Red Dog Saloon. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc937123/m1/5/zoom/?q= "Red Dog" "saloon"&resolution=1.5&lat=5002.197888175628&lon=734.8107253333612).
In the 1960's and the following several decades a notorious establishment was a hot spot for partying, crime, drug use and violence in general. The Red Dog Saloon was primarily a hot party site and strip club.
For most of its early years the Red Dog was located at 7118 N. Western Avenue in Oklahoma City. In 1968, they were advertising for "Go Go Girls" aged 18-25, at $75 a week. In December of 1969, the saloon was locked and closed by local law enforcement agents.
By 1992 it was up and running again, and as reported in a Feb 1, 1992 issue of the Oklahoma Gayley, it was listed - on a scale of 1-10 with ten being the most desirable- as a 1 in the northwest area of Oklahoma City among establishments serving liqueur.
"Hell's Half Acre" was considered squashed by reformers in the early 1900's when most of the houses, dens and saloons were closed, restricted or recreated. The truth was that the raw and wild creature of vice simply learned how to function in polite socitety and lived on....and on....on on.
Oklahoma Gazette article from 2017- https://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/cover-story-red-dog-documentary-chronicles-a-childhood-spent-in-one-of-okcs-longest-running-strip-clubs/Content?oid=2981077
Documentary trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQiyG-M-Ioc
No comments:
Post a Comment