Great Falls Breweries, Inc. Records

Great Falls Breweries, Inc. Records, 1933-1968

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Great Falls Breweries, Inc.
Title: Great Falls Breweries, Inc. Records
Dates: 1933-1968 (inclusive)
19331968
Quantity: 26.7 linear feet, (38 archival boxes and 29 oversize volumes)
Collection Number: Mss 042
Summary: This collection contains correspondence, financial, legal, organizational, and promotional records generated and collected by the Great Falls Breweries, Inc. and its subsidiary, the Montana Malting Company. Collection materials document procedures and finances within the company and professional relationships with product distributors, industry representatives, other regional breweries, suppliers, elected officials, and government regulators.
Repository: University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions: Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and the University of Montana--Missoula. Materials in box 18, folders 6 and 7, box 19, folder 1 are restricted access under Social Security Administration regulations.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for creating this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Great Falls Breweries Inc. was founded by Emil Sick in 1933 immediately after the repeal of Prohibition. It was begun with the purchase of the interests of the Montana Brewing Company and the American Brewing Company, two Great Falls firms dating from the 1890s that had been closed by Prohibition. Mr. Sick continued the operation until 1949 when he sold the property to local interests. It was again sold in 1966 to Blitz-Weinhard Company of Portland, Oregon, which continued operations until September, 1968 when severe economic conditions forced the closure of the Great Falls plant. At the time of its closing, the Great Falls operation was the last operating brewery in the four state area of Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, and Wyoming

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection contains correspondence, financial, legal, organizational, and promotional records generated and collected by the Great Falls Breweries, Inc. and its subsidiary, the Montana Malting Company. Collection materials document procedures and finances within the company and professional relationships with product distributors, industry representatives, other regional breweries, suppliers, elected officials, and government regulators. These records provide insights into rural Montana brewing businesses in the years following repeal of Prohibition, through the Great Depression, and into the post World War II economic transformations across the American west. Collection materials particularly evidence the impacts on regional (bottle-oriented) breweries precipitated by 1960s canned beer packaging innovations.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to the University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], Great Falls Breweries, Inc. Records, Archives and Special Collections, The University of Montana-Missoula.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in seven series:

Series I: Correspondence

Series II: Financial and Legal

Series III: Organization

Series IV: Printed Material

Series V: Montana Malting Company

Series VI: Photographs

Series VII: Artifacts

Custodial History

The Blitz-Weinhard Company purchased Great Falls Breweries, Inc. in 1966 and suspended Montana operations in 1968. The Blitz-Weinhard Company placed all Great Falls Breweries Inc. records in a storage unit until donation to the Archives.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Blitz-Weinhard Company, 1970. The remainder, two original stock ledger journals, 1938-1966, now in Series II, Box 40, and 3 copies of stockholder lists, two from 1966 and one from 1967, now in Box 37/12, were donated by Stoel Rives, Attorneys at Law, 2012.

Processing Note

The specific actions of the original processors were not documented. During 2004 reprocessing, distinct series were applied to collection materials, items were reorganized for consistent identification and access, and the full collection was extensively re-described.

Separated Materials

During 2004 reprocessing, 5 folders of general interest publications (all dated 1961) were transferred to the Mansfield Library's Special Collections.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I: Correspondence, 1933-1968Return to Top

1.0 linear feet

This series contains incoming and outgoing correspondence related to Great Falls Breweries, Inc. business operations. These materials document procedures and finances within the company and professional relationships with product distributors, industry representatives, other regional breweries, suppliers, elected officials, and government regulators.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1		1933
1/2		1957
1/3		1958
1/4		1959
1/5		1960
1/6	A	1961
1/7	B	1961
1/8	C	1961
1/9	D	1961
1/10	E	1961
1/11	F	1961
1/12	Great Falls Breweries Scholarship Fund	1961
1/13	G	1961
1/14	H	1961
1/15	I	1961
2/1	J	1961
2/2	K	1961
2/3	L	1961
2/4	Montana Various Departments	1961
2/5	M	1961
2/6	N	1961
2/7	O	1961
2/8	P	1961
2/9	Q	1961
2/10	R	1961
2/11	S	1961
2/12	T	1961
2/13	U	1961
2/14	V	1961
2/15	W	1961
2/16	Y	1961
2/17	Z	1961
3/1		1962
3/2		1963
3/3		1964
3/4		1965
3/5		1966
3/6		1967
3/7		1968
3/8	undated
3/9	Interoffice	1961, 1965-1968

Series II: Financial and Legal, 1933-1968Return to Top

17.7linear feet and 23 oversize volumes

This series contains financial and legal records generated by Great Falls Breweries, Inc. Among these materials are accounts receivable, audits, inventories, invoices, payroll, stock registers, federal income and alcohol control documents, as well as daily, monthly and annual reports--including a nearly complete sequence of brewery monthly transaction statements from 1933 to 1966. These records document market conditions, supply sources, and management decisions spanning a period of dramatic economic transformation within the brewing industry and across the American west.

Materials in box 18, folders 6 and 7, box 19, folder 1 are restricted access under Social Security Administration regulations.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
3/10	Accounts Receivable	1965
3/11	Accounting Records	undated
3/12	Appraisal Report	1933
3/13	Assets, Liabilities, and Trial Balances	1966
4/1	Audit Reports	1933-1939
4/2	Audit Reports	1940-1945
4/3	Audit Reports	1946-1951
4/4	Audit Reports	1952, 1955-1957
5/1	Audit Reports	1958-1961
5/2	Audit Reports	1962-1965
5/3	Audit Reports	1966
5/4	Audit Reports, P. W. Kuschel and E. G. Sick in Trust	1933
5/5	Balance Sheets	1935-1936, 1938-1939
5/6	Monthly Beer Count, Select Beer	1966
5/7	Monthly Beer Count, Big Sky Beer	1966
5/8	Monthly Beer Count	1967-1968
5/9	Fred Briggs Distribution Company, Financial Statement	1966
5/10	Cases Shipped	1963-1964
5/11	Checks, copies	1967
6/1	Checks, copies	1967
6/2	Depreciation Schedules	1961, 1963, 1965
6/3	Hospitality Incorporated, local promotion	1961
6/4	Idaho Beer Tax	1961-1965
6/5	Daily Inventory Report	1966
6/6	Monthly Inventory, Packaging Materials	1967-1968
6/7	Invoices and Orders	1952, 1961-1966
6/8	Invoices and Orders	1967-1968
6/9	Malt Received, monthly	1963
6/10	Materials Inventory	1962-1968
6/11	Montana Quarterly and Annual Withholding Reports	1962
6/12	Montana Quarterly and Annual Withholding Reports	1963
6/13	Montana Quarterly and Annual Withholding Reports	1964
6/14	Montana Quarterly and Annual Withholding Reports	1965
6/15	Montana Quarterly and Annual Withholding Reports	1966
6/16	Montana Quarterly and Annual Withholding Reports	1967
7/1	State Return of Income at Source (Dividends)	1962-1963
7/2	Order Books	1964
7/3	Packaging Department, Statistics and Budget	1966
7/4	Packaging Department, Statistics and Budget	1967
7/5	Packaging Department, Statistics and Budget	1968
7/6	Pay Schedules	1961-1967
7/7	Purchase by Blitz-Weinhard	1966
7/8	Receipt Book	1967-1968
8/1	Receipt Book	1968
8/2	Monthly Sales Comparison, Big Sky Beer	1966
8/3	Monthly Sales Comparison	1966
8/4	Sales Comparison	1961, 1963
8/5	Sales to Great Falls Distributors	1967
8/6	Sales to Great Falls Distributors	1967
8/7	Daily Shipping Journal	1967
8/8	Daily Shipping Journal	1967
9/1	Monthly Statements	1933-1934
9/2	Monthly Statements	1934
9/3	Monthly Statements	1935
9/4	Monthly Statements	1935-1936
9/5	Monthly Statements	1936-1937
10/1	Monthly Statements	1937-1938
10/2	Monthly Statements	1938
10/3	Monthly Statements	1939
10/4	Monthly Statements	1939-1940
10/5	Monthly Statements	1940
11/1	Monthly Statements	1941
11/2	Monthly Statements	1941-1942
11/3	Monthly Statements	1942
11/4	Monthly Statements	1943
11/5	Monthly Statements	1943-1944
12/1	Monthly Statements	1944
12/2	Monthly Statements	1945
12/3	Monthly Statements	1947
12/4	Monthly Statements	1948
12/5	Monthly Statements	1949
13/1	Monthly Statements	1953
13/2	Monthly Statements	1953-1954
13/3	Monthly Statements	1954-1955
13/4	Monthly Statements	1955-1956
14/1	Monthly Statements	1956
14/2	Monthly Statements	1957
14/3	Monthly Statements	1957
14/4	Monthly Statements	1958
15/1	Monthly Statements	1958
15/2	Monthly Statements	1959
15/3	Monthly Statements	1959
15/4	Monthly Statements	1960
16/1	Monthly Statements	1960
16/2	Monthly Statements	1961-1962
16/3	Monthly Statements	1962
16/4	Monthly Statements	1962
16/5	Monthly Statements	1962
16/6	Monthly Statements	1962-1963
16/7	Monthly Statements	1964
17/1	Monthly Statements	1964
17/2	Monthly Statements	1964
17/3	Monthly Statements	1964
17/4	Monthly Statements	1965
17/5	Monthly Statements	1965
17/6	Monthly Statements	1965
17/7	Monthly Statements	1966
18/1	Stockholders ledger sheets	1938-1966
18/2	Stockholders lists	1946-1965
37/12	Stockholders lists	1966-1967
40/1	Stock ledger journal, A-K	1938-1966
40/2	Stock ledger journal, L-Z	1938-1966
18/3	Monthly Transactions at the Brewery (Federal form)	1933-1934
18/4	Office of Price Administration, Interim Financial Reports	1942-1946
18/5	Office of Price Administration, Annual Financial Reports	1941-1945
18/6	Federal Income Paid Statements (dividends), [access restricted]	1962-1963
18/7	Federal Income Paid Statements (dividends), [access restricted]	1964-1965
19/1	Federal Dividend Income Paid and Employee Withholdings Statements, [access restricted]	1962-1967
19/2	Withholding tax tables, State and Federal	1960, 1964-1966
19/3	Notification of beer to be destroyed	1966
19/4	Notification of beer to be destroyed	1966
19/5	Notification of beer to be destroyed	1967
19/6	Federal Tax Returns, Quarterly and Annual Withholdings	1962
19/7	Federal Tax Returns, Quarterly and Annual Withholdings	1963
19/8	Federal Tax Returns, Quarterly and Annual Withholdings	1964
19/9	Federal Tax Returns, Quarterly and Annual Withholdings	1965
19/10	Federal Tax Returns, Quarterly and Annual Withholdings	1966
19/11	Federal Tax Returns, Quarterly and Annual Withholdings	1967
20/1	Detached Financial Records	1960-1968 and undated
20/2	Great Falls Breweries Inc., Annual Reports	1934-1965
20/3	Distributors Monthly Accounts	1967
20/4	Distributors Monthly Accounts	1968
20/5	Distributors Monthly Sales and Inventory	1966
21/1	Distributors Monthly Sales and Inventory	1966
21/2	Distributors Monthly Sales and Inventory	1967
21/3	Distributors Monthly Sales and Inventory	1967
21/4	Distributors Monthly Sales and Inventory	1968
21/5	Weight Certificates, Grain	1937-1938
21/6	Lawsuit, Great Falls Breweries and Mack Johnston Inc. vs. Pawson Patent #3, 173, 5864	1966
Volume
22	Stock Certificate Books, Certificates #1-297
23	Stock Certificate Books, Certificates #298-600
24	Stock Certificate Books, Certificates #601-900
25	Stock Certificate Books, Certificates #901-1200
26	Stock Certificate Books, Certificates #1201-1500
27	Stock Certificate Books, Certificates #1501-1800
28	Stock Certificate Books, Certificates #1800-2100
29	Stock Certificate Books, Certificates #2101-2400
30	Stock Certificate Books, Certificates #2401-2700
31	Stock Certificate Books, Certificates #2701-3000
32	Stock Certificate Books, Certificates #3001-3401
5	Accounts Receivable	1966
6	General Ledger	1933
7	General Ledger	1933-1937
8	Voucher Register	1963-1964
9	Voucher Register	1965-1966
10	Voucher Register	1966
11	Voucher Register	1968
12	Monthly Record of Transactions at Brewery	1934
13	Record of Brewery Operations	1955-1956
14	Record of Brewery Operations	1957-1958
15	Record of Brewery Operations	1959-1960
16	Record of Brewery Operations	1961-1962
17	Record of Brewery Operations	1963-1964
18	Daily Stock Report	1965-1966
19	Payroll Register	1962-1966
20	Payroll Register	1967
21	Montana Checks	1966-1967
22	Check Book, Kalispell First National Bank	1958-1959
23	Plant Ledger	1933-1946
24	Stockholders Journal	1934-1962
25	Distribution Journal	1934-1938
26	Monthly Report of Brewery Operations	1959-1966
27	Monthly Brewing Report	1965-1968

Series III: Organization, 1933-1968Return to Top

1.5 linear feet and 4 oversize volumes

This series contains organizational records generated by Great Falls Breweries, Inc. These records primarily document Board of Directors and shareholder lists and meeting materials. Also included are equipment designs, manuals, and instructions, a brewery floor plan developed during renovations in 1954, and office administration documents.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
33/1	Bylaws and amendments	1933-1960
33/2	Board of Directors meeting	1935
33/3	Board of Directors meeting, minutes	1940
33/4	Board of Directors meetings	1956-1957
33/5	Board of Directors meetings	1958-1959
33/6	Board of Directors meetings	1960-1962
33/7	Stockholders Meetings	1936, 1940, 1942, 1949
33/8	Stockholders Meetings	1950-1959
33/9	Stockholders Meetings	1960-1965
33/10	Stockholder Proxy Lists	undated
33/11	Stockholder Proxies	1937-1939
33/12	Stockholder Proxies	1940-1942
33/13	Stockholder Proxies	1952, 1958-1959
34/1	Stockholder Proxies	1960-1961
34/2	Stockholder Proxies	1962-1964
34/3	Stockholder Proxies	1965
35/1	Equipment Designs and Specifications	undated
35/2	Equipment Brochures and Instructions	1960-1968 and undated
35/3	Floor Plan for Brewery	1954
35/4	Employee Applications	1961
35/5	Company Forms, (blank)	1942, 1948-1965
35/6	Uniforms	1964-1965
OS39/1	Minute Book, I	1933-1940
OS39/2	Minute Book, II	1941-1945
OS39/3	Minute Book, III	1945-1950
OS39/4	Minute Book, IV	1951-1958

Series IV: Printed Material, 1960-1965Return to Top

0.25 linear feet

This series contains a short sequence of brewing industry publications and competitor advertising samples collected by Great Falls Breweries management.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
36/1	Advertising materials, other companies	undated
36/2	Brewery Cost Report	1958
36/3	Group Insurance Administration Manual	1965
36/4	Uniform Classification of Accounts for the Brewing Industry	1960
36/5	Assorted Brewing Industry Publications	1961

Series V: Montana Malting Company, 1934-1936Return to Top

0.5 linear feet

This series contains financial and organizational records generated by the Montana Malting Company, a wholly-owned division of Great Falls Breweries, Inc. These records document procedures implemented and challenges faced by the brewery to establish its own, large-scale malting operation intending to expand distribution following the repeal of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and related Prohibition laws.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
37/1	Audit reports	1935-1936
37/2	Balance sheets	1936
37/3	Inventory	1935
37/4	Salaries	1935
37/5	Sale to Great Falls Breweries	1936
37/6	Monthly Statements	1934-1936
37/7	Stock Certificate Book, #1-25	1934-1936
37/8	Stockholders meetings	1935
37/9	Transfer Journal Entries	1934
37/10	Minute Book	1934-1936

Series VI: Photographs, undatedReturn to Top

3 items

This series contains three photographs of Great Falls Breweries advertising images. Two images are bottle label designs and the third is a road sign demo.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	photo_number
37/11	42(VI):2	Great Falls Breweries, Inc., Bottle Label Design	undated
37/11	42(VI):3	Great Falls Breweries, Inc., Advertising Sign	undated

Series VII: Artifacts, circa 1930sReturn to Top

2 items

This series consists of two corporate seal stamps, one each for Great Falls Breweries, Inc. and Montana Malting Company.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	artifact_number
38	42(VII):1	Great Falls Breweries, Inc. Seal Stamp	undated
38	42(VII):2	Montana Malting Company Seal Stamp	undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Beer industry--Montana--Great Falls
Beer bottles
Beer cans
Beer industry--West (U.S.)
Breweries--Montana--Great Falls
Brewing industry--Montana--Great Falls
Brewing industry--West (U.S.)

Form or Genre Terms

Business records--Montana--Great Falls

Other Creators

Corporate Names
- Montana Malting Company

Archives West Finding Aid

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