The Union Brewery - Virginia City, Nevada

History of the Union Brewery
Beer was not forgotten, and six breweries could scarcely supply the people with beer for Virginia City was a dry climate. Originally located at 40 North C Street and destroyed by the fire of 1865, it moved to it's current location in 1866. Beer was brewed in the basement and the saloon was situated on the first floor. Fire once again destroyed the building in 1875 and it was rebuilt in 1876.

The Union Brewery has been in the retail sales of liquor since 1853 when it was first a grocery and liquor store. Since then prohibition is the only evil thing to stop sales (of course there has been the occasional fire). Nothing much more is known about the Brewery until prohibition. During prohibition Tom Pardini and Frank (Bronco) Lazzeri operated a still in the mountains and made whiskey. The illegal whiskey was stored in the basement of the brewery and was buried beneath the floor. The brewery meanwhile had been truned into a restaurant with Mrs. Lazzeri doing the cooking in the rear of the building. People who were known could by a drink at the Union Brewery. After prohibition ended the Union once again became a saloon. In 1949 Frank Lazzeri died leaving the building to his two daughters. In 1950 Gordon Lane leased the Brewery from the sisters and worked it as a saloon until the summer of 1985. At that time Rick Hoover took over the Union. rick worked long and hard in order to get the state of Nevada to approve of the Union Brewery returning to it's orginial purpose - brewing beer.

The brewing of beer halted in 1994 and the Union reverted to being a saloon again. Several people tried to make a go of the Union for a short time and the William Dixon and his son Michael "Willie" Dixon took over the brewery in 1999. In 2000 Jett and Keith took over the business and are currently carrying on the tradition which has been established over the years. The Union is THE biker stop in Virginia City. Check out the bras on the chandeliers and the names on the wall. The Union has been in the retail sales of liquore since 1853 when Fridenber & Jacoby first had a grocery and liquor store. Since then, prohibition is the only evil thing that halted sales (of course there has been an occasional fire). This makes the Union Brewery one of the oldest continous operating saloons in Virginia City. An interesting piece of information: -In 1922, the Union was raided by government agensts for selling liquor. -In 1994 the brewing equipment was sold and has never been replaced. This history was compiled by Peter J. Van Alstyne, Clamp Historian, Julia C. Bulette Chapter 1864.)