When Form 8815 Prohibited 2023-2024

In the early 1900s, there was one saloon for every 300 people in Peoria, making it the whiskey capital of the world. This fact is supported by the presence of 73 distilleries and 24 breweries in the city prior to 1920. The wealth generated from the alcohol industry was evident in the grand houses on Moss Avenue and High Street, as well as the ornate theaters and public halls funded by whiskey Barons. Not only did this industry provide jobs for many Peorians, but the city also contributed more in federal taxes than any other tax district in America. Alcohol production in Peoria began in 1837 with the construction of the first brewery by Andrew Idle and the first distillery by Myron Cole six years later. However, everything changed with the passage of the 18th amendment in January 1920. The amendment, which banned the production, transport, and sale of alcohol, had an incredibly fast ratification process, taking only 11 months to gain the necessary support from 48 states. This, however, was not the beginning of temperance efforts in America. As early as 1851, the state of Maine had already forbidden the sale of alcohol, with other organizations and parties following suit. The temperance movement in Peoria was pioneered by Luci Ting, and despite these reform efforts, alcohol production continued to grow at an alarming rate, particularly in central Illinois. One of the reasons for this growth was the advantage Peoria distillers had in access to high-quality water from limestone springs and aquifers. The alcohol industry became a significant source of revenue for the government during the Civil War, as a luxury tax was imposed on alcohol. However, as production outpaced consumption, measures were taken to regulate supply, such as the formation of voluntary organizations like the Peoria Pool and the...