Washington went dry before the rest of the country, with DC adopting prohibition in 1917, two years before the national ban took effect. The capital’s proximity to wet Maryland and Virginia made enforcement a constant battle, and the city’s speakeasies, bootleggers, and blind pigs became a defining feature of 1920s Washington. These posts explore prohibition’s particular impact on DC’s bars, restaurants, and social life.
Explore the thrilling tale of Francis Aebersold, a daring teenage bootlegger in 1920s Washington D.C., as he defies Prohibition laws and engages in a high-speed chase with Detective Charles A. Berry. Delve into a vivid account of their epic confrontation and the Roaring Twenties’ underground speakeasy scene.
The most practical remedy is to establish government dispensaries for limited sales to good citizens who are not drunkards. This will eventually be done.
A rum squad MPD prohibition officer was arrested for drunk driving in 1930. Isn’t it ironic? Don’t you think?
It’s hard to believe that 2020 is nearly upon us, but it’s also hard to imagine what it must have been like on December 31st, 1919 – the last New Year’s Eve before Prohibition was enforced. Take a look at this mildly amusing cartoon from The Washington Times.
During the depths of Prohibition, an infamous crime was committed in a near-beer saloon in Washington, DC. Read the wild story of Good Old Tom Brady’s murder, as told in December 1924 edition of The Washington Post.
Discover the amazing, true story of a Prohibition raid gone wrong in Adams Morgan in 1928. Read about the raid and subsequent legal problems for the proprietors, the trial, and the bizarre disappearance of a jury member!
He was forty-one, the king of bookmaking in DC, and out on bail. Two days later he was on the floor in his maroon robe.
We miss the days of old saloons in Washington. Here’s a look at 3 saloons we’d love to visit again: J.J. O’Keefe’s, The Indian and Oedekoven’s. Learn more about each one and why we miss them.
Take a look back to 1934 for an account of a White House beer party just after the repeal of Prohibition. Find out the official White House beer recipe and more about the President’s stance on alcohol.
