The Archive

The Record · In Black and White.

Forty years of clippings, fire maps, and relics from the first life of Silk Velvet, gathered by the family and returned to the light. Tap anything to read it up close.

The Clippings The Maps The Relics

The Clippings · 1880 to 1923

What the Papers Said.

Front pages, fires, thefts, sermons answered, and the ads that carried the name to every section of the United States.

1880"A Big Success"

Col. Winstead’s Prescription — 1880Col. Winstead’s Prescription

The Distillery Being Built — 1880The Distillery Being BuiltHill & Winstead

The First Barrel of Silk Velvet — 1880The First Barrel of Silk Velvet

The First Silk Velvet Barrels — 1880The First Silk Velvet BarrelsHill & Winstead

Silk Velvet First Fired Up — 1880Silk Velvet First Fired Up

Smelling of Whiskey Breath — 1880Smelling of Whiskey Breath

Stolen Silk Velvet — 1880Stolen Silk Velvet

Whiskey Smell in the Air — 1881Whiskey Smell in the AirOwensboro Messenger

Dead Fish — 1881Dead FishMessenger and Examiner

3,080 Barrels of Silk Velvet — 18813,080 Barrels of Silk Velvet

Col. Winstead’s Orchard — 1881Col. Winstead’s Orchard

Silk Velvet — 1881Silk Velvet

Silk Velvet in New Mexico — 1887Silk Velvet in New MexicoAlbuquerque Journal

Revival on the Steamer — 1888Revival on the Steamer "City of Owensboro"Semi-Weekly South Kentuckian

Slop — 1889SlopThe Twice-A-Week Messenger

Eagle Distillery Starting Up — 1890Eagle Distillery Starting UpThe Owensboro Messenger

Eagle Distillery — 1890Eagle DistilleryEvansville Courier and Press

The IRS Lets Winstead Produce — 1890The IRS Lets Winstead ProduceOwensboro Messenger

We Sell the Silk Velvet Whiskey — 1890We Sell the Silk Velvet WhiskeyWise County Messenger

Bona Hill Sells Out — 1890Bona Hill Sells Out

Steam Raised at Winstead’s — 1894Steam Raised at Winstead’sOwensboro Messenger

$35 in Gold at Kraver’s — 1896$35 in Gold at Kraver’sThe Hustler

The Winstead Distillery Fire — 1896The Winstead Distillery FireLeaf-Chronicle Weekly

The Winstead Distillery Fire — 1896The Winstead Distillery FireThe Hustler

The Winstead Distillery Fire — 1896The Winstead Distillery FireThe Owensboro Messenger

Winstead Starting Up — 1897Winstead Starting UpEvansville Courier and Press

Winstead Shut Down for the Summer — 1897Winstead Shut Down for the SummerThe Twice-A-Week Messenger

Six Hundred Barrels — 1897Six Hundred BarrelsEvansville Courier and Press

Free Coinage Saloon — 1898Free Coinage SaloonThe Weekly Orb

Rockhill Distillery — 1899Rockhill DistilleryMessenger-Inquirer

Col. Winstead in the Story — 1899Col. Winstead in the StoryArrest of John Marshall

Silk Velvet in Florida — 1899Silk Velvet in FloridaThe Pensacola News

Old Silk Velvet in Montana — 1901Old Silk Velvet in MontanaThe Helena Weekly World

Death of a Distiller — 1901Death of a DistillerMessenger-Inquirer

Death of a Distiller — 1901Death of a DistillerThe Courier-Journal

Fiftieth Anniversary of Col. and Mrs. Winstead — 1906Fiftieth Anniversary of Col. and Mrs. Winstead

The Kraver Winstead Tax — 1907The Kraver Winstead TaxEvansville Courier and Press

A Chicago Minister and Silk Velvet — 1909A Chicago Minister and Silk Velvet

A Neat Reply to Chicago — 1909A Neat Reply to ChicagoWinstead Distilling Co.

The Smoothest Whiskey in the World — 1911The Smoothest Whiskey in the WorldHenderson Evening Journal

1911"Highest Quality and Regard"The Gleaner

1911"Ode to Silk Velvet"

As Fine as Silk, as Smooth as Velvet — 1912As Fine as Silk, as Smooth as VelvetHenderson Evening Journal

A.S. Winstead’s Obituary — 1912A.S. Winstead’s Obituary

Silk Velvet Stolen in Illinois — 1912Silk Velvet Stolen in Illinois

E.W. Winstead, Distiller and Wholesaler — 1913E.W. Winstead, Distiller and WholesalerBiography

A Letter From a Father to His Son — 1914A Letter From a Father to His SonThe Gleaner

A Letter From a Salesman to His Boss — 1914A Letter From a Salesman to His Boss

One Quart Bottled in Bond — 1915One Quart Bottled in BondEvansville Courier and Press

Henderson Distillery History — 1923Henderson Distillery History

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The Maps

Where the Whiskey Was Made.

Sanborn fire insurance plates of the Winstead works in Henderson, drawn in 1892 and again in 1901.

Sanborn Fire Map of Henderson — 1892Sanborn Fire Map of Henderson

The Winstead Distillery Works — 1892The Winstead Distillery WorksSanborn Plate

The Winstead Works, Revised — 1901The Winstead Works, RevisedSanborn Plate

Sanborn Fire Map of Henderson — 1901Sanborn Fire Map of Henderson

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The Relics

What Survived.

Jugs, bottles, etched glass, invoices, and letterheads from the family collection. The pieces that started the revival.

Winstead & Sons Letterheads

A.S. Winstead Stoneware Jug — A.S. Winstead Stoneware JugDistiller, Henderson, KY

Original Bottle With Label

Winstead Company Ledger

E.W. Winstead Invoice — E.W. Winstead InvoiceHenderson, KY

A Paid Receipt — 1913A Paid Receipt"Thank You" in Winstead’s Hand

Etched Shot Glass

Bottle With Worn Label

Dose Glass

Quart Jug — Quart JugA.S. Winstead, Distiller

Miniature Jug — Miniature JugA.S. Winstead, Henderson, KY

Etched Whiskey Glass — Etched Whiskey GlassThe Finest Hand Made Sour Mash

Apple Brandy Label — Apple Brandy LabelA.S. Winstead

Receipts of the House

The Wholesale Liquor Dealer — The Wholesale Liquor DealerStorefront, Second Street

Oldtimers’ Picnic at Atkinson — 1911Oldtimers’ Picnic at Atkinson

Papers Under Glass

E.W. Winstead Family-Use Bottle

Bottles of the Collection

Two Survivors

Amber Quart

The Original Label — The Original LabelMuseum Special Collection

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