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When building his saloon, McSorley’s wish was to create an atmosphere in which mirrored that of his Irish culture. During the time of the saloon’s construction, many immigrants were coming over seas. In doing so, New York City began to see many immigrants bringing pieces of their culture with them, and McSorley was committed to making his culture stick through the development of his saloon. McSorley’s saloon coupled with other immigrant developments and created the first signs of diversity amongst New York City. The bones left still hanging represent the troops who did not return.
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To the amazement of the old-timers, a strong friendship grew up between him and Bill, who was a Tammany Democrat and an utter reactionary; no one was ever able to figure out the basis of the friendship. Bill called the anarchist Hippo and would let him have credit up to two dollars; other customers were not allowed to charge so much as a nickel cigar. Charles Francis Murphy, the Tammany boss, occasionally dropped in, and once Bill told Havel he was going to speak a good word to the boss for him. The anarchist, who thought no man was as foul as a Tammany boss, smiled and thanked him. A police captain once took it upon himself to warn Bill against Havel. “You better keep your eyes on that long-haired nut,” he said.
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He was able to go for days without speaking, answering all questions with a snort or a grunt. A man who drank in McSorley’s steadily for sixteen years once said that in that time Bill spoke exactly four intelligible words to him. They were “Curiosity killed the cat.” The man had politely asked Bill to tell him the history of a pair of rusty convict shackles on the wall.
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” Such remarks usually provoked an outburst of gamy epithets. Then the customer would turn proudly to the newcomer and say, “See? He did not have a peephole door, nor did he pay protection, but McSorley’s was never raided; the fact that it was patronized by a number of Tammany politicians and minor police officials probably gave it immunity. As you span the room, you will notice there are no bar stools. The bar is famous for its standing room only, as it contains crowds up to three rows deep during busy times.
A customer who wanted service would tap on the window and Old John would drop his currycomb, step inside, draw an ale, and return at once to the horse. He was normally affable but was subject to spells of unaccountable surliness during which he would refuse to answer when spoken to. He went bald in early manhood and began wearing scraggly, patriarchal sideburns before he was forty.
Houdini’s handcuffs
He's also witnessed some of the greatest moments in Philadelphia sports history and served customers as they celebrated the Sixers NBA Championship, the Flyers Stanley Cup, the Eagles Super Bowl and the Phillies World Series victories. As Doyle gets ready to turn 80, he's scaled back his schedule to one day a week, but he's now worked for three generations of owners, and his tenure has spanned eight Philadelphia mayors. He's also served then Vice President Joe Biden and many other national politicians, athletes and celebrities. The beloved McGillin's bartender is credited with being a matchmaker, saving marriages and pouring countless drinks while working at Philadelphia's oldest continually operating tavern. This quotation reflects how John McSorley wished to take a piece of Ireland with him to America.
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Turkey wishbones
They hang from an iron chandelier above the bar forbidden to be touched. Yet Theodore Roosevelt might have witnessed as much, as his faded portrait overlooks the very place he once occupied during this time. O’Connell retired from the Department two days before he purchased the saloon. Almost from the day Bill sold out, his health began to fail.
A brief history of McSorley’s – New York’s oldest Irish bar
Unfortunately, the original taps no longer in use, still stand today and are another fixture in the bar’s history. There is also an old ice chest that houses a small variety of sodas, the only drink other than the light or dark ale on the menu. There has never been one and to preserve its extensive history, there will probably never be one. To commemorate the unique difference of no cash register, there is a sign hanging in which states “We Trust Here” and shows the backside view of a pig. Above the bar, wishbones covered with many generations worth of dust are visible from their seat upon an old gas lamp. As you begin to take a closer look, you can spot an original wanted poster for Abraham Lincoln’s assassin following that tragedy, dating back to 1865.
Tweed likely still recalled the taste of McSorley’s ales from his New York Federal Prison cell, once standing at Ludlow and Broome Street where he died in 1878. Fellow philanthropist and inventor of the first steam locomotive Peter Cooper frequented the Irish tavern, as well. Chances are Cooper sipped away his defeat to Samuel J. Tilden for the democratic nomination for president.
McSorley’s is known as a place for good political conversation. The bar is a significant part of East Village history since its founding and has been shaped by American political discourse over time. It has also attracted many political guests including Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt. The memories of ex-presidents, popular society figures, entertainers and athletes mingle with the working class, as the poets and artists mix in to enjoy the same old ale as those before them. Every visit to McSorley’s reveals new history which may have been missed on a prior visit.
Also, there is a thick, musty smell that acts as a balm to jerky nerves; it is really a rich compound of the smells of pine sawdust, tap drippings, pipe tobacco, coal smoke, and onions. A Bellevue interne once said that for many mental disturbances the smell in McSorley’s is more beneficial than psychoanalysis. A mechanic in greasy overalls gets as much attention as an executive from Wanamaker’s. The only customer the bartenders brag about is Police Inspector Matthew J. McGrath, who was a shot-and hammer-thrower in four Olympics and is called Mighty Matt. As you venture further into the ale house, you will come across the legendary backroom, the spot where near beer flowed during prohibition.
McSorley’s continued to be located in the East Village and was previously known as “the 5 Points Neighborhood.” At the time McSorley’s was founded, the 5 Points neighborhood was considered a slum where the poor and immigrants resided. It was a tough neighborhood with gangs that fought to take control of the district. There were social tensions between different religious and ethnic groups, and the Irish unleashed a wave of nativist sentiment in their day to day activities. After work, a stop at McSorley’s was a relief for the poor working-class male as it allowed him to escape the realities of New York City and escape into the world of “home” with other immigrants. Entering McSorley's feels like a trip back in time, and there are signs of its history all around. As well as regular New York punters, McSorley’s boasts among its clientele a who’s who of American history and culture.
The menu of McSorley’s consists of pub fare…nothing fancy, but always good. The prices are reasonable, and the food does not disappoint. The walls in McSorley’s are covered with the history of New York City and McSorley’s. Over time, the 5 points neighborhood has developed into the Lower Eastside.
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