Prohibition was a unique period of time in American history.   Perhaps nowhere in New York City was this more demonstrated than in the pre-dominantly Irish neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen. A journalist once asked a Hell’s Kitchen resident how many speakeasies are there in Hell’s Kitchen.  She replied “There’s more speakeasies than children and there are very easily 200 children per block.”   

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Having the benefit of being next to the Hudson River, many of the early successful bootleggers in New York City were Hell’s Kitchen residents at some point in their lives either in their formative years or as adults.  They would utilize the coming and goings of ships on the Hudson River, called rum runners, to receive illicit alcohol.  We will learn about who many of these early bootleggers were, their schemes and the organization they belonged to dedicated to trafficking in the shipped alcohol.   

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We will also learn of the rebels amongst these scofflaws.  Those independent-minded gangsters who often didn’t play by underworld’s rules and the consequences of their actions.  Further, we will see how Prohibition ended and how the gangsters ended—either their lives or their careers as bootleggers.   

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In addition, we will learn about some more historical facts of the neighborhood including Death Avenue, Doctor’s Row, the old Paddy’s Market and more.  And, of course, you will learn why Hell’s Kitchen is called Hell’s Kitchen.  All this and more on this "pub less" pub crawl through Hell’s Kitchen.  

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