Rum row
Encyclopedia
A rum row was a Prohibition-era
term (1920-1933) referring to a line of ships loaded with liquor anchored beyond the maritime limit of the United States
. (The maritime limit was 3 miles prior to April 21, 1924, and 12 miles thereafter.) These lines became established near major U.S. ports so that rum runners
could load cargoes of alcoholic beverage
s from these freight ships and sneak them into port. This lucrative but dangerous business was often punctuated by murder, hijackings
and other violent crimes. The cities were often in Florida
at first and the product was rum
from the Caribbean
. However, as the importation of whiskey from Canada
increased, rum rows became established in locations along all the coastlines of the U.S. Notable rum-row locations included the New Jersey
coast (by far the largest), San Francisco
, Virginia
, Galveston
, and New Orleans
.
Twenty American navy destroyers were turned over to the Coast Guard
to fight rum runners.
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
term (1920-1933) referring to a line of ships loaded with liquor anchored beyond the maritime limit of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. (The maritime limit was 3 miles prior to April 21, 1924, and 12 miles thereafter.) These lines became established near major U.S. ports so that rum runners
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
could load cargoes of alcoholic beverage
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
s from these freight ships and sneak them into port. This lucrative but dangerous business was often punctuated by murder, hijackings
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
and other violent crimes. The cities were often in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
at first and the product was rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
from the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. However, as the importation of whiskey from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
increased, rum rows became established in locations along all the coastlines of the U.S. Notable rum-row locations included the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
coast (by far the largest), San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, and New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
Twenty American navy destroyers were turned over to the Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
to fight rum runners.