Local History: Prohibition in Barberton

The Eighteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution established the prohibition of “intoxicating liquors” in the United States. The amendment was proposed by Congress on December 18, 1917, and was ratified by the requisite number of states on January 16, 1919. Much of the groundwork that was done to bring Prohibition about was done right here in Ohio. Our community, like communities across the country, had its share of struggles with the law. During the fifteen years the Eighteenth Amendment was in force, there was little change in the amount of alcohol produced, sold, and consumed in the country. So, the Twenty-first Amendment was passed in February 1933, to repeal the Eighteenth Amendment and end Prohibition. We’ll be discussing the effects of Prohibition in Barberton.