Cost and Registration Information

Early Registration Price (by February 10): $120
Regular Price (after February 10): $162

This seminar is full. Please call (312) 255-3700 to be added to the wait list.

Seminar Description

In this course, we will explore Chicago saloons before 1920, when Prohibition wiped out traditional public drinking practices. We'll read contemporary and historical accounts of Chicago's late 19th and early twentieth Century saloons, from ethnic neighborhood joints to opulent downtown hotel bars, to examine how Prohibition came to pass. Optional post-class field trips to contemporary establishments which exemplify our historical sources will follow each class. Four sessions.

Bill Savage teaches Chicago literature, history, and culture at Northwestern University. He has led Newberry Seminars since 1992, and also worked as a bartender for over 30 years.

Materials List

Required:

• Chicago by Day and Night: The Pleasure Seeker’s Guide to the Paris of America (ed's. Durica and Savage). ISBN-13: 978-0810129092
• Ade, George. The Old-Time Saloon: Not Wet, Not Dry—Just History. Annotated and Introduced by Bill Savage. ISBN-13: 978-0226412306

First Readings:

• None

This class is part of the Newberry’s Adult Education Seminars Program. Learn more about our registration procedures.