Drytown, California
Encyclopedia
Drytown is a census-designated place
in Amador County
, California
. It is located 2.5 miles (4 km) south of Plymouth
on Dry Creek
, at an elevation of 646 feet (197 m). The current population is 167. The town is registered as California Historical Landmark
#31. The community is in ZIP code
95699 and area code 209
. Today Drytown is home to a population of 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.
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.
A U.S. Post Office opened at Drytown in 1852. In the 1960s the post office was located within in the Drytown General Store operated by the Bruns family. A visit in January 2010 revealed that the general store building is now occupied by an antique shop, the Drytown Post Office is housed in an adjacent, newer building which is also an antique shop, and the Drytown general store is now in a second separate, newer building nearby.
At the time of the January 2010 visit there was a sign on the door of the post office building stating that the post office was closed in April, 2009, and efforts were being made to reopen it.
From 1959 to about 1994 —before the Mother Lode tourist boom—a summer theater company called the "Claypipers' staged comedic melodramas with interspersed "olio" (song and dance) acts to mostly standing room only audiences. Musical accompaniment for both was provided by the incomparable Dottie Rodgers on the piano at stage left. The name Claypipers was taken from the clay pipes used by miners in the deep tunnels of hard rock gold mines—not only for smoking, but also (it is rumored) to sneak nuggets out of the mines at the end of their shifts. After a wildly successful summer in adjacent Amador City, the Claypipers bought the century-old building across Highway 49 from the Drytown General Store and remodeled it into a theater with table seating, a bar, stage, wings and sophisticated (for the time) stage lighting system. The basement was converted to dressing rooms and green room, and a stairway added from there to the stage wings. The majority of the cast, crew and spectators traveled from communities around San Francisco Bay to this Mother Lode area on show days to be a part of this phenomenon. The large "Piper's Playhouse" marquee was a familiar sight to anyone traveling this part of Highway 49 during the Claypipers' tenure, now—like the sound of the boisterous crowds cheering the heroes and booing the villains—only a memory.
The Claypipers also purchased the house across Spanish Street from the theater, constructed a "dorm" addition, and used it as a base of operations on show days and work days (mostly on weekends).
Following a fire in 1985, the theater was completely re-built and a second story was added to the Piper Playhouse. The Claypipers continued performing melodramas until closing their doors for good in 1994. The house on Spanish Street was sold a few years later, and the theater was ultimately sold in 2010.
The Claypipers also purchased a "fire engine" for Amador City—a Red Ford 1-Ton pickup truck with builtin 400 gallon water tank and pump—and constructed a "fire station" (garage) building to house it. In 1963, the volunteer Drytown Fire Department was called out three times, and saved two of the three houses involved. The third was fully engulfed in flames before the call came, but they were able to prevent the adjacent propane tank from erupting. In January 2010, the "fire engine" was nowhere to be found, and the "fire Station' building had been fitted with man-doors and had a 'For Rent' sign on it.
was 45.3 people per square mile (17.5/km²). The racial makeup of Drytown was 153 (91.6%) White, 0 (0.0%) African American, 0 (0.0%) Native American, 1 (0.6%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 2 (1.2%) from other races
, and 11 (6.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11 persons (6.6%).
The Census reported that 167 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 72 households, out of which 18 (25.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 40 (55.6%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 8 (11.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2 (2.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 4 (5.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 1 (1.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 17 households (23.6%) were made up of individuals and 6 (8.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32. There were 50 families
(69.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.68.
The population was spread out with 31 people (18.6%) under the age of 18, 9 people (5.4%) aged 18 to 24, 34 people (20.4%) aged 25 to 44, 64 people (38.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 29 people (17.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.1 years. For every 100 females there were 111.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.1 males.
There were 80 housing units at an average density of 21.7 per square mile (8.4/km²), of which 49 (68.1%) were owner-occupied, and 23 (31.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 0%. 122 people (73.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 45 people (26.9%) lived in rental housing units.
Drytown is located in the 1st California State Senate District, and in the 10th California State Assembly District. Federally, Drytown is located in California's 3rd congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +7 and is represented by Republican Dan Lungren
.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
in Amador County
Amador County, California
Amador County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 38,091. The county seat is Jackson.Amador County bills itself as "The Heart of the Mother Lode" and lies within the Gold Country...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is located 2.5 miles (4 km) south of Plymouth
Plymouth, California
Plymouth is a city in Amador County, California, United States. The population was 980 at the 2000 census. The town was originally named Pokerville, when it was settled during the time of the Gold Rush...
on Dry Creek
Dry Creek
-Communities:Australia*Dry Creek, South Australia, a suburb of AdelaideUnited States*Dry Creek, Alaska in the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area*Dry Creek, Louisiana in Beauregard Parish*Dry Creek, Oklahoma in Cherokee County...
, at an elevation of 646 feet (197 m). The current population is 167. The town is registered as California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
#31. The community is in ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
95699 and area code 209
Area code 209
209 is the North American telephone area code for California that covers Stockton, Modesto, Turlock, Merced, Winton, Atwater, Livingston, Manteca, Ripon, Tracy, Lodi, Sonora, Los Banos, San Andreas, Mariposa, and Yosemite, as well as the northern San Joaquin Valley and the Sierra Foothills...
. Today Drytown is home to a population of 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 goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
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
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
, 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
California State Route 49
State Route 49 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California that passes through many historic mining communities of the 1849 California gold rush. Highway 49 is numbered after the "49ers", the waves of immigrants who swept into the area looking for gold, and a portion of it...
, which went through it, in 1920.
A U.S. Post Office opened at Drytown in 1852. In the 1960s the post office was located within in the Drytown General Store operated by the Bruns family. A visit in January 2010 revealed that the general store building is now occupied by an antique shop, the Drytown Post Office is housed in an adjacent, newer building which is also an antique shop, and the Drytown general store is now in a second separate, newer building nearby.
At the time of the January 2010 visit there was a sign on the door of the post office building stating that the post office was closed in April, 2009, and efforts were being made to reopen it.
From 1959 to about 1994 —before the Mother Lode tourist boom—a summer theater company called the "Claypipers' staged comedic melodramas with interspersed "olio" (song and dance) acts to mostly standing room only audiences. Musical accompaniment for both was provided by the incomparable Dottie Rodgers on the piano at stage left. The name Claypipers was taken from the clay pipes used by miners in the deep tunnels of hard rock gold mines—not only for smoking, but also (it is rumored) to sneak nuggets out of the mines at the end of their shifts. After a wildly successful summer in adjacent Amador City, the Claypipers bought the century-old building across Highway 49 from the Drytown General Store and remodeled it into a theater with table seating, a bar, stage, wings and sophisticated (for the time) stage lighting system. The basement was converted to dressing rooms and green room, and a stairway added from there to the stage wings. The majority of the cast, crew and spectators traveled from communities around San Francisco Bay to this Mother Lode area on show days to be a part of this phenomenon. The large "Piper's Playhouse" marquee was a familiar sight to anyone traveling this part of Highway 49 during the Claypipers' tenure, now—like the sound of the boisterous crowds cheering the heroes and booing the villains—only a memory.
The Claypipers also purchased the house across Spanish Street from the theater, constructed a "dorm" addition, and used it as a base of operations on show days and work days (mostly on weekends).
Following a fire in 1985, the theater was completely re-built and a second story was added to the Piper Playhouse. The Claypipers continued performing melodramas until closing their doors for good in 1994. The house on Spanish Street was sold a few years later, and the theater was ultimately sold in 2010.
The Claypipers also purchased a "fire engine" for Amador City—a Red Ford 1-Ton pickup truck with builtin 400 gallon water tank and pump—and constructed a "fire station" (garage) building to house it. In 1963, the volunteer Drytown Fire Department was called out three times, and saved two of the three houses involved. The third was fully engulfed in flames before the call came, but they were able to prevent the adjacent propane tank from erupting. In January 2010, the "fire engine" was nowhere to be found, and the "fire Station' building had been fitted with man-doors and had a 'For Rent' sign on it.
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Drytown had a population of 167. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 45.3 people per square mile (17.5/km²). The racial makeup of Drytown was 153 (91.6%) White, 0 (0.0%) African American, 0 (0.0%) Native American, 1 (0.6%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 2 (1.2%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 11 (6.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11 persons (6.6%).
The Census reported that 167 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 72 households, out of which 18 (25.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 40 (55.6%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8 (11.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2 (2.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 4 (5.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 1 (1.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 17 households (23.6%) were made up of individuals and 6 (8.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32. There were 50 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(69.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.68.
The population was spread out with 31 people (18.6%) under the age of 18, 9 people (5.4%) aged 18 to 24, 34 people (20.4%) aged 25 to 44, 64 people (38.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 29 people (17.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.1 years. For every 100 females there were 111.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.1 males.
There were 80 housing units at an average density of 21.7 per square mile (8.4/km²), of which 49 (68.1%) were owner-occupied, and 23 (31.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 0%. 122 people (73.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 45 people (26.9%) lived in rental housing units.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Drytown is located in the 1st California State Senate District, and in the 10th California State Assembly District. Federally, Drytown is located in California's 3rd congressional district
California's 3rd congressional district
California's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California. It covers most of Sacramento County and part of Solano County, as well as all of Alpine, Amador and Calaveras counties...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +7 and is represented by Republican Dan Lungren
Dan Lungren
Daniel Edward "Dan" Lungren is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. The district covers most of Sacramento County and part of Solano County, as well as all of Alpine, Amador and Calaveras counties...
.