Beer in the United States
On January 16, 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was enacted into law, creating the Prohibition era, wherein the production, sale and transportation of alcoholic beverages was made illegal. All legal American brewing came to a halt when prohibition was imposed, though the earlier temperance movement had already reduced the number of breweries significantly. Only a few breweries, mainly the largest, were able to stay in business by manufacturing near beer, malt syrup, or other non-alcohol grain products, in addition to soft drinks such as colas and root beers. Production and shipping of alcohol was largely confined to illegal operations that could deliver compact distilled beverages—smuggled rum and domestic moonshine—more efficiently and reliably than bulkier products such as beer.
Rouses Point–Lacolle 223 Border Crossing
During the era of Prohibition in the United States, this was a very popular border crossing. U.S. Route 11, which connects this crossing, was among only a few paved roads at that time, and the US Customs office was not located at the border as it is today. Travelers were expected to drive into the village of Rouses Point to report for inspection and make declarations. Those involved in smuggling rarely would report, so the United States Customs Service moved to construct a border station. By the time construction was completed on the border station (which is still in use today), prohibition had been repealed.