Having acquired the distillery built by Jonathan Snyder in 1841, F.C. found the production of whiskey quite profitable.  In the 1870’s it had a capacity of 226 barrels and a daily output of 800 gallons!  Once, Mr. Trebein persuaded an inspector to let him continue to operate a boiler longer than he should.  Two employees, Mr. Gordon and Mr. Potter went to the furnace room for a drink of the libation, when through the door the boiler exploded and shot through the roof.  Both men were fatally scalded.

Years later, the Colonial Distillery Company tore down the old distillery and built a larger one with a dry house to dry the mash into livestock feed.  After only a few years, this caught fire and burned the distillery completely down.  It was never rebuilt.

Note the newspaper clipping below describing the intoxicated fish following the distillery fire!

A covered bridge spanned the river to the north.  It was eventually replaced with a steel one-lane bridge that survived until the 1990’s.

• Colonial Distillery Fire Colonial Distillery Fire
• Drunk Fish Drunk Fish
• Former Bridge Location Former Bridge Location
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As you reach the intersection at Swigart Road, two generations of the Bumbardner family operated a blacksmith shop at the corner.  The older homes in this area all c. 1900.  Turn right.  The 187 acre Jonathan Snyder farm encompassed much of the land on the north side of the road to Indian Ripple Road.  In 1841, Jonathan operated the original distillery in the town of Trebein, which was later owned by F.C. Trebein.  

Continue around the curve and beyond Sperling Lane to the intersection at Indian Ripple Road.