Historic Mills of Connecticut

Companies Associated w/Complex

• Eagle Brewing Company 1901-1920
• Eastern Brewing Company 1938-1939
• Waterbury Brewing Company 1934-1938

Use (Historic)

• Food, Beverage, Tobacco

Largest Documented Workforce

Unknown.

Historic Narrative

The Eagle Brewing Company was established in 1901 by Thomas Finnegan and Paul Seuss; it moved into a new building on what would become Eagle Street in the South End neighborhood of Waterbury in 1902. In 1903, the brewery was incorporated, and produced a variety of ales, porters and lagers. From 1913 to c.1918, the operation was run by the widow of one of the partners and prospered. In 1918, it was reported that the company had the capacity to produce nearly 100,000 barrels of beer annually. The operation 'officially' closed in 1920 with the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment (the prohibition of alcohol), and remained so until repeal in 1933. Several other small operations occupied the building between 1920 and 1933 (such as a welding shop, slaughter house, storage facility, and oil company), however it appears the brewery remained in business. In 1927, federal agents raided the Eagle Street facility and found an active boot-leg operation. The owner of the Eagle Fireproof Storage Company at the site, Henry Truxton, who also dealt in denatured alcohol, claimed no knowledge of the brewery. Agents seized several thousand gallons of illegal alcohol and distillery equipment, but the operation rebounded quickly. The operation was raided again, in August of 1927, and approximately 10,000 gallons of beer, ready to be barreled, were seized. By 1931, occupants of the building included a slaughter house run by the City of Waterbury and an oil company, however brewery operations clearly continued. In August 1931, federal agents once again seized the brewery contents, in a dramatic raid down from the building’s skylights. With the end of Prohibition in 1933, two local men, A.M. Larson and James D. Healy, tried to re-establish the Eagle Brewing Company but it failed almost immediately. Then the Waterbury Brewing Company operated at the site from 1934 to 1938, followed by the Eastern Brewing Company from 1938 to 1939. This is believed to have been the last brewery operation at the site.

Number of Existing Buildings

Four (4) primary blocks plus addition.

Dates of Construction

1902, c.1915, c.1921

Architect

n/a

Builder

n/a

Building Type

• Loft

Architectural Description

The largest building is a two bay, three-story brick structure along Eagle Street, likely built c.1902. The red brick façade is adorned with medieval/gothic architectural elements, recessed patterns, brick pilasters, corbelling, battlements, and arched entryways with stone keystones. The northern section of the roof of the main building has a fourth-floor constructed of wood that contained the brewing equipment. A one-story two-bay wing to the east on Eagle Street looks to be part of the original construction, although the roofline has been altered, likely at the time of the easternmost c.1920 two-story brick addition and two bay garage. Behind the c.1920 constructions are two two-story brick blocks, likely built c.1915 . A modern brick addition is at the northeast corner of Railroad Hill and Eagle Streets.

Exterior Material(s)

• Brick
• Wood

Structural System(s)

n/a

Roof Form

• Flat
• Gable

Roof Material

• Asphalt

Power Source

• Electricity

Condition

Good, Fair, Deteriorated

Condition Notes

n/a

Specific Location

One 0.78 acre parcel at the NEC of Eagle and Railroad Hill Streets

Adjacent To

• Main Roads
• Railroad

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

• 0438-0300-0004 eastern building / Link →

Acreage

0.78

Use (Present)

• Vacant

Form Completed By

Mike Forino

Date

n/a

Bibliography

1. The Hartford Courant, 1927-1933.
2. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, 1921-1950.