Bottle

Object Name:

Bottle

Object ID:

2026.007

Date:

1893-1896

Description:

Bottle. Green blown-glass beer bottle with a label reading "MOUNTAIN SPRING BREWING CO'S / BROWN STOUT PORTER / UNSURPASSED FOR PURITY, FLAVOR AND BRILLIANCY". The label includes an illustration of the brewery complex along the Connecticut River in Walpole, NH. c. 1893-1896.

Material:

Glass
Paper

Dimensions:

H-10 Dia-2.75 inches

Provenance:

Walker, Blake & Company of Boston (comprised of Warren Walker (1815-1883) of Bellows Falls, his brother Alvah Walker (1828-1896) of Boston, and his son in law Charles M. Blake (1849-1923) of Bellows Falls) began constructing a brewery designed by architect Charles Stoll of Brooklyn along the Cold River in the north of Walpole in the fall of 1876. It was five stories in height and used a half-million bricks made by the brickyards of W.A. Barrett and George W. Ball in Keene. The business was called the Crystal Spring Brewery in January 1877 newspaper articles but the name changed to the Fall Mountain Brewery by April when it was in full operation. In 1878 it was one of only five breweries in the state, along with Carney, Lynch & Co. in Manchester, and Eldredge Brewing, Frank Jones, and Portsmouth Brewing companies in Portsmouth. The firm's named changed to Walker, Dewey, Blake & Co. in 1879 with the addition of E. E. Dewey.

In May 1882 a fire destroyed the main building and the engine house of the brewery, leaving only a brick shell. The firm rebuilt the brewery from 1882 to 1883, and expanded the operation to brew ale and porter in addition to lager. The Bellows Falls Brewing Company incorporated in 1886. The Mountain Spring Brewing Company incorporated in 1893 and purchased in June the Bellows Falls Brewing Company for $200,000. The business failed in January 1896 but was reorganized in May as the New Mountain Spring Brewing Company.

Credit Line:

Gift of William W. Upton

Subjects:

Beer, Beer industry, Brewing industry, Breweries