The oldest operating saloon in the United States is the Iron Door Saloon which is located near Yosemite National Park in California. During the gold rush of the 1850s the saloon was built to take advantage of the several people that had flooded the area due to the possibility of finding gold in the nearby mountains. True to its name the saloon used to offer visitors a pair of Nashville TN iron doors through which to pass. Although the saloon was primarily a drinking establishment in years past, today is it more of an entertainment venue and all ages of visitors are welcome.