100 years ago, Colorado Went Dry — And Helped Lead The Way To National Prohibition

Scan #10030027, History Colorado.

On December 31, 1915, the streets of Denver were quiet. It was the last night of legal alcohol.

Denver Post reporters at the time wrote they were expecting "scenes of rampant debauchery," But the event passed with little fanfare, Except for two men, each named by competing newspapers, as being the first drunks arrested the following morning.

Scan #10038298, History Colorado

This year marked the 100th anniversary of Colorado's vote for prohibition, four years before the rest of the country went dry with ratification of the 18th amendment.

Jason Hanson is the director of interpretation and research at History Colorado, he spoke with CPR's Nathan Heffel.