A 1912 photograph of the Fetterhoff Pretzel Factory of Tower City, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
SCHUYLKILL MEMORY LANE QUIZ
Clue: Many area residents will recall a Tower City industry of former years shown on this picture….
Nostalgia will take many back to the days when a short walk from Grand Avenue or Colliery Avenue was rewarded by a big bag of pretzels fresh from the ovens of the Fetterhoff Pretzel Factory. Very inexpensive, a big bag of broken ones could be purchased for just nineteen cents.
Henry Fetterhoff started this factory in 1911, and upon his death in 1932, it was carried on by his daughters, Katie Fetterhoff and Clara Fetterhoff, and granddaughter, Evelyn for many more years.
Two hundred pounds of pretzels were baked every day, and sometimes extra orders required working overtime. Broken coal was used to heat the ovens, and an average of five tons were used in one week.
Charles Bowerman accompanied Henry Fetterhoff on a route from Tower City, Tremont, Pine Grove, Gratz, Valley View and Hegins by horse and buggy. Later with an international high-wheel truck, the trip took jut one day.
The pretzels were rolled then soaked in a soda water solution, which gave them color when baked then placed on a peel, or long stick which had been salted and placed in the oven.
Small wonder that our area people are “pretzel lovers.” They never refuse a pretzel when visiting, and many of us know of boxes of these delicacies being sent to out of towners. That’s not quite the thrill of going right to the factory and getting a “hand out,” though.
Remembering the generosity of the Fetterhoff’s, one wonders how much of the profit was consumed by the “small fry” who always adorned their doors.
This photo was taken in 1912. How many know the names of the employees pictured here?
The former factory now [1973] comprises two apartments occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Luther Miller [Ruth Fetterhoff] and Mrs. Mary Croft.
Answer: Last week’s picture of the pretzel factory showed from left to right – Walter Carl; Roy Reinoehl; Bob Fetterhoff; Arthur Hoffman; Clayton Carl; Clair Miller; and Lester Miller.
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From “Memory Lane,” West Schuylkill Herald, 18 October 1973, Tower City, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, via Newspapers.com. Readers submitted photos. A clue was given. And, the answer was provided in the next week’s edition of the newspaper.
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