ca. 1890. "scenery of Oregon and Washington Territory" Northern Pacific Railroad Brewery in the 1880s from an early stereopticon slide. (From the collection of Dan Kerlee, Seattle, Washington.) A driver is waiting, along with his team of horses, to transport barrels and bottles of brew. Another cart is empty next to a yard filled with lumber and possibly bottles. A empty cask lies on its side in the foreground. This brewery was built in Steilacoom on Starling Street in 1873 by Wolf Schaefer. It was acquired by the Northern Pacific Railroad shortly after the death of Mr. Schaefer in 1889. Two years later, the company closed the brewery. (Meier: "Breweries of Steilacoom," Brewed in the Pacific Northwest, p. 110-112)

Northern Pacific Railroad Brewery (Steilacoom); Brewing industry--Steilacoom--1880-1890;

ca. 1900. Columbia Breweries remained proud of their beginnings in 1900 when Emil Kliese, William Kiltz and John Smith incorporated the Columbia Brewing Company. This photograph of the entire staff of the brewery in 1900 was used in several newspaper stories during the 1940's and 1950's when the company announced new additions to the brewery. Seated in the front are, L-R, William Kiltz, sales manager, and Emile Kliese, president and brew master. The five men in the back are not identified. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. TPL-9625

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1900-1910; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Kiltz, William; Kliese, Emile;

ca. 1900. An emblem of Columbia Brewing Company's trademark, a large circle with an ornament at the top, shows a female figure holding a sheaf of barley in one hand and a glass of beer extended above her head in the other. A bald eagle behind her grasps barley and hops in his claws and a barrel with the initials CB Co. on the end is beside her. Mountains rise in the background. Drawings of barley and hops also wreathe the banner around the circle of stars completing the design. The name "Dawes, P'gh, Pa." appears at the bottom of the emblem. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. TPL-6695

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1900-1910; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Trademarks;

ca. 1900. Pacific Brewing & Malting Co. operations circa 1900 with the Malt House, Bottling department and Main plant clearly visible. By 1900 Pacific Brewing & Malting Co. was considered the best brew house on the North Coast. The company was in continuous building mode from 1891 through 1916 with stockhouse, cooling plant, stable and warehouse as some of the additions. They manufactured Tacoma and Pacific beer brands and by 1909 was the second largest brewing company in the state with output of 200,000 barrels of beer per year. Prohibition caused the plant to shut down in 1916. Pacific Brewing & Malting Co. has been added to the City and National registers.

Pacific Brewing & Malting Co. (Tacoma); Brewing industry--Tacoma--1900-1910;

ca. 1907. This was the Pacific Brewing & Malting Co. Sample Room known as the "Potomac House" circa 1907. In May of 1907 the familiar East Side three-story building was moved from its original corner site of 302-04 E. 25th St. to 2511 E. "C" St. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul yards took its place. A large sign is hanging from the right advertising "Rose Valley Whisky" and the Potomac Sample Room. In front of the building are thirteen men, including one long-aproned bartender, with most hoisting mugs of beer. (Photograph courtesy of the William Cammarano Collection) TPL-10426

Beer--Tacoma; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1900-1910; Pacific Brewing & Malting Co. (Tacoma); Signs (Notices);

ca. 1908. Emile Kliese, in a dark beard, and another man stand in the offices of Columbia Brewing Company by their tall desks. Emile Kliese was the German-born brewmaster who, with two other men, William C. Kiltz and John Smith, filled for articles of incorporation in 1900 "to brew and sell at wholesale and retail beer and other malt beverages" at a company to be known as "the Columbia Brewing Company". Emile Kliese was the first president and brewmaster of the Columbia Brewing Company from 1900 to 1916. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company. (TNT, 10/6/1951, p.A-3)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1900-1910; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Kliese, Emile; Offices--Tacoma--1900-1910; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People;

ca. 1910. Back in the early days of the 20th century, there were not many automobiles in Tacoma and even fewer delivery vans. Bottled beer was transported in cases via a tried-and-true method--by horse and wagon. Here two patient horses pause while their driver has his photograph taken. He has removed his sturdy work coat which is laid on the covered seat. There are several cases of beer in the open wagon bed. The beer had been brewed by the Pacific Brewing & Malting Co., then one of Washington's largest breweries and located in downtown Tacoma on South 25th St., between "C" and Jefferson. State prohibition laws went into effect in January of 1916, effectively halting the thriving business. (Photograph courtesy of the William Cammarano Collection) TPL-10424

Beer--Tacoma; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Pacific Brewing & Malting Co. (Tacoma); Carts & wagons--Tacoma--1910-1920; Horses--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1912. The name painted on the side of the brewery is the Columbia Brewing Company. The building was built in 1900 when the brewery was established. Like most early breweries this building was tall and took advantage of gravity in moving materials through the brewing process. Grain storage and milling was often located high in a brewery on the 3rd or 4th floor. The copper brew kettle was commonly located beneath the mash tun at ground level. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (Brewed in the Pacific Northwest, Gary and Gloria Meier)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1916. A combination of delivery trucks and horse drawn wagons are shown here with 25 of the brewery's employees. The truck on the right advertises Alt Heidelberg. The man standing by the opening to that truck with the dark beard is Emile Kliese, president, owner and brewmaster of the brewery from its founding in 1900 until 1916. The two wagons have canopies over the drivers seats. Both wagons are loaded with barrels. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. Format 2" x 9 1/2"

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Kliese, Emile;

ca. 1917. A print of a photograph of the Columbia Brewing Company as it appeared in 1917 has been outlined, the date added and measurements written on the left and bottom margins, possibly for use in an advertisement. Stamps have been affixed to the back of the mock-up for Sterling Engraving Company at 1417 Fourth Avenue Building and How. J. Ryan & Son, R Advertising in the Joseph Vance Building, Seattle, Wash. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma);

The name Columbia Brewing Company is seen on the side of the building. A fence has been added along the sidewalk on the right. The building is at least five stories high and has a flat roof. A small pediment adorns the cornice. The name of the brewery was changed in 1933 to Columbia Breweries, Inc., when it was purchased by Elmer Hemrich. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1918. Columbia Brewing Company was established in 1900 on South C Street not far from the giant Pacific Brewing and Malting Company. Emil Kliese was the owner, president and brewmaster of the plant until statewide prohibition in 1916. He died the next year. National Prohibition lasted 13 years, from 1920-1933. During that time the company manufactured soft drinks: "Birch Beer", "Chocolate Soldier", "Blue Jay" (a grape drink), and "Green River". Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (Brewed in the Pacific Northwest, Gary Meier)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1918. Drivers pose in front of the Columbia Brewing Company with five delivery trucks. The truck second from the right is loaded with barrels. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries. A copy of Boland print #B1495.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1919. Much of the work bottling beer at Columbia Brewing Company was done by hand. Bottles were soaked, rinsed, filled, capped, and made ready for shipment. Bottles began to be used for beer in the 1890's using green glass. Brown glass didn't become popular until after prohibition, after 1933. Half gallon sizes were popular at this time. A sign against the wall on the left advertises "Columbia Golden Drops Beer." (Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Bottles; Signs (Notices);

ca. 1919. The wooden-tanked and crudely refrigerated cellar was the one and only storage cellar of the early day Columbia Brewing Company. In those days the brewery had scarcely more than a few hundred barrels of beer in production. Frost has condensed on the pipes leading around the top of this cellar. Gustav Schuster, manager of Columbia Brewing Company from September 17, 1917, to October 31, 1929, is standing on the left with a hat and moustache. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (TNT, 1/7/1952) Format 6 1/4" x 7 1/2" TPL-7952

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Schuster, Gustav;

ca. 1919. A horse-drawn wagon is pulling an early horseless delivery van out of a muddy road. The horses have the name of Columbia Brewing draped over their necks on this cold, snowy day. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. TPL-8348

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Snow--Tacoma; Horse teams--Tacoma; Carts & wagons--Tacoma; Trucks--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1919. Columbia Breweries. The early day bottling machine was a tedious, hand-operated contraption. A production of 500,000 bottles per year was regarded as somewhat stupendous. Wide belts connected with drive shafts located at the ceiling level operate these early assembly-line machines. Ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (TNT, 1/7/1952) (This was a copy print made by the Richards Studio of a Marvin D. Boland photograph #B4392). TPL-9628. Previously cataloged as WO58568-2.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Machinery; Assembly-line methods--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Bottles;

ca. 1919. Much of the work handling beer at Columbia Brewing Company was done by hand. Men are seen working in a chilled room bottling and racking beer into wooden barrels. A sign against the wall on the left advertises "Columbia Golden Drops Beer". Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. TPL-7953

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Bottles;

ca. 1919. Gustav Schuster was the manager of the Columbia Brewing Company in Tacoma from September 17, 1917 to October 31, 1929. For the whole time he was manager, the brewing industry was prevented from making beer by state and federal prohibition laws. In 1919 Mr. Schuster began producing "Colo - a malt beverage of quality" at the Tacoma plant. Colo was a nonalcoholic "near beer" and was classified as a soft drink. The Columbia Brewery managed to survive prohibition and in 1949 they were bought out by Heidelberg Brewery. Heidelberg was in turn purchased by Carling Brewery which operated the Tacoma plant at 2120-32 South C Street until 1979, when it closed.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Offices--Tacoma--1910-1920; Desks; Writing materials; Safes; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Schuster, Gustav;

The Columbia Brewing Company was started in 1900 by three men with a capitalization of $50,000. William Kiltz was sales manager and Emile Kliese was owner, president and brewmaster. Their facilities, typical of the era, were primitive, but they were determined to make the finest beer possible. During the early stages of beer making malted barley was milled and the malt grain was mixed with pure water in a large wooden tub called a "mash tun". This "malt mash" was stired by hand with a long wooden paddle and then channeled or piped into large copper brew kettles where the "wort" was boiled with hops. This view shows the laboratory and mixing room in the bottling department of Columbia Brewing Company. The brewery was located in a newly built facility at 2120-32 South C Street. Copy ordered by Columbia Breweries, Inc., in 1951. (This was a copy print made by the Richards Studio of a Marvin D. Boland photograph #B4391) Another copy of this photograph was ordered under number C87485-42. TPL-7956. Previously cataloged as WO58568-1.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People;

The early racking room at Columbia Brewing Company, where draft beer was barreled, was a matter of wooden barrels, cumbersome hand maneuvering methods and inexact controls. A thick layer of frost can be seen on the pipes above the workmen's heads. They are wearing heavy clothes to work in the chilled cellars. Ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (TNT, 1/7/1952) (This was a copy print made by the Richards Studio of a Marvin D. Boland photograph #B4394). Previously cataloged as WO58568-3.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Barrels--Tacoma; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People;

ca. 1920. A fan of Columbia Brew, a "near beer" produced by the Columbia Brewing Company, models a suit for not-just-any occasion. The jacket and pants have been made by pasting labels for Columbia Brew on pants and a striped shirt. The top hat also displays an enlarged label for Columbia Brew. The Columbia Brewing Company opened their brewery on South C Street between South 21st and South 23rd in 1900. They made "Columbia Brew" during the dry period of prohibition. Columbia Brewing Co. was purchased by Heidelberg Brewing Co. in 1949; which was purchased by Carling Brewery in 1959. The plant closed in 1979. (Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.) Format 6" x 8". TPL-5565

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Costumes; Prohibition--Tacoma;

ca. 1923. Two men are seen in the racking room at Columbia Brewing Company filling wooden barrels with beer. The man on the left is checking the brew for clarity before he cheks it for taste.Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. TLP-7957

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Barrels--Tacoma;

Drivers pose next to their delivery trucks at the loading docks of Columbia Brewing Company. (This was a copy print made by the Richards Studio of a Marvin D. Boland photograph #B14210) Ordered by Colulmbia Breweries in 1951. TPL-6494. Previously cataloged as WO58568-4.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People;

ca. 1923. Facing north along South C Street Columbia Brewing Company is on the left and West Coast Grocery Company further on the west side. Across the street are the storehouses of the Tacoma Junk Company, of frame construction, and the warehouse of Hunt & Motet, hardware, of concrete construction. A sign at the top of Columbia Brewing Company suggests that you "Drink Blue Bird". During prohibition which started with Washington State prohibition in 1916 and National prohibition which lasted from 1920 through 1933 Columbia manufactured soft drinks including "Birch Beer", "Chocolate Soldier", "Blue Jay", and "Green River". Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1923. The rear of Columbia Breweries showing the Northern Pacific Railway tracks and properties across the tracks that faced west to Jefferson Avenue including J.J. Gunlocke Auto Tops who were located at 2121 Jefferson Avenue from 1918 through 1925. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. (This was a copy print made by the Richards Studio of a Marvin D. Boland photograph #B14364)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. Men and women are seated at tables in dappled shade under a canopy of leaves and paper lanterns at Columbia Brewing Company Brew Gardens at the Pacific Northwest Merchants Exposition in Seattle. Mr. C.H. Ball, the Seattle Branch Manager, is standing on the extreme right. Listings in the Seattle City Directories showed entries for Columbia Bottling Company in 1922 and 1923 and Columbia Brewing Company in 1924 and 1926 with C.H. Ball serving as manager. Photograph by Walter P. Miller, commercial photographer in Seattle. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People;

An unidentified man contemplating whether to enjoy his last bottle of pre-prohibition beer.

ca. 1931. Copy of the architect's watercolor rendering for the remodeling of the building at 105-07 E. 26th St., Tacoma for the Northwest Brewing Company. The watercolor is labeled - R.H. Ullrich, Brewery Engineer

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Northwest Brewing Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1932. Columbia Brewing Company is using one of their wagons in a parade, perhaps for the 4th of July or Memorial Day. The two teams of horses have been draped with bunting and the wagon has been decorated with flags. A young woman stands on the wagon wearing a long white dress. Two men wearing mustaches and dress hats are driving the horses. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. Format 4" x 9 1/2"

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Carts & wagons--Tacoma--1930-1940; Horse teams--Tacoma--1930-1940;