History
......Or the Commercial Club as it was called originally, was built in 1945 and operated as a gambling casino by Otis Hobbs. A few years later the casino was closed for serving minors. The American Legion then took it over and used it as a meeting hall. Not long after the building was converted into a dry goods store. Around 1950 the building was reopened as a gambling casino by Whitey Hirschman who name it Pioneer Saloon. Although never legal in Idaho, gambling flourished in Ketchum until 1953 when the law intervened. Whitey operated the Pioneer as a bar and a colorful antique store until the spring of 1965. In the mid 60s, the Pioneer was redesigned and most of the and light fixtures were built by Michael Shannon of Bend, Oregon. The present version of the Pioneer Saloon dates from 1972- hence the phrase