The Old Well Motel and Grill property in Drytown suffered a major fire on Wednesday, July 8. At approximately 12:35 p.m., a fire was reported in one of the motel’s residential cabins that quickly spread to two nearby cabins and surrounding vegetation. Fire crews were able to contain the fire within an hour of receiving the report.

Old Well CafeThough three of the seven cabins were lost, the Old Well Café building that houses the restaurant and fronts Highway 49 was not damaged. The person who answered our phone call said the restaurant will open for business on Tuesday, July 14, at 7:00 a.m.

Despite that, financial damage from the fire has threatened to shut down the business, which has been owned by the Kaffer family for about 60 years. So, county resident Scot Hamilton started a GoFundMe campaign on July 10 to raise $20,000. As of this writing, the campaign has raised $1,425.

If you want to contribute, visit the GoFundMe page. You can also call the Old Well Motel and Grill for information about when they’re open at 209-245-6467.

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