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Detroit's prohibition past: How the city kept the drinks flowing during the 'war on alcohol'
By Jeffrey Lindblom at WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC Detroit) - News
· June 29, 2026
· 3 min read
Detroit sat at the center of the nation's battle over booze in the 1920s, with smugglers, speakeasies and the Purple Gang all playing a role in keeping alcohol flowing despite the law. Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report: How Detroit kept drinks flowing during prohibitionMichigan was ahead of t...
Key takeaway "That act became the blueprint for the 18th Amendment," said Billy Wall-Winkel, a field curator with the Detroit Historical Society.
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Original reporting by WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC Detroit) - News . The Detroit surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: local ·
Published: June 29, 2026 ·
Source: WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC Detroit) - News ·
Reading time: 3 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Detroit sat at the center of the nation's battle over booze in the 1920s, with smugglers, speakeasies and the Purple Gang all playing a role in keeping alcohol flowing despite the law. Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report: How Detroit kept drinks flowing during prohibitionMichigan was ahead of t...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 29, 2026 by WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC Detroit) - News and curated for The Detroit readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Jeffrey Lindblom at WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC Detroit) - News. To learn more about how The Detroit selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Detroit, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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