Drying Out Texas - Introducing Prohibition to Texas

Beginning of a movement:

"Dry" reformers began attempting to sober up Texans in the late 1830s. Beginning with the temperance movement, supporters of temperance called upon individuals to limit or abstain from drinking alcohol to save society and the American family. Unsatisfied with minor victories, extreme supporters split from the temperance movement and called upon the Texas government to ilegalize all alcohol and saloons statewide. These Prohibtionists succeeded very little until after the Civil War. At this time, Prohibitionists amended their plans and campaigned for Texans to vote "dry" in local option elections, which would outlaw alcohol in specific counties. Under this less extreme strategy, Prohibitionists slowly succeeded in making counties "dry" and became a considerable threat to breweries, liquor producers, and saloons. 

Responding to the prohibition issue: 

As the prohibition issue gained attention and support in the late 1870s, breweries needed to acknowledge the prohibition issue and gain the public's support in order to remain in business. Eight larger, better-funded breweries made business decisions in response to this growing social and political threat and managed to survive until the passing of the Eighteenth Amendment in 1919. The breweries that survived the "dry" years of prohibition laid the foundation for the Texas brewing industry 100 years later.