Prohibition officially ends in Ohio, Dec. 23, 1933

On Dec 19, 2021

Columbus Evening Dispatch front page from Dec. 23, 1933, which reported the end of Prohibition in Ohio.

Editor’s note: Each Sunday, The Dispatch features a front page from this week in history to celebrate the newspaper’s 150 years of publication, with a little update on what’s happened since.

Gov. George White gave Ohioans, at least those of legal drinking age, an early Christmas present on Dec. 23, 1933.

White signed the Lawrence-Mosier Liquor Control Act, officially ending Prohibition in Ohio, just in time for the holidays.

Technically, Prohibition ended on Dec. 5, 1933, when Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. That repealed the 18th Amendment, which started the national anti-liquor movement when it was ratified in 1919 and took effect the following year.

Ohio had ratified the 21st Amendment earlier that same day as Utah (and Pennsylvania), but legislation was needed to restart the distribution of beer, wine and liquor — and state lawmakers wasted no time on that.

Some states, however, maintained prohibition on their books. Mississippi ended its run as the last “dry” state in 1966.

In Westerville, however, old habits die hard.

The home to the Anti-Saloon League since 1909, Westerville played an important role in the movement that resulted in the national prohibition in the first place. After the 18th Amendment was repealed, there was a period of a few months when residents could buy an adult beverage. But the town voted itself dry again, and stayed that way for more than 72 years.