Koehler, Jackson, Eagle Brewery
Why it's listed
Built at 2136 State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania, the Eagle Brewery is a complex of brewing buildings that grew westward from a brewhouse designed in 1890 by Chicago brewer's architect Louis Lehle. The brewhouse is tall because beer brewing relied on gravity: grain was raised to the roof, then moved down through mashing, brewing and storage levels. Its walls exceed two feet in thickness, which supported the heavy loads and helped hold a steady temperature for mashing. The site began as a brewery founded in 1855 by George Frey and Peter Schaaf, and it took the Eagle name in 1863 under Henry Kalvelage. Jackson Koehler bought it in 1883, and his descendants ran it until closing in 1978. The complex is important for its link to Erie's brewing trade and for its purpose-built brewhouse, one of the notable industrial buildings of northwestern Pennsylvania.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex is significant for its association with the brewing industry in Erie and as an architecturally distinctive brewhouse in northwestern Pennsylvania. Its brewhouse was designed to suit the gravity-based brewing process, with thick walls and tall levels for grain handling and brewing. The site also traces a line of brewing operations in Erie from 1855 through the Koehler family's ownership until closing in 1978.
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 82003785, listed April 13, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2131 State St., Erie |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | April 13, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003785 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1891 |
| Architect / builder | Louis Lehle (architect); Joseph Frank (builder) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Brewing operations closed in 1978 and the storage rooms added in 1933 are no longer standing. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.11526, -80.07212 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 82003785.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6117203
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.