Which US President Once Poured Pints For A Living?
Before he became a household name in American history, one future president was busy behind the bar. In 1833, he and his friend William Berry bought a general store in New Salem, Illinois—and soon after, they paid $7 for a liquor license, allowing them to serve spirits. Their shop officially became Berry and Lincoln’s Tavern, and for a short while, the two were licensed bartenders, selling drinks at about 12 cents a pint.
Unfortunately, the business didn’t thrive. Berry developed a drinking problem and struggled to manage the store, leaving his partner to shoulder the losses. The venture eventually failed, but it left behind a fun historical footnote: Abraham Lincoln remains the only US president ever to hold a bartender’s license.
Who knew the path to the presidency once ran through a small-town tavern?
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