Bootleggers Cove (alternately called "Bootlegger Cove", "Bootleggers' Cove", and "Bootlegger's Cove") is an area of

Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the List of cities in Alaska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of ...

, just west of

Downtown Anchorage Downtown Anchorage is a neighborhood in the U.S. city of Anchorage, Alaska. Considered the central business district of Anchorage, Downtown has many office buildings, cultural points of interest, shopping areas, as well as dining and nightlife ...

and north of the South Addition. Its exact boundaries are controversial. It is served by Inlet View Elementary School, Romig Junior High and

West Anchorage High School West Anchorage High School (formerly Anchorage High School) is a public high school in Anchorage, Alaska. The school is part of the Anchorage School District (ASD). Opened in 1953, West is the oldest of ASD's eight major high schools. Serving th ...

. Its scenic features include Elderberry Park, the Oscar Anderson House, the Westchester Lagoon, and access to the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and the Lainie Fleischer Bike Trail. It is located near the tidal flats of

Cook Inlet Cook Inlet (; Sugpiaq language, Sugpiaq: ''Cungaaciq'') stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage, Alaska, Anchorage in south-central Alaska. Cook Inlet branches into the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm at its northern end, almost surrounding ...

. The

Alaska Railroad The Alaska Railroad is a Class II railroad that operates freight and passenger trains in the state of Alaska. The railroad's mainline runs between Seward, Alaska, Seward on the southern coast and Fairbanks, Alaska, Fairbanks, near the center of ...

passes between the residential zones of Bootleggers Cove and the tidal flats. Bootlegger's Cove was affected by the

1964 Alaska earthquake The 1964 Alaska earthquake, also known as the Great Alaska earthquake and Good Friday earthquake, occurred at 5:36 PM Alaska Standard Time, AKST on Good Friday, March 27, 1964.

. It is currently represented in the Alaska State Legislature by Representative

Les Gara Leslie S. Gara (born February 6, 1963) is a Democratic former member of the Alaska House of Representatives, having represented the 23rd District from 2003 to 2019. Gara is also a former assistant attorney general and part owner of a local resta ...

and Senator

Johnny Ellis Johnny Ellis (March 13, 1960 – February 9, 2022) was an American politician who served as a member of the Alaska Senate from 1992 to 2017. He was previously a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 1986 through 1992. Early life a ...

. In 2003 Bootlegger Cove resident Bethany Correira was kidnapped, and her body was later found abandoned by a roadside north of Anchorage. Her employer and landlord, Michael Lawson, was eventually convicted of her kidnapping and murder.

History

Many parts of Alaska had outlawed the sale, ownership, or use of alcohol, beginning in 1867 after the US Army took over custody of the new territory. Anchorage became a prime spot for smugglers trying to import alcoholic beverages after its choice as a railroad/shipping port was established in 1914. However, Anchorage had strict laws during the time of

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...

, introduced by President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

, who wanted to protect the "morality and sobriety" of the new-found city. According to his plan, land was sectioned off in a grid pattern and auctioned to the people, but would be repossessed if anyone was caught breaking the ban against alcohol. Thereafter, an area along the coast near the Chester Creek outlet became a popular spot for bootleggers smuggling in alcohol, to bring their booty ashore, due to it being around a bend from Ship Creek and thus out of sight from authorities, earning it the name Bootleggers Cove.''Aunt Phil's Trunk: Bringing Alaska's history alive!'' by Laurel Bill, Phyllis Carlson -- Aunt Phil's Trunk LLC 2016

External links

* http://www.muni.org/Departments/OCPD/Planning/Documents/Map_5_Northwest_Bowl.pdf

References

Municipality of Anchorage map
# # Neighborhoods in Anchorage, Alaska {{AnchorageAK-geo-stub