Besaw

Slabtown Fun Fact #17: Petition to Shut Besaw’s Saloon

Slabtown Tours Fun Facts ,
There is a saloon pictured. The men pee right at the bar-there is a grill along its length. Many of these men have mustaches. Text" "The Oak Besaw & Linklater Props. Cor. 23rd And Savier St Portland ORE.

Wait who is trying to shut down Besaw’s?  Petition to Shut Besaw’s Saloon!

Yes 3,144 Portlander’s signed a petition to close Besaw’s in May 1905.  Voters wanted all bars closed that were near the 1905 Fair Grounds.  It was this movement that led to prohibition.  This fun fact was more relevant when there was a fight to save the building.

 

Besaws c. 1938 Note the second level & tower was still intact- well now sadly the entire building is gone.
My favorite detail about this image is the drain along the bar so you never need to leave your drink alone to empty your bladder.

 

 

1880  According to Portland Maps the building on the northwest corner of N.W. 23rd Ave. and Savier St. was built.

1903 Besaw/ The Oaks (Saloon) 755 North Savier  (this is now part of Tavern and Pool northeast corner of N.W. 23rd Ave. and Savier St.

1904 –  Besaw & Liberty (George Besaw Jr. and Patrick Liberty) 761 Savier (saloon)

1905 – Besaw & Liberty (George Besaw Jr. and Patrick Liberty) 761 Savier (saloon) 765 Savier (restaurant)

1906-9  Besaw & Liberty (George Besaw Jr. and Patrick Liberty) 761 (saloon) Savier    761.5 (restaurant)

1910 Besaw & Liberty 761 Savier

1911-15 Besaw & Liberty (George D. Besaw & Medrick Liberty) 761 Savier (alteration permit in 1912)

1916 –closed/vacant

1917-18 – Besaw & Liberty Soft Drinks 761 Savier

…

1921-22 – Besaws (Confectionary)

1925-1930 – Solo Club Restaurant

1931-1933 – George Besaw Jr. Restaurant

1932 – Building permit for a card room approved

  1. 1967-1972 Besaw’s Restaurant 2301 NW Savier St. Clyde Besaw

1973- 1987 Vacant

1988-May 2015  Besaw’s Café 2301 Savier

Jan. 2016 Besaw’s restaurant managed by Cana Flug reopens at NW 21st and Raleigh

Jan. 2017 CE John demolishes historic structure at NW23rd and Savier

 

National Impacting Events

Lewis & Clark Centennial 1905

Oregon Prohibition Period 1914 -1933

National Prohibition 1919-1933

Great Depression 1929

Polk Research

1901-02 none white or restaurants or saloons

1903-  Saloon  Besaw George 755 Savier

1904- Besaw & Liberty 761 Savier saloon

George Besaw and Patrick Liberty

1905 Besaw & Liberty 761 Savior saloon

Besaw and Liberty rest. 765 Savier saloon 761 Savier

1906 Besaw George (Besaw & Liberty) re. 761.5 Savier

Besaw & Liberty (saloon 761)

1907-08 saloon Besaw & Liberty 761 Savier (no rest)

1909 Besaw George (Besaw & Liberty) rest 761.5 Savier

Besaw and liberty saloon 761 Savier

1910 – none rs. None rest. Saloon Besaw & Liberty 761 Savier

1911 –Besaw George D b. 761.5 Savier

Besaw Geo E (Besaw & Liberty) h. 761.5 Savier

Besaw & Liberty (Geo E Bewsaw Medrick Liberty saloon 761 Savier

1912-Besaw & Liberty 761 Savier

1913- Besaw Geo lab b 366 21st N

Besaw Geo D (Besaw & Liberty) h 366 21st N

Besaw & Liberty (Geo D Besaw Medrick Liberty) saloon 761 savier

1914 Besaw Geo D (Emma) (Besaw & Liberty) h. 366 21st N

Besaw & Liberty (Geo D. Besaw Merdrick Liberty) Saloon 761 Savier

Liberty, Medrick (Olive) h 815 Savier

1915 – Bewsaw Geo D (Emma F) (Besaw & Liberty) h. 366 22nd N

Besaw & Liberty saloon 761 Savier

[Oregon Prohibition starts 4 years earlier than national both last until 1933]

1916 – Besaw Geo D (Emma F) h 366 21st n

No Saloon

No Rest

No Soft Drink

1917

No Saloon

No Rest

Besaw & Liberty Soft Drinks 761 Savier

Besaw still at 366 21st n

1918

Besaw & Liberty Soft Drinks 761 Savier (366 N 21st)

1919 (no directory that year)

1920 –No listing soft drinks

Liberty Merdrick (Olive) carmn h 815 Savier

1921-22

no rest

no soft drink

Besaw Geo (Emma) conf 761 Savior Home 366 21st N

(Stands for Confectioners-Retail)

1923

Besaw Geo soft drinks 761 Savior

1924

Besaw Geo (Emma) soft drinks 761 Savier h 366 21st n

(Liberty Medrick wife Olive lives at 732 Thurman)

1925

Besaw-Geo (Emma- Solo Club Restr ) h 366 21st n

Liberty Medrick (Olive) 732 Thurman

Solo Club Restaurant 761 Savier

1926

No Besaw

Solo Club Restaurant 761 Savier

1927

Solo Club Restaurant 761 Savier

Besaw Clyde C r 366 21st N

-Geo (Emma F) Solo Club Restr h 366 21st N

1928

Besaw Clyde C. opr E E Daily r366 21st n

Geo D (Emma F.; Solo Club Restr) h 366 21st N

Solo Club Rest 761 Savier

1929

Besaw Clyde C opr EE Daily r 366 [31] N

Geo D (Emma S) (Solo Club Restr) h 366 21st n

Solo Club Restaurant 761 Savier

1930

Besaw Clyde C serviceman EE Daily r 366 N 21st

Besaw Geo (Emma) Solo Club h. 366 21st

No Solo Club in rest

1931

Besaw Geo (Emma) restr 761 Savier h 366 21st n

Besaw Geo 761 Savier {under Restaurants}

1932

Besaw Geo (Emma) rest 761 Savier h 366 21st n

1933

Besaw Clyde C (June) cook

Geo D (Emma) restr 761 Savier h 366 21st n

Besaw 761 Savier

1934

1966

no directory published

1971

Besaw Clyde (Irene) (Besaw’s Restaurant) SW 6790 Canby

Besaw’s Restaurant 2301 NW Savier St.

1972

Besaw’s Restaurant 2301 NW Savier St.

Owned by Clyde and Mrs. Irene Besaw

1973

Chester Besaw mech Columbia Body & Equip h 1715 NW 23rd Ave

No other Besaw last names in phonebook

No rest listing

1974

no Besaw

1975

(reverse directory) 2301 Vacant

1979

(reverse directory) 2301 Vacant

1983

No rest. Besaw

1984

Library does not have

1985

No last names Besaw

No rest.

1987

(reverse directory) 2301 NW Savior St. No Return

1988 library does not have

1989

Besaw’s Café [& Beesaw’s Café]2301 Savier