My Memories of Kinsey Distilling

[Jono]

Dave,

What exactly is the Linfield Reunion? Is it former Kinsey /Continental/Publicker workers who get together or is it a community gathering?

Glad to hear your friend is working on a history.

[dave ziegler]

First Jono the Linfield reunion is a get together of anyone who ever lived in Linfield and because Kinsey / Continental Distilling was for many years the biggest empoyer in Limerick township there were many people who lived in Linfield that worked at one time or another for Kinsey through its History!

I go every year because I worked at Kinsey and know very many people and was asked if I wanted to go years ago. I live in Limerick Proper about 3 Miles from the plant.

Today I had some really Beautiful weather to take a walk at Kinsey and went to my friends house across the street to walk in with my digital camera and also a 35 MM camera. I have posted many of my pictures I took today on the other two threads and Now I am going to post the rest of the 58 Pictures I took today here on the Memories thread! Here are 37 of the 58 shots. I was also able to get some shots at the very front of the Plant because of parking at my friends house including the only picture I have ever taken of the third house on the plant property out front at the far left side Bill Theodosois lived there awhlie as Plant manager and a couple of boss's from Phila lived there later during the week and went home on the weekends!

Here are the Pictures

1. The old foundation here was where the Guard house stood when I worked there.

2. Spot the Guard House is now

3. Controls inside the Guard House

4. Old Drive way in river side of the Plant

5. What was the Empoyee Parking lot when I worked at Kinsey

6. Front Gate into Plant

7. Old Grain Drying building

8. 9. 10. Rooms in the Old Plant Maintaince Barn which was built by Jacob Kinsey note the Heater hanging from the cealing and the cardboard to keep the heat in on the cealing

11. One of the Old Yard Gang Mowers sitting there

12. Bricks and weeds where the Old Kinsey Office Building sat

13. 14. Platforms in Old Kinsey Rye Barn Dsp-pa-10

15. Staircase in Old Kinsey Rye Barn

16. Looking from Kinsey Rye Barn to the Barn Maintaince building on Left and Dryer Building on the right

17. Stair well in front to the roof looking down from the roof Warehouse N

18. Explosion proof switches on dock Warehouse K

19. One of the two 1/2 Million gal storage tanks

20. Both 1/2 Million gal storage tanks looking from the dock of Warehouse J

21. Front stairwell of warehouse

22. K warehouse in the Sun

23. O Building Government Building & Warehouse in the Sun

24. C warehouse in the Sun

25. Fire Escape Warehouse C

26. looking down through at the Warehouses

27. One of the Last Warehouse signs left

28. Another Fire escape with Little porches to the stair well

29. Front Water Tower

30. At this door to the Maintaince area of the Bottle House is where Mr Neuman came in and talked to Ludy way back in the day!

31. 1965/66 Bottle house on left warehouses L,C and O on right

32. Grain drying Building leaving the plant & Silo

33. Copalo on top of the grain prep building which was conected to the old DSP-Pa-12 back then. The Old Tunnel we took break in was down between them.

34. This is the Only Picture I have ever gotten of the third Company House as it is out front far left side facing the front and I always used to come in the plant by the back fields till now.

35. Old Publicker Packaging Service sign out front

36. Front from road of the Old Warehouse E Fire safety room

37. One of the two driveways into the plant at the front this one on the river side of the plant from the road

I had a great time walking around the Plant and remembering the Old days. I posted 58 Pictures total on the 3 threads and found another Old Light bulb also. The Old Kinsey Bottle House is in very bad condition and I do not think I will ever get more pictures of it lots of water on the first floor and the whole second floor fallen down.

I wish I could take everyone who looks here back to the Plant back in the old days. People were talking at the reunion about how clean and perfect it used to be just like a park no weeds and lots of trees and flowers and it made me proud to think I was a part of that yard gang for 2 years of my 5 years there!

Dave Z

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Old Hickory America's Finest Bourbon

[Josh]

Those are some great pictures Dave. I especially like that one of the warehouse sign with the grapevine growing over the top.

[dave ziegler]

Yes Josh the weeds and the Vines are taking Kinsey over. But back in the day Kinsey and the Kinsey brand where Highly thought of. I am now posting two Night pictures of A Bill board for Kinsey Blended Whiksey on Times Square NY two different designs during 1947 the year I was born.

The Kinsey brand was a big seller in New York State and really a Big Seller in New York City.

I can say from having drank it myself That it was a delightful Blended Whiskey and very flavorfull Especially the 86 proof Blend. Today Most People have never heard of it. Publicker / Continental Distilling did allot of advertising on all their products And The Kinsey Brand and Old Hickory were two they advertised The Most.

Also Our Haller's County Fair Bourbon BIB and Philadelphia Blended were advertised allot. The Kinsey Blend like Old Hickory Bourbon was a blend that was only used in Kinsey Blended just as The Old Hickory Bourbon Recipy was not used in any other Bourbon it had its own mash bill wish I had That Mash bill.

All these years later I can still speak with pride in our Products as I always felt Ours were the best of The Best! Old Hickory is exciting in your Mouth and will always be my choice if I can find it. If I knew things would happen like they did I would have bought Cases and cases of Old hickory.

I had an interesting talk with a man at the Linfield reunion Last Saturday.

He said back in 1961 He bought a Quart bottle of Linfield Bourbon in just like today a closeout sale as Pa state store was not going to carry it anymore sound familar, any way he put it on his Fireplace mantle and one day he looked up and saw it was empty, he asked his wife and she said she tried it Loved its flavor and and ended up drinking all of it through a period and she said It was to Dam good to just sit there it was a wonderful Bourbon. I got a kick out of that but also for many years I have looked for an empty Linfield Straight Bourbon bottle for my collection and have yet to find one.

I think in todays world Our products would still be considered some of the very best the company had a policy to keep prices down so the common man could aford them. Yet no short cuts were taken! Theres one more of Our Products I hope to try someday and that is Kinsey Gold Blended I never had that one.

Thanks to Ludy I had the Silver and was able to talk about it!

Dave Z

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Join The Swing To Kinsey Blended Whiskey

[dave ziegler]

Here are two more Kinsey Blended Whiskey Pictures to go with the two I posted on #578. Also An Old Publicker Antifreeze ad

1. A ad for a clothes drive for WWII 1945 with Kinsey Sign in the background in Times Square

2. An Old Post Card Of Times Square with Kinsey on the Bill Board

3. An Old Ad for Our biggest selling Antifreeze from the Late 1930's

As I said on the thread before this when I posted two other Times Square Pictures Kinsey Blended was very highly known and drank in NY City!

Dave Z

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Join The Swing To Kinsey Blended Whiskey

[boone]

Here are two more Kinsey Blended Whiskey Pictures to go with the two I posted on #578. Also An Old Publicker Antifreeze ad

1. A ad for a clothes drive for WWII 1945 with Kinsey Sign in the background in Times Square

2. An Old Post Card Of Times Square with Kinsey on the Bill Board

3. An Old Ad for Our biggest selling Antifreeze from the Late 1930's

As I said on the thread before this when I posted two other Times Square Pictures Kinsey Blended was very highly known and drank in NY City!

Dave Z

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Join The Swing To Kinsey Blended Whiskey

Uncle Everett distilled at Kinsey for awhile....

I was going through some of his stuff today and noticed this ad. :grin: published in 1936...

[fricky]

Betty Jo,

It is very interesting that your uncle Everett distilled at the Kinsey Distillery. Do you know the time frame when he was there? Dave mentioned in a prior message that some whiskey was made there for Michter's. Maybe he was there at that time.

Doug

[dave ziegler]

I talked to Ludy about this at Lunch time today and he said many People came there to have Whiskey Distilled mostly Rye the year of the Ad Bettye Jo posted. And Ludy said many people from NY state came regularly to have Whiskey Distilled and Bottled. 1936 was Ludy's first Year at Kinsey working for Him. And he is to old to remember much more but is willing to Bet that Everett got together with Horace Landis master Distiller at Kinsey and got what he wanted in material grain and ran the still to make what it was he wanted to at Kinsey they did mostly Rye Whiskey then as the ad says. He said he remembered well the Old Ad Kinsey put out. And Mr Kinsey always followed the great Distillers of that day and Knew them all for the Most part himself being a master Disitller.

I am posting a Picture of Kinsey Stock from the Year 1937 here. It would be late 1939 that Jacob G Kinsey would lose his Distillery in Linfield on the River and go bankruped.

I would not be surpised if Mitchters had Whiskey Distilled for them at Kinsey then by Everett as he was one of the best and as they had a relationship with Continental in the later years. So Everett had a relationship with Mr Kinsey most likely and started it all.

Summer a year ago I spoke to a lady right near Mitchter and she had worked in their Boottling house she was an Old Lady and she said to me some of the Best Whiskey they sold came from Continental Distilling!

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments

[dave ziegler]

One of the most Ironic things about Kinsey is that after Continental Distilling bought Kinsey is the fact that Kinsey Blended Whiskey already famous became one of the most prolific Blended Whiskeys in sales and fame. It is Ironic because Mr Kinsey did not even like Blends he made them but his heart was always with Straight Ryes and he distilled mostly them.

His Great nepew Al Landis my friend going to be 91 always tells me Pop ( Mr Kinsey ) did not Like Blends He always said a shot of Good Rye will keep you healthy and it is the best thing in the world to have one every day!

AL told me on any given Morning at the same time Mr Kinsey would open his desk drawer get out His shot glass and Pint of Kinsey Pure Rye and pour one shot and drink it. Al said one time he said to Him if you do not get to carried away Whiskey will help you live allot longer and being born in 1858 He did great Living to be 94 in the year of 1952.

Al said Mr Kinsey would tell Him there are all kinds of Good things like Vitamins and minerals in a shot of Good Rye that help to keep you in good health well I don't know about that, I think he had a good idea about that shot of Good Kinsey Pure Rye Every day. Wish I had an Old Bottle of that!

Dave Z

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[dave ziegler]

This Sunday at 11:00-Am I was able to go to the Plant with my two friends that keep things locked up and they went in the 1966 Bottling house to check to see if the doors were still locked inside.

While they did that they gave me the run of the building for 25 minuets to take pictures. I was able to get about 106 usable pictures of Lines tanks pumps and setups.

I was going to post some from a disc I made last night at work today. However my Computer is refusing to read the disc so I will have to do them at Home I guess.

Last Night I spoke to Sandy who worked for Continental Distilling and worked 20 years in the 1966 bottling house being in charge of many different things there and also in the warehouses and the Old Kinsey Bottle House. She has been checking out the pictures here and has given me the Exact date the Bottling House opened and It turns out I was right it did not go completly operational till 1966. She said the exact date it started was Sept 12,1966.

There were 11 Lines operating just as I have said. She has given me in just one phone call lots of Information that is very Interesting. And Sandy knows more about the Bottling houses then anyone now living so her help is really a great thing.

One very interesting thing was that she told me the last Line was Line F it was powered by an early Generation Computer and did Quart Bottles. She said it could by itself Fill and Label 20,000 Quart bottles a day. She said it was an amazing thing to watch it operate back then.

I also found out that Line A-1 did Pints, Line C did 1/2 pints and Line G did only Scotch. I got some great pictures with lines that say Chiller and a tank that says for Scotch only.

I had a great time in there and got lots of Line and pipe line pictures for those interested in how the Lines ran. I went up on one of the tank platforms and also got a couple of shots of the giant area where they stored the finished cases of whiskey. Like Sandy and Myself many people got real good jobs when the Bottling house opened in 1966 and Sandy's Father also worked For Publicker there all his life.

I also got some amazing stuff to create things with which I will post when they are done I assembled them yesterday and brought them to the Plant electrician this morning.

I got a complete sealed Explosion proof light housing in great shape and mounted an explosion proof switch on the bottom of it Paul is going to wire it like a lamp and My other friend in shipping is going to build a base for it and it will become a corner lamp next to my collection.

I also was able to get two double switch Boxes and and two pilot lights I put them together and when he is done the left switch will turn on the right light and the right switch will turn on the left one just for Fun.

I got the parts in Warehouse 38 the last one down, the Pilot Lights came from the second and third floors and these are about the last real nice looking ones left. The one switch and cover are from of the Old Bottling house in its memory and I will take a picture and post it when done as it looks just like some of the setups in the buildings.

I will be posting some of my Pictures here and the biggest part of them will go on the Bottling house thread. I hope to get some up tonight.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest people Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[sandiefett]

Hi Dave, I looked at the pix you downloaded today (50 of them) but now there is nothing here. What happened. Hope they are not lost. Am looking forward to seeing them plus the other 56 you said you have.

[dave ziegler]

Hi Sandy I will be posting the other 56 pictures tomorrow ran out of time at work and I can load them so much quicker there. I also have a picture of Times square with Kinsey on top of the Falling New years ball Building from the 1940's I bought a post card and got it today. I have dial up here at home so takes forever. I will post about 40 of them on the Bottle house thread tomorrow and the other 16 here so I can tell people where they are as they tend to look at this thread first! I also feel very sad read your note on the other Thread everytime I go there but if I can keep its memories going I will go there every week as I have some times. I also have taken people on walking tours through there just to tell them about the place.

I am sure it is way harder for you having been there 20 yrs but I always loved that place and my thoughts are always happy when I remember

It is a very sad end to a place that was the Best Bottling Plant in the world back in 1966 and the Best Distilling Company to work for Too! You will never know how many times I have wished I would have stayed there and been there till the end but my Neighbor talked me into going where He was a boss it was a terrible job but when I tried to come back they did not need anyone.

Working at Kinsey was my first real job that paid good and I worked with good people. Glad to see you are checking my pictures out I have a total of between 1,300 and 1,400 on the three threads and I am always trying to find different interesting stuff to take pictures of. When I do I think in my mind of the days back then like you and imagin everyone is still there and all is well. I will be asking you from time to time about stuff that has to do with the bottling house as you know allot more about how things worked in the Bottle house.

It will always be the best Job I ever Had but I am lucky my last job the one I am at now is wonderful also.

Dave Z

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Old hickory America's Finest Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Well Here we go Here are the last 30 Pictures I was wrong on my count and had only 96 plus added a couple from another time I had never posted for a total on both threads of 100. I posted 50 pictures yesterday on the Bottling House thread, 20 Pictures on the Bottling house thread earler this morning at 6:00-Am. And these 30 Pictures now at 9:00-AM.

Sandy if you see these on both threads today I bet they will bring back some memories to you!

71.Tax seals laying on the wet floor in storage room

72.Old Abandon Bottling Machine

73. Looking at wall to room B starting point in Room A for Lines

74. Looking up at Line above

75.Sign to Room B

76.More Bottling machines and line room B

77.Hangers at wall to Room B locker room note small window on left side only light coming in.

78.Laboratory Door in Bottling

79.Inside the Lab

80.Inside the Lab

81.Lunch Room chairs stacked on tables

82.Candy Machine as I found it open old candy rotted up in it

83. Candy Machine after i closed the door to take this picture

84. Hot Drink Machine

85.Another Shot of the Lunch room

86.& 87.Both sides of the lighting safety sign near Lunch room and Lab date on them is April 1976

88.Old Time Computer in General office

89.Picture of stacks of Never used bottles in Warehouse J

90.More cases that were on pallets stored in Warehouse J falling over after 23 years

91.more cases fallen over

92.Raymond Forklift sitting abandon in warehouse Q the building with the Fire observation room on top

93.Electric switch Control header in Warehouse #38 last one down shows how people have stole wire out of them

94.looking back at Warehouse #38

95.looking Down from Warehouse #38 Weeds and trees are taking the Place over

96.One Last Shot leaving Sunday inside the old Guard shack

97.Post Card I bought and just got yesterday of Kinsey Blended Whiskey Bill board on Times Square 1940's not many Distillers got to be on the building the New Years ball drops on

98.Another shot I had never posted of the Old Computer in the General office in the Bottling house

99.A shot I took a long time back and never posted of the Refridgerator in the Lunch room a lunch bag still waits to be eaten

100.Last Winter Snow on the ground and no weeds looking down the Front Dock of the 1966 State Of Art Bottling House so long you can't see the end.

Doing this is a work of Love but It also kills me seeing the Place Like it is but I try to put my Mind back to the old days and Ludy in the Maintaince working Bud & Pappy working and having fun and Shorty, Charlie, Shanty and many Other dear friends.

PS one last Thing One of the Last of the Old timers and the last Living Maintaince Man in the Plant Frank Kurtus Passed on This past Friday at age 86. Frank was the man that Helped me with my Car when I first started at Kinsey the Alternator went coming to work and he fixed it for nothing for me as He said He knew I would have a hard time paying to get it fixed. I went to work and when work was over He had repaired it right in the Parking lot for me for free! God Rest His Soul He was like all those I have spoke of in these threads a Good man.

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments

[dave ziegler]

Here are three shots I took two years ago with my old Digital camera inside the Old Bottling house I never posted.

1. walking toward Room A from room B passing the Lab and Lunch room

2. The very Back most room of the Lab

3.looking at the bulkhead wall from room B to Room A standing near the Lunch room.

More sad pictures when I post sometimes I leave some out thinking they are not good enough and then later I relise they are fine and post them so they are seen.

Be sure if you look at these to go back one to the other 30 I posted before these this morning and those I posted on the Bottle House thread yesterday and this morning early.

Dave Z

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Inver House Scotch Soft As A Kiss

[dave ziegler]

Well I knew it would happen some day and it did yesterday morning Tuesday at around 8:00-AM. I talked to my friends that keep Kinsey locked up as best they can last night at 8:30 PM and They told me that yesterday morning they saw smoke over there at 8:00-Am they called the Police and the police called the fire company as the younger people have done it again they lit up an old trailer that had some packs of Old Skol Vodka labels and some boxes of airline 10 pack cases for 1/10 mini bottles from Continental Distilling.

Back when I took Fricky and Phils Fan for a tour I made sure to get them and other people I have taken through a couple of things out of it but it sat there open and I knew some day the people who live for only destroying things would do this.

I am thankful that I got a nice amount of what was in it to save for History a yr and a 1/2 ago carrying it 1 1/2 miles out. But what a waste. Instead of taking some for history and having something neat people today would rather destroy I have seen this too many times and it makes me sick about them and the owner who never checks the place.

If it were not for the work of my friends who knows what would happen there and some times The owner does not even pay them anything but they like myself Love the place and try to save and protect it at their own expence many times.

Every time I can I help them lock things up even though it keeps me out also it keeps out people like those who started this Fire. They care about nothing but destroying things.

Oh Kinsey Kinsey What Has Happen to you

When Si Neuman Died You Did Too!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most magnificent Bourbon

[boone]

Betty Jo,

It is very interesting that your uncle Everett distilled at the Kinsey Distillery. Do you know the time frame when he was there? Dave mentioned in a prior message that some whiskey was made there for Michter's. Maybe he was there at that time.

Doug

I'll have to do some looking thru stuff...I'st there, his entire work history but finding it will take a little time. :bigeyes: :grin:

[dave ziegler]

Well Here we go Here are the last 30 Pictures I was wrong on my count and had only 96 plus added a couple from another time I had never posted for a total on both threads of 100. I posted 50 pictures yesterday on the Bottling House thread, 20 Pictures on the Bottling house thread earler this morning at 6:00-Am. And these 30 Pictures now at 9:00-AM.

Sandy if you see these on both threads today I bet they will bring back some memories to you!

71.Tax seals laying on the wet floor in storage room

72.Old Abandon Bottling Machine

73. Looking at wall to room B starting point in Room A for Lines

74. Looking up at Line above

75.Sign to Room B

76.More Bottling machines and line room B

77.Hangers at wall to Room B locker room note small window on left side only light coming in.

78.Laboratory Door in Bottling

79.Inside the Lab

80.Inside the Lab

81.Lunch Room chairs stacked on tables

82.Candy Machine as I found it open old candy rotted up in it

83. Candy Machine after i closed the door to take this picture

84. Hot Drink Machine

85.Another Shot of the Lunch room

86.& 87.Both sides of the lighting safety sign near Lunch room and Lab date on them is April 1976

88.Old Time Computer in General office

89.Picture of stacks of Never used bottles in Warehouse J

90.More cases that were on pallets stored in Warehouse J falling over after 23 years

91.more cases fallen over

92.Raymond Forklift sitting abandon in warehouse Q the building with the Fire observation room on top

93.Electric switch Control header in Warehouse #38 last one down shows how people have stole wire out of them

94.looking back at Warehouse #38

95.looking Down from Warehouse #38 Weeds and trees are taking the Place over

96.One Last Shot leaving Sunday inside the old Guard shack

97.Post Card I bought and just got yesterday of Kinsey Blended Whiskey Bill board on Times Square 1940's not many Distillers got to be on the building the New Years ball drops on

98.Another shot I had never posted of the Old Computer in the General office in the Bottling house

99.A shot I took a long time back and never posted of the Refridgerator in the Lunch room a lunch bag still waits to be eaten

100.Last Winter Snow on the ground and no weeds looking down the Front Dock of the 1966 State Of Art Bottling House so long you can't see the end.

Doing this is a work of Love but It also kills me seeing the Place Like it is but I try to put my Mind back to the old days and Ludy in the Maintaince working Bud & Pappy working and having fun and Shorty, Charlie, Shanty and many Other dear friends.

PS one last Thing One of the Last of the Old timers and the last Living Maintaince Man in the Plant Frank Kurtus Passed on This past Friday at age 86. Frank was the man that Helped me with my Car when I first started at Kinsey the Alternator went coming to work and he fixed it for nothing for me as He said He knew I would have a hard time paying to get it fixed. I went to work and when work was over He had repaired it right in the Parking lot for me for free! God Rest His Soul He was like all those I have spoke of in these threads a Good man.

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Moments

I have been told by Sandie that picture #76 the sixth one on page #587 was Line A-- F line the computer driven Line and It not only did everything but also cased the bottles to. Sandy told me it did everything from start to finish and that they all took turns and switched what line they worked on every day and were very happy when their turn came to be on line F even though they were busy all day it was a mostly trouble free day. Also Line F was completly setup and running when they started on Sept 12 1966. The big panels in the background gray one behind line on wall held the computer controls and the line had a built in packing unit that packed the bottles in the case at the end. It was built by a company in CT and an engineer from that company spent many months showing them all how to trouble shoot and run it. It was the most advanced Bottling line of its time and was very trouble free. Again another inovation from Publicker that was state of Art in its time. Thanks for the information Sandie it really helps!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory America's Most magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

This weekend I hope to get back into the Old Bottle house if possible I want to get some closeup shots of what is left of Line A--F and the control Boxes. I never tire of getting Pictures to show everyone how things operated back then.

Publicker Industries Had a policy of always using as much local Bussiness as they could to suppy them with plant repairs Equipment and needed supplies such as Bottles. Mr Neuman always thought that if you bought local it helped the area that you operated in allot and made things easier to get being they were close for supply. And what was good for the Local area was good for Publickers Bussiness to.

People tend to buy from a company that cares about its area of operation and the people living there. I think that was a very good way to operate and we never had much in the line of plant down time either because of that.

What we needed we could get most times asap.

Dave Z

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Join The Swing To Kinsey

[dave ziegler]

Looking through my many Publicker/Continental Distilling company collections of stuff it amazes me how many things were made by local companies for promotional use .

Example I have an old Hallers county Fair Bourbon Thermometer and When I got it I looked on the back and it was made by a company in Reading Pa 30 miles from the plant. My Old Hickory Clock was made by a company in Reading and many things were made locally for Continental in Phila it was Mr Neumans Policy to use as many local companies as He could and in Talking to my Friend who was in upper management He told me that Mr Neuman always thought that the best thing for a bussiness was to use Local companies for their needs.

For one thing you could aways get in touch with them quickly. Also there was a short distance for shipping lower cost, and you made friends localy which was good for Bussiness, in selling product and by buying locally you where keeping your area prosperous!

As I look back to my days there I remember it was allot of fun working those days. I made life long friends and no day was boring.

As we'd go into fall I remember well in the yard gang: mowing the Lawns and triming everything up for that year one last time, mulching trees, unloading coal and sweeping all the buildings real good!

Then we would get stuff together for snow cleaning and there were all kinds of odd jobes the later it got in the year because Trucks by the dozens and box cars were coming in to take our awsome spritis out for the coming Holiday season. There would lots of stuff to haul down to the dump down back broken glass ect.

We had alot of fun those busy days I was young and strong and could do whatever I needed to on the job and I liked all my boss's I had there very much. And we were treated very good by the company. Then when I went into the warehouses fall was the time we were most busy we would be dumping many barrels and days would fly by like minuets but it was still fun even though it was hard work. I remember bringing barrels down the barrel elevator by the hundreds loading them on the 1941 Ford Flat trucks to be taken to a warehouse with a dump trough one gang would pull them by serial number another gang downstairs would load them on the trucks. And a third gang would unload the trucks and dump them all day.

Looking back it seems so long ago 30 + years yet I remember so many things and look back with such good memories. I so offten wish I could travel back in time to just be there one more time and to be able to see friends long gone like: Shorty Tyson, Frank Kurtus,Lou Stiefy, Charlie Sipler burning out on his old Buggy coming out of the old gain drying building and so many more.

It was the perfect job for me at my age back then and I lament the company being gone!

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My Longest Job Driving truck for PPW. 8 years after I left Kinsey I had a shot of Old Hickory to Celabrate them going out of Bussiness! I truley wish I would have told my Neighbor no to the job that took me from Kinsey but when you are young you learn by your mistakes.

And unlike my truck driving years my days at kinsey were and are some of the greatest times I ever had working!

Dave Z

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It seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's most magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Everyone here that reads my stuff knows how I loved Kinsey and Continental Distilling; well last night I was able to buy something really Awesome to add to my collection about 2 years ago Bourbon Joe gave me something I had always dreamed of an Old Hickory Bourbon Clock.

It was made to look like a barrel Head and it is beautiful. It was one of our Promotion things for bars. I love it and I have wondered if there were any of our 1950's lighting Old Hickory Clocks as I wanted to get one somehow to put above the Barrel head one instead of my Schmidt's Clock well I found and got one yesterday and I will be getting it very soon. Here is a Picture of what it looks like it is even harder to find then the barrel one.

I feel very blessed to have found so many wonderful things for my collection found on line, at the plant a couple of years ago and those I collected many years ago! Add the Wonderful Barrel that Fricky did up for me and I am super Blessed and I have made as sure as I can that these things will go to a musuem some day when I am gone.

This clock was made in Ohio and is elcetric and lights up. We had so many neat promotion things and there are many I have never even seen. At night every now and then I will break out my limited stock of Old Hickory and sit and sip some and enjoy my Preserved for History collection.

When I was in school I had quite a few after school jobs and except for one they were horrible and when I got out early spring I went to work for a construction company about 3 miles from Kinsey.

One day one of the Boss's there was an old school friend whose family ran the company he said to me Dave Kinsey is hiring you will get paid so much better with so much less hard work you should apply and That great day in fall of 1966 I got hired at Kinsey.

It was so different to work for a class company that treated you with respect and paid so good -- Dec 9,1969 $101.20 a week clear!

it is my love for History I could not get enough in school and My love for the Old Place that has lead to my writtings here. And I want to thank those behind this wonderful site that make this site work and operate it.

THANK YOU

It is a great privaledge to be able to record History here about Publicker/Continental Distilling and my Beloved Kinsey Distillery!

It was the people that I worked with there at 19 yrs old and the beauty of the place that made me love it.

Dave Z

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It Seens All The Nicest People Drink old Hickory

America's Most Magnificnet Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Yesterday I took a walk around Kinsey and posted some pictures from home of The Black bottling tanks on the Bottling house thread, tonight I will post more there and some plant shots here.

I got good news on my Project of Making the Exposion Proof Light Bulb Housing into a lamp:It is coming along good My friend at work that built me the holder for my Explosion proof Telephone built me a stand so it can sit on a small table going into the Hall when it is done I will post a picture of it!

I got 64 Pictures in the Plant yesterday and was able to get into Warehouse M where I found a couple of Mint Pilot lights for my newly designed Explosion Proof Light set: which will consist of two double boxes two different Switches and two of the rare frog eye type pilot lights the left switch will turn on the right light and right switch will turn on the left.

I will also post that when done I am going to have it in my work office.

I found a real nice Barrel head dated from Oct 3 1963 in warehouse M and have a couple of Pictures I took before I poped it out of the one good end of the barrel and I am going to get Fricky to glue it a bit and lacqur it like he did our Barrels.

I also got a small Explosion proof Light housing which I gave to the Limerick Township Historic Society to put with the rest of the Kinsey Stuff I have donated!

If I can find one more Explosion proof Box I will make up a none powered set for the Historic society also. I am also trying to get them a nice Barrel to save for history.

Everytime I walk there I remember stuff from the old days and some times have the heck scared out of me. I was on the second floor of Warehouse M when suddenly I heard something flying in the open Second floor door I went down the stair well to look and it was young people shooting randomly with a Paint Ball gun made me jump up there. But once they went on I got my two Frog Eye Pilot lights from warehouse M they are the last two nices ones in the plant!

I hope next week to go back just to look for paper work again and whatever turns up that is neat. And I hope again in the future to get back in to the Bottling to get some shots in places I didn't.

I remebered once I was in warehouse M, that it was one of the ones I had gone in allot when I worked there and I have the 1940 wall phone that was mounted on the Elevator There in my Kitchen it works great!

At One time all the warehouses Had call boxes on the dock away from any fumes they have been missing ever since the place closed in 1986. It sure seems weird to me seeing all the High Trees and weeds there having been on the yard gang and having kept everything as perfect as could be.

It also is very Sad loving the Place and the company as I have but things change and places go away. This is all the more why I visit as long as I can. Each trip there is like a trip back Home and even though the People are not there I feel like in spirit they are saying Hi Dave glad to see you. If anyone on the site is ever in the area I will gladly give you a tour through what is left of Kinsey.

Dave Z

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Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For Unhurried Monments

[dave ziegler]

Here are some of the Plant and warehouse pictures taken on Sunday, it was a very nice day walking around there with lots of nice cool breezes coming from the river as I remember them back in the day when I worked there! Here are 12 Pictures in the plant and warehouses I will post the other 22 tomorrow night!

1.Old Broken Barrel in Warehouse M

2.,3. Broken Barrel with nice head which I removed and brought home for my collection. I will get my friend Fricky to Lacqer it. Dated filled !0-4-63 Dsp-pa-1 Distilled from Bourbon Mash!

4.More Barrel staves in piles I also got two perfect Explosion proof Pilot lights for my new light setup here on the stair well.

5.More Barrels second floor warehouse M

6.Fork Lifts and charging unit warehouse N

7.Looking up at back of O warehouse

8.Barrel elevator warehouse N

10.Water Distilling unit O building Mr Marshal ran this when I worked there

11.another shot of the water distilling unit O building

12.Looking down at warehouses weeds growing up high everywhere.

Everytime I go to Kinsey I hate leaving it is like leaving home not knowing if you will ever get back there!

It is like saying good by to an old friend you will never see again and I remember those great days of yesteryear working there at 19 years Old!

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Here are the last 22 of my Plant pictures from Sunday!

1.,2. Inside Warehouse J fallen full cases of new bottles

3. Warehouse J in the sun

4.Tank area of Warehouse P

5.Scale sign on tank in warehouse P

6.Gal sign on tank in warehouse P

7.Another Tank in P building

8.another tank in P

9.Looking through fence to dump trough and tank area P

10.Set of old Barrel rack rails that were never hauledd out after being cut P building

11.looking from distance at Tanks and dump trough warehouse P

12.Top of Tank in P warehouse

13.Caffe Liquor labels laying on the second floor

14. Old Bottling Machine Building P

15.Another Old Bottling Machine P building

16.Controls of the bottling machine

17.18.19.20.21.22.Brand new cases never used in piles falling over after 23 yrs!

There are so many tanks and Bottling Machines and never used cases of Bottles it is amazing and very Sad! Second to last Picture is pile of boxes that say Publicker Distillers last boxes used when the Continental name was gone and they were leaving the Drinking spirits bussiness used Publicker Distilling.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most magnificnet bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Last evening a Young friend of Mine that works at the place I buy Beer gave me something awesome a full Pint of Continental Distilling Old treasure 12 yr Old blended in Belgium whiskey it states on the Bottle every drop of this Whiskey is at least 12 yrs old! It was in his fathers bar and his dad did not want it also a full bottle of Our Famous Embassy Club Canadian he gave me my choice of either one and I took the Old Treasure! The Bottle date is 67 for 1967 which means I was just 20 when it was filled in the 1966 bottle house and working there.

It was shipped over on one of our 10 Ocean liners and bottled in Linfield on this Bottle label the early ones were done in Phila like the old 1/2 pint empty one Ludy gave me.

This is one I have dreamed of trying and I have never seen any for sale anywhere. There is a story behind this bottle as My Friend lives right across from where my old Friend John that worked at kinsey did so It could well be possible it came home with John from work.

And when in the last 20 yrs of his life: as John told me many yrs ago when I met him at the doctors he could not handle drinking and control himself and completely quit and may have given it to my friends father as they have no clues where the bottles came from except they are Vintage!

I will raise a toast to John when I taste it He lived to be in his 80's and did not drink for over 20 yrs when I saw him and I was so glad to see he was ok then which was about 7 yrs ago.

Sadly both his Kids died long before him and only his wife is still living!

It was John I would get Whiskey for and help out of the Plant during the years I worked in the warehouse. I always tried to keep him from drinking to much and it was John who always gave me his great Lunches as he never ate his lunch back then.

I am sick right now with a sinus infection and starting a new Ulcer Med as my old one quit and made me sick with stomach pain so when my new one kicks in and I can taste I will be tasting it!

I have no doubt that it is something special as we never imported stuff unless it was really good espcially Straight Whiskey!

Question is there anyone out there that reads here that remembers Old treasure 12 yr old Whiskey?

Once again I am brought back to some memories of the old days at Kinsey and the many people I worked with as a young 19 year old Just out of School.

I will post a picture of the bottle tonight most likely. For the most part those years were wonderful for me and I wish everyone who reads these stories could have worked there just for a bit to see what a great company it was and what a great place it was!

Dave Z

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It Seems All the nicest people Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Well my Old Hickory Bourbon clock came into work by UPS today and here are two pictures of it with the Barrel one Bourbon Joe gave me and one with some of My Kinsey / Continental Distilling Collection! I have tried to get whatever I can for History from Continental Distilling and have it written in my will that it all must go to Museums for History so every time I find something it is more perserved for Company History and I am getting there!.

1.Old hickory Clock top

Old Hickory Barrel Clock given me by Bourbon Joe it runs wonderful all I had to do was rewire it. Thanks again Joe it was wonderful of you to give me it!

2. Pic clocks with my Framed Tax Stickers signs from Explosion Proof Warehouse P & My Framed and matted Mash bill from Mar 1951 and framed Picture of Kinsey in 1936. Also below the clocks my Hallers County Fair thermometer. And above the bottles my Original never cancelled Kinsey Stock Cert!

These things are a joy to me as they speak of the old days and my Friends Long gone and help to tell the story of a great Company that is no more. I forgot to take a picture of my Bottle of Old Treasure and will do that tomorrow and post it I have not tried it yet as still very sick with Asthma and now taking Antibiotics for my Sinus infection which is going into my chest so just trying to get better.

It looks like we are to have nothing but heavy rain this weekend so looks like I won't get to Kinsey this weekend but as soon as I can will get back there for more pictures and whatever turns up.

Dave Z

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It Seems All The Nicest People Drink Old Hickory

America's Most Magnificent Bourbon