One hundred years ago today, Americans prepared to ring in the year 1921 in an entirely new way — without legal liquor. This changed the dynamics of New Year's Eve in New York forever. But it did not actually stop people from drinking (1/5) https://bit.ly/383DHnn  #NewYear

The last hours of 1920 saw the birth of an entirely different party — where the added element of secrecy and lawbreaking added a new, wilder dimension for many. The abundance of speakeasies and bars flouting the law kept Midtown active. (2/5) https://bit.ly/383DHnn  #NewYear

But Prohibition helped expedite the demise of older #NYE traditions in less active districts with fewer speakeasies. Trinity Church (pic from previous years) was a common place to ring in #NewYear, but in 1920 "the police were there and lonesome.” (3/5) https://bit.ly/383DHnn 

Times Square still thrived although most stayed inside near secret stashes of booze until final moments. “The big crowd was divided into two classes, the vast majority who were cold sober and a small minority who were hopelessly to the contrary.”(4/5) https://bit.ly/383DHnn 

“The joy of being illegal became more intense than ever before.” The act of ringing in the year 1921 easily proved that Prohibition was completely unenforceable in the biggest city in the United States. Read more on the website: (5/5) https://bit.ly/383DHnn  #NewYear