Milwaukee’s Beer Line

press release: Beer has incontestably become a defining trait of Wisconsin life and culture. As the industry continues to grow in new directions, we recall the illustrious history of beer that built the foundations of our state’s industry. A quieter, but no less important aspect to the growth of Wisconsin industry is the national rail network that shepherded Wisconsin to its current brewing fame. To shine a light on both, the Center for Railroad Photography & Art proudly announces the opening of Milwaukee’s Beer Line, a traveling exhibition showcasing Milwaukee’s brewing history and its connection to the railroad industry.

In its debut tour, Milwaukee’s Beer Line features 1950s-era photographs from the Center’s Wallace W. Abbey Collection. Milwaukee’s Beer Line is continuing its debut tour from the East Troy Railroad Museum in East Troy, Wisconsin, where it stood in conjunction with a special beer tasting train the museum ran on September 9. The show will travel to Grumpy Troll Brew Pub in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin where it will be on display from October 23-November 26.

The Center for Railroad Photography & Art is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts and education organization that achieves its mission through exhibitions, conferences, and publications that spring from its core commitment to collect, preserve, and then make widely available imagery that portrays the nearly 200-year history of railroads. While based in Madison, Wisconsin, the Center does not maintain a museum space or large facilities, but instead collaborates on its many projects with individuals and institutions ranging from museums and universities to libraries and historical societies. This approach allows the Center to focus on railroad imagery and the profound and moving stories it can tell.