Prohibition in Vermont: Strictly enforced and openly defied
Abstract
For my thesis, I studied National Prohibition, an era of Vermont history with a nation-wide backdrop. My research drew sources from a variety of physical and digital collections, including UVM’s own Silver Special Collections. What I found was Vermont occupied a unique position during Prohibition. An international thruway for smugglers moving from Canada, with prohibition violations dominating every courtroom. But Vermont’s history of state prohibition built a deep belief in around half of the population that alcohol was a community destroying sin, and violators were caught and punished. Often overlooked in the literature, Vermonters’ stories have a lot to offer.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Nicole Phelps
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Arts and Sciences
Program/Major
History
Primary Research Category
Arts & Humanities
Prohibition in Vermont: Strictly enforced and openly defied
For my thesis, I studied National Prohibition, an era of Vermont history with a nation-wide backdrop. My research drew sources from a variety of physical and digital collections, including UVM’s own Silver Special Collections. What I found was Vermont occupied a unique position during Prohibition. An international thruway for smugglers moving from Canada, with prohibition violations dominating every courtroom. But Vermont’s history of state prohibition built a deep belief in around half of the population that alcohol was a community destroying sin, and violators were caught and punished. Often overlooked in the literature, Vermonters’ stories have a lot to offer.
