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This plant, located 1 mile above Owensboro on the Ohio River, was built in 1874.
In 1882, city directories showed Harris & Callaghan as Proprietors and later (in 1886), it was under the control of Millett & Callaghan.
In 1888, the distillery was operating as the Daviess Co. Distilling Co. with R. Monarch, President and John Callaghan as VP-Treasurer. The brand Kentucky Club was well established at this time.
Information from insurance underwriter records compiled in 1892 suggest that the distillery comprised a two-story frame structure with a metal or slate roof. The grounds housed a cattle barn and three warehouses.
Bonded Warehouse "A" was brick with a metal or slate roof and located 150 ft NE of the still. Part of the warehouse used for storage of free spirits and designated Free Warehouse "C".
Bonded Warehouse "B" was 125 ft east of the still and frame construction with a metal or slate roof.
Free Warehouse "D" was frame with a metal or slate roof, located 225 ft east of the still house.
In 1901, Geo. E. Medley of Bardstown (formerly associated with Mattingly & Moore and J. R. Walker), purchased part of the distillery from the R. Monarch estate.
In 1904, Dick Meschendorf of Louisville joined Medley in acquiring the entire plant. When Medley died in 1910, his son Tom took over operation. The following year fire destroyed warehouse 2B and the bottling house. These were soon rebuilt and the plant capacity increased to 750 bushels. (from the Coyte Papers, cited in OASG).
Cecil goes on to note that the distillery was closed upon Prohibition and the remaining stocks sold to Wathen Bros. The distillery was later (1928) sold to Field Packing Co.
Aliases that this distillery's product was sold under
Review bonded warehouse transactions for this distillery