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OSMO Tannery (1933-1989)
As a part of his duties at the Tauber Woolen Mill, Walter Pfeiffer traveled and visited many businesses that were associated or enhanced the woolen trade. On one such trip to Cleveland, Ohio in 1932, Walter met and toured the OSMO Manufacturing Company owned by Oskar Most. His business was in the tanning and production of items made from sheep hides. Most had come to the US in late 1920s and had operated the business in Cleveland for about 2 years. He was interested in locating in a smaller community where costs might be lower. Pfeiffer convinced him to visit Spartansburg and move his business here. In 1933, with Pfeiffer…
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The Edwards Woolen Mill
The Edwards Brothers (James and WIlliam), with the help of the town, constructed and operated a woolen mill. Two acres of land at the end of Water Street were donated and “subscriptions” were sold to raise funds for construction and machinery. The mill was in operation from 1896 until 1902. A fire damaged the building and the Edwards’ Mill was re-located to Siverly (Oil City) in 1902. The Edwards Brothers’ family home is featured here. These news clips are from the Titusville Herald: April 10, 1896 June 5, 1896 July 7, 1896: The Merchant’s Carnival was held in honor of the completion of the Mill Building. A parade was held…
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Tyler Tannery to Western Union Tannery
On the south side of Main Street, east of Oil Creek, John Willard Williams, then burgess of Spartansburg, built a tannery in 1869. (a tannery owned by J Ford is shown on a map from 1867) The creek was nearby to provide water needed for the process as well as potential power. The area around Spartansburg was well forested and provided the bark necessary for the tanning process. Men were employed to peel hemlock bark from the trees and haul it by teams of horses to be stored near the tannery. Children often played hide and seek around the bark piles. In the winter, children often hitched their sleds to…
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Blacksmith Shops
At one time, Spartansburg hosted 4 blacksmith shops in the village. Luther and George Day, Charles Thompson, John McDannel, Charles Kinney and OD Snapp were some of the early smiths who cared for the blacksmith needs from 1871-1910. Their shops were located throughout the town. Information about Ayer’s Products: By the early 1900’s the role of the blacksmith was changing due to the entrance of horseless carriages. However, rural, farming areas still relied on wagons and horses to transport their families and crops. One of the last known blacksmiths in Spartansburg was Frank Herbst. He had a shop on Mechanic Street, 2 buildings up from the Methodist Church. Herbst sold…
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The Tauber Woolen Mill (Previously Lamb)
Woolen manufacturing was among the earliest and longest lasting businesses in Spartansburg. As early as 1837, nearly 20 years before the borough was incorporated, McWilliams and Emerson developed a carding and fulling mill south of what would become the center of town. The business was at the end of what is now Mechanic Street and approximately where a lumber company is now (2021) In 1849, McWilliams sold his portion of the business to Mr. Lamb whose family later became sole owners and he made it into a Woolen Mill. The original mill building was maintained as a storage facility and a new 2 story factory was completed in 1862. Lamb…
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Platt’s (Akins, Jude, Eldred and Thompson, Davis and Hyde, Platt & Steadman) Mill
Platt’s Mill on Mill Street beside the dam is the longest operating business site in Spartansburg. It was the original grist mill site begun by the Akins brothers in the 1830s on land purchased from Judge Barlow. The Akins also had a saw mill on the west side of Oil Creek. The mill was in a great location when the railroad came through town, and a siding from the main line to the mill further established its prominence. This portion of a map from 1867 shows the location of the saw and grist mills at that time. This 1876 map shows that the property for the grist mill had transferred…
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Akins Brothers Begin Business in Spartansburg
In the 1830’s The Akins brothers, Andrew and Aaron, opened a Saw Mill and a Grist Mill on the East and West Side of Oil Creek. The Grist mill was on the site of the current Platt’s Mill. In 1837, Andrew Akin opened a General Store in Spartansburg. He employed Eli Catlin as a clerk. Catlin also purchased, surveyed and laid out the plan for the village.
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1820’s Saw Mills
In the 1820’s William Sterling and Akins started the first lumber businesses in Sparta Township. The mills were on tract of land purchased from the Holland Land Company and were on Patrick Run, just north of the future location of Spartansburg.
