Neal Dow and the 1855 Portland Rum Riot: Prohibition's Deadly Legacy in Maine

On June 2, 1855, a crowd estimated between 1,500 and 2,500 assembled outside Portland City Hall in Maine to protest Mayor Neal Dow, known as the architect of U.S. Prohibition law. The mayor had breached his own liquor regulations by ordering alcohol without a legally designated municipal liquor agent. As the mob hurled rocks and bricks, the militia arrived to enforce order. Although the militia captain hesitated, Dow commanded them to fire when the crowd stormed City Hall. Police subsequently opened fire, resulting in the death of sailor John Robbins, the first to enter the liquor room, and injuring others. Dow faced trial but was acquitted. The Maine legislature repealed the 1855 enhancement of the Maine Law the following year, enacting a licensing system that made alcohol more accessible. Prohibition in Maine lasted until its repeal by the Constitution in 1934, though enforcement waned after 1856. Dow continued to advocate for temperance until his death at 93. The riot was driven by Nativist attitudes and economic disparity, as Prohibition disproportionately affected immigrants and the working class, with anti-immigrant groups often collaborating with alcohol reformers.