The Ruins Of A Winery From Just After The Civil War Hide On An Island Near Cleveland
By Nikki Rhoades|Published August 13, 2019
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is — she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
Step aside, Rustbelt cities. We know you’re brimming with culture nowadays, but the new star of the show is the “Grape Belt.” This term, of course, refers to the many wineries that flourish on Lake Erie’s shores and islands. The climate in and around Greater Cleveland is ideal for grape growing, and vintners have long known this. One early winegrower cooperative tried to take advantage of this on Kelleys Island, and the remnants of their efforts remain in some of the most prominent ruins near Cleveland. Grab your fedora and binoculars and prepare to explore like a treasure hunter, because these ruins near Cleveland are irresistible.
In 1865, the Kelleys Island Wine Company was established.
As several small wine companies flourished on Kelleys Island, early businessmen saw a co-op as an opportunity to market wine from the island. Elsewhere in the state, the war had taken its toll on available labor forces and disease was destroying vineyards. By forming the Kelleys Island Wine Company, island growers and winemakers had assurance that the future was bright.
At first, the Wine Company rented space, but they began to flourish, and they built their first wine cellar in 1872.
This passionate little cellar flourished, producing 163,550 gallons of wine per year for its first few years. Unfortunately, disaster struck — and it would not be the first time.
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A fire forced the group to rebuild their winery, and this time around they built it up with brilliant, locally quarried stone.
In 1876, the group was forced to rebuild their winery and they did so with a certain flair for the dramatic. The new winery appeared to be a castle when viewed from the outside. Inside, it had the capacity to store and process around 350,000 gallons of wine and champagne.
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Despite their success, the winery simply could not escape the threat of fire.
An unfortunately common occurrence on the Lake Erie islands, the spread of fire threatened many early structures. The winery burned yet again in 1915, but the ever-determined cooperative rebuilt.
The winery crushed tons of grapes and sourced from some 2,000 local acres, an impressive capacity that allowed vineyards to flourish even through Prohibition.
While wines from the Lake Erie islands were beloved throughout the U.S., Prohibition started to kill off area wineries. This ingenious winery changed gears to focus on grape juice production, allowing it to continue to flourish.
While Prohibition might not have destroyed the operations at this castle-like building, its third fire sure did.
In 1933, a fire tore through the winery once again. This time, the Kelleys Island Wine Company ceased operations, and it eventually was reestablished in 1982. Today, the winery can be found in a much more modern building and it even offers dining.
Interestingly, the island’s other old school winery, Sweet Valley Winery (renamed to Monarch Winery in 1902), also burned down.
The ruins of both wineries stand today, a grisly reminder of the impermanence of all things mundane. The old Monarch Winery ruins can be found at the North end of the island off of Division Street, and the ruins of the Kelleys Island Wine Company are hiding on the Southside behind a trailer park.
While its predecessor may be long gone, you can still get a taste of island-grown grapes at the local winery.
Each visit to The Kelley's Island Wine Co. is full of memory-making fun. Who knew local history had the power to sweeten wine?
Address: 418 Woodford Road, Kelleys Island, OH, 43438
The ruins of these wineries are located on private property and are closed to the public, but you’ll doubtlessly spot these ruins from the road during your visit. Plus, you can always swing by the new winery of the same name for an authentic wine tasting experience! Who will you be taking to Kelleys Island with you?
Did you know that Kelleys Island isn’t the only landmass in Lake Erie to have faced destruction by fire? Just take a look at the ruins of what was once the nation’s largest hotel.
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