Approximately 50 county auditors and treasurers from around the state met in Tacoma in June of 1938 for their third annual joint convention. One of the highlights of their visit to Tacoma was a trip to the Columbia Brewery where these two unidentified conventioneers were photographed enjoying a sample of the company's popular brew. Representatives of all the state's 39 counties were expected to attend the banquet held in the Crystal ballroom at the Hotel Winthrop with a total attendance, including wives, of over 100. (T. Times 6/16/1938, pg. 1) TPL-9935

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Government officials--Tacoma--1930-1940; Beer; Eating & drinking; Meetings--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The June 1938 County Treasurers and Auditors Convention. Gathered outside of the Columbia Brewery, a large group of men toast the photographer with glasses of beer in this casual portrait of government officials. A man in the front row holds what appears to be a tray of money bills. The convention was held jointly by all counties in the state and was attended by representatives of all 39 of those counties. (T. Times 6/16/1938, pg.1)

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Government officials--Tacoma--1930-1940; Beer; Eating & drinking; Meetings--Tacoma--1930-1940;

County Treasurers and Auditors Convention. Posing outside the Columbia Brewery in bright daylight, government officials, with glasses of beer in hand, have their portrait taken with the entertainment, a woman dancer in a ruffled dress.

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Government officials--Tacoma--1930-1940; Beer; Eating & drinking; Meetings--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Members of the staff of Heidelberg Brewing Co. and of Bona Fide Builders construction company inspect the scale model for the new 3/4 million dollar "Brew House" to be added to the brewing plant on So. C St. The construction of the four story storage cellar has been contracted with Bona Fide Builders Inc., a Tacoma construction company. The basic contract is for $350,000 for the construction of a reinforced concrete building to house the cellars. The building will cover an area 55 x 140 feet on So. C. The tank and refrigeration contracts bring the cost to $800,000. The glass lined tanks have a capacity of over 1,000 barrels each. The production of the new plant is estimated to be 750,000 barrels annually. Pictured, left to right, are Anders W. Erickson, Brewmaster, T.L. McCormick of the architectural designers, Michael M. Kneip, Assistant Brewmaster, Joseph Wohleb, Brewery architect, W. Boyd Dickson Jr., President of Bona Fide Builders, Hollis Kerr, Heidelberg construction superintendent, Nick Ockfen, Bona Fide superintendent of construction, L. Paul Marten, engineer for the brewing co., A.L. Waterbury, Chief Engineer of the brewing co. and Bailey H. Nieder, technical assistant and manager of engineering department of the brewing co. (TNT 7/16/1953, pg. C-13)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Bona Fide Builders Inc. (Tacoma); Erickson, Anders W.; Kneip, Michael M.; Wohleb, Joseph; Dickson, W. Boyd; Kerr, Hollis; Waterbury, A.L.; Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960;

Columbia Breweries. Brew kettle being dismantled. The kettle was used for brewing beer. Ingredients were added on the upper level of the kettle- barley malt, hops and water. The brewery had two enormous copper kettles with a capacity of 330 barrels each and made an average of 6 brews each day. Two deep artesian wells on the property supplied the water, pumping 66,000 gallons per day. The company was known as Columbia Breweries from 1900-1949. It was purchased by Heidelberg Brewing Co. in 1949 but continued to do business as Columbia. On July 15, 1953, the brewery officially changed its name to Heidelberg Brewing Company. They sold in 1958 to Carling Brewing Co. of Canada and closed their doors in Tacoma in 1979, after 3/4 of a century of brewing.

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

Heidelberg Brewery- Salesmen's wives boarding bus outside the Winthrop Hotel. Heidelberg often held sales meetings in Tacoma and entertainment was planned for the ladies. Here the wives are neatly attired in coats and some furs, as well as the requisite hat, and ready to board a bus for a sightseeing junket. The brewery was known as Columbia Breweries from 1900-1953; in July of 1953 the company changed its name to Heidelberg Brewing Co. Its most famous products were the beers "Alt Pilsener" and "Columbia Ale." Both labels stopped production with the breweries' closure in 1979. TPL-8479

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Heidelberg Brewing Co., Sales Meeting. The company originated as Columbia Brewing Co. in 1900, begun by three men with a capitalization of $50,000. It was purchased in 1949 by Heidelberg Brewery Co. and remodeled and rebuilt. The company officially changed its name on July 15, 1953 to Heidelberg Brewing Co. Its famous labels "Alt Pilsener" and "Columbia Ale" were consumed throughout the Northwest. The company sold in 1958 to Carling Brewing Co. of Canada. Its doors closed in Tacoma in 1979, after 3/4 of a century of quenching the thirst of the Northwest.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Sales personnel--Tacoma; Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960--People;

Representatives from Pendleton, Oregon, visited Heidelberg Brewery in April, 1954. The thirteen men and women pose in front of a Heidelberg doormat; it shows the familiar brewery symbol of a man quaffing a refreshing stein of beer. Heidelberg had purchased the brewery from Columbia Breweries a few years prior, although advertising until 1953 continued to emphasize the Columbia name. Carling Brewery eventually purchased Heidelberg in 1959; the plant was finally closed in 1979.

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

Close-up display of beer bottles. Pilsener Beer was brewed locally with artesian water by the Silver Springs Brewing Co. View of two brands of Pilsener Beer, Oldstyle and Hartz. Both were advertised as "Extra pale". Pilsener was a light beer with a strong flavor of hops; its name probably came from the Czech city of Pilsen (Pizen). The Silver Springs Brewing Co. were located at 105 E. 26th St.; the 1954 City Directory listed Lyle L. Lane was secretary/manager. Photograph ordered by Condon Co., an advertising firm.

Beer--Tacoma; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Silver Springs Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior brewery. Large lettering on the Silver Springs Brewing Co.'s building proudly proclaimed it as the "Home of Oldstyle Pilsener Beer" in an August 18, 1954, photograph. The Silver Springs Brewing Co. was founded in Port Orchard in 1934 and moved to Tacoma in 1950. After moving to Tacoma and purchasing the site at 105 E. 26th St., former home to Northwest Brewing Co., they added a three-story bottling plant to the complex. They provided Heidelberg Brewing (Columbia Breweries) with competition for Northwest beer drinking tastes with their Oldstyle Pilsener, brewed with artesian water.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Silver Springs Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Signs (Notices);

Exterior brewery. The Silver Springs Brewing Co., "Home of Oldstyle Pilsener Beer", competed with Heidelberg Brewing (Columbia Breweries) for a share of the Northwest market. Their Oldstyle Pilsener and Hartz brands were brewed with artesian water. View of exterior of Silver Springs brewery; railroad crossing sign indicated that there would be easy transport of the bottled products from the brewery to customers. Silver Springs had been in existence since 1934 and located in Tacoma since 1950. They continued to expand their sphere of operations for many years.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Silver Springs Brewing Co. (Tacoma);

Party at Alt Heidelberg plant. Men gathered around one of the large beer vats. (T. Times).

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

ca. 1937. Party at Alt Heidelberg plant. A group of men have just finished dinner and are enjoying a glass of beer. Poster on wall: "HERE in the completely equipped chemical laboratory is controlled the famous formula of Otto Birkmaier..." Otto Birkmaier was the brewmaster for many years at Columbia Breweries and was one of the most highly regarded brewers in the country. (T.Times)

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