The Dry Wave Hits Stevens County
Voters mandate the closure of all saloons outside incorporated towns, forcing a major shift in local nightlife and commerce.
On February 1, the saloons of Stevens county, outside the incorporated towns, will close their doors in obedience to the mandate of the voters, as delivered at the special election of Nov. 7. After that date, the only saloons in the county will be in the incorporated towns of Northport, Chewelah and Springdale. The question as to whether saloons may run in the newly incorporated town of Ione is now awaiting the decision of the state attorney general, the matter having been put up to him. At least they will have to close for a time until an election can be held.
“The saloons of Stevens county, outside the incorporated towns, will close their doors in obedience to the mandate of the voters.”
This 1909 mandate reflects the intense local-option battles that preceded Washington's statewide prohibition in 1916. Today, the debate over alcohol regulation has shifted from total prohibition to the complex licensing and zoning laws that define the character of rural Washington towns.
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