Exterior-Heidelberg Brewery. The Heidelberg Shipping Depot was located at S. 21st and Jefferson within sight of the lettered water tower and other parts of the brewery. A large delivery truck is parked outside the entry to the depot. Heidelberg had purchased Columbia Breweries in 1949 but waited until July, 1953, to change its name. Two years after this May 15, 1957, photograph was taken, the brewing company would be acquired by Carling Brewery. Photograph ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Co. TPL-5511

Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior-Heidelberg Brewery. Taken from across busy Jefferson Avenue on May 15, 1957, the Heidelberg Shipping Depot can be spotted in the center of the photograph. Other Heidelberg buildings are to its left. Heidelberg was well known for its Columbia Ale and Heidelberg beer. The brewery was purchased by Carling Brewery in 1959 and closed its doors twenty years later.

Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Operations at Heidelberg Brewing Co. were highly mechanized by the mid-1950's. A second brewing line was installed in the summer of 1954 which doubled the brewhouse capacity. Here a brewery employee keeps a careful eye on his large machine which appears to be in the bottling section. Photograph ordered by the Radio Corps. of America.

Machinery; Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1948. Columbia Brewing Company was purchased by Elmer Hemrich of the Hemrich brothers' Seattle brewing empire in 1933 after the end of National Prohibition. The name was changed that year to Columbia Breweries, Inc. In 1948 president Norman Davis announced four new officers and a plant expansion. The company had acquired a two-block-long property extending from 21st to 23rd on Jefferson Avenue adjoining their present plant on South C Street on the rear. The initial building program called for a 2-story bottle shop, bottling storage, cellars, and a steam plant to make additional bottle lines possible. A second unit was to warehouse case-goods and a new receiving and shipping depot. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (TNT 12/9/1948)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

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. 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. 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;

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. 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. 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. 1937. A view of Columbia Breweries along South C Street from 23rd Street South. The main brewery building looks quite different from earlier photographs. It has been widened and the clapboards either removed or covered. A street sign for 23rd Street South is seen attached to the utility pole in the near right corner. Harrison Brothers office can be seen at 2140 South C Street. Many automobiles from the time are parked along the street. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, 714 Market Street, Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940;

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. 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;

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. 1935. Columbia Brewing Company was purchased by Elmer Hemrich in 1933 and the name was changed to Columbia Breweries, Inc. The automobiles in this photograph are from the 1920's and 1930's which provide an estimated date of 1935. The brewery has been added onto with another structure along the right side about halfway back and a one story addition at the top. In 1936 Columbia began construction of a $120,000 bottling shop, a portion of which was devoted to canned beer. Columbia was the first of the Northwest brewers to introduce canned beer in this territory. This shop completed the third unit of their building program, the first two being the brew house and cellars. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (Ledger, 3/30/1936)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940;

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. 1936. A view of Columbia Breweries along South C Street circa 1936. The front of the tallest section has been removed for remodeling. A truck is seen backed up to the loading dock with Alt Heidelberg painted on the sides. A large, white building up the hill, along South 23rd Street at 2302 Fawcett Avenue, has a sign, "Columbia Bottling Company." Columbia Bottling Company was at this address in 1935 and 1936 only. West Coast Grocery Company, Coffee - Spices - Extracts, is next door to Columbia Breweries at 2114 South C Street and Vicray's Garage is on the right at 2112 South C Street. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. TPL-6498

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

ca. 1949. An aerial view of Columbia Breweries along South C Street in the snow. A sign spells out Columbia Breweries around the top of the main building. The eight-story Harmon Manufacturing Company building can be seen in the foreground at 1938 Pacific Avneue. Tacoma Plumbing Supply can be seen around the corner at 315 South 23rd Street. The numerals 7730 have been inscribed on the bottom of the photograph. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

ca. 1949. This aerial view of Columbia Breweries along South "C" Street in downtown Tacoma is nearly identical to C87485, image 12, except for the Heidelberg logo missing in the left corner. The photograph was taken during a snowy day circa 1949. The brewery is located in near-left center and is labeled "Columbia Breweries" and "Columbia Ale" near the top of the main building. Heidelberg Brewery purchased the Columbia Breweries plant in 1949 and remodeled and rebuilt it. The plant would once again be sold in 1959 when Carling Brewery purchased it. It would finally close in June of 1979.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Aerial views; Aerial photographs; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1937. Two of the chemists at Columbia Breweries are testing products in a laboratory, heating liquids with a row of bunsen burners. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, Inc., Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Chemistry--Tacoma; Scientists--Tacoma; Scientific equipment--Tacoma; Laboratories--Tacoma; Testing--Tacoma;

ca. 1937. One of the chemists at Columbia Breweries is using a slide rule to complete calculations from the data he obtained from earlier tests. A copy of "Alcohol Tables" is among other items on the desk along with a calendar, a pen holder, a telephone and small bottles of chemicals. Copies of industry magazines are laid out on the desk in the foreground, "Chemical Abstracts", "American Brewer", and "Brewers News". Bottles of labeled chemicals are seen behind glass doors on the right and more books are shelved in the back. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, Commercial Photographers, 714 Market Street, Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Chemistry--Tacoma; Scientists--Tacoma; Desks; Scientific equipment--Tacoma;

ca. 1948. A scale model of Columbia Breweries plant as it was planned in 1948. An expansion was announced in 1948 that called for a 2-story unit for a new bottle shop, bottle storage, cellars, and a steam plant. A second unit was to warehouse case goods and a new receiving and shipping depot on property to the rear on Jefferson Avenue that had been acquired in 1948. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, 714 Market Street, Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Architectural models;

ca. 1937. Instruments have been set up for an experiment at Columbia Breweries' laboratory. A meter has been connected to a battery to test one of the components of the beer and ale brewed at Columbia. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, Inc., Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Scientific equipment--Tacoma;

ca. 1949. An aerial view of Columbia Breweries along South C Street in the snow. A sign spells out Columbia Breweries around the top of the main building. The elevated runway that crosses over the railroad tracks between the receiving depot on the Jefferson Street frontage and the bottle shop on South C Street can be seen. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, 714 Market Street, Tacoma." Associated Photographic Service was open from 1935 through 1949. Chapin Bowen was with the company from 1939 through 1949.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1937. One of the chemists at Columbia Breweries is using an analylitic balance for very precise measurements of ingredients in this circa 1937 photograph. She is gripping tweezers to place weights from the box in front of her to the tray on the right hand side of the balance. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, Commercial Photographers, 714 Market Street, Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Scientific equipment--Tacoma; Scientists--Tacoma;

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. 1935. A view of the rear of Columbia Breweries' facilities from along Jefferson Avenue. In 1936 Columbia began construction of a $120,000 bottling shop. This shop would complete the third unit of their building program - the first two being the brew house and cellars. The back of McNulty Storage & Transfer and Vicray's Garage can also be seen. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, 714 Market Street, Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

ca. 1952. An artistic rendition of Columbia Breweries' facilities showing how the facilities had grown and expanded from the original main brewery and steam plant to cover over four acres spreading from South C Street to Jefferson Avenue and from South 21st to South 23rd Streets. The bottle shop on the far left and the shipping depot in the back right were added in 1952. A second story was added to the depot in 1953. The brewery advertised their two malt beverages, Alt Heidelberg in cans, 12 ounce stubbies and quart bottles, and Columbia Ale. Copies of prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. (TNT, 4/7/1953, p.D-10)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960;

ca. 1952. An architectural drawing of Columbia Breweries' new bottle shop that was to be built at the southern end of the brewery along South C Street. The glass-fronted bottling line and storage building would contain over 53,000 square feet of additional plant. Drawing by Wohleb & Wohleb Architects in Olympia, Rober Dudley of Seattle, photographer. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Architectural drawings;

ca. 1952. For eight years, beginning in 1949, "Raye & O'Dare," also known as the "Heidelberg Harmonaires," were the voice of Tacoma brewed Heidelberg beer on radio and television. Claude "Raye" Frankforter, at the piano, and Scott O'Dare (whose original name was believed to be Easton Skogsbergh) were heard from three to five nights a week on over 31 radio stations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. Sponsored by Columbia Breweries, the Harmonaires provided song, patter and piano and signed off as "Your Tacoma Neighbor, the Columbia Breweries." Claude (Raye) Frankforter died in 2001. Photograph by Robert Dudley of Seattle and believed to be dated around 1952. Copies of prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. (information on Raye from online quote of Skagit Valley Herald obituary)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Pianos; Music ensembles--Tacoma; KOMO-KJR Radio Station (Seattle); Radio broadcasting--Tacoma--1950-1960; Raye, Claude; O'Dare, Scott; Advertising--Tacoma--1950-1960;