Nubby Nuckols: The DC Bookmaker Who Shot Himself in 1938
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.
Prohibition
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.
Three Things We Miss About Old Saloons in Washington
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.
Three Wild Police Chases in 1920s and 1940s Washington, D.C.
Three of D.C.’s wildest vintage police chases, from 1921 to 1944: rum runners crashing at the Library of Congress, an 80 mph chase from Chevy Chase Circle, and a Park policeman who ran them down on his Harley.
White House Home-Brewed Beer: A Look Back to 1934
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.
Get to Know Major Walton Atwater Green, Chief Prohibition Inspector for Washington, D.C.
Meet Major Walton Atwater Green, the Chief Prohibition Inspector for Washington, D.C. in 1925. Don’t let him catch you with some hooch – this is not a guy you want to cross. Learn more about Major W.A. Green and his role in enforcing Prohibition in the nation’s capital.
The Day the First Liquor License was Issued in D.C. After Prohibition
On February 28th 1934, the first liquor license was issued in Washington, D.C. after the Sheppard Bone-Dry Act of 1917 put a major damper on libations. Learn more about the repeal of Prohibition in D.C. and the National Press Club’s first liquor license!
Ah, Kids Will Be Kids: A Look at a Wild Flapper-Era Party in Chevy Chase and a Burlesque Show at the Strand Theater
Ah, kids will be kids. Even your grandparents and great-grandparents were kids once, and they too got themselves into trouble. Read about this wild flapper-era “whoopee” party in Chevy Chase and a burlesque show at the Strand Theater in downtown Washington, D.C.
Growlers Go: The Irony of Banning Growlers in 1905 Washington, DC
In 1905, District authorities were fighting to ban growlers in the city, claiming access to cheap beer was damaging to society. Read about the irony of the argument and how it still rings true today.
A Look Back at a 1917 Budweiser Ad in the Washington Times
Take a look back at this 1917 Budweiser advertisement from the Washington Times. With the beginning of Prohibition the following year, it’s interesting to see how far we’ve come and that you can now drink your beer from a Ghosts of DC stein or pint glass.