Sharing the History of Dallastown
Experience the history of Dallastown by following one of our curated walking tours.
First find the walking tour that you would like to follow. Then click on the link called “Overview”. This link contains a description of the tour and directions for installing the app. If you would prefer to use a paper map, please click on the link called “Map”.
A Brief History of the Tobacco Industry in York County and Dallastown’s Prominent Role
Prepared for the Dallastown Area Historical Society October 1, 2023 Walking Tour of Dallastown Cigar Industry
Historical records indicate that tobacco farming and manufacturing existed in Pennsylvania back to the colonial days but were limited for many decades since early varieties of the tobacco plant were considered unsuited to the soil in York County. However, from 1837 onward with the introduction of new tobacco varieties and increased use of fertilization, tobacco farming started to thrive and by the early 1900s cigar making businesses employed more people than any other industry in York County. Local historian George Prowell, in his 1907 History of York County Pennsylvania, noted “The towns receiving the greatest benefits from the manufacture of cigars are Hanover, Red Lion, Dallastown, Yoe, Windsorville, Hellam, Seven Valley, East Prospect and the city of York …”. i While many cigar manufacturers were small businesses that employed family members and operated out of their homes or buildings behind their homes, others grew to be large enterprises operating at multiple locations, manufacturing cigars from tobacco obtained locally from farms in York and Lancaster Counties, along with tobacco “raised in other sections of the country and in Cuba.”"ii
One of the first “modern” cigar factories in Dallastown was established by L. W. G. Wierman before the Civil War. During the years after the Civil War “Dallastown became a prominent center. Augustus Sonneman, Benjamin Spatz and Joseph Secrist played an important part in the growing industry in Dallastown in those days.” iii Statistics reported by the York internal revenue office, indicated that “there were in 1907 twelve hundred cigar factories within the limits of York County. The annual product of all these factories is three hundred million cigars, so that the annual revenue collected at the York office from the manufacture of cigars alone is nearly one million dollars.” iv At this time half of the cigar manufacturers in York County were in Dallastown, Red Lion, Yoe , and Windsor. By the 1920s, the York County Cigar Manufacturers Association boasted York County as “The home of the five cent cigars.” and, twenty percent of U.S. cigars were produced in York County.
Instructions for Access to Phone App
Scan this QR code with your cellphone camera
| #1: Dallastown Area Historical Society 118 E Main St #2: J F Spotz & Son Cigar 86-88 E Main St #3: Minich (Minnich) Cigar 13 E Main Street #4: New York Cigar Factory 112 S Walnut St #5: A F Fix 17 (formerly 5) W Main #6: Kauffman Cigar Factory 41 W Main St #7: Associated Cigar Factory 33 W Maple St #8: Dallastown Railroad Station E Maple & S Walnut St |
#9 William H Raab 107 – 123 E Maple St #10: H E Rost and Company 435 – 437 E Main St #11: Jacob F Spotz 204 E Main St (SE corner E Main & Pleasant Ave) #12: Sechrist Family Unit 231 S Pleasant Ave #13: J F Peeler & Sons 240 S Pleasant Ave NOTE: Enter addresses into GPS and DRIVE to final two stops #14: Merchant Cigar Box Factory 100 E Broad Street #15 House of Windsor 150 Orchard St |
Stop #1: Dallastown Historical Society 118 E Main St: Tour information comes from photos and content in Images of America Around Dallastown by Richard C. Saylor and Michael L. Sentz Jr.; 1907 History of York County Pennsylvania by George. R. Prowell; York County Cigar Manufacturers Association 1927 Official
Souvenir Yearbook; Sanford Map Company maps for 1909, 1913 and 1929; and museum records and artifacts. The Saylor and Sentz book is available for purchase
here. Exit through the back door and cross Charles Street for #2.
Stop #2: J.F. Spotz & Son Cigar 86-88 E Main St: Jacob F. Spotz was manufacturing cigars on the southeast corner of E. Main and Pleasant Ave. by 1877. By 1904 the name changed to J.F. Spotz and Son (Henry) and moved into the two old brick structures behind the former Glatfelter Furniture store. Return to Main St and continue West to #3
Stop #3: Minich (Minnich) Cigar 13 E Main St: Owner John W. Minnich started making cigars in 1879, adding 3 employees in 1882. By 1907 the factory’s output was the largest in York County – 12 million cigars with 125 workers. The prior factory was at 118 E Main Street. At square, turn left onto Walnut St for #4.
Stop #4: New York Cigar Factory 112 S Walnut St: At least two cigar manufacturing companies, Dallastown Cigar Co. and Fred E. Druck & Co., operated at this location. New York Cigar Company also had factories in York, Red Lion, Windsor, and Yoe. Upon closing, this building reopened as the Standard Garment Co. sewing factory. Today, it is the D-Town Mini Storage facility. Cross Main St & turn left for #5.
Stop #5: A. F. Fix & Co. 17 (formerly 5) W. Main St: The factory was established in 1881 in the rear, with an adjoining building across the alley. Continue West on W. Main St. to #6.
Stop #6: Kauffman Cigar Factory 41 W Main St: The factory owned by Solomon D. and Hamilton D. Kauffman was located near the MD & PA Railroad depot from 1909 to 1915 but then moved here. Hamilton died in 1927 and Solomon in 1933 when the company closed. Proceed North on Kauffman Ave to W. Maple St and #7.
Stop #7: Associated Cigar Co. 33 W Maple St (Rojahn Custom Cabinetry): This structure was built by Joe Klinefelter in the 1940s, but later sold to Phillip Rojahn in 1957 for custom kitchen cabinet manufacturing. Continue east on Maple, cross Walnut and walk down the sidewalk to #8 driveway.
Stop #8: Dallastown Rail Road Station Behind Corner E. Maple & N. Walnut: The MA and PA Railroad line to Dallastown was built in 1870 and later extended to Red Lion. The single track meant trains backed into Dallastown on this spur. The station building was dedicated on May 20, 1899, closed in 1957, and burned in 1959. Freight service on the Dallastown line continued into the 1970s. The tracks were abandoned in 1983. Nearby at 22 (formerly 16) E. Maple St. was the J. C. Heckert Cigar Company. Return to Maple St & turn left to N. Pleasant Ave #9.
Stop #9: William H Raab 107- 123 E. Maple St: This business, which began in 1874, was one of six cigar manufacturers from Dallastown to present at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. It was awarded a bronze medal for the quality of its cigars. Upon closing, the building was turned into the existing apartments and row houses. Across Maple St., part of which is now the parking lot of Bethlehem Life Church, stood another cigar manufacturing building, operated by Costello & Company, and earlier as Chas. Kohler & Co. Continue east, turn right on N Pleasant Ave then left on Main for #10.
Stop #10: H.E. Rost and Co 435-437 E Main St: This cigar manufacturer operated out of structures to the rear of this address. Cross the street and head west to the corner of S. Pleasant Ave for #11.
Stop #11: Jacob F. Spotz 204 (formerly 86-88) E. Main St: J.F. Spotz and Son manufactured cigars at this structure until it went out of business in 1927. Turn left (South) on S. Pleasant Ave for #12
Stop #12: Sechrist Family Cigar Manufacturing Rear of 231 S Pleasant Ave: Cigars were rolled and pressed by Sechrist family unit as was typical in the early years of the industry. Their former cigar factory is located behind the house on the concrete pad (now covered in blacktop) adjacent to the alley. Return to Pleasant Ave and cross the street to #13
Stop #13: J.F. Peeler & Son 240 S Pleasant Ave: The home on this lot, which was built in the 1950s, replaced the original factory structure. Go north on Pleasant Ave and turn left on Main St to return to DHS.
Drive to #14 and 15 entering addresses into GPS instead of walking.
Stop #14: Merchant Cigar Box Factory 100 E Broad St: Founded in 1900 by several owners of Dallastown cigar companies, the original structure was erected in 1900. Until 1932 the company only produced cigar boxes. For decades it was the largest cigar box manufacturer in the Dallastown area; by 1907, the company was producing 8,000 cigar boxes per day. Miniature cedar chests and various custom-made boxes (including distinctive wooden file boxes for the National Archives) were produced from 1932 to the early 1970s.
Stop #15: House of Windsor 150 Orchard St: In 1965, United States Tobacco Company (New York) acquired Roy R. Smith Cigar Co. (Red Lion), and House of Windsor (Windsor) brands, consolidating manufacturing operations into this new building around 1967. The last cigar was manufactured here around 2008. The building has since been repurposed as an industrial site operated by Aluminum Alloys Manufacturer, LLC
Sunday, June 2nd Founding Families of Dallastown - Get to know some of the first families to settle in Dallastown through stories and articles found in our museum during our 1 to 4 pm Open House