THE HISTORY
The Story Of This Bar
Dog Prairie Tavern has been part of St. Paul since 1964, a date still displayed inside the tavern itself. Its story is inseparable from longtime tavern keeper Eugene “Gene” Dames Jr. and the community culture that grew around the bar.
Gene Dames
Gene and his wife Rose Mary became central figures in the tavern’s history. Gene, a Korean War U.S. Army veteran, took over the tavern in 1964 and remained associated with it for more than half a century. He was remembered for continuing to tend bar into his later years and for the small traditions that made people feel like they belonged.
One of the best remembered traditions was Gene’s rule that a newcomer’s first beer was on him. Stories also survive of young musicians getting a Yoo-hoo and beef jerky instead of a beer when they came through. Gene collected vintage and classic cars and antiques, and his large family and long life behind the bar became part of Dog Prairie’s identity. Rose Mary died in 2017; Gene died on December 5, 2018, at age 90.
Gene’s Dog House and the outdoor tavern
Dog Prairie grew beyond the original barroom. Gene’s Dog House, a large patio and sand volleyball courts turned the property into an outdoor community gathering place as well as a tavern. The expansion did not erase the old character inside: wood walls, antlers, vintage beer signs, Stag memorabilia and the “Dog Prairie Tavern est. 1964” sign still connect the newer outdoor life to the older room.
A community bar
The tavern has been tied through local recollection to benefits, raffles and community events, including Queen-of-Hearts/Last-Queen-Standing style fundraisers. One of those traditions has been described as supporting St. Paul Catholic Church. Stories also connect Dog Prairie to parish-picnic life, Lenten fish fries, Knights of Columbus activity, grassroots benefits and generations of local families. Local recollection has also connected Cardinals great Red Schoendienst to the tavern. Those individual relationships are preserved here as community recollection where the documentary record is still being assembled.
Where “Dog Prairie” came from
The surrounding area was known as Dog Prairie long before the tavern. Explanations for the name vary, including old stories involving prairie dogs or feral dogs. No single origin story is treated here as definitive; the uncertainty is part of the local lore.
Why it matters
Dog Prairie Tavern is a reminder that a bar can become part of a town’s social infrastructure. Gene’s personality, the first-beer tradition, the patio, volleyball, benefits and generations of regulars are as important to the record as the building itself.