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Drink up the history of one of the most famous beer towns in the world.

Milwaukee is most famous for its booming brewing industry, which is directly tied to a surge in German immigration in the 1840s. These new citizens brought along their work ethic, culture, and a love for their native beverage. Not all immigrants arrived from Europe; many, like Richard Owens, came from Britain. Owens has been credited with establishing the first commercial brewery in the area in 1840. Other men followed, many of whom were already experienced in brewing, and seized the opportunity to start new businesses. Brand names were carved on the front of brewery buildings, deals were made with a handshake, partnerships were cultivated, and factory cities were raised. By 1860, nearly 200 breweries were in operation in Wisconsin, with more than 40 in Milwaukee alone. Of the original 40, four have stood the test of time: Blatz, Pabst, Schlitz, and Miller are still brewed in Milwaukee, right where they were born.

Beginning in the mid-1800s, the beer-brewing industry in Cleveland experienced its most extensive growth due to the rapidly increasing immigrant population of mostly Germans,
Czechs, and Irish. The breweries enjoyed great success until the Prohibition era closed all brewing operations down for 14 dry years. In 1933, the industry started anew, and
Clevelanders were able to enjoy locally made beer for 50 more years before business conditions led to the industry's second demise. Today the industry has once again experienced a rebirth, this time on a smaller scale with the
emergence of a number of popular brewpubs and microbreweries.

Taverns, saloons, and restaurants have always played an important role in the development of large American cities like Detroit. Historically Detroiters probably regarded their neighborhood watering hole as no more than a place to drink and discuss politics. In fact, these gathering places also served as the backdrop for important social, civic, and economic events that impacted the lives of residents and affected urban development. Detroit's Historic Drinking Establishments traces the evolution of these places from the city's roots as a fur-trapping settlement to Detroit's dominance as a manufacturing giant. Using historical images from a number of sources including the Detroit Public Library's Burton Historical and Virtual Motor City Collections and the Detroit Historical Museum, this book paints a vivid picture of early Detroit as a destination highly prized for its abundant natural
resources and its incomparable hospitality.

Dating all the way back to 1812, the history of brewing in Cincinnati is a long and illustrious narrative. These days, Cincinnati's brewing culture is experiencing a multifaceted renaissance with a promising outlook.

In the mid-19th century, the Queen City's rapidly expanding German population definitively transformed the industry, making Cincinnati one of the nation's foremost brewing centers. Principally based in the vibrant Over-the-Rhine district, the golden age of brewing in Cincinnati saw the creation of architecturally spectacular brewery structures, a proliferation of related industries, as well as an abundance of saloons and beer gardens. The enactment of Prohibition crippled this formerly booming industry, however, and although local brewers returned to revive their tradefollowing the repeal of Prohibition, the industry would never regain its former prominence. Cincinnati's Brewing History offers a concise overview of the history of brewing and beer culture in the region through vintage and contemporary images, as well as brewing collectibles.