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___Located
in West Shokan and built about 200 years ago, this house and surrounding
property was confiscated by New York state after a raid by authorities
revealed a large scale bootlegging operation. It was believed
to be the largest in the Northeast.
___Back then, the house was surrounded by
three barns, the largest of which housed the still, today only one barn
remains standing. The house had numerous exits, trap doors, and a bell
system to warn of any police action. The stream that wraps around the
property offered protection via a plank bridge that would clatter to
warn of potential threats coming over it. The Law enforcement community
for years believed that no large trucks carrying moonshine could possibly
cross the tiny bridge. They were unaware of the rail road rails beneath
the wooden planks.
__It wasn't until a law enforcement
plane flying overhead in winter discovered that a roof of one
of the barns had no snow. This clue led to the raid and seizure
of the property.
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