The Brewery Arts Center, once known as the Carson City Brewery, is the oldest business in Carson City. My Dad, Bill Dolan, used to tell me about times when his grandfather, Billy Fletcher, would send him to the Carson Brewery for a pail of beer. My Dad was about 10 years old at the time. His grandfather lived at 5th Street and Division, not too far from the Brewery. Years ago, it didn't matter if you were 10 years old and buying beer.
The Brewery later became the home of the Nevada Appeal, and in those early years, I would go with him to work, before school started. The old school, built in the early 1900s, was right across the street from the Appeal (once the Brewery).
In 1860, the Territorial Enterprise was the Carson City newspaper. Nevada was still part of Utah Territory - four years before Nevada's statehood. A Carson Brewery advertisement from June 14, 1860 said:
"Carson City Brewery, King St., Carson City, U.T. The undersigned would inform the citizens of Western Utah, that they are now manufacturing a superior article of LAGER BEER which they will deliver to customers. Having a large and spacious Brewery, we are prepared to fill all orders with dispatch. Attached is a FINE SALOON, well supplied with table, where all persons can enjoy a social chat and a good glass of Beer. Wagner & Co."
On Aug. 26, 1866, the Carson Daily Appeal, the newspaper for Carson City in the State of Nevada, indicated two owners: John Wagner and Jacob Kline.
Carson City Brewery. We invite friends and the public in general to the oldest Pioneer Brewery in the Territory, where we are prepared at all times to furnish our patrons with LAGER in large or small quantities, at the shortest notice. We also wish to intimate to our friends that it is conducive to health to see us at our Brewery, and imbibe in a cool and foaming draught of this delicious beverage, together with "Switzer Kase [Swiss cheese] and Pretzel." Malt and Hops supplied to Brewers in quantity to suit. Wagner and Kline.
In the same paper was an ad selling the Brewery: Carson City Brewery for Sale. The undersigned beg to offer for sale, CHEAP FOR CASH, The Carson City Brewery, with all the fixtures belonging thereto. John Wagner, Jacob Klein.
The water for the Brewery came from Kings Canyon Creek, the barley and hops were ordered in from suppliers in California and outlying areas. The Carson Brewery under the direction of Wagner and Kline did extremely well in Carson City and was supplier for the saloons in a majority of Nevada towns. The upstairs was rented to Carson Lodge No. 1, Free and Accepted Masons. In 1879 John Wagner sold his interest in the business to Jacob Klein.
Jacob Klein ran the business for 40 years, and in his memoirs are the following:
"On the 18th day of April 1860 I came to Nevada and have lived here ever since. When I came here flour was worth $75 a hundred. We went through the snow seven days before we could get here from Placerville. Freight was a dollar a pound on some articles ... I went into the brewery business where I am yet. The firm was Berhauser, Klein and Wagner ... When I came here in 1860 the current rate of interest on money was about ten percent per month ... There was nothing in Carson only a few houses, perhaps 30 or 40 ... Mr. Curry, Major (William J.) Ormsby, D. Perkins, Doctor A.W. Tjader, W.T. Swift, (John) Musser and (William S.) Spear were living here. (John J.) Musser was territorial delegate in Congress. (John H.) Cradlebaugh was Judge of the District ... There was a pretty rough state of society in Carson City at that time. Two or three men were killed every six months ... The town was infected with rough characters..."
Jacob was married and had two daughters, Cloe and Belle. He built a two-story home on South Division and West Second Street across from the brewery: "In the summer months [they] gave many garden parties. Japanese lanterns were strung through the apple trees for light." (from Klein 1883 manuscript in the Nevada Historical Society collection.)
In August 1888, the business was sold to James A. Raycraft who continued brewing steam beer. In January 1910, Max Stenz bought the business, later converting it to lager beer. Business went well until Prohibition and the passing of the Volstead Act signed by President Wilson in January 1918. A near beer was produced during that time, but business slowed and in 1926 Arnold Millard took over management and went into coal, wood, fuel oil and ice business. In 1933 beer was re-legalized and the brewery geared up with new equipment. In 1934 the Carson Brewing Company put Tahoe Beer in cans and short "steinie" bottles.
The business continued until the 1940s and in 1948 the brewery shut down and was sold to publisher Donald W. Reynolds, owner of the Nevada Appeal and Carson Chronicle in 1951. It was sold to the Carson City Arts Alliance in 1977 when the Appeal moved to a new building. It is now the home of the Brewery Arts Center.
• Information for this article came from the Territorial Enterprise; Carson Daily Appeal; Kit Carson Trail Inventory written and compiled by Bob Nylen; "Focus," Feb. 22, 1998, Nevada Appeal written by Bob Nylen; and History of the Carson Brewing Company, "Nevada's Oldest Business" by Arnold A. Millard (great publication - recommended reading).
• Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote the Past Pages column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006. She is president of the Carson City Historical Society.