By: Christopher Klein

See All The Crafty Ways Americans Hid Alcohol During Prohibition

During the 13 dry years of Prohibition, sneaky Americans went to great lengths to conceal their alcohol consumption from law enforcement.

Christopher Klein

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Published: January 16, 2019Last Updated: June 30, 2025

Prohibition went into effect on January 17, 1920, officially banning the “manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors” for beverage purposes in America. No law, however, could suddenly transform the United States into a country of teetotalers.

During Prohibition, city 'speakeasies' thrived. Patrons whispered passwords for entry to these secret bars, like this 1930s spot.

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This image shows law enforcement agents dismantling the bar inside a speakeasy that had been raided in Camden, New Jersey

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To evade Prohibition agents, moonshiners wore 'cow shoes' with hoof-shaped soles so tracks looked bovine. Police seized this pair.

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During Prohibition, drinkers hid alcohol creatively—like this woman showing a fake book designed to conceal a liquor flask.

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As this 1932 photograph shows, home furnishings such as lamps were also adapted into hiding spots for alcohol bottles.

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In this 1928 photo, a woman’s plain overcoat hides two large alcohol tins strapped to her thighs—clever Prohibition-era smuggling.

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In 1922, a woman at a Washington, D.C., soda fountain poured liquor from her cane—an example of stylish ingenuity during Prohibition.

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Before Prohibition enforcement moved to the Justice Department, US Treasury agents found 191 pint bottles hidden under a sailor’s mattress in Norfolk.

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In 1926 Los Angeles, agents found 70 cases of Scotch hidden in a lumber truck—one of many clever bootlegging schemes nationwide.

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In 1930, police raided Eugene Shine’s Long Beach, California, home, uncovering $20,000 in liquor—evidence of large-scale bootlegging.

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Prohibition only drove the alcohol industry underground, and Americans kept right on imbibing during the 13 years that Prohibition was the law of the land. Enterprising moonshiners produced millions of gallons of illegal hooch, organized crime flourished as it moved into bootlegging operations and tens of thousands of speakeasies popped up across the country.

Law enforcement found no shortage of work raiding speakeasies and bootlegging operations. However, police and federal agents could do little more than slow the flow of alcohol. Below, photographs from the 1920s and 1930s show some of the ingenious steps that American drinkers took to elude the authorities, from alcohol hidden inside hollow walking canes to liquor flasks disguised as books.

About the author

Christopher Klein

Christopher Klein is the author of four books, including When the Irish Invaded Canada: The Incredible True Story of the Civil War Veterans Who Fought for Ireland’s Freedom and Strong Boy: The Life and Times of John L. Sullivan. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Boston Globe, The New York Times, and National Geographic Traveler. Follow Chris at @historyauthor.

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