An exhibit about Prohibition is an opportunity to look at an important national story as experienced through the lives of New Yorkers, both rural and urban.  The thirteen-year “noble experiment” was rooted in more than a century of activism by temperance advocates who sought to first limit alcohol consumption and then to ban it entirely. From New York City in the west to the coastal villages on the North and South Forks, Prohibition affected nearly everyone living on Long Island during this time.  During these “dry” years, Long Island and its adjacent waters were integral to New York City’s drinking culture.  Large breweries in Brooklyn switched to making “near beer;” enterprising residents tried making their own beer, wine, and liquor; while others smuggled in foreign alcohol through Long Island’s waterways and harbors.  From cocktails to crime, the era has left an indelible impression on American culture.