Old west virginia tanning company

[CrabCrazy]

way back in the early 1960's there was a tanning company there....at the time they fleshed and tanned a large elephant skin...they also sold glass eyes, that i purchased from them...i think the main flesher was  Sinclair Lewis or Sinclair Clark, not sure...any older guys remember the name of the tannery?

[Lone Wolf Taxidermy]

I can't remember the name but it was located in Marlington , WV

I will try and find the name for you.


Well after doing some research....in every account of the tannery ....it is simply called the Tannery. Maybe it was called the Marlington Tannery. It closed in 1970.

There was a company called the Howe Leather Co. but it was in Frank WV.

In the late 18 hundreds and to the mid 19 hundreds there were other tanneries in the state.

Hope this helps you find the info you are looking for.

[CrabCrazy]

those names don't ring a bell....they would have started in late 50's......i should have saved there small catalog...its hell when you get old and can't remember anything....thanks anyway billy.

[Lone Wolf Taxidermy]

Hey Crab....got ya something here. I called city hall in Marlington and discussed this with a lady there in the mayors office. She gave me a name of another lady that is a county historian of sorts. Her name is Bobbi Jo Gudmundsson. I messaged you her home phone #.

The lady in the mayors office also told me she believed there was a book written on the tannery. She was very helpful.

The name of the tannery in Marlington was International Shoe Co. They also had a tannery in Durbin WV.

Give Bobbi Joe a call ... I'm sure she can help you.

Billy

[lov2bhntn]

The tannery in Frank only produced shoe sole leather.   I never heard that they tanned anything but cow hides for shoe soles.   I grew up there and my Grandpa worked his entire life in that tannery, my dad spent a few years there as well.   Got to love the smell of a tannery.   I have an article on the tannery, if anyone is interested I'll try to get in online and post it up for you.   The tannery in Frank, Howe Leather Co, actually went out of business a few (maybe more) years back and I believe was a part of Interstate tannery....  

Here is a quick internet hit on the Howe tannery....  The man standing on the left was my grand-dad.   

http://www.wvculture.org/goldenseal/fall11/Tannery.html

[Lone Wolf Taxidermy]

That's a great pic George.