January 16, 1920: The Night America's Taps Ran Dry

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January 16, 1920: The Night America's Taps Ran Dry

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Step back to January 16, 1920, the final night before Prohibition began in America. This episode explores the extraordinary farewell celebrations that swept the nation as legal alcohol disappeared forever. From mock funerals in New York's finest hotels to packed neighborhood saloons in working-class districts, Americans gathered to bid goodbye to legal drinking. Host James Hartley examines the dramatic scenes across the country, from Chicago's Palmer House hotel selling a month's worth of liquor in one night to quiet tavern keepers in small towns serving their final drinks. The episode reveals how the temperance movement achieved this historic victory through decades of organizing, while exploring the economic and social implications of the Eighteenth Amendment. Discover the irony of America's greatest farewell party and how the seeds of organized crime were already being planted even as prohibition supporters celebrated their triumph. The show examines both the legitimate concerns about alcohol's social impact and the unintended consequences that would emerge during thirteen years of the Noble Experiment. Perfect for history enthusiasts interested in American social movements, the Jazz Age, and pivotal moments that shaped modern America.

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