Peoria Spirits : The Story of Peoria's Brewing and Distilling Industries - Softcover

The Peoria Historical Society is proud to present the first concise history of Peoria's brewing and distilling heritage. These pages are a small attempt to bring an incredibly interesting, and overwhelmingly complex topic from obscurity to light. This is only the tip of the iceberg! Books could be written about the lives of any of the great Whiskey Barons, famous brewers, and their distilleries or breweries. Information is extant to those willing to seek it out. For example, with the exception of the Hiram Walker & Sons corporate archives in Canada, the Scott Caswell Collection contains one of the largest inventories of Hiram & Sons records, labels, and memorabilia. A book on Hiram Walker & Sons in Peoria is just waiting to be written. The history of brewing and distilling has touched nearly every aspect of life in Peoria's development. The city of Peoria, its people, buildings, and even the river bank, are a direct product of the great industries established more than 150 years ago.

Peoria should be as proud of this rich and colorful heritage as the Society is to bringing it to light. Every attempt has been made in this volume to accurately portray the events, people, and places of yesteryear. The intention of any historian is to enlighten reader with a clear picture of the past with the hope of educating future generations. We trust our readers will enjoy Peoria Spirits as much as the Society has enjoyed the opportunity to present such an important aspect of Peoria's history.