The Little Bear Is Still There

I drove up to Evergreen from Denver yesterday afternoon, and wound up passing by the Little Bear, a rowdy western saloon and music venue located in the heart of the historic downtown. The Little Bear is a legend here in Colorado, and has hosted the likes of Neil Young, John Lee Hooker, and even Willie Nelson, who at the time owned a nearby ranch. I remember reading a number of times in the entertainment section of the Denver Post that Matt Guitar Murphy, of Blue Brothers fame, would be appearing, but sadly never went up to hear him play. In fact, I have only been in the place two or three times, all back in the 1980s, and only on Sunday afternoons, when the place was pretty quiet.

While the Little Bear has been around for over four decades, the original core building was St. Mark's in the Wilderness Episcopal Church, built in 1875. When it moved to a new location on Main Street back in the 1890s, the building became a drug store, a dance hall, and in 1964 was allowed to become the only bar in town, thanks to it's former church designation giving it an exemption from alcohol regulation. In the 1960s the place became the Red Ram and hosted Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and members of Glenn Miller's band. After learning about all this history, I am tempted to head back up there one of these evenings to hear some music and see just how rowdy the place really is. Or perhaps not, if there is a cover charge. After all, I am still a notorious cheapskate.