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What Was a Speakeasy? The Era of Secrecy

The Prohibition era brought about one of American history's most intriguing cultural phenomena: the speakeasy. These hidden bars weren’t just places to enjoy an illegal drink—they became symbols of rebellion, innovation, and the pursuit of freedom.


In this blog, we’ll dive into what speakeasies were, why they became so popular, and how their legacy continues to inspire today.


On January 17, 1920, when the 18th Amendment implemented the Volstead Act, outlawing the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the US. The government immediately dispatched 1,520 federal prohibition agents to enforce the prohibition in America, ensuring the law was adhered to and alcohol stayed out of the country. The US government wasn’t yet aware of the consequences the 18th Amendment would lead to—both positive and negative. Thousands of gallons of alcohol were poured down drains and into sewers, grape growers were out of business, breweries shut down, and thousands of US citizens were without jobs. Arrests for drunkenness and alcohol-related illnesses declined significantly. But the rule-breakers couldn’t sit still for long. The most significant consequence of the Prohibition era was the rise of speakeasies and the culture surrounding these secret establishments.


The term “speakeasy” came from “speak-softly shops,” illegal drinking enterprises in England and Ireland in the 19th century. The name was tied to the need for hush-hush; customers had to keep it under wraps, or “speak easy,” while nearby and inside the hidden premises. By the end of the century, the term had traveled to the United States—but it only gained widespread popularity in the roaring 1920s when alcohol was banned nationwide. After the Volstead Act, speakeasies began sprouting up all over the country. They could be found in basements, backrooms, or attics of businesses, behind secret doors in cafes, soda shops, or flower shops, and even through hidden entrances in the bathrooms of funeral homes. Speakeasies utilized doors disguised as bookcases, sliding walls, or telephone booths to stay hidden from the feds. Upon entrance, customers were required to provide a password, secret knock, or special handshake to gain passage into the illegal watering holes, adding to the excitement and anticipation of what was behind the door. After the password was accepted, individuals from all walks of life stepped into a haven where societal rules were thrown out the window, and the good times were never-ending.


What Was a Speakeasy Like? A Glimpse Into the Roaring 1920s


Let’s travel back to the 1920s, the era of speakeasies. Imagine you’ve caught the drift of a new speakeasy bar that’s opened up in your city. You take a trip to the location, perform the secret handshake at the door tucked inside a soda shop, and are allowed entry. When the hidden doorway drifts open, you’re met with sultry sounds of jazz and the lively chatter of a rebellious crowd. The air is filled with the scent of cigars and cocktails, and the dim, golden glow of the room reveals men in sharp suits and women in flapper dresses, dancing without shame as the band plays a swinging tune. You’ve officially stepped into the roaring heart of the 1920s nightlife—and you’d like to stay for a while.


The air of secrecy in speakeasies didn’t end with giving the required password for entry; it extended to the bar, where customers used code words to order alcoholic drinks from the bartender. “Coffee Varnish,” “Monkey Rum,” and “Tarantula Juice” were just a few terms you’d hear thrown around, cleverly defying Prohibition. The alcohol that made these drinks was supplied by bootleggers, who often diluted quality gin, whiskey, or other liquors with water to increase their profits. Others sold still-produced moonshine or industrial alcohol—such as wood alcohol or grain alcohol—or even poisonous chemicals like carbolic acid to speakeasy owners. The bad liquor, including “Smoke,” made from pure wood alcohol, was responsible for killing thousands of drinkers throughout the 1920s. Bartenders quickly adapted to the poorly distilled whiskey and “bathtub” gin, creating combinations of alcohol with Coca-Cola, sugar, lemon, mint, ginger ale, fruit juice, and other flavors. This innovation further popularized the mixed drink, or “cocktail,” during the speakeasy era. Cocktails also gained popularity among those who didn’t typically drink alcohol, thanks to their palatability and variety of flavors.


Safety precautions were set in stone for speakeasies, ensuring the feds wouldn’t find a trace of alcohol during a raid. Speakeasies implemented numerous secretive strategies and systems to hide liquor from the prohibition agents. For some, the band would play a specific song when the feds came, covertly informing the customers to vacate the premises and the bartenders to hide the alcohol. Liquor was hidden in secret cabinets, trap doors, or taken through emergency exits. For 21 Club in New York, a special button was pressed in the event of a raid, and alcohol bottles would slide down a shaft designed to break the glass. At the bottom was a pile of rocks to ensure the job was done. Evading the law became a way of life, and neither customers nor speakeasy owners seemed to mind. In fact, the thrill of outsmarting authorities only heightened the allure, turning every night into an adventure and every drink into a small act of rebellion.


How Speakeasies Dramatically Shifted Cultural Norms in the 1920s


The phrase “anything goes” rose to popularity in the 1920s, and for good reason. Inside speakeasies, the rules of societal constructs were left at the door. Every type of music was played, individuals could be as scandalous as they liked, and you could dance in ways you never had. The best part? No one would bat an eye. Everyone was welcome at these secret establishments: rich and poor, the high and the low, famous and unknown, and—something that was never seen before—men and women.


The 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote, followed shortly after the outlawing of alcohol and quickly provided women with a sense of empowerment they had been denied for centuries. Before the women’s suffrage movement, you’d only see men in bars and women as showgirls. But the passing of the 18th and 19th Amendments dramatically changed the social landscape, breaking down traditional gender roles. Seemingly overnight, women weren’t simply seen but fully participating in nightlife, from enjoying drinks to smoking cigarettes and engaging in political conversations, instigating a new social mixture that didn’t exist before. Everywhere you looked, people of all social standings were celebrating what felt like America’s “coming of age.”


Speakeasies didn’t just challenge gender stereotypes—they also broke down racial barriers. The 1920s coincided with the rise of jazz, and many Prohibition-era jazz players were African-Americans who performed for solely white audiences. In that day, jazz was a new type of music white people hadn’t heard before, blending African rhythms, blues, and improvisation into a vibrant, soulful sound that captivated audiences and challenged traditional musical norms. The exposure of Black culture to exclusively white audiences was groundbreaking, a cultural revolution. In most speakeasies, the Black jazz bandmembers wouldn’t interact with the white audience, only entering through the service door for entertainment and never the main bar area. However, some aspects of club culture promoted integration, leading to the emergence of “black and tan” clubs with multiracial crowds. This Prohibition-inspired phenomenon marked a revolutionary moment in U.S. history during an era when segregation was not only normalized but also entrenched in government policy.


The Rise & Fall of the 1920s Speakeasies


Throughout the roaring 20s, speakeasies thrived. Just a few years after the passing of the 18th Amendment, there were already over 32,000 speakeasies in New York City alone. By the decade's end, that number had soared to more than 100,000 in the bustling metropolis.


Texas Guinan became a household name in the speakeasy culture. You might say she was the Statue of Liberty for the Prohibition era. Originally an actress in silent films, Guinan realized the lucrative potential of a career as a speakeasy hostess. She was best known for her bold personality, quick wit, and her playful greeting to speakeasy patrons, “Hello, Sucker.” Whoever made it into Guinan’s club paid top dollar, and several personalities did just that. Mayoral candidates, European royals, Broadway celebrities, and icons like Babe Ruth, Charlie Chaplin, and Gloria Swanson made it a point to frequent Guinan’s speakeasy bars. At Texas’s speakeasies, even raids became a blazing spectacle. Music played, showgirls danced, and federal agents combed through patrons and searched for booze—all while the customers reveled in the chaotic show.


Unfortunately, as quickly as speakeasies rose to fame, they fell into decline. Nearing the end of the Prohibition era, The Great Depression hit America, and speakeasies didn’t escape the economic hardships. Many were forced to close their doors as patrons could no longer afford the indulgence, marking the decline of an era that had once thrived on excess and rebellion. Clubs lost their allure, and raids ceased to be entertaining as customers grappled with mounting stress nationwide. Alas, fortunes were made only to be lost in an instant; you could party hard, but it could all come crashing down around you. The blissful ignorance of good times couldn’t last forever. By 1933, the 18th Amendment was repealed, officially closing the chapter on speakeasies.


Experience the Allure of Speakeasy Culture at Turf Club’s Hidden Bar


Though speakeasies faded from America after the early 1930s, their legacy endured, sparking cultural revolutions and symbolizing the nation’s persistent pursuit of liberty. Countless individuals crave the nostalgia of times past and desire to feel the exhilaration and rebellious charm of an era defined by hidden doors, clandestine gatherings, and the thrill of defying convention. While the era of illegal alcohol has passed, Turf Club offers a glimpse into how something so secretive could have been irresistible enough to risk it all.


Established in the 1940s, when selling liquor by the drink over a bar was illegal unless, within a municipality, Turf Club became Twin Falls, Idaho’s very own speakeasy, catering to the region’s ranchers and farmers. The Turf Club’s hidden bar, Griff’s, pays homage to our history while celebrating the timeless allure of speakeasy culture—a tribute to an era defined by secrecy, rebellion, and the thrill of hidden indulgence. Step into Turf Club for a trip to the past and raise your glass to the spirit of freedom, resilience, and the enduring pursuit of life's simple pleasures. Of course, you’ll need the password to gain entrance.


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