E. H. Taylor, Jr., an important figure in the distilling industry, established the O.F.C. Distillery in 1869-70. George Stagg purchased it in 1878, and in 1904 it was renamed George T. Stagg Distillery. During Prohibition, it was one of the few distilleries in the U.S. granted a federal permit to bottle medicinal whiskey, allowing it to remain open. Albert Blanton became president in 1921. Schenley Distillers Corp. purchased it in 1929 and greatly expanded and modernized it in the 1930s. After being sold again in 1992, it was renamed Buffalo Trace Distillery in 1999. In 2013, it was designated a National Historic Landmark as an exceptional distillery complex containing a unique collection of historic buildings and structures.