Wes Harr restores such machines at his home in Deer Lodge.
They're prized for their colorful history and unique craftsmanship. But in Montana, and many other states, private collectors are permitted to own them. Today, antique machines can't be used for gambling.
From the 1920s to the late 1940s, slot machines were common fixtures in Montana speakeasies, taverns and saloons.īut in 1950, the Montana Supreme Court ruled the machines were illegal under the Montana State Constitution.Įstablishments were raided and many machines were destroyed.
