February 07th, 2019

American Prohibition Museum

Savannah has always had a love-hate relationship to alcohol. The first act of alcohol prohibition in America was decreed in Savannah in 1735. Oglethorpe thought that alcohol would be ruin for the industriousness of the colonist. So no alcohol. Although it should be noted they allowed alcohol at Mary Musgrove’s Trading Post outside of Savannah’s city limits.

The first Statewide prohibition went into effect in 1908, years before the rest of the country followed suit. While Georgia worked on prohibition Savannah looked into seceding from the state to avoid the prohibition.

“Savannah is the spigot of the South’ during the Prohibition some have said. During Prohibition, Georgia also boasted more moonshine stills and busts than any other state in the nation. It also so happened Savannah had the perfect location for the enterprise of bootlegging. The marshes would provide cover for the stills of Moonshiners (Skidaway Island State Park has preserved one such operation on one of their trails).  The narrow waterways led out to the ocean and they could flee revenuers by making a run for the international water line about 3 miles out. The waterways provided spots for rendezvous to transfer the moonshine from boat to boat and then transport from boats to waiting cars at secret locations on land. These cars would become the stuff of legend. Some say the souping up the engines and designs were the predecessor of NASCAR. Local Sherman ‘Moose’ Helmley was legendary for his ‘souped’ up cars. The greatest ‘bootlegger of all time, Al Capone had Moose make his rum-running cars. Moose added secret compartments and adjusting the suspension to make the car appear to be running light with a full load.

Savannah had its own notorious gang of bootleggers called The Savannah Four. They were Fred Sr., William, Carl, and Fred Jr. Haar.”  It is said they sold bootleg liquor from their grocery store during statewide Prohibition; National Prohibition made them even more successful. They controlled of a fleet of ships that ran loads of booze from Scotland, France, Cuba, and the Bahamas; once shipments were brought ashore they were broken down and run by road, typically in trucks disguised as potatoes trucks or in faux oil tankers.”

So it is no surprise that the only museum solely dedicated to Prohibition is here in Savannah. It also makes sense that we have an open container law. Or that we have s speakeasy called the Mata Hari which you only gain entrance by a password and inside you find a burlesque show. Of course all of this is legal today. But the next time you hear that old quote about the difference between Georgia cities “If you go to Atlanta, the first question people ask you is, "What's your business?" In Macon they ask, "Where do you go to church?" In Augusta they ask your grandmother's maiden name. But in Savannah the first question people ask you is "What would you like to drink?” Know we are not kidding.

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Entrance to Mata Hari

Toilet in Mata Hari