Historical Landmark - 1636 Lincolnway k

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1636 Lincolnway West Historical Context This property is located on the south side of Lincolnway West between North College and the old New York Central Rail Road Line, in South Bend, Indiana. It is described as being the East portion of Ruple's Outlot. The brick building at 1636 Lincolnway West was built in 1905 as brewery and offices 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 saloon keepers primarily of Polish, German and Hungarian descent. They organized in order to manufacture and produce beer. The men began their firm with a capitalization of $100,000.00 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 the next year they were in control often, many of which were located on the west side of town where they and there 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 to 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, atwenty-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 (Ike), and John, took control of the company. John became president and his brother became vice- president. Hugo died in 1945.