Virginia Mountains Region
A Most Unique Heritage 1920. It was a year not remembered like attention was brought to the county when most. It was one of those rare defining a federal investigation indicted 34 people, moments in American history. One of many which included 19 moonshiners, one milestones of 1920 was the enactment of corporation and nine local government the 18th Amendment to the U.S. officials – 31 were convicted. Constitution. So began the At the time, it had become Prohibition Era which lasted Virginia’s longest-running thirteen years, along with a trial. It is now known as the decade known as the Roaring Conspiracy Trial of 1935. Twenties. Fast forward one hundred years to 2020. This trial is but a small tip the iceberg to a legacy which Wherever you are in the has become a unique cultural United States, every community heritage tradition. While federal has its own story and collective lore from prohibition may have ended in 1933, the that era. One notable locality which comes tradition of illicit moonshine production to mind in association with the Prohibition has continued up to near the present Era is Franklin County, Virginia. The day. In 2016, the first legal producers of county has long maintained the moniker distilled beverages since before prohibition Moonshine Capitol of the World. National launched their craft. Today there are
Young Men Hauling Hogsheads of Pumice (mash) to a Distillery near Endicott, VA, on a Mule-drawn Wagon circa 1904.
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