Ohio’s Role in Prohibition
Copyright Library of Congress Photo Archives
Copyright Library of Congress Photo Archives
Did you know that it took more than a hundred years for Prohibition to become a part of the fabric of American society? That’s right, members of the temperance movement had been working to reduce, if not end, the consumption of alcohol since the early 1800s. And they prevailed for more than a decade.
From January 17, 1920 to December 5, 1933, there was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. That must have been an extremely long 13 years in American history! Digging through some of the State of Ohio and Library of Congress archives, we found it interesting that one of the most well organized and influential groups in getting Prohibition originally passed was the Ohio Anti-Saloon League.
According to Ohio History Connection, “On May 24, 1893, temperance advocates in Oberlin, Ohio, formed the Ohio Anti-Saloon League. This organization's members, like the Progressives, believed that society in the United States was in moral decline. The Ohio Anti-Saloon League hoped to prohibit alcohol by enforcing existing laws and by implementing new ones. This same year, temperance supporters in Washington, DC, formed their own Anti-Saloon League. In 1895, the Ohio and Washington organizations united to create the National Anti-Saloon League, which eventually became the Anti-Saloon League of America. The Anti-Saloon League adopted Prohibition as its primary goal. This organization also sought to eliminate bars, taverns, and saloons, believing that these businesses promoted the consumption of alcohol.”
Copyright Library of Congress Photo Archives
It's certainly hard to imagine living in a time when we can’t enjoy a cocktail with friends or a celebratory glass of wine during a holiday dinner with family. The more we dug through old history archives, the more “Ohio Anti-Saloon League” kept popping up.
According to Ohio State University’s College of Arts and Sciences, “The Anti-Saloon League, founded in 1893 in Oberlin, Ohio, began life as a state organization. Its first offices were in Columbus, Ohio; in 1909, the League moved to nearby Westerville, Ohio where it also operated the American Issue Publishing Company. After 1895, however, the League became a powerful national organization. The League was a non-partisan organization that focused on the single issue of prohibition.”
If you’re in the area, the Westerville Public Library in Ohio is an excellent resource to learn more about the Anti-Saloon League. There, they house the Anti-Saloon League museum, which is chock-full of artifacts and printed materials of the Anti-Saloon League.
Copyright Library of Congress Photo Archives
According to the museum, “From 1893 to 1933, the Anti-Saloon League was a major force in American politics. Influencing the United States through lobbying and the printed word, it turned a moral crusade against the manufacture, sale and consumption of alcohol into the Prohibition Amendment to the United States Constitution. Under the motto ‘The Saloon Must Go,’ the organization worked to unify public anti-alcohol sentiment, enforce existing temperance laws and enact further anti-alcohol legislation. At first, the League appealed to local churches to carry its message to the people. Once they had established a loyal following, the League leaders focused their efforts on getting individual politicians elected who supported the cause. The League was able to promote the temperance cause by publishing thousands of fliers, pamphlets, songs, stories, cartoons, dramas, magazines and newspapers.”
It's been a little over a hundred years since Prohibition banned the manufacture, storage, transportation, sale, possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages. At Northside Distilling, we’re really proud of the fact that we’re the 1st legal distillery in Downtown Cincinnati since Prohibition was repealed. Founded in 2013, Northside Distilling is proud to produce our bourbon whiskey, American Agave, vodka, gin, moonshine, and corn whiskey right here in the Queen City. Honest and no frills.