Famed 19th century Jack's Bar in Carson City, closed since 2002, to re-open as Bank Saloon

Johnathan L. Wright
Reno Gazette-Journal

Carson City is back in Jack's.

Well, sort of.

Jack's Bar, the landmark watering hole on South Carson Street across from the state capitol — the place, the old saying goes, where Nevada laws really got poured forged — is being transformed into Bank Saloon.

That's the original name of the bar, which opened in 1899, was damaged in a fire in 1998 and has been closed since 2002.

After the fire, a succession of owners, Carson City officials and preservationists has tackled the question of whether the sandstone building was a hazard to be demolished or a piece of history to be saved.

The 1899 Jack's Bar on South Carson Street in Carson City was damaged in a 1998 fire and has been closed since 2002. The Nevada Builders Alliance bought the building in 2018 and is reviving it as Bank Saloon, the bar's original name.

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JACK'S BAR TO BECOME BANK SALOON

What: First-nail party to mark the revival of the building into Bank Saloon

Presented by: Nevada Builders Alliance

When: 4:30 p.m. April 15

Where: 418 S. Carson St., Carson City

Highlights: A look at construction underway, tasting of Frey Ranch spirits and raffle

Cost: $10 per raffle ticket; proceeds benefit Builders Alliance scholarships

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Public sentiment has always been in favor of saving, but sentiment doesn't shore up walls. Enter the Nevada Builders Alliance, which bought the bar in 2018, and which has seemingly found a middle way.

"We agree (the bar) couldn't be renovated, so we are re-constructing the structure from the inside out," said Aaron West, CEO of the Builders Alliance.

"Everything but the original rock walls will be removed and an entire new structure — slab, walls, roof — will be constructed inside the walls to support them. We've created a new floor plan with new finishes and new equipment."

This rendering shows the exterior of Bank Saloon, the bar that will eventually emerge from the historic former Jack's Bar on South Carson Street in Carson City.

On April 15, the Builders Alliance is hosting a first-nail party to mark the revival of the building into Bank Saloon.

Miles Construction of Carson City has already begun work on the building, including stabilizing the structure, asbestos abatement and laying out the floor plan of the saloon, which the Builders Alliance hopes to open by January 2021, West said.

More historic buildings:

Old, but not that old

"A Saloon Since 1859" reads the famous sign on the exterior of Jack's Bar. The sign is misleading. 

As Guy Rocha, the former Nevada state archivist, explained in 2002 in the Reno Gazette Journal, while structures have existed on the site since 1859, the year after the founding of Carson City, the current building dates to 1899 and the opening of Bank Saloon.

Bank Saloon is being built from the old Jack's Bar, a 19th century Carson City landmark. The new watering hole will include a full bar and terrace.

Since then, the tavern has been known by several other names, including Bank Resort, Hernando's Hideaway, the Y-NOT Bar, Angelo's and, beginning in 1966, Jack's Bar, according to Rocha.

The purchase of Jack's Bar and its transformation into Bank Saloon will cost about $1 million, West said. When it opens, the saloon will feature a bar, a conference and party room, and a patio.

More:5 of Northern Nevada's most infamous tall tales

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Johnathan L. Wright is the food and drink editor of RGJ Media, part of the USA Today Network. Join @RGJTaste on TwitterFacebook and Instagram