Other Than Mike Cain's Birthday On Friday, There Were Other Celebrations

I was only 11 days old when on Dec. 5, 1933, the 18th Amendment was repealed after hopes proved unfounded that outlawing the sale and consumption of alcohol would solve social ills ranging from domestic abuse to poverty. It was the end of prohibition.

This, of course did not go over well with many. I'm not sure how many years ago that individual towns stopped voting on it, but for many years one of the articles voted on, on Town Meeting Day was whether to allow the sale of Alcolholic Beverages in Town. Towns after the yearly vote that banned the sale of Alcoholic Beverages were known as a "Dry Town."

Here in Fairfax, there was a ladies group who did much good for the town, raising money for Street Lights, Side Walks, etc., however, one of the major things on their agenda was to make sure that Alcoholic Beverages were not allowed here in town. We have several old photos of the group, and they did indeed look like a stern group. I will bet that many a husband, when he returned home after a nip or two, learned how to tell a pretty good lie.

My ancestors both lived in border towns (Alburg & Highgate) and during prohibition, there were many high speed chases through these towns. I have heard stories that local farmers would be ready and waiting for them, open up their barns, thus giving a place for them to hide, while border agents went whizzing by. Can't remember the name of the book or the author, but believe it was some guy up in Richford that wrote some history of stories about prohibition up in the Richford area, another border town.

Sorry about that Mike Cain, but you will always have to share your birthday with that day when on Dec. 5, 1933, the 18th Amendment was repealed after hopes proved unfounded that outlawing the sale and consumption of alcohol would solve social ills ranging from domestic abuse to poverty. It was the end of prohibition.