Before the Middlewest Hotel, there was Middle West Brewing

The Webb City Area Genealogical Society has a wonderful photograph of a delivery wagon and team. Written on the back of the photograph was “Home Brewing and Ice Company, taken in Webb City.”

This company was originally the Middle West Brewing Company, but the name was changed in 1907 to Home Brewing and Ice Company. It was decided that the name of the beer manufactured by them would still be called Middle West. The capital stock of the new company was $150,000, and the shares were worth $10 each.

The wagon in the photograph still carries the name, Middle West Brewery Company on the side.  It is believed that that photograph was taken near the corner of Liberty and Daugherty streets. The building in the background is visible in one of the post office construction photographs.

The Middle West Brewery was a Joplin company that owned the Middlewest Building at One South Main in Webb City. The building originally housed the opera house. After the brewery closed, an extensive renovation took place.

The newly remodeled building housed a series of bars, pool halls and grocery stores, with the second and third floors housing the Middlewest Hotel.

In 1914, the Home Brewing Company erected a building at the corner of Main (Broadway) and Washington streets. It consisted of six rooms that would house offices and a saloon.

It’s not known if there was a connection to the Home Liquor store, which operated into the 1980s on the lot east of the Mid-Missouri Motor Bank.