Danville has changed a lot since 1907. Horses have disappeared from Hartz Avenue, ranches have become subdivisions, and a hamburger downtown can cost more than a ranch hand once earned in a day.
But one thing hasn't changed: Elliott's Bar is still serving drinks.
Located at 369 Hartz Avenue, Elliott's is more than a neighborhood watering hole. It's a living piece of Danville history, a place where generations have gathered to swap stories, celebrate victories, complain about politics, and occasionally solve the world's problems over a cold beer.
Credit : Google Maps
And unlike much of modern Danville, Elliott's has never seemed particularly interested in reinventing itself.
That may be its greatest accomplishment.
It All Started With a Horse Jockey
The story begins in 1907, when Hiram Elliott, a former horse jockey, purchased the Lawless Saloon. In 1912, he moved his business to Hartz Avenue, where it remains today.
Back then, Danville was a small agricultural community surrounded by ranches and farmland. Nobody was complaining about downtown parking, expensive condominiums, or waiting through three traffic lights to get home.
Hiram and his sons, Duane and Gordon, operated the family business for approximately 70 years.
Then Washington decided Americans had been enjoying themselves a little too much.
When Whiskey Became Ice Cream
In 1920, Prohibition outlawed the sale of alcoholic beverages nationwide.
Rather than operate an illegal speakeasy, Elliott transformed his saloon into the Danville Ice Cream Parlor.
Imagine a thirsty rancher walking into his favorite watering hole, ordering his usual whiskey, and being offered a strawberry sundae instead.
It must have been a difficult 13 years.
Fortunately, Prohibition ended in 1933, and Elliott's returned to its original calling.
Where Everybody Knows Somebody
During the 1920s, Danville's volunteer firefighters regularly gathered at Elliott's, conveniently located across from the fire station.
When the alarm sounded, firefighters reportedly abandoned their drinks and rushed to emergencies. Upon returning, their drinks and money were still waiting.
Try finding that kind of trust today.
Step inside Elliott's, and you'll discover something increasingly rare: an authentic neighborhood saloon.
Neon beer signs, sports memorabilia, a shuffleboard table, and an unmistakably old-fashioned atmosphere give the place its personality.
Nobody comes expecting white tablecloths, fashionable cocktails decorated with rosemary, or a waiter explaining the subtle differences between imported mineral waters.
They come for conversation, familiar faces, and perhaps a friendly disagreement about the 49ers.
In 2010, NBC Bay Area ranked Elliott's the third-best dive bar in the Bay Area.
For a business that doesn't seem particularly concerned about impressing anyone, that's quite an accomplishment.
A Danville Original Worth Celebrating
Elliott's has survived Prohibition, the Great Depression, two world wars, economic downturns, and the pandemic.
Meanwhile, downtown Danville has transformed around it.
Restaurants have opened and closed. Storefronts have changed. Historic buildings have disappeared. But Elliott's remains, its familiar neon sign reminding passersby that some traditions deserve preserving.
After 119 years, Elliott's possesses something no developer can manufacture and no marketing consultant can invent: authenticity.
Danville will undoubtedly keep changing. Buildings will rise, restaurants will come and go, and somebody will always complain about parking.
But with a little luck, the neon sign at 369 Hartz Avenue will keep glowing.
Because after 119 years, Elliott's has earned the right to have the last call.
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