Commercial beer brewing began in Seattle around 1854 when Antonio B. Rabbeson founded Washington Brewery; by the spring of 1864 he was advertising his porter, beer, and cream ales. On February 1, 1865, Martin Schmieg and Joseph Butterfield announced their new North Pacific Brewery, on the southwest corner of Columbia Street and Front Street (now First Avenue). Butterfield later sold his share, and Schmieg partnered with Amos Brown. In about 1876, Brown sold his share to Schmieg, who then returned to Germany for a time, leaving the company in the hands of its beer wagon driver, August Mehlhorn. When Schmieg failed to return, Mehlhorn bought the company and took on a new partner. Picht & Mehlhorn manufactured steam beer, ale, porter and lager beer for eight years, selling 1,804 barrels in 1878.
This image shows the North Pacific Brewery, with two women on the balcony, and men and horses below.
Photographer's mark: WD
Caption information source: https://archive.org/stream/volumeofmemoirsg00lewi/volumeofmemoirsg00lewi_djvu.txt Caption information source: "Washington Beer: A Heady History of Evergreen State Brewing," by Michael F. Rizzo, 2016: American Palate, Charleston, SC Caption information source: "History of Seattle from the earliest settlement to the present time (Volume 2),: by Clarence Bagley. Online. Caption information source: https://www.sos.wa.gov/legacy/cities_detail.aspx?i=7 Caption information source: The Seattle Daily Times, June 23, 1956, page 61
ID Number: SHS240
Date: 1874
Physical Description: 1 photographic print mounted on cardboard: b&w ; 3 x 7 in.
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant. Metadata updated as part of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Library Services and Technology Act, through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
