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"Carry"-ing On—Carry Nation and the Festival That Bears Her Names
by Lorie Witkop

"It is true that I go into all sorts of places to see what is going on and I speak plainly to those who are engaged in selling liquor and tobacco…I carry a hatchet as my symbol, my banner so to speak, and I think the only way to get anything done in this world is for some one to smash the way to the end desired." — Carry Nation, as quoted in the Buffalo Evening News, August 24, 1901

A woman in a plain, old-fashioned dress makes her way through the streets of Holly, Michigan. She's on the lookout for "immoral" behaviors. Smoking, drinking, vulgar language, and tight-fitted clothing all draw her glare of disapproval. If the glare isn't enough, the hatchet in her hand can be pretty persuasive, too. Don't worry, though. You haven't stumbled across a madwoman—you're witnessing the Carry Nation Festival!

Carry Nation rose to fame during the temperance movement of the early 20th century. As women involved in the movement began protesting outside saloons to shut them down, Carry wasn't content to stay outside and pray. She wanted to take a more hands-on approach.

Her first foray into destruction came by smashing a whiskey keg at a drugstore. She then felt that she was instructed in a dream to visit Kiowa, Kansas to do the same to its illegal purveyors of alcohol. While she used whatever weapons were at hand in Kiowa, including rocks and billiard balls, she soon picked up a hatchet for the first time. With the tool of destruction that was to become her trademark, she took her crusade beyond the saloons of Kansas.

The town of Holly was experiencing some growing pains as a new railroad junction brought not only opportunity, but also all manners of people and their vices. Bars and brothels proliferated. There was so much violence that a local street was renamed "Battle Alley." Local temperance leaders knew who they needed to put an end to the debauchery. On August 29, 1908, Carry Nation brought her hatchet to Holly. As in so many other towns, she focused on the "evil" of the bars, breaking bottles, chopping up woodwork, and berating the men who frequented them.

To commemorate this visit, Carry Nation returns to Holly every fall. The Carry Nation Festival is mainly a typical small-town fair, but the highlight is "Carry Nation." Part historical reenactment and part heckler, she's not afraid to point out immoral behavior on the street and may go so far as to enter the "saloons" and question men about the families they've left behind. It's all in good fun, but she still carries a hatchet, just in case.

While some may think that festival organizers are mocking the very ideals of Carry Nation, she was actually never one to turn down a spectacle or a profit. As her fame grew she traveled the nation, where crowds gathered to witness her smashing campaign. Carrie did lecture tours and was part of vaudeville shows. She used the proceeds from selling souvenir hatchet pins to pay for bail and travel expenses while on her crusade.

The Carry Nation Festival is observed every September. So grab some cotton candy, take a ride on the carousel, and enjoy a celebration of both Michigan and U.S. history. But just behave yourself and watch out for the hatchet.

Resources

Behr, Edward. Prohibition: thirteen years that changed America. New York, NY:
Arcade Publishing, 1997.

Blashfield, Jean F. Awesome almanac: Michigan. Fontana, WI: B&B Publishing, 1993.

Internet Sources

http://www.carrynation.org
http://www.kshs.org/exhibits/carry/carry1.htm
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/091304/loc_20040913013.shtml http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/090704/loc_20040907018.shtml
http://panam1901.bfn.org/thisday/augustarchives.html#carrienation

Lorie Witkop is a former teacher and freelance writer from Michigan, creating informational articles on everything from bounce houses to volunteer vacations. Her work has appeared mainly in online publications including Back to College, Charity Guide, and the LoveToKnow family of sites. She is also the editor of All Info About Teen Reading.

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