Images
Photograph ca. 1925. A worker stacks mold covered champagne bottles in the cellar of Brotherhood Winery, America's oldest continuously operating winery. Located in Washingtonville, New York in the Hudson River Valley, the company produced its first commercial vintage in 1839.
Grape ketchup brochure ca. 1910. Plain grape juice and wine are just a few of the products that wineries have made with their grapes.
Pleasant Valley Wine Company. Medicinal Wine Advertising, ca. 1900. Wine companies could sometimes increase sales by touting the health benefits of their products. This was especially important during Prohibition, when wine produced for "medicinal" purposes remained legal, though regulated, helping to keep some companies solvent during the 1920s and early 1930s. The number of orders from customers requesting wine for their own or a family member's ailment dramatically increased during Prohibition.
Pan-American Exposition. Award Certificate, 1901. Buffalo, New York hosted the 1901 Pan-American Exposition, a World's Fair with over 8 million visitors. The horticulture building displayed produce from around the country, with a viticulture display featuring more than 2000 plates of grapes. During judging of the fruits and vegetables, Cornell's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station took home several awards, including the one seen here. The Station was also recognized for producing the finest new hybrid grape variety. New York's grapes earned more awards at the exposition than those of all other states combined.