Lecture: Low Bush Lightning: Illegal Liquor in the Everglades

While prohibition may have fanned the flames of the illegal liquor trade in the Everglades, making moonshine has always been a part of the gladesman culture. For many living off the land in the 10,000 Islands, distilling spirits wasn’t just a way to augment their income, it was a way of life. Others found a lucrative market for shipments of rum smuggled in from the Bahamas. Museum Manager Thomas Lockyear will discuss the region’s rum runners and moonshiners, and the efforts of the fledgling Sheriff’s office to curb the lawlessness of Florida’s last frontier and keep Collier County dry.