Fitger Brewing Company - Duluth, MN - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

Duluth's first brewery was started by Sidney Luce in 1857. Luce built his brewery a block and a half from the Fitger's site, and utilized a small brook which later was known as Brewery Creek. His brewery grew, and in 1881 Michael Fink purchased the brewery and built a new, larger brewery on the present Fitger's site. The newly-formed Lake Superior Brewery company hired a new brewmaster, a young German named August Fitger who graduated from one of Germany's premier brewing schools. Within the year, Fitger owned half of the brewery, and when Percy Anneke bought into the brewery and became Fitger's partner in 1884, the brewery was renamed to the A. Fitger & Co. / Lake Superior Brewery.

Beer production continued for forty years, until Prohibition (1920 -1933) forced many breweries around the nation out of business. Fitger's stayed alive by turning out new products such as soda pop and candy bars. Candy lovers in Duluth during the "Roaring Twenties" enjoyed the Fitger's Flapper, the Fitger's Spark Plug, the Five Cent Fitger's Nut Goodie, the King Bee Nougat, and Fitger's Skookum . . . "A Bully Good Bar." Along with the candy bars, Fitger's cranked out case after case of Lovit Pop, a popular favorite on a hot summer's day down at Park Point.

After the repeal of Prohibition, Fitger's resumed brewing strong beer, and business boomed during the 1930's. Production was up to 100,000 barrels a year by 1940. During this time, the Brewery also produced Silver Spray Champagne, advertised as "The Best Mixer In A Crowd." The Beerhalter family purchased the Brewery in 1944, and operated if for the next quarter century. Fitger's Brewery closed its doors on September 30, 1972, ending 115 years of brewing on the shores of Lake Superior.

The Fitger's Brewery Complex was re-opened in September of 1984 with a 48 room hotel, two full service restaurants, and a retail center. In 1995, a group of prominent Duluth business people purchased the Complex, and continue as the driving force behind all positive improvements at Fitger's, which include the construction of fourteen luxury suites, new dining options, and the beautiful Lakewalk Access. The Fitger's Brewhouse is once again brewing beer on the premises. Self-guided tour maps of the Fitger's Brewery Complex are available throughout the Complex, and in the museum.

Source: Modified from Fitger's website

Street address: 600 E. Superior St. Duluth, MN USA 55802 County / Borough / Parish: St. Louis Year listed: 1984 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event Periods of significance: 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949 Historic function: Commerce/Trade, Industry/Processing/Extraction, Recreation And Culture Current function: Commerce/Trade, Business, Museum Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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