July 1, 1919, Wyoming became the last state in the region to ban alcohol. During prohibition, the towns of Kemmerer and Rock Springs became regional hubs for bootleggers and organized crime.
July 1, 1919, Wyoming became the last state in the region to ban alcohol. During prohibition, the towns of Kemmerer and Rock Springs became regional hubs for bootleggers and organized crime.
This week marks the 97th anniversary of the Volstead Act, which officially enacted prohibition on January 16, 1920.
While most Wyoming politicians favored the recently passed 18th Amendment, at least publicly, the new law was rarely enforced in most parts of the state...
Kemmerer has several interesting claims to fame. The small southwestern Wyoming town is the site of the first J.C. Penney store and the home of former Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss. During the prohibiton era, it was also the bootlegging capital of Wyoming...