The collection is divided into seven series: CORRESPONDENCE AND GENERAL REFERENCE, FINANCIAL/ACCOUNTING, EXECUTIVE, LABOR, SALES/PRODUCTION, TAX, and HISTORICAL. Though most of the early records were destroyed, this collection well documents the operation of the brewery after 1933. Only a few materials, such as land deeds, exist before 1907. The Correspondence and General Reference series represents the greatest bulk, but the remaining six series generally contain the earliest records of the collection. The records in Box 1-83 were organized in the Archives in 1979, then additional records, now comprising Box 84-113, were received and organized in 1988. Both groups of records are described and listed in a single logical order below.
The CORRESPONDENCE AND GENERAL REFERENCE material, 1954-1977, includes incoming and outgoing letters, general reference materials, and even some financial records; all arranged in annual or other chronological segments. Only a few records exist for the years 1954, 1960 and 1961. Otherwise, most of the folder titles appear for each segment throughout the entire series; e.g., a folder containing the correspondence of Edward Armanetti exists for almost every year from 1955 to 1971. If a particular subject doesn't appear in a given year, relevant material may be contained in the “General” folders for that year. The records of the beer distributors and depots are largely financial in nature and are fragmentary. However, they provide the only documentation of the brewing company's distribution system. Armanetti Stores and Keller's Beverage were among Potosi's largest distributors, and their records are probably the most significant. Advertising materials, such as billboard, newspaper and label layouts, and radio ad scripts, may be found primarily under Central States Company, Epsen Lithographing Company, Gugler Lithographic Company, KDTH Radio, W.D. Lyon and Signcraft, Inc.
The 1988 additions to this series date primarily 1972-1977 but do include a few items from the 1950s and 1960s. These additional files are in one alphabetical order. Among the most interesting of these are correspondence with the Food and Drug Administration concerning false advertising on a beer label (1959) and sanitation standards in the brewery buildings; the Environmental Protection Agency regarding sewer and sanitation disposal (1972); and finally the Brewers' Association of America, which was an organization devoted to the small brewer that lobbied against the giant brewers of the industry (1971-1973). Most of this correspondence is with suppliers and distributors associated with the brewery.
The FINANCIAL/ACCOUNTING RECORDS, 1869-1975, include a general ledger which summarizes all assets, income and expenditure for the period 1934-1975, although the last years of the brewery (1972-1975) do not seem to have been entered systematically. However, a journal (1968-1975) helps to fill in gaps in the later years of the ledger. Other journals record more specifically the entries in the ledger. These are: cash receipts (1960-1975), check registers (1955-1975), customer accounts (1930s-1965), and purchase (1962-1971). These, along with the depreciation, profit and loss and trial balance worksheets, financial statements and summaries, and two account books complete the financial series of the brewery records. Some of the trial balance materials also include profit and loss figures for the East Dubuque branch of the brewery. Two fragmentary journals, one of which is a daybook kept by Gabriel Hail (1869-1876), and the other, a customer account book kept by the brewery's tavern (1900-1903), are available only on microfilm.
The EXECUTIVE RECORDS, 1905-1975, contain the articles of incorporation, minutes, correspondence and other legal records. The early minutes (1906-1927) were destroyed. Included in this series is the documentation of the proposed acquisition of the Potosi Brewing Company by La Crosse Breweries, Inc. and Central States Company in 1953-1955. Also included are Board of Directors' meeting agenda and minutes, reports to stockholders, and material related to stock redemption, as well as contracts, deeds, insurance concerns, liquidation files, and trusts. The liquidation files consist of correspondence with the liquidation attorney and a list of equipment and property sales.
LABOR RECORDS, 1943-1975, include contracts and agreements, pension contribution reports, correspondence, and financial reports. Also in this series are payroll records and profit sharing plan materials, although this plan was intended for the managemenyt levels of the brewery staff and not all employees.
SALES/PRODUCTION RECORDS, 1924-1972, contain ledgers, production and sales reports, legal forms, and drafting plats. Some advertising materials (1951) from W. D. Lyon are included, as well as Label Approval Forms and Trademark Registrations, which comprise a record of most of the beer labels used by Potosi. The 1988 additions complete the advertising, daily production reports, federal production inventories, internal inventories, and production and inventory records.
The TAX RECORDS, 1903-1975, include legal forms required by Wisconsin, the federal government, and other states in which Potosi distributed beer. State reports include Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin; some local tax records are included as well. Of greatest significance are the United States and Wisconsin tax returns.
Finally, the HISTORICAL MATERIALS (circa 1900-1972) contain clippings from 1957-1972 which chronicle the history of the brewery. Most of these are from The Grant County Independent (Lancaster, Wisconsin), and some Dubuque newspapers. Also included in this series are photographs of the brewery and Schumacher family (circa 1900-1956), and beer ephemera such as flattened proof beer cans, bottle labels, and crowns. The originals of these items, except for the clippings, are held in the Visual Materials Archive of the State Historical Society; an attempt has been made to reproduce these on a Xerox machine and include the Xerox copies with the other records in the collection.
