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Chicago's tannery industry
Posted by:
daveg
()
Date: February 26, 2011 03:49PM
Yesterday, my wife and I went to Goose Island for a sampling of food for our daughter's upcoming wedding. The building we were in was rather old and as I gawked around I asked about its history. Answer: it was a tannery years ago.
My curiosity got the better of me and I've since learned there were dozens of tanneries located in what was called the tannery district along Chicago River's north branch; not sure about the exact boundries of the district. If you remember where Lands' End got its start, that was considered to be in the old tannery district.
There remains but one tannery - Horween Leather Co. on north Elston which was founded in 1905. http://horween.com/index.php/main/
The tanneries had a close by source of raw materials plus rail and a waterway to move stuff around.
Certainly not an environmentally friendly industry, I can only imagine what things smelled like along the river back then, it did provide leather for all sorts of products and nothing beats leather. Still.
I'd like to learn more about this, so if anyone has anything to add, please do so.
This industry seems to be part of Forgotten Chicago. Pun intended.
Oh and the food was great btw.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2011 02:26PM by daveg.
My curiosity got the better of me and I've since learned there were dozens of tanneries located in what was called the tannery district along Chicago River's north branch; not sure about the exact boundries of the district. If you remember where Lands' End got its start, that was considered to be in the old tannery district.
There remains but one tannery - Horween Leather Co. on north Elston which was founded in 1905. http://horween.com/index.php/main/
The tanneries had a close by source of raw materials plus rail and a waterway to move stuff around.
Certainly not an environmentally friendly industry, I can only imagine what things smelled like along the river back then, it did provide leather for all sorts of products and nothing beats leather. Still.
I'd like to learn more about this, so if anyone has anything to add, please do so.
This industry seems to be part of Forgotten Chicago. Pun intended.
Oh and the food was great btw.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2011 02:26PM by daveg.
Re: Chicago's tannery industry
Posted by:
Chipast
()
Date: February 26, 2011 04:25PM
It was probably one of the most putrid odors around, As opposed to the Blommer Chocolate Factory, Proctor & Gamble (which was down 1200 W.North), Reed Candy co, Gonnella bakery, etc.
Re: Chicago's tannery industry
Posted by:
daveg
()
Date: February 26, 2011 04:47PM
Chicago's History timeline: (DePaul University Center for Urban Education)
John Miller built the first Chicago tannery in 1831. City population - 150
More tannery mentions here:
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/731.html
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/300047.html
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2011 04:54PM by daveg.
John Miller built the first Chicago tannery in 1831. City population - 150
More tannery mentions here:
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/731.html
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/300047.html
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2011 04:54PM by daveg.
Re: Chicago's tannery industry
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: February 26, 2011 07:03PM
A relative worked at one of those tanneries (possibly Guttman?), I think; my father once mentioned that right after the war, all the neighborhood kids were wearing bomber jackets that came straight from the factory, since they were now surplus.
Re: Chicago's tannery industry
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
()
Date: February 26, 2011 10:37PM
[b]My father lived on Goose Island as a boy. He said they used to swim in the river behind his house. That was back in the late 1800's and early 1900's. People did live there. That area including up to Ashland was called Old Chicago because it wasn't touched by the great fire. Every thing east of goose island was burned and had been rebuilt so that side was considered new.[/b]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2011 12:31AM by Richard Stachowski.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2011 12:31AM by Richard Stachowski.
Re: Chicago's tannery industry
Posted by:
daveg
()
Date: February 26, 2011 11:32PM
Need help with an address. Maybe it's wrong. Maybe not.
I found a reference to a Chicago tannery named Liberty Rawhide. Looks like they merged with two Massachusetts companies that made banjos and drums back in the 20s. Their address was listed as 1431-5 W. Austin. That means there was a street named Austin that ran east and west. The Austin I know runs north and south and is more than a bit west of 1431-5.
So the question. Where was this street named Austin back in the 20s?
I found a reference to a Chicago tannery named Liberty Rawhide. Looks like they merged with two Massachusetts companies that made banjos and drums back in the 20s. Their address was listed as 1431-5 W. Austin. That means there was a street named Austin that ran east and west. The Austin I know runs north and south and is more than a bit west of 1431-5.
So the question. Where was this street named Austin back in the 20s?
Re: Chicago's tannery industry
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: February 27, 2011 01:39PM
If I'm reading it right, the street name database on the Chicago History Museum website shows changing to Hubbard St.
[url=http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/nameChanges/start.pdf]Street Name Database - CHS[/url]
[url=http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/nameChanges/start.pdf]Street Name Database - CHS[/url]
Re: Chicago's tannery industry
Posted by:
daveg
()
Date: February 27, 2011 02:42PM
Thanks WayOutWardell. This database is worth having on one's bookshelf.
Re: Chicago's tannery industry
Posted by:
Kchi
()
Date: February 28, 2011 01:45PM
There is a Nov 23,1972 Tribune article that mentions the Metropolitan Sanitary District going after nine major tanneries for dumping waste into the sewer systems. All the tanneries appear to be in the Goose island area.
A.H. Ross Tannery 1229 N. Branch
Superior Tanning 1244 W. Division
Gutman 1503 W. Webster
Chicago Rawhide 1301 N. Elston
Hoffman Stafford 1001 W. Division
Huch Leather 1525 W. Webster
National Rawhide 1464 W. Webster
Weil & Eisendrath 2221 N. Elston
Tanneries on Goose Island go way back, another article dated Feb 1897, mentions 2,000 workers going on strike. 500 of them worked for Eisendrath and the others at three other large tanneries.
From personal experience, I remember being at a Boy Scout meeting in the early 70's at St. Stanislaus Kostka and the wind was blowing across the expressway. The windows were open,and from breathing in the odor, I can tell you that was one of the sickest, I have ever felt.
Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2011 02:04PM by Kchi.
A.H. Ross Tannery 1229 N. Branch
Superior Tanning 1244 W. Division
Gutman 1503 W. Webster
Chicago Rawhide 1301 N. Elston
Hoffman Stafford 1001 W. Division
Huch Leather 1525 W. Webster
National Rawhide 1464 W. Webster
Weil & Eisendrath 2221 N. Elston
Tanneries on Goose Island go way back, another article dated Feb 1897, mentions 2,000 workers going on strike. 500 of them worked for Eisendrath and the others at three other large tanneries.
From personal experience, I remember being at a Boy Scout meeting in the early 70's at St. Stanislaus Kostka and the wind was blowing across the expressway. The windows were open,and from breathing in the odor, I can tell you that was one of the sickest, I have ever felt.
Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2011 02:04PM by Kchi.
Re: Chicago's tannery industry
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: March 01, 2011 12:45PM
Interesting stuff - I wonder if Chicago Rawhide was still in the leather business or was just being sued for past transgressions...their company website says they started out making industrial leather drive belts but moved to bearing and seal manufacturing by the '20s. My uncle worked for CR as a tool & die maker and then moved with them to their Elgin factory.
I read on a website that Liberty Rawhide's foray into drum/banjo manufacturing failed and their assets were bought by the Slingerland Drum Company (their factory was at Belden & Ward St., now Wayne St.). I wonder if Slingerland thus had their own supply of hides for drum and banjo heads. Calfskin was the drumhead standard until the mylar head was invented in the late 50s.
I read on a website that Liberty Rawhide's foray into drum/banjo manufacturing failed and their assets were bought by the Slingerland Drum Company (their factory was at Belden & Ward St., now Wayne St.). I wonder if Slingerland thus had their own supply of hides for drum and banjo heads. Calfskin was the drumhead standard until the mylar head was invented in the late 50s.
