Discover the Roaring Twenties: Top 9 Fun Facts About Speakeasies You Never Knew!

1. Hide-and-Seek Watering Holes

In a time when finding the perfect watering hole was like a live-action game of "Where's Waldo?", the Prohibition era had secret liquor-gathering treasure hunts down to a fascinating art: Speakeasies cleverly hid in plain sight, masquerading as seemingly innocent establishments such as barbershops, grocery stores, and soda fountains, requiring patrons to employ secret passwords or hand signals to access the forbidden libations inside.
Source => prohibition.themobmuseum.org

2. 21st Century Speakeasy Fun

In a world where secret handshakes are so passé and decoder rings have lost their charm, some clever watering holes have unlocked the secret to bringing a refreshing twist to tippling: Modern speakeasies maintain the thrilling tradition of Prohibition-era secrecy by requiring passwords, reservations, and dress codes while serving up classic cocktails in an intimate, hidden atmosphere, making each visit a delightful journey into the past with a touch of mystery.
Source => lifestyleasia.com

Discover the stylish secret behind the fashionable faux feathers that flappers flaunted in the 1920s, keeping our winged friends safe and sound while looking absolutely fabulous! 🐦💃✨

=> Fun Facts about The-1920s

3. Musical Gangster Matchmakers

As the unofficial watering holes of the Roaring Twenties, speakeasies were the ultimate melting pot, where gangsters played matchmaker between shady liquors and bluesy tunes: With these criminal cupid connections, the racially mixed crowds broke down cultural barriers, and black jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Earl "Fatha" Hines, and Ethel Waters rose to fame, shaping the future of American jazz.
Source => prohibition.themobmuseum.org

4. Saint Tuesday's vs Apotheke

Landing at Saint Tuesday's with a hankering for some giggle water is like striking gold, but at Apotheke, you'll need a reservation to break into the vault: While Saint Tuesday operates on a first-come, first-serve basis, securing entry into the mysterious world of Apotheke requires advance booking and a healthy dose of anticipation.
Source => thrillist.com

5. The Original "Blind Pig"

Before bacon-wrapped animals became a thing, it was all about the blind pigs: During the Prohibition era, "blind pig" was a term used to describe an establishment where customers paid to see a peculiar sight, such as a sightless or oddly decorated swine, only to be handed a glass of alcohol in return. A clever loophole to bypass the direct sale of spirits, "blind pig" became synonymous with "speakeasy," those secret watering holes with a password or secret phrase mandatory for entry during the years of national prohibition.
Source => kelleyhousemuseum.org

6. Olympic-Level Incognito Parties

If attending parties incognito were an Olympic sport, speakeasies would take home the gold with their clandestine party ninja skills: Many of these Prohibition-era establishments required secret codes or special knocks and even boasted multiple hidden entrances to give any pesky law enforcement officers the slip.
Source => legendsofamerica.com

7. Girl Power Prohibition Success

Ladies taking a swig and striking it rich during Prohibition – now that's girl power wetting our whistles! These flapper dames were more than mere barflies: During the Prohibition era, women significantly contributed to the production, distribution, and sale of illegal alcohol, many owning and operating their own speakeasies that were more inclusive than pre-Prohibition saloons, breaking gender stereotypes and creating new economic opportunities for themselves.
Source => daily.jstor.org

8. Knock-Knock Entry Codes

Knock, knock! Who's there? The roaring twenties, that's who: Speakeasies during the Prohibition era often required clandestine codes or covert raps for entry, making them deliciously hush-hush and thrillingly elusive to your garden-variety citizen.
Source => legendsofamerica.com

9. The 21 Club's Meat Skewer Hack

In a time when wine needed to be hidden from more than just overly ambitious dinner guests, one speakeasy had the meat of the matter quite literally skewered: The 21 Club in New York cleverly employed an 18-inch meat skewer to access their secret wine cellar located within a neighboring building, evading Prohibition-era raids and continuing to pour merriment for years unbeknownst to the government.
Source => gothamist.com