Speaker series, 2023 – Lori Wysong, Prohibition in Jefferson County

Prohibition in Jefferson County is the subject of Historic Shepherdstown Commission’s June Speaker Series event, scheduled for Wednesday, June 21, at 7 p.m., at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education on the campus of Shepherd University. The talk will be given by Lori Wysong, the director of the Jefferson County Museum in Charles Town.

Prohibition in Jefferson County officially lasted barely two decades, but its roots go much further into history and its legacies still impact us today. It brought forward social, economic, and legal issues particular to the region and others that reflected national dilemmas. This presentation will focus on histories of local bootlegging, temperance, and more, as well as on the creation of a new exhibit about Prohibition at the Jefferson County Museum.

Wysong is originally from Maryland and holds an MA in History with a concentration in Public History from Villanova University. In the past, she has worked at museums and historic sites in West Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Pennsylvania. She is a local historian and author of the book Historic Washington, DC: A Tour of the District’s Top 50 National Landmarks.