With the movie “The Great Gatsby”–which glamorized drinking and partying during the Roaring 20s–coming out this year, and Dec. 5, 2013 marking the 80th anniversary of “Repeal Day”–when the 21st amendment repealed the 18th amendment’s prohibition of alcohol–I’ve been imagining how crazy it would have been to live during prohibition. I would hope that I would be in-the-know about all the speakeasies, or even run my own.
In my research, I learned the following interesting facts as they related to Madison or Wisconsin:
- Al Capone, who made $60 million/year bootlegging ($700 million in today’s dollars), had a hideout in Couderay, Wis., where he supposedly brought in alcohol from Canada en route to Chicago.
- In 1926, Wisconsin voters approved a referendum that allowed the manufacture and sale of beer with 2.75 percent alcohol.
- An example of “near beer” is Fa-Ba, made by Fauerbach Brewery, which was located on Willy Street.
- Here’s a photo of a membership card for the Madison Dry League, as well as photos of people celebrating the end of prohibition.
- Cross Plains celebrated Repeal Day with a Beer Parade that drew 5,000 people.
- Wisconsin’s Anti-Prohibition Association was founded in 1885, complete with its own constitution.
- Madison’s elite went to the Waubesa Country Club as their speakeasy.
Tags: prohibition
