The Great Moonshine Conspiracy: The true story behind the movie Lawless

During p rohibition and after
Franklin County Virginia was once called “The Moonshine Capital of the World.” In the most mountainous parts of the county, nearly every farming family was involved in the making and selling of illegal whiskey. The 1920s and 30s were difficult for small scale farmers. In the hills of western Virginia, moonshine offered extra cash and a path out of poverty.

The "Big Wheels" saw an opportunity, and they took it
For the most powerful men in the county, the moonshine trade was an opportunity to get rich on the backs of those farmers, charging large protection fees in exchange for looking the other way. 

Death and taxes
You can’t make that much illegal whiskey without drawing the attention of the federal government. With the help of a retired WWI spy, the Federal government indicted many of those men, including the State’s Attorney, the sheriff, a federal agent, and several deputies. In 1935, over 200 farmers testified about their role in the massive racket resulting in Virginia’s Great Moonshine Conspiracy Trial. 

(Sup port  provided by   The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Produced by  Big Shed Media in collaboration with The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. Original music composed by Wes Swing. Visit moonshineconspiracy.org )

During p rohibition and after
Franklin County Virginia was once called “The Moonshine Capital of the World.” In the most mountainous parts of the county, nearly every farming family was involved in the making and selling of illegal whiskey. The 1920s and 30s were difficult for small scale farmers. In the hills of western Virginia, moonshine offered extra cash and a path out of poverty.

The "Big Wheels" saw an opportunity, and they took it
For the most powerful men in the county, the moonshine trade was an opportunity to get rich on the backs of those farmers, charging large protection fees in exchange for looking the other way. 

Death and taxes
You can’t make that much illegal whiskey without drawing the attention of the federal government. With the help of a retired WWI spy, the Federal government indicted many of those men, including the State’s Attorney, the sheriff, a federal agent, and several deputies. In 1935, over 200 farmers testified about their role in the massive racket resulting in Virginia’s Great Moonshine Conspiracy Trial. 

(Sup port  provided by   The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Produced by  Big Shed Media in collaboration with The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. Original music composed by Wes Swing. Visit moonshineconspiracy.org )

During p rohibition and after
Franklin County Virginia was once called “The Moonshine Capital of the World.” In the most mountainous parts of the county, nearly every farming family was involved in the making and selling of illegal whiskey. The 1920s and 30s were difficult for small scale farmers. In the hills of western Virginia, moonshine offered extra cash and a path out of poverty.

The "Big Wheels" saw an opportunity, and they took it
For the most powerful men in the county, the moonshine trade was an opportunity to get rich on the backs of those farmers, charging large protection fees in exchange for looking the other way. 

Death and taxes
You can’t make that much illegal whiskey without drawing the attention of the federal government. With the help of a retired WWI spy, the Federal government indicted many of those men, including the State’s Attorney, the sheriff, a federal agent, and several deputies. In 1935, over 200 farmers testified about their role in the massive racket resulting in Virginia’s Great Moonshine Conspiracy Trial. 

(Sup port  provided by   The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Produced by  Big Shed Media in collaboration with The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. Original music composed by Wes Swing. Visit moonshineconspiracy.org )