A deep tradition in spirit

The historical image represents Corning & Company circa 1906. The distillery was built on the banks of the Illinois River and quickly became one of the largest and most successful distilleries in the country. Corning & Company produced a variety of whiskeys, including Old Quaker, one of the most popular brands of whiskey in the United States at the time.

The distillery was also known for its innovative production methods. Corning & Company was one of the first distilleries to use Silent Spirits distillation, a process that produced a very pure and smooth whiskey, and an early adopter of techniques such as a steam-powered still and a vacuum-operated bottling system.

Corning & Company was sold to Schenley Industries in 1906. Some of its brands were discontinued, but the Old Quaker brand persisted through the mid-20th century. While the distillery itself was closed during Prohibition, its warehouses stored whiskey for many more decades. The distillery was a major player in the American whiskey industry, and played a significant role in the history of Peoria, Illinois — a legacy still visible in the city today.