A History of Evansville Breweries Sterling Brewers 1936

Drinking background Germans like beer Early beer small-scale, much like home brew “Old Brewery” first large operation Smaller breweries gave way to larger ones F W Cook Brewing Co Evansville Brewing Association - comprised of Fulton Ave Brewery, Evansville Brewing Co, and Hartmetz Brewery Many survived Prohibition by making other products Notable brands included Cook’s Goldblume and Sterling Last major brewery in Evansville closed 1988 Evansville Brewing Company revived beer making in Evansville, but the venture failed 1997 Tin Man brings large scale brewing back to the city 1st and 2nd generation immigrants knew the craft Evansville Brewing Association (EBA) formed to compete with the big breweries Not including microbreweries (small-scale) like Turoni’s

Old Brewery Brothers-in-law Rice & Kroener establish first brewery in area 1837 Situated along the Wabash & Erie Canal (Indiana St) Became known as “Old Brewery” when Rice split off to form City Brewery (later FW Cook) in 1853 Ran simultaneously to Fulton Ave Brewery across street 1880s Newer factory saw the old one out of business Closed 1884 and razed 1886 Indiana St was Canal St (part of the Wabash & Erie Canal) likely a water source for the brewery. Labeled as “dilapidated” and “nearly tumbling down” in 1884 Sanborn map ALSO NOTE * Canal House recently remodeled up the street * Open air theater established c1900 corner of Illinois; that was later replaced with a gas station (attendant office still standing) Old Brewery complex from the 1880 aerial map

Cook & Rice City Brewery Louis Rice leaves Old Brewery in 1853 and forms City Brewery with Frederick Washington Cook Jacob Rice (Cook’s stepdad) buys out brothers share 1857 Rice died 1872 Incorporated as F W Cook Brewing Co in 1885 Large fire 1891, rebuilt Jacob rice died of injuries after an accident Top – City Brewery 1850s Bottom – Sketch of Cook brewery c1890

F W Cook Brewing Co (cont’d) Growing company had several large additions 1910s including new bottling house, stables and warehouse Kept machines oiled during Prohibition Million dollar brewhouse 1950 Strike 1955 ultimately led to its closure 1957 Razed 1965 for Civic Center Left – F W Cook Brewing Co c1900 Middle – Brewery 1950s Right – Demolition 1965 See http://historicevansville.com for more New bottling house 1913 and warehouse/stables Tower streamlined, old offices removed

Fulton Ave Brewery Built 1881 across from Old Brewery Large collapse 1890 saw the iconic stock house erected Becomes part of Evansville Brewing Association (EBA) 1894 Large expansions early 1900s Ullmer and Hoedt open state-of-the-art brewery (at that time Old Brewery was dated) Can’t determine if competing or side venture, but Old Brewery folded soon after Collapse Mar 28, 1890 killed two. Stock house at corner of Penn (Lloyd) and Fulton built Joins Hartmetz and Evansville Brewery in 1894 to compete with big dogs. Other two would later merge into Fulton Ave branch Significantly enlarged early 1900s - RR switches link brewery to railroad 1904, office 1907, large 4/5 story sections added around 1910 Top, left – Original Fulton Ave Brewery building c1888 Bottom, left – Stock house at Fulton and Penn c1900 Bottom, right – EBA offices built 1907

Fulton Ave Brewery (cont’d) Renamed Sterling Brewery 1933 after surviving Prohibition New offices built 1954 when West Side Expressway built Closed 1988. Evansville Brewing Co 1988-1997 Razed 1999, few buildings remain Thank Donahue collection Bottling shop completed 1914 Old offices cleared away when Pennsylvania Expressway built c1956 (old brick structure) New offices built 1954 recently converted into ONE Life Church Bottling house (1914), wagon shed (c1890) and grain dryer/storage (c1900) still standing Sold 1972 to Heileman (LaCrosse, WI) ALSO NOTE * Lloyd Expy access road/onramp aligns with old Pennsylvania St Top, right – New bottling house 1914 Bottom, left – New offices west of the main brewery Bottom, right – 1969 view across Fulton Ave

Sterling Brewery (cont’d) Fulton Ave looking west with Pennsylvania St in the middle Old offices were in the brick building left of center (above the word “Aerial”) The large round structures were part of the old gas works (clean up effort c2010) Aerial view of the brewery area around 1940

Blue shows Sterling buildings still extant (as of 2014) Sterling ad 1962

Hartmetz Brewery Also known as Vanderburgh Brewery Opened 1863 Located on Harmony Way in West Heights Joined EBA 1894 Closed c1910 Main building razed c1940 Part still used for city greenhouses for years 1863 henry schneider 1877 acquired by john hartmetz vanderburgh brewery Babytown Brewery See http://historicevansville.com for more Top – Brewery from 1884 Sanborn Bottom – Hartmetz Brewery c1900

Evansville Brewery Opened 1891 at 4th and Ingle Streets Joined EBA 1894 Brewing ceased 1914 Various operations through the years Tower removed c1940 Brucken’s since 1969 Dixie Motors c1920 Top – Brewery as car dealership 1926 Bottom – Evansville Brewery 2010

Weber Hall / Carpenter Hall Weber’s Hall built c1890 Weber’s Malt House on Fourth Ave, also known as Franklin Brewery, made malt extract Carpenters’ union purchases building 1922 and becomes known as Carpenter’s Hall 1940 addition in rear Malt house catercorner, between Illinois and Franklin Sts (across from Schnute Apartments) Hall originally established to showcase brewery product ALSO NOTE Lamasco tour 9/9/14 founded 1836 by Law, MacCall, and Scott merged with Evansville 1857 Fulton Park, formerly John Law Park, served as public square; had town hall fronting Franklin Headquarters of Local 90 Carpenter Union 1932

Other small breweries Eagle Brewery – opened 1851 at Pearl and Water (present site Mulzer Crushed Stone); closed c1869 Union Brewery – built 1857 on the Wabash & Erie Canal (Courthouse block); closed 1869; later Evansville Medical Society Western Brewery – 1857 in Babytown (not Hartmetz) Crescent City Brewery – Established 1858 at Market and Ohio St. Proprietors Jauch & Hirschberger Olive Branch Brewery – established 1865 by Jauch (left Crescent City Brewery); located on Columbia near Cook’s Park; destroyed by fire 1871 Washington Brewery – founded 1867 by Kroener who left Old Brewery; at 5th and Virginia Even more smaller ones by name only

Mint Springs Distillery Distillery and hotel Branch office of a whisky distillery near Owensboro Built 1913 Located at 2nd St and Fulton Ave, opposite old L & N Depot Moved to Henderson, KY 1919 when Indiana went dry Later Hotel Edward Razed c1980s Company president Van Pickerill arrested for moving liquor across state lines Mint Springs Distillery shortly after opening 1914

Chero-Cola New bottling factory built 1922 Fifth & Franklin Distributed Chero-Cola and later Nehi Becomes Double Cola plant c1950s, expands Now Lensing Wholesale Chero-Cola organized 1914 Owned by H F Kersting (sometimes Kersting Bottling Co) Chero Cola fleet 1922

Other Bottling Works Bernardin Bottle Cap Co Coca Cola Bottling Founded 1880s One of last industries to leave downtown Opened plant 1949 at foot of Mt Auburn (now Silgan) Coca Cola Bottling Established locally 1903 Existing structure rebuilt around 1926 with later additions Recently repurposed as office space See http://historicevansville.com for more Top – Bernardin Bottle Works 1948 Bottom – Coca Cola Bottling on Pennsylvania St

Niedermeyer Saloon (c1888) Corner Saloons Corner saloons as common as corner stores 1880: one saloon for every 210 persons Some were licensed by the breweries to sell their brand exclusively Some were built by the breweries Home Realty Co real estate arm of F W Cook Brewing Co During Prohibition some became soft drink parlors, most would quietly add back liquor Several still standing, some still bars Some corner stores were also bars Examples include * Corner bar, Law Ave and Mt Vernon Rd * Hagedorn’s, Franklin St, Mundo’s saloon * 718 Bar, Third and Columbia, Kiel’s grocery and saloon * Lanhucks, Columbia and Governor, just torn down * Fred’s Bar, Read and Virginia * Steierer Saloon, 401 N Fulton, Service Glass (gone) * 222 Bar, gone * Joey’s Bar, gone Niedermeyer Saloon (c1888) on Fulton Ave

Cook’s Park Originally a salt well and later a springs resort near Pigeon Creek Purchased by F W Cook 1890 who made improvements Sold Cook’s beer Easy street car ride for people wanting to escape the city Prohibition forced Cook to sell park EBA had a similar park out on West Heights Where Lamasco Park is now (Columbia-Delaware bridge) Resort went by multiple names - Pigeon Springs, Artesian Springs Park Becomes Exposition Park 1920 and Pleasure Park 1923 Amusement park

Prohibition Several ads 1910s touting benefits of beer Indiana goes dry April 2, 1918 Fulton Ave Brewery operated as Sterling Products, making ice, malt liquor, and leasing space to companies like Sugar Creek Creamery Co. Increase in popularity of sodas, bootlegging Repealed 1933 but liquor and beer now taxed Nationally 1920 Wright Act later for reinforcement Prohibition 1918-1933 products included butter, ketchup, and malt extract Malt extract used as a sweetener for things like medicine and—conveniently enough—to make home brew Ken Burns documentary

Resurgence Shrinking number of breweries After Prohibition: 725 1971: 76 (Sterling one of last of 4 in Indiana) Push from mass produced to local and unique Microbreweries Turoni’s Main St Brewery (1996) Local breweries Tin Man Brewery (2012) Carson’s Brewery (2012) Beer never unpopular Recent popularity of home brew Turoni’s Pizzeria/Brewery on North Main

Franklin House / Heyns Furniture Franklin House boarding house and saloon built c1870 William Heyns establishes his furniture company around 1889 Business grows and 1901 expands building; added ornamentation at top into the brickwork A variety of uses after the furniture company closes c1930 Fire March 4, 1962 claims the left third Tin Man finishes an earlier restoration in 2012. Cheers! Variety of proprietors for the Franklin House but eventually Wm Heyns Operated both saloon and furniture company for a while Heyns dies c1930, company closes soon after but primarily boarding/hotel and a restaurant/saloon Miscellaneous uses including liquor store and used furniture company Heyns Furniture Co 1901

Heyns Furniture (cont’d) Franklin St House built as boarding house / saloon 1886 Heyns takes ownership c1889 Heyns & Co established as a furniture company 1901 Building enlarged as Heyns Block 1930s-1940s Spillman’s Restaurant and Hotel 1950s Bud Bays Indian Sales and Service (motorcycles) / Irwin Liquors / West Side Swap Shop 1962 Left (east) section is destroyed by fire 1960s-1970s Blue Bell Liquors / Rite Deal Furniture 1970s-1980s Al Hocker / Rogers Used Furniture 1990s West Side Consignment & Resale 2000s Tri-State Printing 2008 Remodeled for restaurant, stalled 2012 Renovated for Tin Man Brewing Co ROUGH TIMELINE c1889-c1930 Heyns Furniture 1932-1944 Spillmans Restaurant (1428) 1944 Al Hocker sign painter & Bud Bays motorcycle & body shop 1950 Irwin Rob liquors / Day & Night Rest/Hotel 1955 Irwin Liquors/West Side Swap Shop 1960 Blue Bell Liquors / Swap Shop 1965 Blue Bell Liquors / Rite Deal Furniture Co 1970 Rite Deal Furniture 1975 Rite Deal Furniture 1980 Al Hocker / Al Rogers used furniture 1985 Al Hocker Shop / A & E Rogers 1990 vacant 1995 West Side Cons. / Resale shop 2000 Morris Heating & Plumbing 2005 Tri-state Printing 2010 Tri-state Printing?

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