Harrowsmith – September 2019

Harrowsmith Fall 2019 | 91

I

first learned about the term
blind pig from poking around
a shop in Orangeville,
Ontario, that was selling “county
tees” designed by Jeanette
McFarlane. There was a Blind Line
slogan on the front of a T-shirt.
When I asked what all the “blind
pig” talk was about, the store
owner set off on an animated
tutorial of Blind Line and the
seven blind pigs that had existed
along that stretch of road between
Broadway in Orangeville and
Highway 89 near Primrose.
Blind pigs were low-class,
illegal drinking and gambling
joints with secret handshakes.
Local and provincial bans arose
across Canada in the late 19th
century, while the national

Prohibition (a temporary wartime

measure) was enforced from

1918 to 1920.

Grand Valley was the last

township in Ontario to go dry

during the temperance movement

and Prohibition. To skate around

the law of not selling booze, smart

saloons would stage an attraction

like an animal act and serve a

“complimentary” beverage; for

a quarter, you could have a sight

of a pig and a fix of “free” gin.

Locals would simply ask about the

whereabouts of a blind pig and be

in the know.

Speakeasies and mule kicks

On the flip side, speakeasies

were established by the higher

class. Fancier attire was donned

BLIND PIGS & THE

ANGEL’S SHARE

Your guide to bootlegging, mule

kicks and hemp vodka.

BY JULES TORTI