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44-546: Fouke School District 15 is a public school district based in Fouke , Miller County, Arkansas , United States. The district serves more than 1,100 students in prekindergarten through grade 12 and employs more than 150 faculty and staff at its three schools and district offices. The school district encompasses 275.03 square miles (712.3 km) of land in Miller County and serves Fouke, Doddridge , and Bloomburg. On July 1, 2004,

88-439: A Presbyterian entrepreneur, lumberman, and railroad executive, helped them establish their colony, and in 1902 he donated land for a school. The city of Fouke was named in his honor. By the early 1920s, the farming and timber industries had brought people of many faiths to the community. A new Texas and Pacific Railroad depot was constructed in 1906, and the community was incorporated in 1911. Population growth increased during

132-491: A sandbar or a reef in the dark at high speed. The Coast Guard relied on hard work, reconnaissance, and big guns to get their job done. It was not uncommon for rum-runners' ships to be sold at auction shortly after a trial – ships were often sold back to the original owners. Some ships were captured three or four times before they were finally sunk or retired . In addition, the Coast Guard had other duties and often had to let

176-462: A Gloucester knockabout schooner named Arethusa at auction and renamed her Tomoka . He installed a larger auxiliary, mounted a concealed machine gun on her deck, and refitted the fish pens below to accommodate as much contraband as she could hold. She became one of the most famous of the rum-runners, along with his two other ships hauling mostly Irish and Canadian whiskey as well as other fine liquors and wines to ports from Maine to Florida . In

220-624: A ban on the manufacture of liquor for export. Soon the black-market trade was reversed with Canadian whisky and beer flowing in large quantities to the United States. Again, this illegal international trade undermined the support for prohibition in the receiving country, and the American version ended (at the national level) in 1933. One of the most famous periods of rum-running began in the United States when Prohibition began on January 16, 1920, when

264-501: A low-profit item for the rum-runners, and they soon moved on to smuggling Canadian whisky , French champagne , and English gin to major cities like New York City , Boston , and Chicago , where prices ran high. It was said that some ships carried $ 200,000 in contraband in a single run. It was not long after the first taxes were implemented on alcoholic beverages that someone began to smuggle alcohol . The British government had "revenue cutters " in place to stop smugglers as early as

308-492: A new colony. In 1890, they chose a site along the Texarkana, Shreveport and Natchez Railroad , where a small timber line ended at Fouke's Sawmill. The streets were named for prominent, nationally known Baptists, and upon advertising the area with the offer of reasonably priced land, affordable lumber, and free railroad passage, pioneers traveled to the area from as far away as Idaho , Illinois , and West Virginia . James H. Fouke,

352-488: A particular jurisdiction. In the United States, the smuggling of alcohol did not end with the repeal of prohibition. In the Appalachian United States , for example, the demand for moonshine was at an all-time high in the 1920s, but an era of rampant bootlegging in dry areas continued into the 1970s. Although the well-known bootleggers of the day may no longer be in business, bootlegging still exists, even if on

396-659: A rum-runner go in order to assist a sinking vessel or handle another emergency. Prohibitive alcohol laws in Finland (total ban of alcohol from 1919 to 1931), Norway (liquor above 20 per cent abv 1917–1927) and the Swedish Bratt System which heavily restricted the sale of alcohol made these three countries attractive for alcohol smuggling from abroad. The main product used for smuggling were rectified spirits produced in Central Europe (Germany, Poland, Netherlands etc.). Alcohol

440-481: A rum-running captain could make several hundred thousand dollars a year. In comparison, the Commandant of the Coast Guard made just $ 6,000 annually, and seamen made $ 30/week. Because of this disparity, the rum-runners were generally willing to take bigger risks. They ran without lights at night and in fog, risking life and limb. Shores could sometimes be found littered with bottles from a rum-runner who sank after hitting

484-454: A screen of smoke was needed to escape the revenue ships. On the government's side, the rum chasers were an assortment of patrol boats , inshore patrol, and harbor cutters. Most of the patrol boats were of the "six-bit" variety: 75-foot craft with a top speed of about 12 knots. There was also an assortment of launches, harbor tugs, and miscellaneous small craft. The rum-runners were often faster and more maneuverable than government ships, and

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528-468: A smaller scale. The state of Virginia has reported that it loses up to $ 20 million a year from illegal whiskey smuggling. The Government of the United Kingdom fails to collect an estimated £900 million in taxes due to alcohol smuggling activities. Absinthe was smuggled into the United States until it was legalized in 2007. Cuban rum is also sometimes smuggled into the United States, circumventing

572-561: Is a city in Miller County , Arkansas , United States. It is part of the Texarkana, Texas - Texarkana, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area . The population was 808 at the 2020 census . Fouke is located in central Miller County, along U.S. Highway 71 . Interstate 49 passes just to the west of the city limits and serves the city with two exits. Fouke is 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Texarkana and about 55 miles (89 km) north of Shreveport, Louisiana , by either highway. The Red River passes less than 10 miles (16 km) to

616-461: Is credited with the idea of bringing large boats just to the edge of the 3-mile (4.8 km) limit of U.S. jurisdiction and selling his wares there to "contact boats", local fishermen, and small boat captains. The small, quick boats could more easily outrun Coast Guard ships and could dock in any small river or eddy and transfer their cargo to a waiting truck. They were also known to load float planes and flying boats. Soon others were following suit, and

660-431: Is one of several false etymologies for the origin of the term " The real McCoy ". On November 15, 1923, McCoy and Tomoka encountered the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Seneca just outside U.S. territorial waters. A boarding party attempted to board , but McCoy chased them off with the machine gun. Tomoka tried to run, but Seneca placed a shell just off her hull, and William McCoy surrendered his ship and cargo. McCoy

704-459: The 1920s oil boom , and in 1928 construction of U.S. Route 71 further increased Fouke's employment opportunities. During the Prohibition era of 1920–1936, Fouke suffered violent deaths of many men in relation to the illegal trafficking of liquor . Interstate commerce was not well coordinated during that time, which made Fouke's location attractive to those who would commit crimes and then cross

748-675: The Bahamas to Galveston, Texas , the Louisiana swamps, and Alabama coast. By far the biggest Rum Row was in the New York/Philadelphia area off the New Jersey coast, where as many as 60 ships were seen at one time. One of the most notable New Jersey rum runners was Habana Joe , who could be seen at night running into remote areas in Raritan Bay with his flat-bottom skiff for running up on

792-534: The Bright Star School District was merged into the Fouke School District. The band for the school, all of beginner, middle, and high school, has won district wide competitions and is often in the first and second divisions in competitions. This Arkansas school-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Fouke, Arkansas Fouke / ˈ f aʊ k /

836-725: The Louisiana Purchase , the United States established the Sulphur Fork Factory ( trading post ) where the Sulphur River enters the Red River. In the years following Arkansas statehood , settlers began flowing steadily into the area and the Caddo population was greatly diminished. In 1889, Seventh Day Baptist minister James Franklin Shaw and his followers were seeking an area to establish

880-498: The Reo II . Specialized high-speed craft were built for the ship-to-shore runs. These high-speed boats were often luxury yachts and speedboats fitted with powerful aircraft engines, machine guns, and armor plating. Often, builders of rum-runners' ships also supplied Coast Guard vessels, such as Fred and Mirto Scopinich's Freeport Point Shipyard . Rum-runners often kept cans of used engine oil handy to pour on hot exhaust manifolds in case

924-693: The Saint Lawrence Seaway and down the west coast to San Francisco and Los Angeles . Rum-running from Canada was also an issue, especially throughout prohibition in the early 1900s. There was a high number of distilleries in Canada, one of the most famous being Hiram Walker who developed Canadian Club Whisky . The French islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon , located south of Newfoundland, were an important base used by well-known smugglers, including Al Capone , Savannah Unknown, and Bill McCoy. The Gulf of Mexico also teemed with ships running from Mexico and

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968-483: The embargo in existence since 1960. It is believed that the term bootlegging originated during the American Civil War of 1861–1865, when soldiers would sneak liquor into army camps by concealing pint bottles within their boots or beneath their trouser legs. The Oxford English Dictionary records the word-form "bootlegger" as in use from 1889 onwards. According to the 2011 PBS documentary Prohibition ,

1012-556: The 16th century. Pirates often made extra money running rum to heavily taxed colonies . There were times when the sale of alcohol was limited for other reasons, such as laws against sales to American Indians in the Old West and Canada West or local prohibitions like the one on Prince Edward Island between 1901 and 1948. Industrial-scale smuggling flowed both ways across the Canada–United States border at different points in

1056-523: The Citizens for a Better Community raised funds to provide improvements that include "Welcome" signs on Highway 71 at the north and south ends of the city, along with various beautification and community service projects. They purchased one of Fouke's historic homes with a plan to renovate and restore it to create an events center and community library. By that time, the Fouke School District had become

1100-584: The Eighteenth Amendment went into effect. This period lasted until the amendment was repealed with ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment on December 5, 1933. At first, there was much action on the seas, but after several months, the Coast Guard began reporting decreased smuggling activity. This was the start of the Bimini–;Bahamas rum trade and the introduction of Bill McCoy . With

1144-618: The adjoining border(s). Since the 1920s, Fouke has had a reputation as a sundown town . The Fouke State Bank was chartered in 1914, but it went broke during the Great Depression , and job losses in the community caused many to accept work as part of Depression-era programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration . It was not until World War II that large numbers of

1188-421: The age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.26. In the city, the population was spread out, with 33.8% under

1232-460: The age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 25,192, and the median income for a family was $ 35,089. Males had a median income of $ 26,938 versus $ 20,375 for females. The per capita income for

1276-418: The beach, making his delivery, and speeding away. With that much competition, the suppliers often flew large banners advertising their wares and threw parties with prostitutes on board their ships to draw customers. Rum Row was completely lawless, and many crews armed themselves not against government ships but against the other rum-runners, who would sometimes sink a ship and hijack its cargo rather than make

1320-400: The citizens found employment at the newly established Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant and Red River Army Depot , which were located just west of Texarkana . Since its incorporation, the city of Fouke has seen many improvements to its infrastructure. Dirt and gravel streets were paved in 1958. A new city hall, jail, and fire station were constructed in 1962. A new "Deep-Well" water system

1364-534: The city was $ 11,075. About 18.0% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 26.7% of those age 65 or over. Public education for early childhood, elementary and secondary school students is primarily provided by the Fouke School District , which leads to graduation from Fouke High School . Fouke is served by media from Texarkana , and Shreveport . Rum-running Smuggling usually takes place to circumvent taxation or prohibition laws within

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1408-537: The city's largest employer, with more than 1,000 students and more than 165 employees. In 2013, Fouke began the Boggy Creek Festival to promote the local area, bring together the community, and to share information and humor about the "Fouke Monster". As of the 2020 United States census , there were 808 people, 281 households, and 204 families residing in the city. As of the census of 2000, there were 700 people, 291 households, and 220 families residing in

1452-471: The city. The population density was 777.8 inhabitants per square mile (300.3/km ). There were 336 housing units at an average density of 321.1 per square mile (124.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 95.5% White , 0.3% Black or African American , 2.5% Native American , 0.6% from other races , and 1.2% from two or more races. 1.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 291 households, out of which 47.4% had children under

1496-411: The days of rum running, it was common for captains to add water to the bottles to stretch their profits or to re-label it as better goods. Often, cheap sparkling wine would become French champagne or Italian Spumante ; unbranded liquor became top-of-the-line name brands. McCoy became famous for never adding water to his booze and selling only top brands. Although the phrase appears in print in 1882, this

1540-514: The early twentieth century, largely between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan . Although Canada never had true nationwide prohibition, the federal government gave the provinces an easy means to ban alcohol under the War Measures Act (1914), and most provinces and the Yukon Territory already had enacted prohibition locally by 1918 when a regulation issued by the federal cabinet banned

1584-595: The east and south of Fouke. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km ), all land. The area around Fouke had long been inhabited by the Native American Caddo people, prior to European colonization of the Americas . Caddo tribes and European explorers traded pelts, honey, beeswax, flour, tobacco, blankets, guns, and other items. After

1628-606: The grand opening of the Fouke Community Center, and the grand opening of the Miller County Historical and Family Museum was celebrated in 2003. In 2010, Fouke citizens dedicated the Veterans Memorial Park. The memorial covers two-thirds of a city block. It is a perpetually flagged and lighted monument that contains a growing list of veterans' names and military histories. In 2011, local groups such as

1672-497: The interprovincial trade and importation of liquor. National prohibition in the United States did not begin until 1920, though many states had statewide prohibition before that. For the two-year interval, enough American liquor entered Canada illegally to undermine support for prohibition in Canada, so it was slowly lifted, beginning with Quebec and Yukon in 1919 and including all the provinces but Prince Edward Island by 1930. Additionally, Canada's version of prohibition had never included

1716-678: The run to Canada or the Caribbean for fresh supplies. At the start, the rum-runner fleet consisted of a ragtag flotilla of fishing boats, such as the schooner Nellie J. Banks , excursion boats, and small merchant craft. As prohibition wore on, the stakes got higher and the ships became larger and more specialized. Converted fishing ships like McCoy's Tomoka waited on Rum Row and were soon joined by small motor freighters custom-built in Nova Scotia for rum running, with low, grey hulls, hidden compartments, and powerful wireless equipment. Examples include

1760-480: The start of prohibition, Captain McCoy began bringing rum from Bimini and the rest of the Bahamas into south Florida through Government Cut . The Coast Guard soon caught up with him, so he began to bring the illegal goods to just outside U.S. territorial waters and let smaller boats and other captains, such as Habana Joe, take the risk of bringing it to shore. The rum-running business was very good, and McCoy soon bought

1804-428: The term bootlegging was popularized when thousands of city dwellers sold liquor from flasks they kept in their boot legs all across major cities and rural areas. The term rum-running was current by 1916, and was used during the Prohibition era in the United States (1920–1933), when ships from Bimini in the western Bahamas transported cheap Caribbean rum to Florida speakeasies . However, rum's cheapness made it

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1848-536: The three-mile limit became known as "Rum Line" with the ships waiting called " Rum row ". The Rum Line was extended to a 12-mile (19 km) limit by an act of the United States Congress on April 21, 1924, which made it harder for the smaller and less seaworthy craft to make the trip. Rum Row was not the only front for the Coast Guard. Rum-runners often made the trip through Canada via the Great Lakes and

1892-442: Was completed in 1966, and the city's sewer system was completed in 1988. In 1972, Fouke received national attention when Charles B. Pierce produced a movie called The Legend of Boggy Creek . The movie chronicled the alleged existence of a large, hairy, ape-like creature called the " Fouke Monster ". A number of local citizens were cast, and the movie used area wetlands, rivers, and creeks for its location. In 2001 Fouke celebrated

1936-541: Was legally exported on large ships as tax-free produce via ports like Hamburg, Tallinn, Kiel and particularly the Free City of Danzig . Similar to the Rum Row near the U.S. coast, these ships usually did not leave international waters and the alcohol was clandestinely loaded onto smaller boats that illegally brought it into the destination countries. Despite various efforts led by Finland to fight contraband (Helsinki Convention for

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