Description
Most people are aware that Detroit had a pretty important role in Prohibition - we kept the country’s bars well-stocked even when the laws suggested otherwise - but it goes so much deeper than that.
To fix this we’ve put together a deep dive history tour with real-deal professional Detroit Prohibition History historian Mickey Lyons to get you the true facts and stories you won’t hear elsewhere. We’ve got a great itinerary with lots of very cool stops. We don’t wanna spoil the surprises we have for you, but here are just a few details to wet your whistle:
The tour follows the path of illegal booze in Detroit, from the riverfront to downtown, up into the depths of Hamtramck, where we’ll get a tour of a 100+ year old speakeasy, check out a real-deal confiscated moonshine still, and talk to Hamtramck Historical Museum’s Greg Kowalski.
Detroit was responsible for 75% of the illegal alcohol that came into the States during Prohibition from Canada, and once you hear these stories you’ll understand why. Windsor was kind enough to end their own Prohibition just in time for us to start importing, by any means necessary, Hiram Walker’s whisky and the many other Canadian types of hooch so conveniently placed right there. We’ll learn all about the different methods of smuggling, by plane, train, automobile and more, into the US.
Speakeasies also weren’t just dimly-lit basement rooms protected by goons and passwords. If you knew the right people and paid off the right cops, you could host lavish parties for Detroit and Grosse Pointe’s elite. We’ll stop outside some infamous and swanky places like the Aniwa Club, once home to gamblers, gangsters and aristocrats alike, before it finally went too far and was shut down, forcibly, by the police. Here we’ll learn what it took to run a high-end club, and what padlocking did and didn’t do for Prohibition enforcement.
With big money and big opportunity come big crime. Home to Detroit’s pre-Prohibition brewing industry, Eastern Market and adjoining Forest Park were home to some folks who kept right on producing the good stuff, laws or no. We’ll learn about the Great Grape Crackdown, how some breweries survived legally and others illegally, and just how hard it is to make safe and palatable moonshine. We’ll also find out about the inevitable and bloody gang violence that resulted from the struggle for all that sweet, sweet moonshine money. The Purple Gang, after all, wasn’t the only game in town.
There’s so much more juicy stuff to cover and you’ll get it all when you hop on the bus with us.
ABOUT YOUR GUIDE
Mickey Lyons is a Hamtramck-based Detroit historian and author who specializes in the history of drinking in Detroit, from frontier saloons to Prohibition-era speakeasies to modern day cocktail bars. This work has taken her to some surprising places, including abandoned police social clubs, cruise ship lecture halls, and archives from all over the city.
Lyons’s work can be found in local and national outlets, including the Detroit News and Free Press, Hour Detroit and NBC News. 2018’s Wicked Detroit tells the story of Detroit’s earliest scoundrels, cads and frauds, from Cadillac through the early 20th century. Her current project, ProhibitionDetroit.com, chronicles Detroit’s turbulent and exciting history during Prohibition.
THE DETAILS
The Pickup Location & Time
We’re starting our tour at Cullen Plaza on Detroit’s riverfront at 3:00PM sharp. There’s free parking and restrooms. Meet at the giant map next to the carousel. Your name will be on the list so you don’t need to bring anything with you.
The address for Cullen Plaza is 1340 Atwater St, Detroit, MI 48207
We’ll be back to Cullen Plaza by about 6:00PM.
Parking
Park in the giant lot on Atwater street. If it’s full there’s plenty of street parking around though you may have to walk a little bit.
Refund and Cancellations
Your tickets are fully refundable up to 14 days before the date of your tour. After that period there are no refunds. Sorry to be so mean about it. You’re welcome to reassign your tickets by emailing us at [email protected].
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What happens if I miss the bus? Will the bus wait for me if I’m late?
Unfortunately we can’t hold up the bus for late comers, there’s a schedule we gotta keep. Be on tiiiime please.
Can I drink on the bus?
Within reason, sure. It’s gotta be a very closed container. Think sippy cup or tumbler. We’re not allowing any cans, cups, or otherwise on the bus.
What about food and soft drinks?
Snacks and soft drinks are cool! We just ask you leave them on the bus when we enter our locations. These locations aren’t plastic-wrapped like grandma’s couch.
What if I can’t show up? Will my friend be able to go instead?
Totally. Just let us know ahead of time via [email protected] and we’ll update your tickets with the new name or send them with your printed tickets.
Will you be selling extra seats at the bus?
Nope. Sorry. All passes gotta be bought online. There’s a limited number of seats and we want you to have plenty of room – no roof riders no matter how cool that might sound.
What about weather SNAFUs?
We live in Michigan. Sometimes Mother Nature likes to throw us a curveball. We keep safety as our highest priority. In case of gnarly weather, you’ll receive an email the day of the event with a raincheck/snowcheck date. If you cannot make the rescheduled date, you’ll get a voucher good for a future tour with us.
PSST! We also offer this experience as a private tour if that’s more your speed. You choose the day, the pickup location and we’ll handle the rest. More here.
