Naah. Born and raised in Philly. It was never dry. In fact, Philadelphia never had the legal authority to write laws that differed from State law. Granted, Pennsylvania had/has some weird liquor laws but so does every state in the union.
Some time back, my drink of choice was a shot and a beer. Two drinks on the table (or bar) simultaneously for one customer illegal in Vermont and enforced. Also illegal in Ohio but not enforced. During my business trips to Vermont, I had to finish the shot before I could get the beer.
When I was first legal to drink, Pennsylvania still enforced a law making it illegal for females to be in a bar. They couldn't enter for any reason, not to drink, not to eat, not to drag the old man out. Taprooms would have a physically separate room (with a separate "Ladies Entrance") that had tables and chairs rather than a bar.
In New Jersey (not true any more), it was illegal for any drinking establishment to have a clock that advertised any alcoholic beverage or to use coasters that advertised an alcoholic beverage. Since the neighborhood taprooms got many supples free from liquor wholesalers, it was common in NJ for cocktail napkins to be used as coasters (it was OK if they advertised an alcoholic beverage).
In New Jersey (also not true any more), it was completely legal to drink WHILE DRIVING provided that you had not had enough to be drunk.
The Kentucky county where Jack Daniels is headquartered is dry.
