Downtown in Louisville in Jefferson County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
Old Forester Distilling Co.
Destination Site
| | Bourbon District - 119 West | |
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 26, 2020
1. Old Forester Distilling Co. Marker (Side A)
Old Forester Distilling Co. continues a legacy that began in 1870. Young pharmaceutical sales rep George Garvin Brown sealed his whiskey exclusively in a glass bottle an innovative approach when whiskey was commonly sold by the barrel and subject to adulteration prior to reaching the consumer. Brown set up shop here on Main Street, when Whiskey Row was home to 89 bourbon distilling companies. Only one of those companies is still operating today under the same ownership Brown-Forman, with its founding brand, Old Forester.
Over the course of 150 years, Old Forester has never left the market. It's the only brand that's been continuously sold by the same company the same family before, during, and after Prohibition.
Today, Old Forester has returned to the building it once called home. The 70,000-square-foot distillery guides guests through the brand's storied history and bourbon-making process. Through Prohibition, world wars, and changing consumer palates, the promise of sealed-in quality, balance, and value from Old Forester, America's First Bottled Bourbon, has endured.
Caption: Campbell P. Brown, President;
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.
Location. 38° 15.376′ N, 85° 45.15′ W. Marker is in Louisville, Kentucky, in Jefferson County. It is in Downtown. It is on West Main Street (U.S. 60), on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 119 West Main Street, Louisville KY 40202, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Ohio River Valley. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Louisville Water Company (within shouting distance of this marker); The Galt House (within shouting distance of this marker); Slave Trading In Louisville / Garrison Slave Pen Site (within shouting distance
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 26, 2020
2. Old Forester Distilling Co. Marker (Side B)
Photographed by Shane Oliver, July 3, 2021
3. Old Forester Distilling Co. Building
Marker can be seen towards the left side of this photo, in front of the red SUV.
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 26, 2020
4. Old Forester Distilling Co., 119 West Main Street
The building, and the one next door at 117 West Main Street, were built around 1867 and used by various companies to store barrels of whiskey. Brown-Forman Corp. operated from 117 West Main between 1900 and 1919, when it moved to its current headquarters elsewhere in Louisville. The company acquired both West Main properties in 2016 and opened a $45 million distillery there in 2018.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 29, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 543 times since then and 28 times this year. Last updated on July 30, 2021, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 29, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3. submitted on July 31, 2021, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. 4. submitted on November 29, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
