Dates | Trade Name | Historic Address |
---|---|---|
1800 - 1933 | Important Prohibition Dates | * |
1800 FoundedImportant Prohibition Dates*
The Washington Temperance Society founded in Baltimore, on the 110th anniversary of the birth of the first President. Its members were reformed heavy drinkers from the working class who "took ... View More
The first Statewide Prohibition law in the US went into effect in Maine. It was agreed to by poular vote- 70,183 to 22,811. In 1856 it would be repealed, only to be reinstated two years later.
... View MoreMichigan voters approve statewide Prohibition, aka: the Main Law, to go into effect on December 1, 1853. It was declared unconstitutional by a Detroit judge a few weeks later. No effort was made to... View More
Anti-Prohibition protests turned violent with the "Maine Law Riot" in Portland Maine
Wayne Wheeler, who through his Anti-Saloon League would inspire decades of lobbyists, was born in Brookfield Township, Ohio.
The Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is organized in Cleveland, Ohio.
Kansas Voters approved statewide Prohibition to take effect on January 1, 1881. Many saloons survive by paying the $100 yearly fine.
After a vote on November 2nd, 1880 Kansas enters statewide Prohibition the following January 1. The new law made the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors punishable by ... View More
Georgia Approved a The Special "Local Option" Act allowing individual counties the right to outlaw the manufacture, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Florida voters approve Article XIX, aka the Local Option Amendment by popular vote. The amendment gives Florida counties the right to call elections that to decide whether to outlaw the ... View More
Prohibition in South Dakota Begins. On October 4, 1889 The new state of South Dakota's Constitution appeared on the same ballot as statewide Prohibition. Both items were passed by c... View More
After a narrowly-approved citizen vote the previous October, North Dakota's Prohibition law goes into effect..
The Anti-Saloon League was formed in Oberlin, Ohio. Over the next three decades it would organize churches and lobby local governments to pass Prohibition amendments around the cou... View More
Vermont ENDS statewide prohibition by referendum vote in favor of local option laws.
Colorado state legislature passed a "local option law" allowing individual counties to determine whether to outlaw the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages by vote.
The Territory of Oklahoma enters territory-wide Prohibition when Governor Charles N. Haskell signed Oklahoma State Sen. Richard A. Billups's Senate Bill 61, also known as the "Billups... View More
Georgia enters statewide Prohibition. Nationall breweries are forced to pull their agents out of the state. Georgia brewers survived by converting to selling ice and non-into... View More
The "Carmichael State Prohibition Law" went into effect in Alabama. As a result, breweries in the state switched to producing non-alcoholic beverages. Ultimately, the law was a failure, a... View More
Mississippi enters into statewide Prohibition. The state was in de-facto prohibition before this law as local option laws resulted in Prohibition in 69 of her 77 counties.
Rural Wyoming enters statewide Prohibition. Most incorporated towns remain wet.
The Jones-Works Excise Bill, the District of Columbia's first "Dry Law" went into effect.
Virginia citizens voted for constitutional statewide prohibition to go into effect November 1, 1916.
Colorado voters adopted statewide constitutional Prohibition to go into effect January 1, 1916.
Arizona voters adopted statewide constitutional Prohibition to go into effect January 1, 1915.
Washington voters adopted statewide constitutional Prohibition to go into effect January 1, 1916. 189,840 votes were cast for the measure, 171,208 against.
Oregon voters adopted statewide constitutional Prohibition to go into effect January 1, 1916.
The Idaho Legislature approves a Prohibition Act to be enforced as of January 1, 1916
South Carolina voters adopted statewide constitutional Prohibition to go into effect December 31, 1915 (three and a half months later!). The vote was 41,735 for and 16,809 against.
Minnesota enacts a Local Option law by county, effective immediately. Under this law fifty-six elections were held in eight months, and drys were victorious in forty-five of them.
The Legislature of Utah passed the Wootten Bill, which provided statutory Prohibition after June 1, 1916. Mormon Governor Spry killed the bill with a pocket veto. Though his action had been advised... View More
The "Davis Package Law" was upheld by the Florida Supreme Court. Requires all sales of alcohol be in sealed containers, outlawed beer on draught, regulated that all saloons close at 6:00 ... View More
New Jersey passas a "Local Option" law giving municipalities the option to be we or dry.
The Newberry Act of 1915 takes effect plunging the state of Arkansas into Prohibition.
Article XXII is added to the Colorado State Constitution making it unlawful to manufacture, sell or import into the state any intoxicating liquors.
New legislation tightens up Georgia's loophole ridden Prohibition law of 1907. Within months the state's three remaining breweries are shuttered.
Iowa's new Prohibition law effectively shuts down all alcoholic beverage manufacturing in the state and limits the number of saloons to 1 per 1000 people.
Virginia's state prohibition laws go into effect. As of this day it was illegal to manufacture or sell liquor within state lines. Possession of up to one quart for personal use was allowed.
... View MoreArizona voters passed a "Bone Dry" amendment to their statewide Prohibition, entirely prohibiting importation of liquors.
"Bone Dry" amendment to Oregon's State Prohibition law approved by voters. The amendment prohibits importation of liquors into the state.
By popular vote, Prohibition laws become enshrined in the Idaho State Constitution.
Montana voters adopted statewide constitutional Prohibition to go into effect December 31, 1918.
South Dakota voters adopted statewide constitutional Prohibition to go into effect July 1, 1917.
Saloons in Virginia were outlawed and a commissioner appointed to see that the law is observed.
The citizens of Nebraska voted in favor of statewide Prohibition by a majority of about 35,000. It would be effective May 1, 1917.
Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment requiring statewide Prohibition to go into effect April 30, 1918.
Simon Bamberger, Utah's first Non-Mormon Governor, signed a "Bone Dry" prohibition measure, to go into effect August 1st.
The New Hampshire Legislature voted for statewide Prohibition to become effective May 1, 1918.
The Reed Amendment becomes the law of the land. The amendment imposes a $1000 fine for importing intoxicating liquor into any territory where its manufacture or sale is prohibited.
Nebraska enters statewide Prohibition forcing fourteen breweries, ten rectifying plants and 829 saloons out of business.
The Puerto Rico Legislature passes a Prohibition bill defining an intoxicating liquor as any beverage containing over 2½% alcohol. It is effective March 2, 1918.
Alaska's "Bone Dry" law went into effect, establishing Prohibition in the territory.
In the guise of Patriotism during the great war in Europe, US congress imposed territory-wide Prohibition on Hawaii. The bill allows for repeal by popular vote after two years' peace.
The Volstead Act passes the US Congress and establishes the enforcement of National Prohibition.
The 18th amendment is ratified by 36 states and goes into effect on the federal level.
After the failure of three state referendums for Prohibition in five years (1914, 1915 and 1917), Ohio's drys were handed a new rhetorical weapon. The drys, headed by t... View More
California enters "War-time Prohibition". This was a six and a half month transitional measure which required brewers to lower the alcohol content of their beers to not over 2.75 %. The m... View More
Connecticut adopts "War-Time Prohibition" statewide. This was a six and a half month transitional measure which required brewers to lower the alcohol content of their beers to not over 2.... View More
Wilmington, Delaware finally goes dry, plunging the entire state into Prohibition. This was a six and a half month transitional measure which required brewers to lower the alcohol content of their ... View More
Illinois enters "War-time" Prohibition. This was a six and a half month transitional measure which required brewers to lower the alcohol content of their beers to not over 2.75 %. The mea... View More
Kentucky adopts "War-Time Prohibition" statewide. This was a six and a half month transitional measure which required brewers to lower the alcohol content of their beers to not over 2.75 ... View More
Maryland adopts "War-Time Prohibition" statewide. This was a six and a half month transitional measure which required brewers to lower the alcohol content of their beers to not over 2.75 ... View More
Pennsylvania adopts "War-Time Prohibition" statewide. This was a six and a half month transitional measure which required brewers to lower the alcohol content of their beers to not over 2... View More
All the townships and counties in America that had not yet come under the cloud of local dry laws were forced into "War-Time Prohibition" by the US department of Justice. This was a six a... View More
Minnesota adopts "War-Time Prohibition" statewide. This was a six and a half month transitional measure which required brewers to lower the alcohol content of their beers to not over 2.75... View More
With the onset of Prohibition the Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. lists its fleet of delivery trucks for sale.
Wayne Wheeler, whose Anti-Saloon League successfully persuaded states to ratify the 21st Amendment, National Prohibition, died at age fifty-seven years.
Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Cullen-Harrison Act which legalizes the manufacture and sale of certain alcohol.
Repeal Day! Happy Days are here again as the 21st Amendment brings National Prohibition to an end after 13 years, 10 months, 19 days, 17 hours and 32.5 minutes.
The whistle at the Fauerbach Brewery in Madison Wisconsin blew on the news that President Roosevelt signed the bill that repealed prohibition.
The Frank Jones Brewery in Portsmouth New Hampshire put up a new 20 foot sign in preparation for the repeal of Prohibition.
The Milwaukee Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle published a press release by the Gettelman Brewery that reminded everyone that despite the country being in Prohibition for the previous 13, years, no perso... View More
1933 ClosedImportant Prohibition Dates