Columbia in Monroe County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Schmidt House & Brewery

521 S Main St

Photographed by Thomas Smith, April 22, 2021

1. Schmidt House & Brewery Marker

Inscription. This two story brick home was built in 1818 by Philip and Peter Schmidt. The building functioned partly as a brewery (Schmidt Brewery) with offices and a sales department. The second floor provided living quarters for the families. An arched, stone cellar under the building, which still remains today, was used to store the barrels of beer for aging. Water for brewing came from a deep well, located in the backyard which was fed by an underground spring. When the beer had fermented, it was placed in barrels, sugar added, and then rolled down the road to the beer cave at the bottom of the hill. The brewery closed in the early 1860's.

Erected by Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail; Columbia, Illinois.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1818.

Location. 38° 26.449′ N, 90° 11.672′ W. Marker is in Columbia, Illinois, in Monroe County. It is on South Main Street just south of West Jefferson Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 521 S Main St, Columbia IL 62236,

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United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater St. Louis.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

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 Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: German Style Cottage (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pfeffer Mercantile Store (about 300 feet away); Eichmuller-Rau Building (about 400 feet away); Immaculate Conception Church (about 500 feet away); Rohm House (about 500 feet away); Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail (about 700 feet away); Milepost 630 (about 800 feet away); Schaefer House (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbia.

Schmidt House & Brewery image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Thomas Smith, April 22, 2021

2. Schmidt House & Brewery

Credits. This page was last revised on September 23, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 22, 2021, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 495 times since then and 16 times this year. Last updated on September 23, 2022, by Edward Troxel of Creal Springs, Illinois. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 22, 2021, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.