The Hammond Distilling Company was once a great asset to the city, although many would argue this, because of the nature of it's business. After all we would soon be entering the prohibition era

Many records were set at the plant. The company in 1912 was using some 4,400 bushels of corn a day in it's distilling processes. Most of this grain was converted into denatured alcohol. The current daily output was an astounding 22,000 gallons of spirits, for which the firm paid the the federal government $24,000 a day in revenue taxes.

In 1915 more revenue was generated from the Hammond Distilling Company in one year, then the whole state of Indiana received in return from the federal government. The total taxes paid in the year of 1915 amounted to $3,078,839.83. It is interesting to note that, over 50% of the taxes paid was not on liquor but on denatured alcohol and spirits for pharmaceutical purposes.

With the advent of prohibition, the future of the facility was uncertain. The manufacture of whiskey ceased at 11 p. m. on September 8th 1917. The plant was scheduled to close down for repairs and reopen later to manufacture only denatured alcohol to fill government contracts. By the end of the year in 1917 the company was forced out of business and auctioned off for scrap.

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Source information from The Times Newspapers located at the Hammond Public Library.
Photograph from the Hammond Historical Society - Calumet Room.
Twentieth Century Time Capsule © 1999 HammondIndiana.com

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