Abstract
The Keystone State is known for having some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. If Pennsylvanians want to purchase wine or liquor, they must do so at a state-run store. Beer must be purchased at a distributor, a bar or a brewery, or in specific sections of some grocery stores and gas stations. Liquor control has figured in recent political debates and some changes to the laws have been made - for example, in 2016, Governor Tom Wolf signed a bill that allows alcohol to be sold on Sundays for the first time since Prohibition. Where did Pennsylvania's liquor laws come from, and why are they so strict compared to other states? An examination of the gubernatorial administrations of Gifford Pinchot provides some answers.
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