My Memories of Kinsey Distilling

[CorvallisCracker]

Hey Dave - check out this OH ad. I'm not sure if she would qualify as one of the "Nicest people". I know my mom wouldn't think so. :cool:

[dave ziegler]

Hey Dave - check out this OH ad. I'm not sure if she would qualify as one of the "Nicest people". I know my mom wouldn't think so. :cool:

Scott That is a very nice Ad We had so many good marketing ads, the company was always ahead of the pack! Thanks for sharing that one never saw it! Be Well Scott and thanks for reading my Posts!

Dave Z

Join The Swing To Kinsey The Unhurried Whisky

For Unhurried moments

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[CorvallisCracker]

By the way, Old Hickory was the most recent (completed) VBT (in the Tasting forum), #301.

[dave ziegler]

By the way, Old Hickory was the most recent (completed) VBT (in the Tasting forum), #301.

[dave ziegler]

Yesterday I took a walk through Kinsey again noticing much being destroyed by the ever working Vandels. The Old Kinsey Bottle House is slowoly being robbed of anything Metal. I am sure glad I got the 100 year old light bulbs from there before they could smash them!

There is not much left now but ruin I wish I would have gotten there years earlier as there was so much history trashed. But Thankfully I did save many original Mash Bills and matching grain bills for the distilling days in spring 1951.

When I got home last night I got out the Big Sams Maping book my friend who was a high up in the company gave me and cleaned it of any silver fish mess.

The pages have all died off in the cold dryness of my garage, and the pages are nice and dry and much cleaner then I thought. I paged through the front say Pa & Maryland but halfway through there is another whole half of all the Distilleries in KY. Names I have only read of and heard of here.

I plan once Better weather comes again to take pictures of everyone in the book and post as many as I can till my space is gone. I will have to do them small but they can be made big again for those who want them.

My mind has gone blank but many famous Distilleries with their DSP number included!

I also found an updated blue print page when Publicker bought her of Kinsey in the back half with all the Warehouses and the Year they were Built.

Of the 14 exposion proof Warehouses #38,T,S,Q,L,J,K,O,M,I,C,N were all built in 1946,P,and R were built in 1947 and The All purpose Warehouse U which became the 1966 Bottle house was built in 1951. Sadly it is in worse shape then the others.

I am so glad to finally know the for sure time line. also I now know that the aerial Picture my friend gave meof Kinsey was taken at the end of 1947 the year I was born as everything but the Bottle house building is on the picture, and the two Half Million Gal tanks put there in 1961.

It is no wonder the explosion proof warehouses were so nice when I worked there as they were only 19 & 18 years old when I started there! The 1966 Bottling house was built during the couple of Years My Dad worked there and would have been 15 years Old when it was made into the 1966 Bottle House and the great days were coming!

The right time line has always been important to me getting History right.

This Sams Distillery Maping book is now in heavy Plastic to kill any thing that might be in it, but it looks now to be fine condition and a very important piece of History. In the front is the Kinsey Distillery before they bought it and built, I want to revisit that page to see it there is any exact time line on any of the original Kinsey buildings!

I went into the Old Kinsey bottle house hoping the vandels had not stolen the old Whiskey blender but sadly it is gone to the dump, all the more reason I am glad I saved what I could.

I will post some pictures from the book soon.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest people Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[Josh]

Yesterday I took a walk through Kinsey again noticing much being destroyed by the ever working Vandels. The Old Kinsey Bottle House is slowoly being robbed of anything Metal. I am sure glad I got the 100 year old light bulbs from there before they could smash them!

There is not much left now but ruin I wish I would have gotten there years earlier as there was so much history trashed. But Thankfully I did save many original Mash Bills and matching grain bills for the distilling days in spring 1951.

Dave Z

That's too bad about the vandals, Dave. I guess in times like these, people are so desperate they're willing to risk stealing scrap metal just to make a few bucks. It's a shame nobody's able or willing to protect such a historic building.

But keep up the good work Dave! Every old distillery needs heroes like you!

[dave ziegler]

Well Here are 3 Pictures from the Sams 1936 Distillery Maping book that belonged to Publicker that my Friend who was a high up with Publicker gave me.

1. The Happy Hollow Distillery - AKA - "Burks Spring Distillery" KY # 44. 10 mile west of Lebanon KY in Marion County KY

2. Kinsey Just after Continental Distilling bought it in 1940.

3. Kinsey Distillery after 1951 showing that 12 Explosion Proof Warehouses were built in 1946 written on each building is the date built, Warehouses P & R 1947 and all Purpose Warehouse U later to become the 1966 state of Art Bottle House was built in 1951!

It is my Hope that everyone can read the writting on these pictures once you blow them up, it is very hard trying to get each page to come up good.

Tuesday I talked to the last living Boss I had at Kinsey Jack Raysor who just turned 92 in Nov. Jacks father also worked at Kinsey. There are not many of us Left so It is very important that I post as much as I can about the company as my time is winding down too!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[Jono]

Dave, are there any listings for old distilleries in Peoria, Il?

[dave ziegler]

Jono as for your question I will look in the spring when I can get the book back out!

Well as I said earlyer when writting on my other threads I am now going to post more very rare Publicker Philadelphia Plant pictures during operation and at abandonment also.

Here we go with each picture and the year and what it was

1.The first Picture is of Charles Jacquins We distilled the Molasses and Gin for them at Bigler street and bottled many of there products at the Old Kinsey bottle house which was built in the early 1930's and ran till fall 1979 till Publicker quit the drinking Liquor bussiness.

2. The AA building was erected by the Gov't in the early 1940's for the manufacturing of Acetic Acid for Rubber, to be used for the war effort. A congressional committee visited Bigler street to check out the facility, before authorizing the AA building to be built.The Government at wars end sold the bldg to Publicker for a $1.00.

3. Snyder Ave Barrel House in 1947 the year I was born

4. Snyder Ave Barrel House II 1947

5. Philadelphia Motorcycle Policeman escorting a Publicker Alcohol delivery truck to the area hospitals during Prohibition in 1933. This was done because of the danger of the Mob going after the truck.

6. Here is the Bigler Street Plant abandon in 1989 you can see the Ethanol Columns in the distance.

7. The Amylase Spheres at the abandon Facility in 1989 Bigler Street Plant.

8. View from Delaware Avenue Clock house ( Whats Left of it! ) You can see the main road that goes to all areas of the plant in the distance.

9. Here is an Old Picture of Publickers on Strike in 1951 at The Bigers street Plant.

10.The Abandon AA Building being tagged Danger " Super Fund site " in 1989.

11. This is the last picture and a very sad one It is a photo of the old Wooden Grain Processing buildings burning in 1992 set by Vandels. Butch said this was the Hardest Picture of all for him to look at as He worked many times in those old buildings and has many great memories of the people who worked there when He did.

These pictures like the Pictures from Kinsey show the very Sad ending of Publicker starting 10 years after Si Neuman died. I have been by the site and found there are a few buildings still there but 90% of the Plant is gone forever.

Sorry I have to do these in small but my space to post pictures is very limited due to all the ones I have done n the last 3 years.

Butch worked there for 10 years starting the year after I started at Kinsey and I want to thank him for sharing these great shots and others He has given me for the sake of History.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[Jono]

# 2...what a bunch of gangsters!

[Josh]

Great pictures Dave! I love reading this thread. You come up with such great photos.

[dave ziegler]

Thanks for the Kind words Josh I am sort of driven to find the best stuff I can from the History of the company and I am glad you enjoy the thread. Tonight I have some more new stuff I will post in small as my room left is limited.

Here are 7 Pictures from my newest stuff

1 A small news paper story about 5 women getting caught steeling Whiskey in their Girdles. Publicker employed the Pinkertons for these jobs as they were the only security company with Female guards.

2. Publickers sugesting the Distillers all shut down during a grain shortage after the war.

3. Harry Publickers Passport as a child coming from Russia to America

4. The Knabb Barrel works the biggest Barrel maker in the country bought by Publicker, it was in Marcus Hook Pa and Publicker never changed the Name after they bought it. It was where Ludy learned to be a cooper!

5. A Tipical Knabb Rail car for hauling New Barrels

6. A Bootleging Plot against Publicker, To steal 8100 gal of Pure Alcohol

7. An Extorsion Plot against Harry Publicker in 1936.

I have a few more yet I will post in the next day or so. And I will continue to look for more History for Publicker / Continental Distilling and Kinsey.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[Luna56]

Dave, love the story about the gals hiding booze in their girdles. Hilarious!

Cheers!

[dave ziegler]

Glad you enjoyed the story about the Ladies stealing whiskey in their Girdles Luna. Here are a few more stories and pictures I just got from my Friend Butch who worked for Publicker for 10 years from 1967.

1. News Paper artical from 1944 Publicker Buys Knabb Barrel works in Marcus Hook Pa.

2. Harry Publicker's Mansion

3. A government committee at Publickers Butadiene Plant in Bensalem Pa. Acetic Acid from the AA Building at the main plant came to Bensalem to make Butadiene.

4. Senators Guy Gillett & George Norris have the rubber process explained at Publickers Besalem Butadiene Plant Aug 9, 1942 by Polish Inventer Szukiewic

5. An Old Governors Club ad.

6. An Old Ad for a barrel workers from Harry Publicker

I will have many more pictures in the future Hopefully Butch worked in Phila yet like me we never knew about the Bensalem Plant till I got Pictures of the Bensalem Plant from my friend who was a high up person with Publicker in Liquor Marketing.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Here are some new Pictures taken by Me of Kinsey and other things.

1. This is the Old Stairway up to the Old Pot still that used to be in the Old #10 Rye Barn. Build by Jacob G Kinsey.

2. The Historic Part of the stair case removed and now at Kinsey West My Home. My friends surgicaly cut and removed it for preservation. In spring It will go to Fricky to Have sclack put over the Historic Lettering to completely preserve the wood and words. I will take it this week and get a cable put on the back to Hang it and also to carry it easily. The writting is in India Indelible Ink, which is what was used on the barrel heads.

3. 3 of Si Neumans Personal Poker cards S.S.N on back of cards

4. Closeup S.S.N. Si S. Neuman poker card

5.One of Si Neumans Personal Habanos-1834-Havana Cuban Cigars

6. Closeup of the Cigar Band S.S.N. Si S. Neuman

7. My Friend who was a high up person with Publicker in marketing gave me the Only surviving aerial Photo taken of Kinsey in 1947 when the 14 Explosion Proof warehouses were just finished being built.

"Note"

at very back a little out of place because of cropping when they took the aerial shot you can see the Like New famous steer pens where steers were raised during WWII and the meat going to WWII Service men.

"Note out front"

No 1/2 million Gal Stainless Whiskey tanks next to warehouse K on Left side last warehouse left side going front open space they were built in 1961 toward front

Also

Not in Picture Warehouse U explosion proof two football fields long 1/2 a football field wide. which later became the 1966 bottle house.

It was built in year 1951. I had to take this picture and have it remated and the frame redone and the inside glass cleaned. I now after many tries trying not to get glare from the glass was able to get a nice shot to Post here. The year Late 1947 the same year I was born and around the month I was born Sept. Kinsey 1947!

It is always a privilage for me to be able to post the History of Kinsey and Continental Distilling and Publicker Industries. It was a great company with Great people.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[Jono]

Dave, where did the cigars come from (who provided them)?

[dave ziegler]

Jono the answer to that is easy My Friend who was High up in the company was one of many who worked at The 1429 Walnut street Headquarters and Mr Neuman used to share his good Cuban Cigars with them. My Friend had a couple he kept after Mr Neuman Died for the Memories and gave me one this fall before going home for the Winter He will be back in April so that is how I got one of Mr Neumans Cigars. And I wanted to share it with everyone here on SB.

Publicker used to buy all their Molasass from Cuba for distilling back in the day, till they could not anymore and Mr Neuman got cigars and the Cuban Company that made them put his name on the Bands figuering it would please him and he would buy more!

I plan to post some more stuff soon but not feeling very good tonight having some stomach trouble and we are having a snow storm which will make going to work interesting in the early am.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

I am planing on Posting some more Pictures here soon. And glad I took as many pictures as I did through the years of Kinsey before all the resent vandels got there

I have learned through more information that our other Barrel manufacturing Plant was in St Louis Mo as I had said before but totally sure now I do not yet know what it was called but we had it, the Knabb barrel plant in Marcus Hook Pa, A bottling House in Lemont Il. A large Butidiene Plant in Bensalem Pa. Kinsey, a Foresting operation in Ga for white Oak to make Barrels. And Our Large Plant in Phila, and another Large industial chemical plant in Westwego LA.

And Our Large Lab in Edgemont Pa and on the Publicker site in Phila a very large Dry Ice Plant called Therm Ice that took all the Carbon Di from distilling and made dry Ice. We could distill up to 70 million Gal a year by our permits which were gotten during pre prohibition to make industrial Alcohol and drinking Alcohol if we ever wanted to and it was legal to again,

which started in 1933 once prohibition was gone for good! And back in the 1940's through till spring 1951 operated two Distilling plants and made our Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey at Kinsey!

Dave Z

The Best Old Fashioneds Are, You'll Find

The Mellow, Made With Kinsey Kind!

[Josh]

Again, great pictures and stories Dave. I especially like the aerial photo of the warehouses. It must have been fun to work there at that time. I'm looking forward to more of them too!

In case Dave and others haven't already read it, Chuck's most recent blog entry is about Old Hickory: http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.com/2011/01/remembering-old-hickory-whiskey.html

You even get a mention Dave!

[dave ziegler]

Here are some more shots of the Philadelphia Publicker Plant and a shot of Our Headquarters again my Friend Butch who worked at The Phila plant supplyed me with these.

1. The company Headquarters 1429 Walnut street Philadelphia

2. Bigler Street Plant 1941

3. Bigler Street Plant 1941

4. The Bigler Street Plant in 1939

5. The Bigler Street Plant in 1937

6. I wanted to Post this copy picture I made from the Aerial Picture my Friend gave me of Kinsey in Fall 1947 it is one of a Kind and I thought I would post it again in case someone missed it the other day. The big explosion Proof Warehouse U which later became the 1966 Bottle House was built in 1951, around the time My Dad worked for Kinsey!

I spend just about everyday trying to find as many Pictures of Our Plants as I can and it is very excting when I get some given me or find new ones myself.

When I come to Kinsey they are Limited but the one I posted the other day #6 today is one of a kind I shot a picture of from the original which belongs to me I just had it remated and the frame is the original and My Friend who was high up in Marketing gave it to me this Fall it is the Only Known one saved from 1429 Walnut Sreet, taken by Aero Pictures in Fall 1947 about the time I was born.

Dave Z

It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

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[dave ziegler]

Here is something to add to Last nights Post #719

A Picture of Jacob G Kinsey's 1520 Locust Street office Building. Just got it this morning and thought it would be nice to post it next to Last nights picture Posts.

Dave Z

Join The Swing To Kinsey -- The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments

[dave ziegler]

Today I want to post 4 more old Continental / Publicker pictures given to me by my Friend Butch. I think the book is from the mid 1930's will ask Butch and post the time period.

1. A picture of Harry Publicker scaned by Butch from a book that had all Publicker products on it bought by my friend Butch who worked for Publicker for 10 yrs on E Bay.

2. The Book, it has every Brand Of stuff the Company made!

3. 3 Women at a hearing for being Caught stealing Whiskey from the Phila Bottle House. From news paper

4. Other people going to the hearing for being caught stealing Whiskey at the Phila plant. from news paper

5. A Very Old Publicker Antifreeze Can Our big brand was thermo Antifreeze, sold on Ebay.

I am going to see if Butch can get some copies made of this book and if he can I will get some more copy books of the Kinsey Auction book made to swap him one for one, so I can post more pictures. I will be posting some of My Oldest Publicker / Continental Distilling bottles some time this week on the Fire Observation thread.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Here are two pictures of Publickers First big Headquarters in 1935 before their 1429 Walnut Street Headquarters.

1. 260 South Broad Street Philadelphia the Atlantic Building was the first big Headquarters Building for Publicker in 1935.

2. Another shot of the Atlantic Building Publickers First Headquarters. They Later Moved to 1429 Walnut Street Center City and were there till the End. I also posted some rare Bottle Pictures on the Fire Observation Thread.

Dave Z

It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Well here I am back posting on all three of my Threads I have been fairly sick the last 2 1/2 weeks first with a Infection / Virus that had me miss work for two days and 4 days in bed, then one of my teeth got infected and has to be pulled today, so getting caught up on questions and some writting here. Here are three Pictures of the raw grain Equipment going from the silo's to the grain drying Building.

1. The Grain Process equipment going into the Grain dryer year 2002 in ruin.

2. The grain process equipment in early 1940 from the Kinsey Auction book.

3. Then Grain drying area with everything taken by the people who claimed they were going to buy Kinsey while they took all the metal they could. Picture taken June 16 2006 by me.

I wanted to post these three together so you could see the way things were and how they are now. I plan in the next couple of weeks to go walking at Kinsey again it has been a couple of Months since I have been there around Nov 2010. I have been told the Latest things stolen are pieces of Stainless Pipe cut from the 1/2 million Gallon tank area.

It is very Hard for me to see things like this happen to Kinsey and to Know that Kinsey is gone forever as far as operation and is slowly being striped of everything and anything. I am very glad for the pieces of History I have saved from there and the things I remember working there.

I think it would be neat if for one day I could travel back in time to Kinsey to watch as my friends worked there and the daily Operations.

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried moments

[Jono]

Dave, thanks to Kickert's link to Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau....

https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/viewColaDetails.do?action=publicDisplaySearchBasic&ttbid=90021129

Looks like Old Hickory label was surrendered. Maybe you can scoop it up!

It shows Illinois as the origin...must be the old bottling plant.