Property Record
COUNTY HIGHWAY H
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Saxonia House Beer Storage Cave (Farmington Brewery) |
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| Other Name: | Saxonia House Beer Storage Cave |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 114617 |
| Location (Address): | COUNTY HIGHWAY H |
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| County: | Washington |
| City: | |
| Township/Village: | Farmington |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | 12 |
| Range: | 20 |
| Direction: | E |
| Section: | 24 |
| Quarter Section: | |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: |
| Year Built: | 1860 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1999 |
| Historic Use: | outbuildings |
| Architectural Style: | NA (unknown or not a building) |
| Structural System: | Masonry Arch |
| Wall Material: | Fieldstone |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Saxonia House |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 2/22/2006 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 9/23/2005 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | The Saxonia House operated a brewery (the Farmington Brewery) that was built in 1860. The extant two-chambered brewery cave was constructed in 1860. The cave sits at the southwest corner of the property, several hundred meters from the house and near where the original brewery stood. The cave was hand-excavated and was built with a fieldstone front entry wall and an arched brick interior ceiling. The entire structure was covered with earth as a temperature control measure. Local sources say that the interior floor was covered with flagstone, most of which have been removed. Ernst Klessig was the builder. In 1855, Ernst Leberecht Klessig, built the Saxonia House, and five years later in 1860, "Farmington Brewery beer cave". The Brewery ran for 21 years until 1881. Beer production on a good year was 600 barrels. Ernst Klessig was the Brewer for 4 years until his death, in 1864 at age 37. The 2nd Brewer, Ernst Jaehnig ran the Brewery from 1864 until he died in 1879. The Farmington Brewery closed in 1881. |
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| Bibliographic References: |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |