OUR STORIES

Mikael &
The Golden West

The Golden West Saloon palpably holds down the fort in central Fort Bragg. It is an understatement to call it iconic, with its venerable wood-carved bar running the length of the room, walls covered in memorabilia, high coffered ceilings, and pretty much everything else that any respectable saloon should have. All boxes are checked on that list.

Holding Down the Fort

As regular patrons themselves of the Golden West back in the early 2000’s, current owners Jessica Morsell-Haye and Mikael Haye, loved the 130 year old establishment, it’s rich history and significance to Fort Bragg, and actually talked and dreamed of owning it one day. They were living in Petaluma in 2013, where Mikael bartended and took care of their first child, and Jessica commuted to a job in the fashion and textile industry in San Francisco – when they found out the saloon was up for sale. 

“History gives a place soul. The old materials and aesthetics were made to last. We love that we can see where an old wall was built to section off the bar during prohibition. Stories come alive when you can see the marks they left on their environment.”

—Jessica Morsell-Haye

Local Tip:

Every Tuesday afternoon is Taco Tuesday at the Golden West. It gets going early afternoon and lasts until the tacos run out.

© 2020 Visit Fort Bragg – This Fort Bragg Story was created in September of 2020 and may contain information that is outdated or no longer relevant. Please reach out to Fort Bragg merchants directly or click here for more recent information.