Brotherhood Winery
Why it's listed
Brotherhood Winery occupies 16 acres on Toleman Road in Washingtonville, Orange County, New York. The complex includes nine contributing resources: the original brick wine cellar built between 1834 and 1839, a champagne cellar completed in 1902, a three-story processing building, a 1907 stone wash building, a 1906 steam engine chimney, and a relocated Methodist church from about 1870. John Jaques planted vines in 1835 and bottled his first vintage in 1839. The business later passed to his sons and, in 1886, to Jesse Emerson's Brotherhood Wine Company, which expanded the site in the early 1900s. Sacramental wine production kept the winery operating through Prohibition. The property is described as the oldest continually operating winery in the United States, and its large cellars are a rare surviving example of early commercial wine production. Fire in 1999 destroyed the roofs and interiors of two buildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the winery is a rare early nineteenth century example, established in 1839 and described as the oldest continually operating winery in the United States. Its main cellar, dug and built between 1835 and 1839, is a rare surviving early large-scale commercial wine facility. The complex retains a high degree of integrity and is significant in the nation's agricultural history.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 00000345, listed April 21, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Brotherhood Plaza, Washingtonville |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | April 21, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000345 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1834-1949 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture, Commerce, Industry |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in operation as a winery; the roofs and interiors of the 1902 Processing Building and the 1907 Wash Building were destroyed by fire in 1999. |
| Acreage | 16 |
| Coordinates | 41.43227, -74.16231 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 00000345.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4975601
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.