With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Vintage Photos: L.A. Celebrates The End Of Prohibition 80 Years Ago
Raise your glasses! November 8 marks the 80th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition.
The unpopular amendment prohibited the sale of alcohol, beer and wine but enterprising Americans found a way to keep the booze flowing, thanks to bootleggers and speakeasies, which were plentiful in L.A., including Lucey's on Melrose Avenue, King Eddy Saloon at 5th and Main (masquerading as a piano store) and The Del Monte Speakeasy in Venice, with an innocuous grocery store front.
Once the nationwide ban became law on January 16, 1920, local authorities had their hands full seizing and destroying illegal liquor, which they then poured into drains or directly into the ocean. (Environmental concerns were pretty much nil at the time.)
Thirteen long (and colorfully crime-filled) years later, Prohibition was finally dismantled. First, the sale of beer became legal again in April 1933, with none other than "beautiful platinum film star" Jean Harlow christening the first load of beer that rolled away from the Eastside Brewery in Lincoln Heights. Thirsty patrons flocked to sites like the (now gone) Belmont on Main Street, where the beer was quickly sold out.
Support for LAist comes from
Prohibition was finally overturned completely on November 8, 1933 and jubilant revelers celebrated in style, ringing in a new age of sophisticated (and legal) cocktails. As Homer Simpson once toasted: "To alcohol. The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems."
Update: On November 8, Utah became the 36th state to repeal the 18th Amendment, the majority needed to end Prohibition on a national level, which was definitely cause for celebration. California was the 13th state to vote to repeal the unpopular amendment. Ratification was completed on December 5, marking the nationwide end of Prohibition.
According to Prof. David J. Hanson, Ph.D. of State University New York, Angelenos were a thirsty bunch. In 1928, an L.A. jury consumed the evidence against a bootlegger on trial, who then had to be released for lack of evidence.
Related:
The Best Cocktails In L.A.
The Best Hotel Bars In L.A.
Photos, Videos: Revisit These Classic Cocktails From America's First Mixologist, Jerry Thomas
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week. -
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency. -
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues. -
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce. -
The rock legend joins LAist for a lookback on his career — and the next chapter of his music.
Best of LAist