By all appearances, there was no bathtub gin at this Forest Park speakeasy at Scratch Public House. It was all the bee’s knees as flappers and gents from across the village turned out to support the Historical Society at its fundraiser Friday.
The Ragtime Roustabouts, Dave Eernsthausen on Tuba, trumpeter Peter Bartels and guitarist David Gulyas play at the Forest Park Historical Society Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor 
Forest Park Historical Society Secretary Carol Gulyas and President Mark Boroughf at the Historical Society Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor 
Allison Holtman and April Baker at the Forest Park Historical Society Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor 
Forest Park Historical Society President Mark Boroughf with board member Joel Albright addresses the crowd at the society’s Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor 
Cara Carriveau, Dave Murphy, Stacy Alexander and April Baker at the Forest Park Historical Society Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor 
Maggie and Dave Hooper, April Baker, and Allison and Jeff Holtman at the Forest Park Historical Society Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor 
Stacy Alexander and Dave Murphy at the Forest Park Historical Society Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor 
Monique Cotton and April Baker at the Forest Park Historical Society Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor 
Cara Carriveau and Kimberly Adami Hasegawa at the Forest Park Historical Society Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor 
Linda Gonzalez and Michelle Woehrle at the Forest Park Historical Society Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor 
Cathy Lange and Uli Leib at the Forest Park Historical Society Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor 
Dave Hooper, Jeff Holtman, and Kimberly Adami-Hasegawa at the Forest Park Historical Society Speakeasy Party at Scratch Public House on Friday January 19, 2024 | Todd Bannor
According to the Historical Society, Forest Park had 42 saloons when the 18th Amendment was passed to prohibit “intoxicating liquors” in the United States. The National Prohibition Act prohibited the “manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors” anywhere in the country Nearly 30 Forest Park saloons closed their doors or went into another line of business after the passage of the law a century ago. On Jan. 20, 1920, the Volstead Act was passed to provide federal enforcement of the law.
Forest Park, Berwyn and Cicero, were “wet” towns, but neighboring Oak Park, River Forest, Maywood and Riverside were all “dry.” The loss to the village was steep.
Fun fact: In 1908, the Oak Leaves newspaper reported troubles with Oak Park “roomers” loitering in their business districts. Police would tell the young fellows to “move on,” and they would – by crossing the “line” into Forest Park’s saloons. The men were met with “doors wide open.”
Booze now runs freely in Forest Park.
And doors are still wide open.