Historic documentation reveals that this handsome limestone structure originally housed a saloon and billiards parlor. Later it became a confectionery and restaurant before being converted into a drugstore in 1925. The splayed limestone storefront crowned with a striking cornice was restored in 1982 as part of the City’s Main Street Project.
Additional Information:
Mankin’s Saloon, which occupied the building until around 1894, was the site of an infamous
shoot out in July of 1892. City Marshall Charlie Brady and County Deputy James Burrell Gunn
got into an argument about which of them arrested a drunken man first. The dispute soon evolved
into a gunfight. Gunn called Brady a liar and Brady punched him. Gunn then pulled out his gun
and shot twice, hitting Brady in the hand. Brady then returned fire, hitting Gunn in the chest and
killing him. Brady was “n- billed” by a grand jury after the incident.
Fun Facts:
1. Temple Houston, youngest son of Sam Houston, once drove the stagecoach from Salado to
Georgetown, making its stop at the saloon. Business took over.
2. The building once served as a barber shop and was a popular coffee shop, Cianfrani’s, before
the current
3. The 1983 restoration of the building’s façade was featured that year in U.S. News & World
Report.
Date: 2023
Image Credit: David Valdez, 2023
Photo taken in 1948
