Even before national prohibition, Huntington Beach was supposedly a "dry town." Of course, that's not how it worked in practice, even with occasional busts by the local police...
This photo, from the Jan 7, 1932 Huntington Beach News was captioned, "Photograph taken at police station... showing bootlegging equipment confiscated at the warehouse at 708 Huntington avenue, [between Geneva Ave. and Hartford Ave.] alleged to belong the Steve Stimatz whose trial for possession will be heard Friday. In the picture from left to right are: Officers Robidoux and Shafer; Councilman E. B. Stevens and Chief of Police L. F. Keller..."
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These days, the City approves almost anyone downtown who requests a liquor license.
E. B. Stevens, by the way, is best remembered as the father of the short-lived Huntington Beach Fish Parade. In 1926, the entire fishing-themed parade, from bathing beauties to dignitaries to jazz bands, wound its way from Huntington Beach along a route more than 85 miles in length, taking in communities as distant as Olive, La Habra and Norwalk. The event was not repeated in 1927.
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Anyway, have a happy new year and enjoy the (merely) 5 1/2-mile long Rose Parade. But take it easy with the bathtub gin.
