Bowman's Distillery
Why it's listed
Bowman's Distillery is a two-story brick building beside the Sandusky River at 215 Riverside Drive in Tiffin, Ohio. It has common bond brickwork, a gable metal roof, a rusticated stone foundation and double-hung 6/6 windows with radiating voussoirs. It was probably built between 1873 and 1881, since Cyrus Bowman appears in the city directory for this address in 1881 but not in 1873. The distillery replaced the earlier Wagner-Brickner Distillery and, according to an 1886 county history, produced seventy gallons of whiskey a day. Distilling ended around 1890. Later occupants included the Pure Soap and Toilet Company, the Tiffin Robe and Tanning Company from 1920 to 1934, leather finishers from 1936 to 1942, and Riverside Furniture Company from 1956 to 1971. It was later an antiques store. Described as the city's only known surviving distillery, it was included among Tiffin's early industrial buildings. Some first-floor windows have been altered into doors, but the interior remains largely open.
Significance in brief: It is described as the city's only known distillery still standing. It was probably built for Cyrus Bowman on the site of the earlier Wagner-Brickner Distillery and produced about seventy gallons of whiskey a day in 1886. Its later uses as a soap works, a robe and tanning plant and a furniture company show the shift in Tiffin's industries.
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 80003218, listed January 7, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 215 Riverside Dr., Tiffin |
|---|---|
| County | Seneca County |
| Listed | January 7, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003218 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described at the time of nomination as in use as the Gallery Antiques store; the interior is mostly open space and little altered apart from the first-floor changes. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 41.12241, -83.17155 (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 80003218.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138673391
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.