Amy Meyer

For USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

“U.S. agents here to seek out stills” read the headlines of the Manitowoc Herald News on April 8, 1920.

As Prohibition and the 18th Amendment swept through the U.S. in the 1920s, many Americans turned to speakeasies and home-brewed liquors. The citizens of Manitowoc County were certainly not removed from the making of alcoholic beverages in stills — or from being caught.

The article went on to say “Uncle Sam’s official ... revenue agents are in Manitowoc County this week under orders to seek out violators of the prohibition laws and make arrests. It is said that a quiet search is being made for illicit stills, which the department says it suspects every section has for manufacture of moonshine.”

The April 11, 1921, edition of the Manitowoc Herald News contained a story about the death of Nelson Allen, a car ferry hand who died aboard the Pere Marquette No. 17. Allen, who had died 10 days earlier, was “reported to have been a victim of poison from ‘moonshine’ liquor secured at Milwaukee or in this city.” Prohibition Agent B.P. Herzog said that “before he left Milwaukee ... the department was out to make a clean-up of the state.”

The April 11 article continued that Herzog “had no line of what indictments might be returned affecting Manitowoc. … The officials had a line-up on certain persons who have represented themselves as prohibition agents, with government authority, and hinted that there would be some indictments. … He had investigated reports circulated here that prohibition agents had been drunk and had been unable to confirm the reports.”

The effects of Prohibition also could be felt among Manitowoc County’s many breweries. William Rahr and Sons Company, established in 1847, had expanded its plant in the years before the 18th Amendment. In 1918, the business’ name was changed to Cereal Products Company and increased production of roasted products and cereals, dairy, feed and yeast products. The Rahr family had a great sense of timing and again changed its name in 1932 a few months before Prohibition was repealed. This time, the name was changed to Rahr Malting Company.

Manitowoc County's largest recorded Prohibition raid took place Nov. 14-15, 1923. The Nov. 16, 1923, article of the Manitowoc Herald News described the story: “Seven defendants, five of the number saloon men, were arraigned in municipal court this afternoon as result of the raids made by federal and state prohibition officials. … One of the defendants named in a warrant, Henry Thielen, is a deputy sheriff of the county and will have to surrender his star.”

The largest find of illegal stills during the November raid was at a Clover saloon where “nine gallons of moonshine, one case of bonded goods, 50 cases of home brew and nine barrels of wine were taken.”

The 18th Amendment was repealed Dec. 5, 1933, with the 21st Amendment by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, putting an end to the nationwide prohibition of alcohol.

Amy Meyer is the executive director Manitowoc County Historical Society.