From 1867 to 1878 master brewer Veit Geiger operated the Geiger Brewery at this location. Artesian springs assured an abundant source of pure water, and nearby caves provided a constant 50-degree storage cellar. The brewery was one of many parts of Osceola history shaped by water resources. The St. Croix River and its tributaries carried the area's rich harvests of timber and grain to market, transported people and commercial goods aboard steam-driven riverboats, and powered local grist and sawmills. The river's scenic beauty, centered in the Dalles of the St. Croix and in Cascade Falls, was also a constant cultural influence in the community's development.