The collection documents the company's activities from its incorporation in 1911 until its closing in 1966, with only a few financial records dated prior to incorporation. Financial records comprise the bulk of the collection and span the years 1902-1966. In addition to information on the brewing industry, the collection provides data on the decline of a family business as it lost its regional market to major corporations.
The HISTORICAL SKETCH was originally published in Wisconsin Teamster in 1960. This item is the only document in the collection referring to the firm's contract with Richland Center Local 870 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen, and Helpers.
The ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS, consisting of incorporation documents and the minutes of the board of directors and stockholders, are complete for the years 1911-1945. Minutes for the years 1946-1966 are not in the collection.
FINANCIAL RECORDS include auditor's reports, balance sheets, inventories, tax returns, and other records.
The LEGAL RECORDS refer mainly to the firm's relations with federal agencies. Correspondence, second copies of forms returned to the brewer after filing, and other records are arranged chronologically by agency. Correspondence with the Federal Trade Commission, (1965, 1968) includes information on the market competition that led to the closing of the plant.
Also in the collection are MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS, BUILDING PLANS, and ADVERTISING MATERIALS including bottle labels and advertising circulars, and a tape recording of 1957 advertising prepared for broadcast.
