The Well of OKC specializes in the finer things, as well as simple pleasures. Follow us on Instagram?
03/30/2025
Do you know the backstory behind why each Same Old Moses bottle has a hatchet attached to it? If not… buckle in for this ride!
During the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889, an immigrant named Moses Weinberger arrived and soon opened the first legal drinking establishment in Oklahoma Territory, right in Guthrie, OK — during Prohibition, no less.
Weinberger was fully legal and had a great sense of humor.. Which is why he invited Carry Nation (an axe-wielding, whiskey-hating saloon buster) to visit his saloon, but with one condition — she had to leave her hatchet at home. As you can imagine, Carry didn’t quite follow those instructions 🙄, and she went on to attack his bar with her hatchet!
After removing her from the saloon, Weinberger hung a sign that read, “All nations welcome EXCEPT Carry.”
The spot where Carry “hatched” away at the bar soon became a place where patrons would bang their empty mugs when they wanted another round!
I love backstories like this, and this one is even better because it’s so local to us!
Do you think Carry was right to do what she did during that time? Or was she a bit out of her mind? Let me know what you think!
