new find, finally ID'd: Havana Club, Mandan, North Dakota, 1950s. Illegal gambling place and popular nightclub run by the Guon's, Prohibition racketeers. $16 delivered to US addresses. PayPal OK (contact me first), Return privileges, Fine condition. I'll also put up this notice after the Convention; and I can hold chips for you.

Mandan is the eighth largest city in North Dakota. Founded in 1879, it became the county seat of Morton County in 1881. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the 2015 population at 21,382. Located across the Missouri River from the state capital of Bismarck, Mandan is a core city of the Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was named after the Mandan Indians. In 2013, Mandan was selected a finalist in Rand McNally Most Patriotic City competition.

At the time these chips were issued (1950s), Mandan, North Dakota, was a rowdy town as opposed to it's sister city and capital of the state, Bismarck, which is just east of Mandan and is separated by the Missouri River. The reason for this was the existence of a major railroad hub, switching yard, and repair facility that was located at Mandan. Of course, most of the watering holes were located within stage ring distance of the rail head. And likewise, where there is liquor, there is often gambling. The Havana Club was a popular nightclub in Mandan, and it also featured gambling. Leo Guon was the proprietor, as evidenced by his name on the “Good for Trade” Havana Club commercial token (pictured below) with his name on them. Also pictured below is the chip order card from Taylor and Co, Chicago, who furnished the chips.

The Guon’s were active as early as the 1930s, breaking the Prohibition Law (1920-1933 repeal). In 1936, when the State law prohibited liquor after National repeal, the judge ordered padlocks on seven Mandan beer taverns including the Cave, owned by the Guon’s. The injunctions included three nuisances counts - liquor, gambling and conduct offending public decency and morals. Then in 1936 Mike Guon of Mandan received 16 months to be served in a federal penitentiary. The defendants were all charged with conspiracy in transporting untaxed alcohol from Wisconsin by car and freight train. Charges also included storing the liquor in unlicensed warehoused in the Mandan and Devils Lake vicinities. In November 1936, North Dakotans voted to legalize liquor by adopting an initiated measure which put the state in the “wet” column for the first time since statehood. That allowed the Guon’s to obtain legal liquor licenses.

Links:
http://www.mandanhistory.org/areahistory/prohibitioninmandan.html

Robert