Grissom's Landing

Grissom’s Landing was located 10 miles northwest of Owensboro on the Ohio River in Oakford Precinct. It was named in 1856 for Alfred Grissom who was a tailor in Owensboro for many years. Thomas Monarch became Postmaster in 1868 for 20 years followed by James Mattingly and William Grissom. The name changed to Grissom in 1895. James Ralston, Richard Graham and Richard Monarch were the last Postmasters until in 1899 it closed and papers transferred to Stanley. One of the largest and best distilleries of Daviess County was that of Thomas J. Monarch at Grissom’s Landing. He was a member of a family that had been in the distillery business for 5 generations traced back to the Revolutionary War.

Eagle Distillery

In 1868, Mr. Monarch built his distillery at Grissom’s Landing. According to the 1876 Atlas map, the place was formerly known as “Bunch’s Bend” and had been a site of an old distillery earlier. It had been abandoned years earlier. A steamboat landing, at which the mail boats would make regular stops, was within a few hundred yards of the distillery. The Eagle Distillery was at this location in 1880. T. G. Monarch started the distillery and soon his “Old Tom Monarch” whiskey became the “synonym for the purest and most inspiring liquor”. It was a three story brick building some 200 yards from the river. On the roof was a cupola used for ventilation. There was an observatory on top of the main building. Atop it was a giant golden eagle with wings extended. Along the side of the building was a 70 foot brick smokestack. On the front of the building, a triangular window represented three barrel heads. On the top were the words “T. J. Monarch, old fashion handmade sour mash fire copper whiskey”. The left barrel said, “Eagle Distilling Company, registered distillery No. 8. The right barrel stated “Imperial handmade sour mash whiskey”. Each corner of the building was crowned with a large iron whiskey barrel surmounted by a jug. It was probably the most elaborate distillery ever seen in Daviess County. There were also two stores, a hotel, and a U.S. Express Company Agency. In 1874, the Owensboro Monitor stated that Grissom Landing did not “show off” well from the river and would not suspect that up the bank is a good sized village. It takes its name from Esquire H. Grissom, whose farm lies directly at the lower and original landing. He resided in Owensboro before he moved. In 1874 nearly 2000 barrels of whiskey was manufactured and it would be the same in 1875 if enough grain could be procured. The large bonded warehouse in connection with the distillery contained 17,000 barrels of whiskey. The whiskey was moved to the river for transporting by a rail car that was propelled by a stationary engine in the distillery and runs to the river, about 500 yards distance, and does in one day what takes two teams and a half dozen men before in a week. Numerous barges of corn were unloaded there for the distillery and hundreds of barrels of bourbon whiskey were sent up and down the river on steamer. It is noted that the village could boast of one of the best string bands to be found anywhere composed of Messrs, Gaw, Mattingly, Price and others. There were two stores in the village that contained many articles usually kept for sale at retail country stores. T. J. Monarch had just completed his residence and was one of the most handsome in the county. The Monarch family helped to build the Grissom Landing rock roads to Stanley after 1890. The road consisted of dirt and in the winter became quite muddy. They wanted to move some whiskey out by railroad. In January 1904, there was a Master Commissioners sale of Grissom Landing Farms, Hotel and lots. One tract had 50 acres; one tract had an acre with hotel, and one tract with an old mill. After Stanley was being built in 1888, most of the village moved since the railroad was coming in. People would still get on packet boats passing on the Ohio River after the distillery closed down. William J. and Lee Foster were some of many to use the boats. They left Grissom Landing in June 1918 to travel to Evansville for their honeymoon. The boats were much like the railroads as you could flag a boat down at any landing. In February 1930, Alfred Grissom lived in St. Louis. His last 18 years were in the Old Folks Home in St. Louis. The town was named after Alfred Grissom.