by Robert Fischer<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Going to taverns and saloons is sort of a family tradition. Actually, outside of the South, it\u2019s an American tradition. Even a cursory reading of American history reveals that taverns have always played a significant role in politics as well as in our social lives. I miss it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My father was a devoted fan of taverns. He always met his friends there, and having a beer was part of his German-American upbringing. My excuse is that he frequently took me with him, and I, too, took to the \u201ctavern culture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though he visited lots of taverns, his favorite was Moes\u2019s, close to Dubuque, Iowa, and not far from our home. Julien \u201cJudy\u201d Moes was my godfather and ran a small grocery with a tavern in the back where locals gathered. Located in a small crossroads community called Rockdale, it was right on Catfish Creek just before it dumps into the Mississippi River.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My earliest recollection of Moes\u2019s Tavern with my dad was meeting Jess Whitaker, an old one-legged fellow who presided at the bar. He was a raccoon hunter and a former bootlegger during Prohibition. Coon hunting was a favorite sport of locals, including my father. Old Jess was only one of the characters who hung out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another favorite sport was playing euchre, a fast slap \u2018em down card game. At Moes\u2019s, it also involved quaffing beers, and my father was quite good at both. There was a room in the back where the men gathered to smoke their cigars and play cards. Losers bought the beers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The point, I guess, is that the tavern was a place that you took the family. Everyone was sort of family, and you met interesting people there. I miss that!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
*This post is for my brother-in-law, a Republican, who has found most of the political stuff too negative. He wanted something \u201cpositive,\u201d and I know he enjoys bars!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Going to taverns and saloons is sort of a family tradition. Actually, outside of the South, it\u2019s an American tradition. Even a cursory reading of American history reveals that taverns have always played a significant role in politics as well as in our social lives. I miss it. My father was a devoted fan of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-by-robert-fischer"],"yoast_head":"\n