THE LEGENDARY SPIRITS OF
JOHN McCULLOCH
ENJOY OUR HISTORY AND THE HISTORY OF AMERICA
1885 - 2005
IN IN 1885 JOHN McCULLOCH BEGAN DISTILLING HIS FAMOUS MOUNTAIN DEW AND GREEN RIVER WHISKEY, HIS LEGENDARY SPIRITS HAVE REMAINED THE MOST HIGHLY AWARDED AND SOUGHT AFTER IN THE WORLD.
AS IS SHOWN ON THIS WATCH FOB FROM 1907, THE LEGENDARY GREEN RIVER WHISKEY FROM JOHN McCULLOCH HAS BEEN JUDGED TO BE "BEST OVER ALL COMPETITORS" IN PARIS IN 1900, ST LOUIS 1904, THE WORLDS FAIR 1904, LIEGE INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION 1905, PORTLAND 1905, MILAN ITALY 1906, JAMESTOWN 1907. AND THOUSANDS SMALL TOWN WHISKEY TASTING EVENTS.
JUGS FROM 1889
BOTTLES FROM 1892
IN 1897 THE U.S. MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE AWARDED GREEN RIVER WHISKEY IT'S HIGHEST HONOR, A CONTRACT TO SUPPLY THE MARINE SERVICE WORLDWIDE BASED ON THE "SUPERIOR QUALITIES". EVERY YEAR WELL INTO THE EARLY 1900'S, GREEN RIVER WHISKEY COMPETED AGAINST THE BEST WHISKEYS IN THE COUNTRY AND CONTINUALLY WAS AWARDED THIS PRESTIGIOUS CONTRACT.
POCKET WATCH FOB FROM THE LATE 1800'S
.
AS SHOWN IN THIS NEWSPAPER CLIPPING GREEN RIVER WAS NAMED THE OFFICIAL WHISKEY OF PANAMA CANAL COMMISSION
PROHIBITION ERA INK BLOTTER
BEFORE THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES IMPOSED PROHIBITION ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN 1919, GREEN RIVER 16 YEAR OLD STRAIGHT WHISKEY WAS USUALLY RESERVED FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS.
AFTER PROHIBITION, GREEN RIVER WHISKEY WAS STILL BROUGHT OUT FOR THE SPECIAL OCCASIONS BUT ONLY AS "PRESCRIBED BY A PHYSICIAN." THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FINALLY INSISTED PROHIBITION BE ENDED AND THE EIGHTEENTH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION WAS REPEALED IN 1933
YOU MAY HAVE NOTED THE MAN WITH THE HORSE, UMBRELLA AND JUG OF GREEN RIVER WHISKEY WAS FEATURED ON MUCH OF THE EARLY ADVERTISING.
AS THE STORY GOES THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS EARLY AMERICAN WORK OF ART CAME FROM A HAPPY TAVERN OWNER TELLING JOHN MCCULLOCH ABOUT A HUGE STORM AND THE ARRIVAL OF A SHIPMENT OF GREEN RIVER WHISKEY JUST IN TIME FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION. IN THE LATE 1800'S IN THE UNITED STATES, HORSE-BACK WAS THE BEST WAY TO DELIVER SUPPLIES. ONE DAY AFTER A LOUD THUNDERSTORM A LARGE CROWD FROM THE TAVERN WAS GATHERED OUTSIDE LOOKING AT A RAINBOW. THE MAN WITH THE BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE MADE HIS WAY THROUGH TOWN TO DELIVER THE GREEN RIVER WHISKEY. SOMEONE COMMENTED ON HIS EAR TO EAR SMILE AND CONTINUED "AS SOON AS THE GREEN RIVER WHISKEY CAME INTO TOWN THE RAIN STOPPED AND THE RAINBOW CAME OUT." THE MAN LEADING THE HORSE REPLIED "IT IS NOT SO BAD GETTING CAUGHT OUT IN THE RAINSTORM WITH JUGS OF GREEN RIVER WHISKEY EITHER, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR NOT IN ANY HURRY." THE CROWD SPONTANEOUSLY BURSTS IN APPLAUSE AND THIS CELEBRATORY ATMOSPHERE CONTINUED FOR MANY DAYS.
INK BLOTTER FROM 1899
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES FROM THE EARLY YEARS
"Gold Medal Won By J.W.McCulloch's Green River Whisky in Paris: Owensboro Messenger, Aug. 29, 1900, p. 5.
"Green River Won the Grand Prize Over All Competitors at the World's Fair," Owensboro Daily Messenger, Nov. 20, 1904.
"Another Prize is Won By the Famous Green River Whisky," Owensboro Messenger, Sept. 9, 1905.
"Best Whisky in the World is Manufactured in Owensboro," Owensboro Daily Messenger, May 22, 191 0, Special "Boosters' Edition" sec. 3, p. 3.
"Medal Received From the Paris Exposition," Owensboro Daily Messenger, May 25, 1901, p. 1.
"Green River Distilling Co. Gets Contract: to Furnish United States Public Health and Marine Hospital Service with Whisky," Owensboro Messenger, Aug. 11, 1906, p. ?.
"In Three Hours Time Every Building of Big Concern is Reduced to Piles of Ashes," Owensboro Daily Messenger, Aug. 25, 1918, sec. 1, p. 1. (Green River Distillery Fire).
"Plant of Green River Distillery Wiped Out; $3,000,000 Loss Greatest Fire in City's History," Owensboro Daily Messenger, Aug., 25, 1918, p. 1.
"Col. McCulloch Returns to Find Green River Gone," Owensboro Daily Messenger, Aug. 27, 1918, p. 1.
"Some Differences of Opinion on the Origin of the Fire," Owensboro Daily Messenger, Aug., 28, 1918, p. 2.
"Wrecking Crews Work on Small Distillery Plants," Owensboro Messenger, Oct. 20, 1913, sec. 2, p. 1. (Dismantling of small Owensboro plants).
"No Adjustment Yet Been Made on Green River Fire," Owensboro Daily Messenger, Dec. 22, 1918, p. IS.
"(Green] River Had 18,000 Barrels of Whisky Burned, Owensboro Daily Messenger, Dec. 28, 1918.
McCulloch and' Green River'," Owensboro Daily Messenger June 4, 1903, p. 1.
"McCulloch - Holmes" (Marriage) Owensboro Semi-weekly Newspaper, Nov. 28, 1884, p. .
"Officers Elected; Green River Distilling Company in Full Blast," Owensboro Daily Messenger, July 4, 1903, p. ?
"Born, Sunday, May 6,1888, to Mr. & Mrs. J.W. McCulloch, a Son," Owensboro Daily Messenger, May 8,1888, p.4.
"John W. McCULLOCH: Pictured by the Facile Pen of Col. Thomas M. Gilmore," Owensboro Messenger, Dec. 6, 1901, p. 2.
"Mr. McCulloch Very Ill of Typhoid Fever at His Home," Owensboro Daily Messenger, Aug. 26, 1905, p.5.
"Slightly Improved is the Condition of John W. McCulloch," Owensboro Daily Messenger, Aug. 27,1905, p. 1.
"Mr. McCulloch Improving," Owensboro Daily Messenger, Aug. 29, 1905, p. 1.
"Daviess County's History, Closely Linked with Many World- Famous Distilleries, Will Go 'Dry 'When Entire Nation Goes," Owensboro Daily Messenger, Jan. 19, 1919, p ?
"McCulloch Plays His Part," Owensboro Messenger, May 16, 1919, p. 4. (Editorial about Resolutions Committee of Republican Convention at Lexington which declared for state and national prohibition).
"Green River Distillery All Whisky Shipped," Owensboro Messenger, Oct. 2, 1919, p. 1.
"Col. J.W. McCulloch to Return to Old Home Town at Early Date," Owensboro Inquirer, Dec. 7, 1922.
"Two Distilleries are Being Built Near Owensboro: McCulloch's Green River Whiskeys Being Promoted J.W. McCulloch," Owensboro Messenger, Dec. 5, 1933, p. 1. (J.W. McCulloch, Jr. incorporates).
"Efforts to Restore Old Distilleries Recall Era of Infant Industries Here," Messenger Inquirer, Oct. 2, 1934,
p. 2. (J.W. McCulloch Jr. & Sr. and others mentioned).
"J.W. McCulloch Injured in Crash, Dies at Hospital," Owensboro Messenger, Oct. 23, 1934, p. 1.
Keith McCulloch, Dies, June 4, 1936, p. 3.
"Henry Berry Recalls Early History of Making of Sour Mash Whisky in Daviess County," by Mrs. J.E. Cockriel, Owensboro Messenger, Feb. 26, 1939, sec.2, p. 3.
"Advertisements Considered Classics; Green River Whiskey Most Famous," Bicentennial Section, Part 1. Messenger Inquirer, May 2, 1976, p. I 1.
"Distilleries' Legacy: Couple Collect Containers Dating Back to the 1870s," Messenger-Inquirer, Oct. 9, 1994, pp I E+.
1885 - 2005
ALLOT HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST 120 YEARS BUT THE QUALITY OF SPIRITS FROM JOHN McCULLOCH WILL ALWAYS BE AWARD WINNING
COPYRIGHT 2005 JOHN MCCULLOCH