AMERICAN SPIRITS MANUFACTURING CO.
Peoria, IL.
1896-1919
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"E H Harrison, Asst Treas & Auditor" (1898)

The American Spirits Manufacturing Co. was formed from the remnants of the Whiskey Trust after it had been ruled illegal by the Illinois State Supreme Court in June, 1895. It was based in Peoria but organized in New York to take advantage of its more favorable laws. The company inherited and took responsibility for running the most of the distilleries that had been managed by the Trust, including the Manhattan, Great Western, and Monarch.

The company survived Prohibition in the guise of the US Food Products Corporation, making vinegar, yeast and cereal products. In 1924 it was recreated as National Distillers Products Corporation and proceeded to acquire vast stocks of mature whiskey, along with once-famous brand names. When Prohibition was repealed, it was thus in prime position to take control of the market and survives to this day as one of the major producers of distilled spirits in the US.

Business name timeline:
American Spirits Manufacturing Co.

Business category timeline (abbreviations decoded below):
D

Years that company appeared in directories
Years directories were consulted
Peoria directory notes

Appearance in directories:
1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1912, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919

Directories consulted:
1844, 1856, 1857, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1863, 1865, 1867, 1868, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1875, 1877, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1912, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919

Peoria directory notes:
D = Distilleries, L = Liquor Merchants (1856), W = Liquors, Wholesale, S = Saloons (1881). In the early years (ca 1863-1867) , addresses were often omitted (indicated by "nd"). There was a street renumbering, perhaps city-wide but evident in Washington addresses, in 1872/1873, with both old and new numbers indicated in the 1873 directories. The 1881 directory shows that Water St. has been renumbered. Directires are missing Liquor wholesalers for 1901, no distillers for 1904 or 1905. Several years are missing copies. There are no liquor-related entries for 1920. My directory copies include partial listings for Saloons for 1881-1886: they were not included here.

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