Tascosa Texas and the Equity Bar (Jim East Saloon)

by Josh Slatten

Let’s dispel some false information. I’ve seen a lot of talk and pictures lately about the Equity Bar in Tascosa Texas. Many pages out there are connecting it to Billy the Kid. As badly as I wish that were true, it’s simply not.  Don’t get too disappointed my friends, the Equity Bar has a history of its own and still finds itself tied into the Kids story.  The following is a brief history of the Equity Bar from the iconic image we’ve all seen so many times. 

We know the Kid last set foot in Tascosa in the last fall of 1878. (His bill of sale to Dr. Hoyt was dated 10/24/1878) The Equity first put up its sign on Tascosa’s Main Street between Spring and Waters St. In February 1881, Jack Ryan with $160 saved from punching cows for the LX Ranch purchased the lot west of the Exchange Hotel and constructed an adobe building adjoining to it. (Other sources say he paid $15 for the lot only)

The best description of the establishment can be found in Maverick Town: The Story of Old Tascosa:

"The Equity Bar, which faced south on Main Street, was one of the largest and best known saloons. It was established by Jack Ryan and passed to various owners, among whom where Jim East and Button Griffin. It was of adobe construction and had two large rooms about eighteen feet wide and twenty feet long. A cottonwood 

beam in the center of the room helped support the roof. A hexagon-shaped column made of finished lumber was placed around the cottonwood beam and provided protection when Jim East killed Tom Clark. The main room had a bar across its east side and in the northwest corner was a small raised platform on which five or six barrels of whiskey stood. The back room of the saloon was reached through an open archway and was used as a game room. It contained chairs and gambling tables. Dance hall girls were permitted in this room but never at the bar in the mar room of the saloon. This design was typical of most of the saloons in the West Texas region. Although some were smaller and had only one room. "

The Equity bar is a trademark for Old Tascosa and perhaps its most famous establishment. On the evening of March 20th 1886 the bar was center stage for the most famous gunfight in the town’s history. Referred to as “The Big Fight,” the conflict lasted about five minutes and left 

four men dead and two more wounded. The largest funeral in the town’s history took place the following day and the graves of the men can still be seen in the towns own version of Boot Hill cemetery. 

Grave site as it originally appeared.

The Equity bar also hosted the town’s last gunfight and it’s only fitting that it involved Jim East. In perhaps the most bad ass, western line of all time, Tom Clark is quoted as saying, “Here’s hopin’ you’ll land in Hell and that I’ll be there to shovel the coal.”  East spat back, “here’s back at you.”  After an exchange of gunfire, only Jim East remained standing.  

Contemporary photos belong to the author.

Present day graves of the men that died

has a result of the "Big Fight."