One Of California's Last Commercial Establishments With Original Gas Lighting Is A Funky, Historic Oakland Bar

On June 1, 1884, Johnny Heinold purchased what has now become the oldest bar in Oakland, California, for only $100 (what could now probably buy you just a few rounds at the same bar). The building started as a boarding house for oyster farmers but quickly became a saloon, surviving over a hundred years, including through Prohibition. What was once a local hangout for sailors, fishermen, and even literary legends is now a lively spot for tourists and locals alike to pop in for an afternoon drink. 

Low-lit and still using the original wooden tables and bar, Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon is decorated in sailors' caps and life preservers. Having a drink here today won't feel too different then it would have in the 19th century. The bar, which looks as though seamen have been leaving their belongings behind since its conception, is a carefully cluttered museum of American history. On the walls, you'll find photos from both World Wars, the Prohibition Era, and Vietnam. It's a great place to get a beer with a small side of historical charm.

Easily accessible by bus, car, foot, or even boat (one of the top tourist attractions in California is this scenic ferry ride), this is the perfect place to spend an afternoon on the water. Located near Oakland International Airport, one of the least crowded airports in America, Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon is also just a short trip away from Alameda, Berkeley, or even San Francisco. Opened 30 years later, it's a close companion to New York's McSorley's Old Ale House, America's oldest Irish pub, if you're looking for a bar experience as close to the original as you can get.

Of the many patrons to grace the saloon over the years, writer Jack London was a famous one. In his teenage years, London slept at the saloon, becoming close with Heinold, who would end up funding his college career. In 1923, the Oakland Tribune (via KQED) described Johnny Heinold as the "benefactor of Jack London's youth, [a] lifelong friend of the famous author and a hero of many a London tale." In 1998, the location became an official literary landmark. Furthermore, it was London that eventually gave the bar its moniker of First and Last Chance Saloon.

Aside from writers, politicians, and tourists, the bar has tended to sailors and fishermen since its inception. Jack London would have heard tales from the sea from patrons during his stays at the saloon, a likely source of inspiration for London's novel, "The Sea Wolf." Today, at Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon, you'll likely share the space with locals and tourists, but patrons of the past remain in photos and knick-knacks spread throughout the bar's one room.

Today, the location is one of, if not the last, commercial establishments in California to use original gas lighting. If you were to come in to get a drink today, you can expect the same moody atmosphere that has characterized the saloon since it opened. Now, you can also sit on the bar's open-air patio, like any other modern beer garden in Oakland.

While the space has changed over the decades, the menu has not changed too much. This is not the place to order a funky cocktail; you come into the saloon for a beer, whisky, or other classic two-ingredient mix. On tap and by the can or bottle, the bar sells beer, cider, and wine. The saloon itself says that spirit options are limited by the small size of the actual bar, and drink offerings can vary week-to-week based on what has been stocked. If you're on a family trip, it's important to note that no one under 21 is allowed into the bar, regardless of whether they're supervised or not. A lot has changed since Jack London slept in the space at 14, but it's still pretty close to the original and definitely worth a visit if you want that rich historic vibe that is also fun at the same time.