Polish immigrants had a major impact on Portage County in the late 1800s and early 1900s. By 1910, over a third of the county’s population was of Polish descent. Today, you can still see signs of Polish culture in the area—roadside shrines, public art in downtown Stevens Point, and the annual Dozynki Harvest Festival. One piece of Polish heritage that didn’t survive, however, was the Polish Brewing Company.
In 1907, Stevens Point had only one remaining brewery, the Stevens Point Brewing Company. Without any competition, prices began to increase, making things harder for local tavern owners. Seeking more economic control, a group of Polish tavern keepers joined forces to start their own brewery, called the Polish Brewing Company.
The brewery was built at the corner of Wood and Wisconsin streets, just south of the Consolidated Paper Mill. But the Polish Brewing Company faced challenges from the start. In 1908, just months after opening, a cyclone hit Stevens Point, damaging the brewery and destroying much of its new bottling house. Despite this setback, the brewery rebuilt and continued serving the area’s Polish community.
In 1913, hoping to attract a broader customer base, they changed their name to the National Brewing Company. Unfortunately, this name change didn’t bring in much new business. In 1916, the owners met to decide whether to keep going or close down. Then, that August, poor maintenance and a failed refrigeration system forced them to dump over 500 barrels of beer, a huge setback.
With business slowing and the local temperance movement gaining support, the brewery closed its doors in 1917.
But the building wasn’t finished serving the community. In 1927, local baker Clarence Loomans bought it to open his wholesale bakery, the Bake-Rite Baking Company. By the early 1970s, though, the old brewery building was too small for Bake-Rite’s needs, so they built a new bakery in Plover.
The building then sat vacant until 1989, when Consolidated Paper used it for storage. Sadly, after years of neglect, the structure was deemed unsafe and was torn down in 1994.
Though the Polish Brewing Company didn’t last, its story remains a reminder of the vibrant history that Polish immigrants brought to Portage County.
Very cool to learn a bit more about this brewery! My partner and I found a Polish Brewing Co beer bottle mostly buried in sand in the river and fully intact while kayaking north of Jordan a few years ago. It's currently displayed in our kitchen and definitely one of our favorite finds!!!