Building Description Wiedemann Brewing Company, Newport Kentucky
Building # 1 Boiler Room (1900): Rectangular in plan, 47' x 103', common bond brick building. Functional in design with little architectural adornment it height ranges from 2 to 4 stories. The exterior facade exhibits 6/6 wooden sash windows with brick segmental arches and plain lug sills. The roof trim is accentuated with several corbel courses. It was constructed to house the main boilers for the complex. A large smokestack at the south side rises above the flat roof. The interior has been altered over the years to accomodate new boilers and pipes. No significant interior details.
Building # 2 Brew House (1889): The Brew House is actually a part of a larger building. The main facade of the larger buildings reads as a single design. The Brew House part is 4 stories high, 47' x 48' with its side facade constructed of common bond brick. The exterior 3 bay main facade exhibits a first floor with a large semi-circular arched lintel with semi-circular transom. The second floor has large 18 paned aluminum sash windows with moveable middle sash. Decorative brick lintels and plain stone sills evolve into a string course. The third floor has paired 6/6 aluminum sash windows with decorative semi- circular brick and stone lintels over the side bays and segmental lintel over the paired windows of the central bay. The building is capped with a cental curved cornice with an inscription that reads "BREW HOUSE" in block leters. Above the nameplate is found a small stepped parapet.
The interior of the building originally housed a number of large copper brewing tanks. Over the years the original plan has been altered and updated to accomodate newer brew tanks as required. In 1986 several brewing tanks remain, however large holes exist where other have been removed from the floor. Round cast iron columns several with decorative capitals support the ceilings and the original walls have been covered over with glazed terra cotta tile. Small catwalks are found around the tanks.
Building # 2A Mill House (1889): This is a small, 27' x 65', 5 story part of the larger Brew House building. Its exterior starts at the second floor, with a driveway going through the first floor. The main facade exhibits a large semi-circular rock-faced ashlar lintel and four windows separated by fluted engaged columns. Below the windows is found a nameplate that reads "The Geo. Wiedemann Brewing Company". Above the lintel is a decorative terra cotta panel. The third floor has a central niche flanked by 6/6 wooden sash windows. The semi-circular arch above the niche evolves into a flat lintel above the flanking windows. The overall effect is a Palladian motif. A large terra cotta nameplate that reads " G. WIEDEMANN" separates the third and fourth floors. The fourth floor window fenestration is distinguished by a large brick and stone semi-circular window bay with four wooden sash windows divided by decorative wooden columns. A dateplate reading "1870" and "1888" and constructed of terra cotta are found above the windows. A small corbel course separates the fifth floor from those below. This floor is distinguished by a fenestration that exhibits five closely spaced 1/1 wooden sash windows with semicircular brick lintels linked to suggest a colonnade. The steep asphalt truncated hip roof is pierced by large decorative dormers, each with three 1/1 wooden sash windows and a central curved pediment.
The interior of the building is functional in detail and lacks architectural distinction. Historically it housed the grain milling operation and in later years housed the grain that was sent to the Brew House.
Building # 3 Shop/Storage/Cellar (1889): This is a 4 story, 3 bay, 44' X 65', part of the Brew House. Its main facade is very similar to that of the Brew House. The main difference is that the lower floors are bricked up and the central paired windows are flanked by single window bays. A decorative central curved cornice with a nameplate that reads "ICE MACHINE" rests atop the central bay. The interior is functional in detail and simple in design with concrete floors. It housed various shops, storage areas and numerous fiberglass tanks used to age beer.
Building # 5 Storage Cellar (1888): This is a 5 story, 58' x 144', functional in design building with stretcher bond front facade and common bond rear and side facade. The front facade is distinguished by its recessed three bay symmetrical fenestration with its window and door bays blocked up by wood at an unknown date. Plain lintels and lug sills adorn the windows. The second floor has semi-circular brick lintels and sills that evolve into a string course. The south side bay is pierced by a catwalk that connects to the Storage Building across the street. The third floor has small paired windows in each bay with plain detail. A small rectangular raised parapet rests atop the small projecting cornice supported by several courses of oversailing bricks. A fifth floor with clapboard wall material is set back from the main facade. This is capped with a slate mansard roof pierced by numerous small dormers along three facades.
The interior is functional in detail with concrete floors, wrought iron stairs and plain window surrounds. The building was used to house numerous ageing tanks that were constructed of fiberglass.
Building # 6 Racking and Wash House (1903): This is a 5 story, common bond brick, 44' x 232', building that exhibits little architectural detail to highlight it functional use. The exterior walls have a modest number of windows that have either been bricked or blocked up with wood. Most exhibit brick segmental lintels and lug sills. The building sits next to a small walkway at the west facade ant its north and south ends abut adjoining buildings. The majority of decorative detail is found on the east facade at the roof trim. This is accentuated by several oversail brick courses supporting a low parapet that rises at its highest in the center. This facade is pierced by an elevated walkway at the second floor that connects to an adjoining building on the east.
The interior of the building is plain in detail and has simple window and door surrounds. The concrete floors are mostly clear span with few supporting columns to break the plan. Originally this building housed the machinery used to wash out and fill the beer kegs.
Building # 7 Bottling Shop (1918): This is a large 130' x 181', 2 1/2 story brick building exhibiting eclectic architectural details. The main north symmetrical facade is distinguished by its distinctive fenestration and stepped parapet concealing a clerestory roof. Significant architectural details include a raised ashlar foundation, large semi-circular brick and stone lintels and lug sills. The door and paired window openings have been boarded up with wood. The central part of the second floor exhibits large paired 4/4 windows with four part rectangular transoms. Flat voussoir lintels with keystone complete the window detail. The third floor of the central bays have small paired windows with linked semi-circular brick lintels articulated with keystones and stone coping. The larger central window has a multi-sash window, lighted transom, keystone and stone coping. A large parapet with corbel courses has a nameplate that reads "THE GEO. WIEDEMANN BREWING CO.". A smaller parapet, added at an unknown date completes the detail of the central bays.
Flanking the central bay on either side is a decorative five bay wall treatment with windows gradually increasing in length as they go toward the center. They terminate with brick segmental arches. Window bays are divided by engaged flat columns that rise to terminate at a stepped parapet supported by several dentil courses.
The east side facade located next to Putnam Alley exhibits a fenestration composed of paired windows, several of which have been blocked or bricked up, with semi-circular brick lintels capped with stone coping. Dentil courses support the projecting cornice at the first floor. The first two bays of the upper facade are pierced with an elevated walkway joining the building on the east side of the alley.
The interior is distinguished by a large open area that originally housed the bottling shop. Decorative wrought iron articulates the second floor mezzanine railing. The dominate architectural feature is the iron truss system supporting the three clerestory roofs.
Building # 7A Bottling Shop (remodeled 1974): Essentially this is a large enclosed space, "L" in plan, 27' x 200' and lacking any exterior distinction. The interior roof exhibits concave arcading.
Building # 8 Main Office (1899): This is a 2 story, 30' x 130', stretcher bond brick building exhibiting eclectic architectural details. The main (west) facade rests atop a raised rock-faced ashlar foundation and is distinguished by three decorative wall dormers with stepped parapet. The first floor fenestration is a mix of large paired and single windows that have been blocked up with wood. Brick segmental lintels are adorned with molded brick coping that terminates with labels. Sills evolve into string courses. The cornice above the first floor is heavily adorned with decorative blocks. The wall dormers have a Palladian window with semi-circular brick lintels at he center window. Tooled stone spandrels rest atop the central window. Stepped parapet with stone coping completes the wall dormer detail. The slate hip roof has two metal finials. The north side wall treatment is the same as that of the main facade. Raised double door entry with a pointed arch lintel accentuate the frontispiece.
The interior lobby is distinguished by elliptical plan, engaged columns with composite capitals and ceiling molding with swags and egg and date motif. The doors are articulated with heavy wooden lintels and surrounds. The offices have been changed throughout the years to reflect various space needs with little of the original architectural detail remaining.
Building # 16 Empty Case Warehouse (1910 rebuild 1950): This is a 2 story, 65' x 148', common bond brick, industrial building. The main facade is distinguished by four bays, several of which have been bricked or blocked up with wood. A larger truck door has been added at an unknown date. The upper story detail has a stepped parapet with blind rectangular panels, corbel courses and stone coping. The side facades have been completely replaced with metal siding. A second story walkway pierces the building.
The interior has lost all of its original detail.
Building #20 Office and Stores (ca. 1900 and 1956): This is a 2 story, common bond brick 23' x 63', Italianate styled building. It facades are distinguished by asymmetrical fenestration with 2/2 wooden sash windows with segmental metal lintels and sandstone lug sills. The corner of the facades angled and it appears that the building originally exhibited a storefront that has been infilled with brick and windows. The roof is accentuated with a projecting cornice supported by paired brackets. The low slope roof has asphalt shingles. A one story addition is found at the rear of the building and is composed of matal siding.
The interior of the original building has decorative window and door surrounds. Many of the original walls have been removed to accomodate a different floor plan.
Building #32 Stock House (1903, 1956): This is "L" in plan, 46' x 85', with a main original facade constructed of stretcher bond brick and a larger three story addition devoid of sigificant fenestration. THe original building is four bay asymmetrical with large semi-circular window and door lintel at the first floor. Terra cotta keystones accentuate the lintel detail. At an unknown date the window bays have been bricked up. Decorative stone sills evolve into string course. An interior cornice of molded brick separates the first and second floor. Second floor is similar to the first except decorative terra cotta molded horseheads replace the end window bays. A stepped parapet with decorative panel completed the facade. In 1956 a very large brick addition was added that rises an additional three floors. Overall the addition is functional in design and lacks significant architectural detail. The top floor of the addition was used as an open air beer garden.
The interior of the original building has been greatly altered over the years and has lost its original details. The building was used to store bottled and kegged beer.
Building #33 Garage (1903): This is a low scale, 1 story, stretcher bond brick, industrial building. Its main facades are distinguished by multi-bay single light windows with semi-circular lighted transom and molded semi-circular lintel evolving into brick window surrounds. Sandstone lug sills terminate the window treatment. A continuous stone belt course separates the windows from the tooled foundation below. The decorative pointed arch main door is composed of brick and alternating stone with stone coping. Above the door is a nameplate with the inscription "STABLE". The roof trim exhibits an interior cornice that separates a low parapet and plain cornice detail. The building has a low flat roof.
Originally, this building was used to house the numerous horses and wagons used for the delivery of the beer. All interior detail associated with this use has been lost through the years. For a number of years it has been used as a garage and various shops.