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Jefferson Township in Vevay in Switzerland County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
 

Switzerland Wine County – Winemaking in Vevay

— Ohio River Scenic Byway —

 
 
Switzerland Wine County – Winemaking in Vevay Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 30, 2023
1. Switzerland Wine County – Winemaking in Vevay Marker
Inscription. As soon as immigrant James Dufour saw the area now known as Vevay in the Northwest Territory, he knew it would be an ideal place for his vineyards. The gentle hills were terraced like those in his native district of Vevay, Switzerland, and he named the area “New Switzerland.” In 1800 he brought seventeen members of his own family and encouraged other French-speaking Swiss settlers to join him in the rich farmland of the unsettled territory. Dufour soon petitioned Congress to pass an act to extend credit to purchase vineyard land so he could introduce the culture of the grape to the United States. His petition was granted, and growers were given 12 years to pay for their land purchases. In 1803 he sent his son John Francis on horseback carrying two kegs of wine to President Thomas Jefferson. By 1809 production of vine from the New Switzerland area was 1,200 gallons a year. Dufour authored “The Vinedressers Guide,” the standard authority on wine grape growing in North America. Prohibition ended the Indiana wine industry but the “small-winery” law passed in 1971 has allowed its rebirth by allowing wineries to sell directly to the public. Today, the Swiss settlement and the winemaking history of Vevay are celebrated at the Swiss Wine Festival, an annual event that draws thousands of people to Vevay to enjoy the wine, the traditions and the
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culture of the Swiss settlers.

By the Way: Downriver Tell City was established by German-speaking Swiss immigrants in 1858.
 
Erected by Ohio River Scenic Byway.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: AgricultureIndustry & CommerceSettlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1800.
 
Location. 38° 44.739′ N, 85° 3.908′ W. Marker is in Vevay, Indiana, in Switzerland County. It is in Jefferson Township. Marker is at the intersection of Ferry Street and Franklin Street, on the right when traveling south on Ferry Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 Ferry St, Vevay IN 47043, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Kessler House (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Historic Fire Bells (about 600 feet away); Armstrong Tavern (about 600 feet away); Armstrong Tavern - 1816 (about 700 feet away); Chateline House (about 700 feet away); Hoosier Theater (about 800 feet away); U.P. Schenck House - 1844 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Dufour House (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Vevay.
 
Also see . . .
1. History. Southeast Indiana (and particular Switzerland County) is known as the birthplace of the American
Switzerland Wine County – Winemaking in Vevay Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 30, 2023
2. Switzerland Wine County – Winemaking in Vevay Marker
wine industry because it was the site of the first successful winery established in America. The winery was founded by Swiss immigrant Jean Jacques Dufour (also known as John James) with the first grapes harvested sometime around 1806 or 1807. (Indiana Wine Trail) (Submitted on May 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.) 

2. The first commercial winery in the United States – established by a Swiss immigrant!. In 1796, Jean-Jacques Dufour emigrated from the Lake Geneva region with the stated aim of becoming a successful winegrower in distant America. The Swiss grower founded the colony of Vevay, Indiana, which did indeed manage to produce wine. (Petra Koci, Swiss National Museum blog, posted Jan. 8, 2022) (Submitted on May 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.) 
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on May 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 63 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on May 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

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Mar. 28, 2024