Museum of Beer and Brewing: Opens 2009 season with lecture by Michael Horne on site of Miller Brewery and Underground Railroad

Contact:

Ryan Wickens

Marketing Communications

414-978-8013

ryan@buffalowaterbeer.com

Join the Museum of Beer & Brewing on March 31st for our first lecture of 2009. Writer Michael Horne will speak about the “The Underground Railroad and Miller Valley: E.D. Holton’s Farm as a Way Station for Freedom in Pre-Civil War Milwaukee”. Mr. Horne will discuss the abolitionist as well as the temperance movements in Milwaukee in the 1850s.

Most of us think of one thing when we think of Miller Valley, Miller Beer! But in 1850 the breweries were small and most of the area was farmland. A large part of the Valley was owned by E.D. Holton, an abolitionist and a member of the Temperance movement. He later sold his land to Frederick Miller for the brewery’s expansion.

The road out of Milwaukee in 1850 ran through the Miller Valley and this road was a part of the Underground Railroad. There was brewing going on during Underground Railroad times, and Mr. Horne will talk about the role of the breweries in this movement. In addition, he will discuss the origins of Miller as well as the other breweries in the Valley.

He will have on hand copies of the deeds and mortgages involved in the property sale of the current brewery site from Holton to Frederick Miller.

Michael Horne has written articles on politics, brewing history, and business for various publications in Milwaukee during the past twenty years. He is the Editor / Publisher of the Milwaukeeworld.com website, and is the Market Development Manager for Buffalo Water Brewing Company in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward.

The event will take place at the:

The Miller Inn

3931 W. State St., Milwaukee

Time: 6pm.

Miller/Coors brand refreshments and light appetizers will be provided. Cost is $10 for members, $15 for non-members – or join the museum for $20 with our join-and-go program and attend for free!