July 17th saw a minor tragedy here in El Paso. The Prairie Flower was skimming through her Facebook, when she pointed out that there was a fire down town. With heavy heart I checked out the local news station’s website, and sure enough, it was one of the buildings I worry about. The reporter only knew it as an historic old building that houses a liquor store. It was not just any old building. It had once been the Wigwam Saloon.
The original build went up in 1883, as the Fashion Saloon. It was the first saloon to feature electric lights. It remained one of the more fashionable salons, being renamed the Wigwam in 1889. As the Wigwam, the saloon earned its place in El Paso history. In 1889-1890, prior to becoming Constable, John Selman worked as a bouncer at the Wigwam. Saloon keepers, political hack, and rancher George Look owned the Wigwam for a period of time. With the arrival of John Wesley Hardin in 1895, the Wigwam played a part in his saga. For a brief time in May ’95, the famed gunman had a half interest in the saloon. May 1st, Hardin didn’t like the play at the poker table, and robbed the pot. The alley beside the Wigwam has a history as well. It was the very early hours of Easter Sunday, 1896 that Deputy Marshal George Scarborough pumped three bullets into Constable John Selman.
After the turn of the century, and the demise of legal gambling in El Paso, the owners partial demolished the building, and rebuilt it as a theatre. The Wigwam Theatre became a mainstay of downtown entertainment for years, eventually becoming the State Theatre. By the 1970’s the establishment was showing 2nd run movies, and by the late 80’s Spanish language and adult films. It finally closed. Since then various businesses have occupied parts of the building. Until last year, a liquor store operated out of the saloon proper, while a credit agency and later a gun store occupied the rest.
With the fire, it is difficult to guess what is going to happen to this icon of the American West.
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