CRITERION HALL SALOON and CASINO - MONTANA Poster

At one time the candelabra was lit every night, a man banged out tunes on the piano, and poker players could hear the clickety clack of the Roulette Wheel in the corner. Tobacco smoke wafted across the room and liquor flowed freely. Men sat at gambling tables with ladies dressed in colorful garb at their side. The Criterion Hall near Nevada City was the place to unwind in 1860's in Montana. During that time, men struck rich gold deposits in Alder Creek. They worked hard to extract it, but usually spent it all gambling, drinking, and on other entertainment. The saloon women were here, a Historian told me, but they kept prostitution to a minimum. Mostly, the girls supplied companionship and danced across the rough floor boards with a man, if he was inclined to do so. The Criterion Hall is so authentic that it attracted the eye of Hollywood and has been used in several movies.