This is a piece of Bainbridge Island history and the beginning of a personal project of mine I will call: "Things we've gained & Things we've lost". These photos have never before been seen publicly and I thought it was fitting that they first be brought out through the Historical Societies new web site. There are many memories of Mac's tavern here on Bainbridge and it was the last of it's kind. To me it's demise heralded our passing from a blue collar community into the white collar type we are today. This is not a judgment on my part as to whether this is good or bad, it is just my way of noting the passing of a friend and a place in time....David Henry


JUST IN (2/27/2000), pariscope construction and wall art
NEW MURAL ON THE SIDE OF MAC'S NEW CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERISCOPE THE GREAT MACS BEER FIGHT

TRUE LOVE AT MACS


It is a late, slow Monday night. It was cold and rainy out. I shot these photos with the help of the patrons that happened to be there that night. All work was done in 4X5 B&W. No props, no rehearsing, it's just the way it was, we had fun. It was called the Old Winslow Pub at the time these photos were taken (it's last name.) But most people who remember, refer to it as Mac's.
To ring the bell bought the house a round.

Michel had never bought a round in his life. This was his chance of a life time. One of the infamous events at Mac's were the beer fights. There were times when it was wetter inside than outside in the rain.

Oddly enough Mac's is fondly remembered for a couple of fine dining experiences, the crab and cheddar omelet with hash browns for breakfast and the crab cheddar pita for lunch.

Rainier Train

At the time I took these photos there was a clever Rainier Beer commercial running: A group of people at a bar, the bartender calls "all aboard" and there is the sound of a steam train leaving a station and the patrons move off the bar in unison (you had to be there). Anyway this was our attempt to recreate the scene.

Jerry the bartender

He lived hard and life took its toll. He meet a tragic end one night when the car he was riding in ran off the end of the Coleman dock.




Pool and pinball were the main recreational attraction.

This is the only surviving relic, (not the urinal) but the "window" above. The window, is in reality a periscope. May be the only one of it's kind in the world. (I am nominating it for a historical significance designation).

Before they built the kitchen you could stand at the head, take a leak, and look out a window at a panoramic view of the harbor. Who said we didn't have culture back then.

When they decided to build the kitchen and it became apparent that the view was going to be a thing of the past, the moans and lamentations became to much to bear. You would think Bainbridge was going to hell in a hand basket right then and there. As Lee Scott said: "I got tired of listening to the whining." So he went and got his tools and Steve Bernhard went up to Olympic Glass and got some mirror and a few others joined the project. The end result is probably the only restroom in existence with a periscope view of a harbor. This experience can still be enjoyed at the mens restroom of the Madrona Restaurant.

(some day I will enlarge the graffiti for a real treat)


Do you have a story to tell?
If any of you have a Mac's story that you think should be here (and I know some of you do) and/or old photos, I'd love to add them to the collection. I am also looking for photos and stories about the Old Strawberry Cannery, Timber Lodge (clone parties maybe?) or earlier, Port Blakely Mill, Military installations, and the various community halls. This is a long term project and is intended to be around forever. If you have information, a project or suggestions feel free to contact me, Dave Henry at 206-842-0236 or email me at: binet@bicomnet.com

 

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