Wyoming’s Historic Bar
Written By: Sarah Reish
Ben Gruner, from Gruner Brother’s Brewing referred us to Miners & Stockman’s for dinner while we were visiting Guernsey State Park. After setting up camp and exploring the park, we headed to dinner in Hartville, which is only a couple of miles away from the park.
Hartville, Wyoming
Hartville is the oldest incorporated town in Wyoming. This small town is home to 48 people, but the history is vast. It was settled in the 1870’s and established in 1884, it can be found in Eureka Canyon. The small jail sits behind Miners & Stockman’s and is visible from the patio deck. According to Christine, owner of Miners & Stockman’s, there was only one key to the one room jail. At one time, there were 11 bars and the key was passed around to the bartenders. Whomever had the key at the end of the night was in charge of rounding up the trouble makers and putting them in jail.
The Oldest Bar
A common misconception in regards to the oldest bar in Wyoming is that it references the location or building. This is not the case. Rather, the bar back is the historic piece of history being referenced. Hand carved in Germany in 1862. It was shipped to New York and went by train to Cheyenne followed by wagon to Fort Laramie. It stayed in Fort Laramie until the 1880’s where it was then sent to the Hartville Opera House. It stayed put until 1941 when it was moved to its current location. The large mirror has been replaced but the two side mirrors are original to the piece.
The Restaurant
The restaurant is beautiful, the exterior shows weathered brick and aged wood and the interior features a tin ceiling, hardwood floors, and western style decor. In the back of the restaurant, there is a military wall. The wall features messages from veterans and active service members. The wall was started by AJ the previous owner who turned the bar into a restaurant. Along with indoor dining, the steakhouse has patio seating. Any veteran visiting can sign and add a message to the wall.
The Menu
On first glance, the menu seems simple, but in reality it is high quality. Rather than creating a massive menu, they have minimal items that they have perfected. Diners can choose their steak and get sides that the chef chooses for the day. Nothing they serve is basic. The chef puts thought and care into the ingredients and cook of each item. You choose your steak with options of add-ons and have a choice of salads or soup, the steak is served with a potato and vegetable. This is a scratch kitchen and the chef makes everything from the dressings and croutons to hand cutting each steak to order.
Miner’s & Stockman’s has a lovely selection of wine, whiskey, and cocktails. We enjoyed Chateau St. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon with our dinner.
Salads - We had the choices of soup of the day, their famous Blue Cheese Wedge salad, Caesar salad, or chef choice salad which Steve ordered. It was tossed with bacon, tomatoes, and house made ranch.
Miner’s Ribeye - both medium rare. Steve chose the blue cheese crusted, which he said was excellent and a great addition to the steak.
Shrimp add-on - the shrimp was fresh and perfectly grilled with a side of lemon and butter.
Sides: each day the chef creates side items for the steak dinner. Our sides were a creamy herb potato purée and Brussels with Cauliflower rice and roasted tomatoes. Perfectly cooked and seasoned, the sides were a fantastic addition to our steak dinners.
We decided to go all out and order the house blend French Press coffee and the Italian lemon cake dessert. The coffee was amazing, French press always is and the cake was so light and refreshing. It was a wonderful end to our dinner.
Experience
Fellow Wyomingites, if you haven’t been, it is well worth the trip to Miners & Stockman’s. The history and experience is worth it. The food was fantastic and the atmosphere was amazing. We even saw local ranchers come in and hang their hats on longhorns as they sat down at their table. We loved this restaurant and hope to be back soon!
The Details
608 Main Street
Hartville, WY
Hours: Thursday - Sunday 5 pm - 10 pm
Email: info@wyomingsoldestbar.com
Phone: 307-836-2008
Hit the Road!
Call and make reservations, especially if you have a large party. Take photos and share them on social media. Be sure to tag us @LiveWYldMag and use #LiveWYld