“The late 1930s, and on into the much more prosperous 1940s, especially the World War II years, saw Middlesborough as more or less a ‘wide open’ town. The town had the reputation, deserved or not, of being ‘pretty wild’ and alcoholic beverages were plentiful. Bars were numerous all up and down 19th Street and Lothbury Avenue especially and some were known as somewhat notorious places. According to an eyewitness account of the times (this eyewitness shall remain nameless): ‘Drunks could be seen coming out of the saloons all hours of the day and night. Fights were frequent and gunplay and knife brawls were nearly an every night affair in at least one or two. In addition to legal whiskey and beer a locally concocted moonshine could also be purchased in some of them which might have raised spirits but certainly did nothing to calm the.'” – from Middlesborough – the First Century (Third Edition update) by Lou DeRosett and Pat Clower DeRosett.