Prohibition ended in 1933; Surprisingly, Utah is in the heart of the action – Deseret News

A look back at local, national and world events through the Deseret News archives.

On December 5, 1933, nationwide Prohibition ended when Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, repealing the 18th Amendment.

In 1917, Utah became the 24th state to adopt statewide alcohol restrictions. Then, on January 16, 1919, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, ushering in a nationwide ban on “intoxicating liquors” and ushering in a very unusual era in American history.

History notes that at the turn of the 20th century – nearly two decades before Congress ratified the 18th Amendment – ​​about a quarter of the American population lived in “dry” communities where the sale of alcohol was prohibited .

Although many Utahns supported Prohibition much earlier, Utah became the 24th state to pass statewide alcohol restrictions in 1917. Laws on the scale of the state had been passed earlier, but some feared that the prohibition laws could reignite antagonism between Latter-day Saints and those who were not members of the church.

It was Jewish Democrat and newly elected Utah Governor Simon Bamberger who ultimately signed the statewide ban into law. Bamberger was a successful businessman who opened the Lagoon amusement park in Utah. In fact, Bamberger had voluntarily stopped the sale of alcohol at Lagoon.

But on December 5, 1933, at 3:33 p.m., the Utah Constitutional Convention unanimously approved the 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th Amendment. Utah was the 36th and decisive state to vote to repeal the nationwide ban, ending the country’s dry era 13 years after it began.

As one might imagine, Utah’s ratification vote was followed with keen interest throughout the United States. Some saw the end of Prohibition as the end of gangsters, speakeasies, and other illegal activities.

Here are some stories from the Deseret News archives about Prohibition in Utah, the end of that era and other interesting points in Utah history:

“5 Surprising Facts About Prohibition in Utah”

“‘Prohibition’ offers a complex look at a tumultuous era”

“The repeal of Prohibition marked the end of an era in Utah”

“House highlights Utah’s role in repealing Prohibition”

Utah Town Votes to Maintain Alcohol Ban Despite Tourist Influx

“The first “mockingbirds” violated the prohibition”

“About Utah: A Toast to Utah’s ‘Weird’ Alcohol Laws”

“George F. Will: Prohibition taught a valuable lesson about government interference”