In August 1906, the Follansbee city council held an election to decide whether or not alcoholic beverages should be sold in town.  The wets won 88 to 47 over the prohibition minority.  But the drys declared they’d keep the “Devil’s Brew” out of Follansbee.

On the state level, the Anti-Saloon League had gained devoted followers and won votes in many of West Virginia’s counties.   By 1913, enough money poured into the state to gain statewide prohibition.  The Anti-Saloon League had the support of community churches that had the influence to help elect temperance members to the legislature.

West Virginia prohibition legislation was passed with the directive to public officials to enforce the laws.

Saloons were quickly remodeled into storerooms and restaurants in Brooke County.  Not a liquor sign or advertisement could be seen in Follansbee or Wellsburg.  Establishments serving malt, vinous or spirituous liquors, wine, porter, ale, beer or any other intoxicating drink containing one-half of 1 percent of alcohol by volume were deemed to be liquor.

In Follansbee, two important city personalities who supported National Prohibition were William Banfield, manager of the Follansbee Tin Mill, and H.B Mahan.

Despite the social ills it produced, the saloon did serve the social needs of the working class, especially the first-generation immigrants in Follansbee.  Their cultural traditions were strongly committed to moderate drinking of beer and wine.  They viewed prohibition as repressive.  The new age of Prohibition quickly became characterized by poker joints, speakeasies, booze smuggling in private autos, and State prohibition raids.   See Timeline, July 26, 1920 – Prohibition Officers Raid Follansbee.

• Mill Towns Review, “West Virginia Ninth Dry State Under drastic Law,” July 3, 1914, front page.
• Mill Towns Review, “Wm. Banfield Speaks to Christian Workers League,” December 26, 1913. p. 4.