This month we are taking a look at a historically significant building in downtown Florence. Among the best known buildings in Florence history is the Tunnel Saloon. One of the things that made this building special was it was said a portion of the saloon was below ground level, making it cooler during the hot summer months. Another was that an actual western shootout took place there. Back in May of 1888 a gunfight erupted in the saloon between former Sheriff Peter Gabriel and his former deputy Josephus Phy. When the smoke cleared both men were injured, Phy fatally. His final resting place is in Florence cemetery.
The building started out in 1881 as the Cosmopolitan Saloon. It was a rough, two-story adobe building, as shown in the top figure. In 1888 the Tunnel Saloon moved in and was there until 1908. Around 1900 the building underwent a major renovation, as shown in the center figure. After 1908 a number of businesses operated on the site, including Montanos Haberdashery (a store that sold men's clothing and accessories).
In 1924 the saloon and the building to the north of it were destroyed by fire. The spot where the saloon stood was a vacant lot from 1924 to 1999. In 1999 the Florence Industrial Development Authority (IDA) proposed to rebuild the building based on what it roughly looked like in 1911. The building was rebuilt, with retail space on the ground floor and apartments above.
The restoration of the site has been a success story in the revitalization of historic downtown Florence and preserving the town's history. You can see this building at 330 N Main St in Florence.
