2019 Holiday cheer, Courthouse benefit from Christmas on Vinegar Hill

Christmas on Vinegar Hill offered a day of shopping and eating and fellowship - slideshow

Lots of history at the center of Christmas on Vinegar Hill

Mount Pulaski Courthouse crowd experiences nearly two centuries Christmas past - slideshow

*History of “Vinegar Hill”

Prior to the repeal of the eighteenth amendment (prohibition) in 1933,  Mt. Pulaski stayed “wet” longer than the surrounding “dry” towns.  Since Mt. Pulaski had thirteen prosperous saloons and a few bootleggers, the railroads brought customers into town from every direction.  They would come with empty flasks and leave with full ones.  Upon nearing town, the conductor would call out the coded “Vinegar Hill, next stop”.  The muscular local high school boys earned money by helping to load barrels of Mt. Pulaski bootlegger bear & whiskey onto the freight cars at the two train stations - Peoria to Decatur & onward, Chicago to St. Louis & onward.  The two train tracks still exist, but used now for only freight.  Passenger-train service ended in the mid-60's.