The Secret To Going “Across The River” In Angelina County
If you're new to the Deep East Texas way of life, this could be very confusing. When I ask you if you are going across the river, I am actually asking you if you are going to go buy alcohol. What? Yes, Angelina County is 'moist.'
Not my favorite word, but it applies in this situation. It was completely dry starting in 1936, a year after prohibition was appealed. Then in 2006 voters agreed to let beer and wine in the city limits of certain towns, like Lufkin.
If you live in Lufkin, you will still very literally go across a river or county line of some sort to get hard liquor. It's something that we here in Angelina County just take for granted as common knowledge.
Newcomers to our area might think that we have lost our minds. They could think we are messing with them. It's an inside joke, but the joke is on us. The fact that you have to drive for approximately 40 minutes round trip and cross a county line to purchase alcohol of a certain type, is pretty strange. Don't Drink & Drive, but you have to drive to get the drink.
I actually had a concerned listener years ago call into the station to report that they saw a station vehicle at a liquor store. In what other town would this even be a thing? We were at the liquor store doing a live broadcast, for the station.
Right now getting in your boat to cross a river for real is nearly impossible here. Most of the boat ramps have disappeared due to high water. It might be tough to launch. That is because of all the rain. Rain that won't stop. March showers brought April Showers, May Showers brought June showers. We are just two days into June 2021 and it's already rained in June. Rain killed my flowers.