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STAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Application Number: Property Location: 2000-0128 1636 Lincolnway West Property Owner: Ethel Anderson Landmark or District Designation: LL Rating: S11 Key Number: Survey Card: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEIHISTORIC CONTEXT The brick building at 1636 Lincolnway West was built in 1905 as a brewery and office space for the South Bend Brewing Association. Its design, with different tiers and decreasing heights towards the rear, reflects the process of brewing beer. Height was needed for brewing because the system was based on gravity flow assisted by pumping and hoisting. The horizontal extensions in the rear contained power, heating, refrigeration equipment and loading facilities. The South Bend Brewing Association was founded in 1903 by a group of South Bend saloonkeepers, who were primarily of Polish, German and Hungarian descent. The men began their firm with a capitalization of $100,000.00, which was made by selling 10,000 shares of stock. By the end of 1904 the association was leasing saloons around the city and by the end of he next year they were in control of ten saloons, many of which were located on the west side of town where they and their fellow immigrants were primarily located. The brewery's main products in the early years were Tiger and Hoosier Beer. The first manager was Jerry Voelkers who was given the post in April of 1904. Voelkers was a German who had previously been involved in the plumbing business. He died in 1911 and was replaced by Thomas Hoban. After the Volstead Act and the restrictions of Prohibition began in 1919, the association changed its charter and began o manufacture ice cream, candy, cereal beverages, soft drinks and malt extracts. They also began distilling denatured alcohol for industrial purposes. In 1922 the firm's name was changed to the South bend Beverage and Ice Association and George Voedisch, a twenty-five year employee of Muessel Brewery in South Bend, became President and General Manager of the firm. The Voedisch family remained associated with the business until the brewery closed. George Voedisch died in August of 1940. His sons, Hugo, and John, took control of the company.