Tuesday, July 20, 2004

Saloon! Beer! Dancing girls! Old Saloon Unearthed At Construction Site

A historic find in the heart of downtown Sacramento has halted a major construction project.

Archaeologists believe they have discovered a 125-year-old piece of the city's history, which has shut down construction of an expansive 225 loft-apartment complex.

Construction crews at the corner of Eighth and J streets stumbled upon an outline of a historic building called the Philadelphia House and Saloon.

Now, Jason Coleman and archaeological workers are digging, sifting and searching for evidence of an era long gone. What they've discovered are almost intact relics of an 1870s saloon, including an old stovetop, plates, dishes, ceramic bottles and a 100-year-old Bourbon bottle that seemed to be in excellent condition.

"We even have a beer tap, which is kind of exciting," Coleman said.