WHEN WHISKEY RULED THE WEST

FROM LEWIS AND CLARK UNTIL PROHIBITION, THE GOLDEN ELIXIR WAS AS GOOD AS GOLD.

- SHERRY MONAHAN

Whiskey, bourbon and rye were readily available for sale along with the women in the hundreds of legal bordellos in America, including in New Orleans’ infamous Storyville red-light district where the unnamed “Raleigh Rye Girl” was photographed circa 1912.

Whiskey’s role in shaping the West, and its rise to prominence over rum or vodka, has its roots in the early days of the United States. Its story began with early colonists who learned to distill spirits from their new agricultural bounty of corn, wheat, barley, and rye. That continued with our founding fathers, which led to the Whiskey Rebellion. Whiskey also has strong ties to early explorers, mountain men, pioneers, the railroads, and more. It was sold as medicine, used to barter with, and fueled the temperance movement. Because whiskey’s main ingredients were easily grown all over North America, the art of distilling spread as rapidly as settlers into newly settled regions. Whiskey was quick and easy to produce, and distilling grains into alcohol made them more valuable, more transportable and more easily stored for long periods. The popularity of whiskey grew, and as whiskey’s popularity increased, so did its value as a trade good.

Whiskey on the Frontier