CHAMBERSBURG — The Old Jail in downtown Chambersburg—headquarters of the Franklin County Historical Society—will host “Prohibition at the Old Jail” an evening of roaring twenties themed fun, to benefit the society, December 7, 2024. Tickets include two drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres catered by Summer Creek Catering. Guests are encouraged to dress the part in zoot suits and flapper dresses or cocktail attire.
The event will see guests step 100-years back in time, to the period following the ratification of the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution. Ratified in 1919, the 18th Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale, transportation, and importation of intoxicating liquors. It was repealed in 1933 — ending the period known as Prohibition.
During the Prohibition period, parties were hidden behind closed doors, speakeasys (drinking establishments) required a password, and tea-cups were the drinking glass of choice (hiding the illegal contents). The Old Jail (which served as the Franklin County jail from 1818 until 1970), housed many individuals incarcerated for Prohibition related crimes. Newspapers, court records, and Old Jail records, indicate the sale and possession of intoxicating liquor as two of the most common Prohibition related crimes, resulting in steep fines and months-long jail sentences.
Will the ghosts of bootleggers past join the event? The dungeon will be open for guests to find out with self-guided ghost hunts! Other activities will include mobster mug shots, escape-a-cell, and a 1920s museum exhibit. Guests will receive the speakeasy password when they enter the Old Jail on the evening of the event. Just don’t get caught with intoxicating liquor by one of the “drys” (liquor law enforcement) or you may end up behind bars for a 5 minute jail sentence!
The public may purchase tickets at franklinhistorical.org or by calling 717-264-1667. Proceeds from the event will support the Franklin County Historical Society-Kittochtinny, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and the properties it owns and maintains, including the Old Jail.
