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Zoller Bros-Independent Malting Co. facts for kids

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Zoller Bros-Independent Malting Co.
Zoeller Bros -Independent Malting.jpg
Zoller Bros-Independent Malting Co. is located in Iowa
Zoller Bros-Independent Malting Co.
Location in Iowa
Zoller Bros-Independent Malting Co. is located in the United States
Zoller Bros-Independent Malting Co.
Location in the United States
Location 1801 W. 3rd Street
Davenport, Iowa
Built 1895
MPS Davenport MRA
NRHP reference No. 83002527
Added to NRHP July 7, 1983

The Zoller Bros-Independent Malting Co. building is located in Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is an old industrial building in the western part of the city. This building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983, meaning it is an important historical site.

History of the Brewery Building

The business of making beer in Davenport began in the 1850s. Many German immigrants moved to the city around that time. Larger breweries started to grow after the American Civil War ended.

By the mid-1880s, brothers Ernest, Herman, and Charles Zoeller opened the Zoeller Brothers Malt House. It was in the Black Hawk area of Davenport. In 1890, they reopened a brewery their father, Ernst Zoeller, Sr., used to run.

Growth and Changes

In 1894, several breweries in Davenport joined together. They formed a single company called The Davenport Malting Company. This company built the Zoller Bros-Independent Malting Co. building in an industrial area. This new building had some of the first refrigeration equipment in the city. As the company grew, they added new parts to the plant and closed older buildings.

By 1916, the brewery was making a lot of beer. It produced 75,000 barrels of beer each year. This made it the second largest brewery in all of Iowa.

The Prohibition Era

In 1896, the Independent Malting Company was created. It operated out of the Zoller Brothers building. The Davenport Malting Company later split into two firms in 1904.

Both The Davenport Malting Company and Independent Malting Company closed in 1916. This happened because of a time called Prohibition. During Prohibition, it became illegal to make or sell alcohol across the country. Over 150 people from these companies lost their jobs.

Reopening and Later Years

When Prohibition ended in 1933, the Zoller Brewery reopened in 1935. By 1941, it had become the largest brewery in Iowa. It employed between 250 and 300 people. The brewery produced 150,000 barrels of beer every year. This beer was sold in nine states and in 2,000 different cities.

In 1945, the company changed its name to the Blackhawk Brewery. However, it stopped making beer in 1952. This was because larger, national beer brands became very popular.

After the brewery closed, the Uchtorff Brewing Company used the building for a few years. Later, United Van Lines used it as a warehouse.

Future Plans

In 2019, there were plans to turn the building back into a brewery. Andrew Arnold, who is involved in the plans, said the building will have several parts. The front of the building will have a museum. The main floor will have a pub. A brewery will be in the back. The second floor will be a place for local brewers to develop their skills.

Building Design

The former brewery building shows how office and industrial buildings looked in the 1800s. It is a two-story building made of brick. The front of the building has three main sections. Each side of the building has nine window openings. These windows have rounded tops, called segmental arches.

The main entrance is set back from the front of the building. It has columns on either side. Above the entrance, there is a decorative band called an entablature. There is also a low, triangular shape above it, known as a shallow pediment.

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