If you don’t know what a cow shoe is, you may want to get educated at “How Dry We Weren’t,” a hands-on exhibit presented by the Montauk Historical Society at the Carl Fisher House.
The answer is concealed behind a little door – with a crystal pull, of course, this being the decadent 1920s – in a wall map highlighting key spots in the East End’s once thriving rumrunning scene.
As the exhibit demonstrates, Prohibition gave a huge boost to Montaukers’ income, with fishermen buzzing out to international waters to pick up liquor, automobiles and fish trucks loaded with ingeniously disguised cargo, and secret codes – “The babies want their Easter eggs. You know what happens when the babies cry!” growls one conspirator over a faux phone line in the exhibit. The work was profitable but fraught with danger, with the Coast Guard giving chase by sea and gangsters, crooked law enforcement, and lethal weapons thrown into the mix.
The Star Island Club, which was virtually on a private island, attracted a well-heeled clientele from the Montauk Manor and other resorts with music, dancing, a waterfront setting, moonlit skies, and of course gambling and alcohol. Vanderbilts and Wanamakers were among the well-connected guests, as was New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker, who allegedly disguised himself as a waiter to escape one of a number of raids.
Still curious to learn what a cow shoe is? Check out “How Dry We Weren’t” while the exhibit is still on display. It ends on Labor Day.
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