Franklin County – Virginia Is for Moonshine Lovers

A Most Unique Heritage

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

Blue Ridge Folklife Festival Held the Fourth Saturday of Every October. Participants can watch a historic still being operated, along with story telling. Image courtesy Blue Ridge Institute & Museum.

three craft beverage distilleries in Franklin County, along with two craft breweries and a winery. The locality now hosts an annual Franklin County Moonshine Heritage Month during the month of April. Emphasis is on the long and fascinating history and heritage to be shared with visitors. What can one expect during this month-long program? How about a themed art show, a Chug for the Jug 5K, prohibition-era car shows, a traveling exhibit from the state library, a reprise of the 2012 film Lawless, conversations with distillers, music concerts and jam sessions, a moonshine festival and more? A website has been developed for the month-long program: FCMoonshineHeritage.com. In addition to the April happenings, a framework has been established for maintaining a 13-year Franklin County Centennial of Prohibition with an emphasis on each April, but with happenings throughout the year. With two lakes, four rivers, and nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains, Franklin County has two towns that host unique eateries and retail and retail shops, as well as fantastic outdoor opportunities. Franklin County is a yearround destination!

By David Rotenizer