Carriage Barn in Ridgefield Opens as 1920s Speakeasy Thursday Only!

An announcement from the Ridgefield Library:

132 Main Street, Ridgefield

Thursday, October 2, 7 - 9 PM

CASH BAR

With passage in early 1919 of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, Prohibition came early in 1920, barring the making, moving, storage and sale of liquor across America-including Ridgefield, where renowned architect Cass Gilbert owned the Cannonball House, now Keeler Tavern Museum.

Records at the New-York Historical Society show that Cass Gilbert, who with his wife Julia Finch Gilbert often entertained large numbers of distinguished guests in their Garden House, was prepared for the dry spell. Mr. Gilbert purchased nearly 600 bottles of spirits of various kinds in February 1919, just after the Amendment’s ratification but well before its restrictions took effect in January 1920.

The Museum’s Speakeasy acknowledges Mr. Gilbert’s law-abiding but obviously reluctant observance of Prohibition with this event. While there is no fee for admission, a password and photo ID will be required to gain access to the Roaring Twenties-decorated building and its cash bar. The password is the name of the rum listed as the last item on Mr. Gilbert’s receipt (see photo above).

The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

The photograph (excerpt from Cass Gilbert’s receipt for a large supply of liquor that the architect purchased) is courtesy of New-York Historical Society.

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