Highland County historical society set for PBS 'Prohibition' documentary
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Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
A PBS documentary chronicling the rise and fall of prohibition will begin airing Sunday, Oct. 2, with the a pivotal point in Hillsboro history setting the stage for the national movement.
"Prohibition," a three-part series by Oscar-winning documentarian Ken Burns sought out the Highland County Historical Society during its research.
"Ohio is ground zero for a lot of these activities," Burns told The Columbus Dispatch this week. "From there, the (temperance) movement spreads like wildfire."
Highland County historian and historical society board member Jean Wallis said researchers for the project contacted her seeking photos of Eliza Jane Thompson and the ladies who followed her spreading the virtues of the temperance movement.
Known as "Mother Thompson," the ladies took to the streets of Hillsboro in 1873, singing and praying for men to stop drinking, and shop owners to stop selling alcohol.
"We have glass negatives that were taken during the time of the
temperance crusades in 1873," Wallis told The Highland County Press. "They were interested in using those old pictures."
Prohibition began in the United States in 1919 with the ratification of the 18th Amendment which banned the manufacture, sale or transportation of
intoxicating liquors, and the temperance movement is considered a precursor to prohibition. The 18th Amendment was repealed in 1933.
The documentary is based in part on the book, "Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition," by Daniel Okrent.
"A man who does research for Burns contacted us, so I sent him copies of them," Wallis said.
Ultimately with the assistance of the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal assisted in sending the production high-quality images from the glass negatives, she said.
"I don't know which ones they're going to use, but we sent around 15," Wallis said.
"They also wanted to show what Hillsboro looked like at that time, so we sent a picture of the courthouse and West Main Street, and different parts of the city. We sent pictures of the women praying in front of a saloon in what is now the (former) Masonic Temple Building (located at the corner of Beech Street and High Street), and the William Henry Harrison Dunn building where (the old) Fifth Third Bank building is," Wallis said.
The Highland County Historical Society has commemorated the temperance crusades for the past two years with re-enactments.
"The ladies built a tabernacle out in the street and it took a court
order from Columbus to get them to take it down," Wallis said. "Dunn sued, but he only ended up getting $5 out of it."
Wallis said that Dunn had a drugstore and he sold items like paint, prescriptions and "carried whiskey for medicinal purposes. But they used it for otherwise."
During a court hearing in Highland County¹s historical courthouse, Wallis said that there were a few funny moments during the often serious and impassioned temperance era.
"They were in the courthouse that we still have now, and Dunn had hired a lawyer who was near-sighted," Wallis said.
"He had a habit of taking off his glasses and laying them down on the table in front of him. At that time, they allowed dogs to be in the courtroom, and a pet that belonged to Eliza Jane Thompson was brought to the court.
"The attorney laid his glasses down and the dog went over and picked them up and away he went with them, and when the attorney reached for them they weren¹t there. Margaret Foraker whose son was Joseph B. Foraker, who later went on to be governor of Ohio - leaned over and said, 'Eliza Jane, I'm afraid I prayed a mite too hard this morning!"
Wallis said that there is no doubt that Hillsboro and its residents played an important role in the temperance movement, and she¹s excited to see the finished documentary.
"The foundation for prohibition was laid in Hillsboro," Wallis said. "I think it played an important part, and it certainly needed to be done. I think it was a good thing, although prohibition was such a lawless era that it ushered in."
A PBS documentary chronicling the rise and fall of prohibition will begin airing Sunday, Oct. 2, with a pivotal point in Hillsboro history setting the stage for the national movement.
"Prohibition," a three-part series by Oscar-winning documentarian Ken Burns sought out the Highland County Historical Society during its research.
"Ohio is ground zero for a lot of these activities," Burns told The Columbus Dispatch this week. "From there, the (temperance) movement spreads like wildfire."
Highland County historian and historical society board member Jean Wallis said researchers for the project contacted her seeking photos of Eliza Jane Thompson and the ladies who followed her spreading the virtues of the temperance movement.
Known as "Mother Thompson," the ladies took to the streets of Hillsboro in 1873, singing and praying for men to stop drinking, and shop owners to stop selling alcohol.
"We have glass negatives that were taken during the time of the
temperance crusades in 1873," Wallis told The Highland County Press. "They were interested in using those old pictures."
Prohibition began in the United States in 1919 with the ratification of the 18th Amendment which banned the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors, and the temperance movement is considered a precursor to prohibition. The 18th Amendment was repealed in 1933.
The documentary is based in part on the book, "Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition," by Daniel Okrent.
"A man who does research for Burns contacted us, so I sent him copies of them," Wallis said.
Ultimately with the assistance of the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal assisted in sending the production high-quality images from the glass negatives, she said.
"I don't know which ones they're going to use, but we sent around 15," Wallis said.
"They also wanted to show what Hillsboro looked like at that time, so we sent a picture of the courthouse and West Main Street, and different parts of the city. We sent pictures of the women praying in front of a saloon in what is now the (former) Masonic Temple Building (located at the corner of Beech Street and High Street), and the William Henry Harrison Dunn building where (the old) Fifth Third Bank building is," Wallis said.
The Highland County Historical Society has commemorated the temperance crusades for the past two years with re-enactments.
"The ladies built a tabernacle out in the street and it took a court
order from Columbus to get them to take it down," Wallis said. "Dunn sued, but he only ended up getting $5 out of it."
Wallis said that Dunn had a drugstore and he sold items like paint, prescriptions and "carried whiskey for medicinal purposes. But they used it for otherwise."
During a court hearing in Highland County¹s historical courthouse, Wallis said that there were a few funny moments during the often serious and impassioned temperance era.
"They were in the courthouse that we still have now, and Dunn had hired a lawyer who was near-sighted," Wallis said.
"He had a habit of taking off his glasses and laying them down on the table in front of him. At that time, they allowed dogs to be in the courtroom, and a pet that belonged to Eliza Jane Thompson was brought to the court.
"The attorney laid his glasses down and the dog went over and picked them up and away he went with them, and when the attorney reached for them they weren¹t there. Margaret Foraker whose son was Joseph B. Foraker, who later went on to be governor of Ohio - leaned over and said, 'Eliza Jane, I'm afraid I prayed a mite too hard this morning!"
Wallis said that there is no doubt that Hillsboro and its residents played an important role in the temperance movement, and she¹s excited to see the finished documentary.
"The foundation for prohibition was laid in Hillsboro," Wallis said. "I think it played an important part, and it certainly needed to be done. I think it was a good thing, although prohibition was such a lawless era that it ushered in."
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