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Overview

The lithographic view of the brewery's front facade had the dates 1856 and 1881 inscribed on it, as published in Langley's San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1886, p 16. In 1886, John H. Wieland, Herman W. Wieland, Robert P. Wieland, and Mrs. John Wieland owned the Philadelphia Brewery, located at 228-240 2nd Street.

The Philadelphia Beer Bottling Company, run by Deucher and Kalben, operated nearby at 245 2nd Street.

Building History

The Philadelphia Brewery, located on the corner of 2nd and Folsom Streets, was likely established in 1856 and saw steady growth during its first thirty years of existence. its owners in 1867 were August Hoelscher (1836-1891) and John Weiland (born 10/06/1829 in Baden-Württemberg, Germany-d. 01/04/1885 in San Francisco, CA). By 06/1867, the partnership had ended, leaving Wieland as sole proprietor. A classified advertisement in the San Francisco Examiner stated: “Notice—The co-partnership heretofore existing between the undersigned was this day dissolved by mutual consent. Mr. August Hoelscher having transferred all his interest in the Philadelphia Brewery to John Weiland. The business of the late firm will be continued by John Weiland, under the name of John Weiland, who assumes all debts and liabilities of the late firm and the collection of all outstanding debts due to the firm. August Hoelscher, John Weiland, San Francisco, June 12, 1867.” (See classified advertisement, San Francisco Examiner, 10/21/1867, p. 3.)

Its owner, John Wieland, indicated that it had been growing in an advertisement of 1875:"I take the present opportunity of thanking my Friends and Customers for the liberal support heretofore extended to the Philadelphia Brewery, and notify them that I have added to my establishment New and Extensive Buildings, by which I hope, through the greatly increased facilities now possessed by me, to furnish, as usual, a superior article of XXX ale and lager beer." (See Philadephia Brewery advertisement, San Francisco Directory For the Year Commencing March, 1875, [San Francisco: Henry G. Langley, 1875], p. lxxxviii.)

John Wieland was a leading German-American citizen of San Francisco during the period 1867-1885, In particular, he was a leader of the city's Southern Germans, as he had come from Baden-Württemberg. He was active in the local Schwaben Verein, a cultural group made up of immigrants from Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Wieland was charter member of the board of trustees of the Humboldt Savings and Loan Society in San Francisco, a group that included other prominent German-Americans and was connected to the European Rothschild banking family.

Advertisements placed in various local newspapers between 1873 and 1877 indicated how prosperous the Phildadelphia Brewery was.

Building Notes

In San Francisco of 1886, there were seven businesses that had "Philadelphia" in their names. (See Langley's San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1886, p 16.)

Wieland and his successors advertised very aggressively in various publications of the period, including CA newspapers and the Langley San Francisco City Directory.

Alteration

Images depicting the Philadelphia Brewery showed tremendous growth in the physical plant between 1875 and 1886. Two neighboring buildings, a country villa in the manner of A.J. Downing, on one side and a duplex, on another, were demolished to make room for additions on each side of the original plant. Its height increased from two to three stories, and its length expanded significantly.

PCAD id: 22687