Tucked Inside A Wyoming Steakhouse Is The State's Oldest Bar, Dating Back Over A Century

Featured on our list of the oldest steakhouses in America (a list that also includes Peter Luger's in Brooklyn and Charlie's Steakhouse in New Orleans), Miners and Stockmen's Steakhouse has the distinction of being the only restaurant in Hartville, Wyoming. Diners adore its selection of steaks — all derived from aged USDA Prime Black Angus beef (a common steakhouse menu term indicating high quality and excellent marbling) — as well as its tempting hand-crafted desserts, but this establishment has a very unique fixture that sets it apart even further.

The wooden back wall of the bar where patrons of Miners and Stockmen's Steakhouse enjoy alcoholic beverages dates back to 1862 and was originally constructed in Germany. According to legend, a quintet of German brewmaster brothers had the piece made in their honor, and the top of the bar still features carved renderings of the men's faces.

It took three separate conveyances (boat, train, and wagon) to transport the bar from its birthplace in Germany to the restaurant where it still stands. After arriving, the bar traveled around Wyoming a bit until it arrived at its current location in Hartville at some point in the early 1940s. Scott Harmon, co-owner of Miners and Stockmen's Steakhouse alongside wife Christine, told Cowboy State Daily in 2023 that a customer even claimed to have helped move the fixture, stating, "[The customer] said it was like 1942, or 1943, somewhere in there, and he helped roll it up the street."

The notion of a town containing just one single restaurant seems outlandish until you consider that Hartville, Wyoming's population was just 79 in 2023. Hartville officially become a town in 1884, and the destination drew many prospectors looking to hit it big with iron, silver, gold, and other valuable resources. In contrast to its population today, Hartville was home to nearly 800 residents at the beginning of the 20th century, including a good portion of immigrants from around the world searching for a better life in the U.S. While the town has shrunk considerably, Miners and Stockmen's Steakhouse is just as big and bold as ever.

For instance, reservations go fast at the restaurant, and not just because it's the only eatery in town. According to Tripadvisor reviews, the restaurant is beloved by both residents and out-of-towners for the quality of its food and service, plus its historical ambiance. One reviewer proclaimed, "Awesome atmosphere! Fantastic food! Steak was perfect!" Another customer described the establishment as a "Hidden gem" and wrote, "this place rates right up there with the finest [steakhouses]!" While it might lack the name recognition of Outback, Texas Roadhouse, and other fast-growing U.S. steakhouse chains, Miners and Stockmen's Steakhouse offers a glimpse back in time to those lucky enough to dine there.