The Free State of Galveston: While America fell into depression, Galveston poured another round.
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The Free State of Galveston: While America fell into depression, Galveston poured another round.
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About this listen
Two Sicilian barbers built an empire of vice, transforming Galveston into the "Free State" where prohibition laws and moral restrictions held no power for decades.
• Texas and national prohibition in the 1920s created a black market for liquor, gambling and prostitution
• Galveston's position on the Gulf of Mexico made it ideal for smuggling and vice operations
• Sicilian immigrants Rose and Sam Maceo rose from barbers to powerful underworld figures
• The Hollywood Dinner Club (1926) and Balinese Room (1942) became world-renowned entertainment venues
• The Maceos maintained order, invested in the community, and kept Galveston economically thriving during the Depression
• The Texas Rangers finally ended the era in 1957 with a brilliant strategy—simply sitting in establishments every night for 2.5 years
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