Gephard Brew House

Gebhard Brew House

Gebhard Bottle House

     After the completion of the Illinois Michigan Canal in 1848, there was fairly rapid growth of the canal towns.  Breweries appeared in Peru, LaSalle, Ottawa, Morris,  and Joliet.  By the 1850’s, most canal towns had at least one  brewery.  Their number grew and peaked in 1875.  The local brewers faced no competition until the 1880’s.  Larger brewers sought to gain a national market.  The development of pasteurization ,refrigeration and depots allowed the shipment of beer by the railroad to most of the town’s along the canal from breweries in larger metropolitan areas.
     One of the most successful local brewery was Gebhard Brewing Company in Morris, Illinois.  This was founded by a German immigrant Louis Gebhard 1866.  The brewery building was constructed in 1880.  Their products became well known because of their quality.  Hops, malt and barley used in the brewing process were transported on the I M Canal.    The brewery closed in 1919 due to Prohibition.  Later on the brew house was used as a flour mill.  Currently there are 2 remaining empty buildings–Bottling Plant and the Brew House.