Prohibition in the Champlain Valley

When you think about “Prohibition,” most people imagine gangster and bootleggers with tommy guns and fancy cars in the 1920s. But to truly understand federal Prohibition in the Champlain Valley, you have to start earlier than the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1919. Vermont actually had statewide prohibition from 1853-1904! Join us to examine how the Champlain Valley went from being a major producer and consumer of alcohol in the early 1800s to a hotbed of temperance sentiment by the mid-19th century. What caused the members of the Westport Sons of Temperance to proclaim in 1853 that they would “use our best endeavors to procure and sustain a stringent prohibitory law”? And what can this all help us understand about the tension between regulation and personal freedom that plays out in our society today?

Susan Evans McClure is the Executive Director of Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. She leads the talented team of educators, curators, museum professionals, and archaeologists as they explore the relationship between the land, the people, and the water of the Champlain Valley.

This program will be outside on the lawn. Please bring a mask and your own chair.