When Americans first started distilling, the major roadway was the river. Distilleries depended upon the waterways to get their whiskey to markets that were not local. Shipping barrels of whiskey was hard to achieve on the primitive roads of the day and most whiskey was sold in jugs. They could be transported on horseback or wagons easier than a barrel. When aged whiskey became the way to sell whiskey, they depended upon the rivers to ship barrels. Rivers remained an important part of shipping to markets for the next century.
When the railroads became common in the 1850s, distilleries were able to expand their markets as barrels could be shipped by rail. Distilleries in Kentucky had special spur lines built to accommodate their business. Railways also allowed them to expand as corn and other grains no longer had to be local, but could be brought in by rail and the new technology of the column still allowed for increased production of this grain. The American Civil War put a pause on the railroads for a while, but after the war, the distilling industry grew at a rapid pace thanks to the railroad.
The invention of the automobile had very little impact on the industry at first. Roads were still primitive and difficult to use compared to the railroad. Trucks were used by the early 20th century as roads improved and automobiles and trucks became more reliable. Then Prohibition came. Before Prohibition, railroads and river transport were the main forms of getting grain to the distilleries and whiskey to markets. When Prohibition came to an end, roads and trucks were much better and distilleries came to rely less upon the railroad and river transport became rare. Trucks allowed the distilleries to make more money as railway fees became eliminated as more and more distilleries depended upon the well paved roads and trucks to get their grains and ship whiskey to markets. By the 1970s, railway spurs were abandoned and trucks became the norm.
In the 21st century, roads became even more important as distilling tourism became common. Well paved roads allowed tourists to come to the distillery and helped promote their brands. Well paved roads became the lifeline of the distilleries.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller