Ione Brewery and Icehouse, Ione - Amador County

The Ione Brewery, also known as the Ice House Brewery, was built here in 1860. Many gallons of beer, brewed from barley and hops grown in the Ione Valley, were produced in this building.

In 1891, a creamery operation began due to state law prohibited the brewery following the construction of the nearby Preston School of Industry. Later an Ice works was added to the

Inscription reads - Built in the 1860’s of Ione Brick by Brewers Raab and Huttner. Served as a Brewery for Over 30 Years. In 1907 C.C. Prouty Moved His Creamery to this Site. A Soda Works and Ice Plant Were Installed in 1910. Various Businesses Have Occupied the Premises Since.

Dedicated by
Chispa Parlor No. 40
Native Daughters of the Golden West
March 4, 1989

Today's brick antique store on Preston was called the Ione brewery then, but its mash tub, brew kettle, soak tub and cooler were idle. A saloon was there. This being in 1898.

Also in Logan's Alley, Vol. 1, Logan states that in May, 1857, the Ledger's wandering correspondent, "the traveler", laid tracks to Ione City, and in his learned prose, described what he saw.

Among his observations was this one: that valley kilns had thousands of bricks ready or being baked, and "several brick homes were ready to be built".

Those "several," then, could include the Withington place, perhaps even the brewery-creamery which we must date about that time.

Return to our Ione Tour or click on our Miner to end the tour

Information, photographs courtesy of the Amador County Archives, The Historical Marker Database, The Chronicling America Database, and Larry Cenotto, Amador County's Historian