Dry county

A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of any kind of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, a majority of them in the South. A number of smaller jurisdictions also exist, such as cities, towns, and townships, which prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages. These are known as dry cities, dry towns, or dry townships.

Background

History

Although the Twenty-First Amendment repeals nationwide prohibition in the United States, it allows for prohibition under state or local laws. Prior to and after repeal of nationwide prohibition, some states passed local option laws granting counties and municipalities, either by popular vote or ordinance, the ability to decide for themselves whether to allow alcoholic beverages within their jurisdiction. Many dry communities do not prohibit the consumption of alcohol, which could potentially cause a loss of profits and taxes from the sale of alcohol to their residents in wet (non-prohibition) areas.

Drytown, California

Drytown (formerly, Dry Town) is a census-designated place in Amador County, California. It is located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Plymouth on Dry Creek, at an elevation of 646 feet (197 m). The population at the 2010 census was 167. The town is registered as a California Historical Landmark. The community is in ZIP code 95699 and area code 209. Today Drytown is home to a population of less than 200 people and about 5 antiques stores. But once before it was a well-known hotspot thanks to the gold mines with a population of 10,000 people.

History

Drytown is the oldest community in Amador County, and the first in which gold was discovered. It took its name from Dry Creek, which runs dry during the summer. However, it was certainly not "dry", as stories tell of there being up to 26 saloons, of which just one remains, The Drytown Club.

The gold started to peter out by 1857 and when a fire destroyed most of the town that year, most of its inhabitants packed up and moved to more successful mines elsewhere in the county. The town was only saved by the construction of State Route 49, which went through it, in 1920. See the Drytown, CA website for additional history and current information.