Highland County Historical Society leading Women’s Temperance Crusade anniversary walking tour Dec. 24

Christmas Eve 2023 marks the 150th anniversary of the opening march of the Women’s Temperance Crusade. To mark this momentous anniversary, a free walking tour of the saloons and pharmacies that were targeted by the Crusade will be held Dec. 24 at 1 p.m., starting at the Highland House Museum.

The approximately one-mile walk through the main streets of Hillsboro is completely wheelchair accessible, but since this is Hillsboro, the path will be hilly. If the weather does not cooperate, the tour will be replaced with a discussion of the Crusade in the Highland House.

If you cannot attend the tour, a booklet that lays out the sites in an easy-to-follow manner can be purchased at the museum gift shop. Items commemorating the Crusade are available for purchase at the Highland House gift shop, including ornaments, shot glasses and a book explaining the entire history of the Hillsboro Crusade.

In 1873, 70 of Hillsboro’s most prominent women marched on the liquor-sellers of the town and demanded they stop selling alcohol. This event made national news and inspired thousands of women in hundreds of towns to launch their own Crusades. Within weeks, the movement swept across 31 states (out of a then-total of 37) and closed thousands of saloons.

The Crusade died down after about six months, but the spirit of the movement continued with the formation of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). This organization became heavily involved in politics and spearheaded the charge for national Prohibition, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 1920.