On Sept. 13, Emma Sundberg will discuss the history of Omaha brewing and the impact of Prohibition on the Nebraska brewing culture. The presentation will provide a sneak preview of the new exhibition, “Homebrew: A Spirited History of Omaha,” which opens at The Durham Museum in October. The presentation will be at noon in the Sorrell Center, Room 2010.
The exhibit explores the sometimes-fraught relationship Nebraskans had with alcohol before and after Prohibition. Omaha in particular liked its liquor and maintained a largely ‘wet’ demographic which resulted in the rise of local ‘boss’ Tom Dennison and mythic stories of underground bootlegging tunnels that crisscrossed the city.
Sundberg, the curator of collections at The Durham Museum, also will explain the development of this show that compliments a larger national traveling exhibition titled “American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition,” created by The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.