If these walls could talk, Old Ironsides would have a lot to say after seven decades and lots of intrigue.  Papa Bill Bordisso opened the building downtown in 1934, just after Prohibition ended. 

"My father said you could at one time see all the way down to the river. It was just completely open space," said owner Billee Jean Bordisso Kanelos, Papa's daughter.

A celebration marking 75 years for Old Ironsides happens all this month.  Each week, Ironsides will feature drink and lunch specials from a particular decade, Kanelos said.

"Back in the '40s, there was a popular special called the half and half," Kanelos said. "That is basically half spaghetti and half ravioli.  We can't keep the prices what they were back then, but we will keep them as low as we possibly can."

Drink specials will be served with a interesting slice of American history.

"One of the drinks we will have is called 'Moscow Mule'," Kanelos said. "Gin and brandy were big sellers in the '40s, and the Mule is made out of ginger beer and vodka.  Because of that drink, there was a huge shift from gin to vodka in the '50s, and eventually it phased out the popularity of gin."

Surprisingly, not much historical analysis has been done on the building.

"We did have a historian come here back in the 1970s, and she was able to determine a rough estimate of the year due to the architecture," Kanelos said.  "The architecture is called Italianate, which was popular a decade after the Civil War."

Papa Bordisso added a 'playroom' in the 1940s, complete with a fireplace and pinball machines, that hosted popular Shuffleboard competitions.  Eventually, the shuffleboard fad died and Bordisso added a liquor store.  Soon after, grocery stores began to carry liquor, so music and entertainment became the focus.

Clearly, Old Ironsides has changed with the times. 

The secret to survival is having a good, family-run business, and the help of a lot of talented people, Kanelos said.

"In the '90s, we decided to go into nightlife and entertainment," she added. "It started out with one band, and now we show bands each week."

The 75th anniversary party will be on Nov 22, with appetizers and drink specials from 1 to 6 p.m. 

"We plan on having a DJ spinning music from the '30s, and free samples from our lunch menu that will be passed around as appetizers," Kanelos said.

Perhaps the biggest reason to celebrate are all the memories Old Ironsides has created over the years. 

Kanelos has many fond memories of her family's business.

"As a girl, I would come down on a Sunday and skate around with other kids while all the families and old folks were in the bar," she said. "We opened at 6 and by 6:30 all the stools were taken, many by businessmen that would come in for a coffee and brandy before heading home.

"A lot of comedians and bands from all over the world have performed here. All walks of life have come through," Kanelos added.  "Sacramento has been very good to us."

Old Ironsides is at 1901 10th St.  Lunch is served Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Old Ironsides' Web site is here.

More information on Old Ironsides' myspace Web site here.

Photos courtesy Old Ironsides.