Columbia: Vice Wars on Front Street

By Nycole Collins

The small, picturesque river town of Columbia, formerly known as Wright's Ferry, is known for its many historical events. From the burning of the bridge during the Civil War to being a major stop along the Underground Railroad, Columbia has forged its way into history. Most people visit the Columbia Historical Society to learn how the town was founded by Quakers in 1726, or how the railway became a major part of the Pennsylvania Railroad. What you likely wouldn't learn at the Historical Society is how dangerous the small borough was and the probability of making it out alive was unlikely. The town's history is full of brutal murders and violent crimes. This book will illuminate on the 1920's and 1930's, specifically Columbia's Vice War. Columbia's Front Street industrial district was a place only for the brave and wicked. Vice dens and disorderly houses lined the street for the immoral purpose of white slavers and racketeers to profit from illegal alcohol, gambling and prostitution. This book will reveal the shady characters, infamous gangsters, and vice queens of the once famous Front Street. For years District Attorney, Sumner V. Hosterman, County Detective Jacob Weller and Burgess David K. Lockard, among many others did their best to shut these businesses down for the safety and morality of the town. The glories and history of Front Street in Columbia will perhaps never be erased, but the crime, conditions and state of affairs will always be remembered.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0D9WC5V22
• ISBN13: 9798333646767
• Release Date: July 2024
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 74 Pages
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.2" x 6.0"