Emigrant, Montana · Founded 1902 · Building: 1907, rebuilt after fire
A Paradise Valley saloon with 1902 roots, rebuilt after a 1907 fire and revived after a 1920–1962 Prohibition-era closure.
The Old Saloon operates at 210 Railroad Lane in Emigrant, Montana, between Livingston and Yellowstone's North Entrance. Its history traces to Ab Armstrong's 1902 saloon near the local train depot; after a 1907 fire, Armstrong rebuilt the structure. Prohibition forced the business to close in 1920, and Armstrong's son Elmer reopened it in 1962, making today's venue a long-running lineage rather than an uninterrupted 1902 operation.
Ab Armstrong opened the Old Saloon near the Emigrant depot to serve rail passengers, local ranchers, miners, and Yellowstone-bound travelers.
Source: The Old Saloon, "Our Story"; KBZK, "Co-owner of The Old Saloon talks history, growth, and moving on"; The Livingston Enterprise, "Old Saloon on the market for $3.4 million"
A fire destroyed the original Old Saloon building. The business says Ab Armstrong rebuilt it quickly and brought in the back bar from St. Louis by steamboat up the Missouri River.
Source: The Old Saloon, "Our Story"; Big Sky Journal, "Round Up: The Old Saloon"
Prohibition forced the Old Saloon to close.
Source: The Old Saloon, "Our Story"; Big Sky Journal, "Round Up: The Old Saloon"
Elmer Armstrong, Ab Armstrong's son, reopened the Old Saloon after the Prohibition-era closure.
Source: The Old Saloon, "Our Story"; Big Sky Journal, "Round Up: The Old Saloon"
The Livery Stable was attached to the Old Saloon and adapted into restaurant space during the 1970s.
Source: The Old Saloon, "Our Story"; Big Sky Journal, "Round Up: The Old Saloon"
A group of local friends bought the Old Saloon, restored and expanded its operation, and developed an outdoor stage, dance floor, and grandstand for live music.
Source: KBZK, "Co-owner of The Old Saloon talks history, growth, and moving on"; The Old Saloon, "Our Story"
Matt and Melody Ferstler became the new owners of the Old Saloon.
Source: The Old Saloon, "Our Story"; Bozeman Real Estate Group, "The Old Saloon in Emigrant, Montana Has Sold"
The Old Saloon continues to operate with bar service, food, and a live-concert schedule.
Source: The Old Saloon events page; The Old Saloon official website
Every claim gets rated. A business's own website can never earn "documented."
The venue traces its history to a 1902 opening near the Emigrant depot, but its own history says Prohibition forced closure in 1920 and that Elmer Armstrong did not reopen it until 1962. The current business has a long lineage, not uninterrupted operation from 1902.
The original building burned in 1907. The venue says Ab Armstrong rebuilt it afterward, so the current structure should be understood as a 1907 rebuild rather than the original 1902 building.
The business, a local television report, a regional magazine, and the Livingston Enterprise consistently describe a 1902 opening near the Emigrant depot, serving travelers on the rail line toward Yellowstone. This review did not retrieve railroad timetables, depot records, or contemporary advertisements, so the precise origin account is plausible rather than documented.
The business's own historical account says Prohibition forced the Old Saloon to close in 1920 and that it was not reopened until 1962. The candidate's continuous soft-drink and pool-hall story is contradicted by that record.
The candidate supplied named celebrity claims but no date-specific newspaper reports, film-production records, performance listings, photographs, interviews, or other reliable evidence. The venue's current concert programming does not prove historical visits by these figures.
The Old Saloon's own history says Matt and Melody became owners in April 2025, and a 2025 local real-estate report says they officially took over on April 1. A state filing would be needed to identify the formal operating entity.
The Old Saloon has operated continuously in Emigrant since 1902.
The Old Saloon has a 1902 origin story, but the business says Prohibition closed it in 1920 and that Elmer Armstrong reopened it in 1962. Its history is a long local lineage, not uninterrupted operation.
Source: The Old Saloon, "Our Story"; Big Sky Journal, "Round Up: The Old Saloon"
The current Old Saloon building is the original structure from 1902.
The original building burned in 1907 and was rebuilt by Ab Armstrong.
Source: The Old Saloon, "Our Story"; Big Sky Journal, "Round Up: The Old Saloon"
The Old Saloon has stayed relevant by pairing its Paradise Valley location and historic bar identity with food, dancing, and a large modern outdoor concert operation. A local ownership group revived and expanded the venue after 2016, and Matt and Melody Ferstler took over in 2025, continuing its role as a stop for residents, Yellowstone travelers, and music audiences.
Old Saloon in Emigrant, Montana, traces its history to Ab Armstrong's 1902 business near the Emigrant railroad depot. A fire destroyed the original structure in 1907, and Armstrong rebuilt it, but Prohibition forced the saloon to close in 1920. Elmer Armstrong reopened it in 1962, and later owners developed it into a restaurant and major Paradise Valley live-music venue.
No. The Old Saloon has a 1902 lineage, but it closed from 1920 until 1962 during and after Prohibition. That documented interruption means it cannot be described as Montana's oldest continuously operating bar or saloon, even though it remains an important historic Paradise Valley venue.
Yes. The Old Saloon currently operates at 210 Railroad Lane in Emigrant with food, bar service, and a schedule of live music and ticketed outdoor concerts. Its official events page lists daily bar service, but food service varies by day and concert schedule.
Matt and Melody Ferstler became the Old Saloon's owners in April 2025. They succeeded a local group that purchased and revitalized the venue in 2016.
210 Railroad Ln, Emigrant, MT 59027
(406) 333-4482
The Old Saloon is open seven days a week with food, bar service, and concerts; confirm food hours and ticketed-event schedules before visiting.