Drinks, Drugs & Debauchery: A History of Seattle's Prohibition Era with Brad Holden

Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum invites you to travel back in time with local historian Brad Holden as he tells the spectacular story of Seattle in the time of Prohibition. Have no fear, this trip into the era of strict liquor laws will be followed by appetizers and a beer and wine reception .

Told through three books, the series kicks off with Seattle Prohibition: Bootleggers, Rumrunners and Graft in the Queen City. Prohibition consumed Seattle, igniting a war that lasted nearly twenty years and played out in the streets, waterways and even town hall. Roy Olmstead, formerly a Seattle police officer, became the King of the Seattle Bootleggers, and Johnny Schnarr, running liquor down from Canada, revolutionized the speedboat industry. Frank Gatt, a south Seattle restaurateur, started the state's biggest moonshining operation. Skirting around the law, the Coast Guard and the zealous assistant director of the Seattle Prohibition Bureau, William Whitney, was no simple feat, but many rose to the challenge. 

Brad Holden is an author, historian and finder of old things. When not searching for local historical artifacts, he enjoys writing about Seattle's past. His work has appeared in Pacific Northwest Magazine, and he is a contributor for historylink.org. Holden has been profiled in Seattle Magazine, Seattle Refined and various newspapers. His previous book, Seattle Prohibition: Bootleggers, Rumrunners & Graft in the Queen City, was released to much critical acclaim in 2019. He lives in Edmonds, Washington.