Have You Had a Pickled Egg at This 100+ Year Old Colorado Dive Bar?

There aren't many dive bars in Colorado not many can say that they've been open for well over 100 years; one, in Fort Collins, is still crushing it.

When this place first opened its door and began serving alcohol, William Taft was the president, and the City of Fort Collins was only 36 years old. It had to be fun day in The Choice City when the town pump, became a bar.

It was February 26, 1909, that Town Pump in Fort Collins opened its doors. Before it was a bar, it was literally the town pump; a manual water supply pump station where you could water down your horses.

In the sense that "it doesn't have to be complicated," they named the new bar, Town Pump.

Get our free mobile app

Town Pump is the oldest bar in Fort Collins (by far) and one of the oldest across the entire state.

How Big is Town Pump in Fort Collins?

Not only is Town Pump one of the oldest bars in Colorado, it probably ranks as one the smallest, too, with only 416 square feet inside. If you've been there, you know the joint is at its "best" when it's jam packed.

What Beers Did They Serve at Town Pump in 1909?

It's all but impossible to say exactly what beers they were serving back then, but here a few good guesses:

• Coors (opened in 1873)
• Acme (out of California, opened in 1907)
• Rainier (out of Seattle, opened in 1883)

They Almost Shut Down in 2020

Due to the pandemic, The Town Pump was forced to begin a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hopes of raising $75,000 to remain in operation.

That fundraiser brought in $96.650; that definitely speaks to how beloved the dive bar is to the Fort Collins community.

What's With the Pickled Eggs?

For decades, the bar has had a jar of pickled eggs on top of the bar; first timers are always encouraged/dared to enjoy one. A picture of the current jar is even their Facebook cover photo.