Please take the tannery tour for inside pictues. We have explained both the tannery processes
and also part of what happened to bring the tannery to its current state in that section of your tour.
This is a pictorial view of the old tannery buildings in New Albany, Indiana as they are today for the
most part. Part of the tanyard buildings have collapsed due to a fire and heavy snow. They will not
be re-built because of future development plans. We have included all these pictures in the site as
a tribute to all the people who have worked at the tannery over the years and made the name
'Moser Leather' what it is today. The site is presently being considered for development for Loft
Condominiums by A.W. Goodman and Associates who purchased the property when the New
Albany tannery site shut down in 2002 and want to preserve the 3 story part of the building
because of its unique architecture and design and for what it brings to the community and the
history and story that it has to tell. Other uses for the site have been a walking path/trail through
the natural wetlands habitat along the 47 acres by the river that was developed in cooperation with
Al Goodman and a conservation group. Other ideas are under development so stay posted.
Please hit the Back Button on your Browser to Return. to your last page.
and also part of what happened to bring the tannery to its current state in that section of your tour.
This is a pictorial view of the old tannery buildings in New Albany, Indiana as they are today for the
most part. Part of the tanyard buildings have collapsed due to a fire and heavy snow. They will not
be re-built because of future development plans. We have included all these pictures in the site as
a tribute to all the people who have worked at the tannery over the years and made the name
'Moser Leather' what it is today. The site is presently being considered for development for Loft
Condominiums by A.W. Goodman and Associates who purchased the property when the New
Albany tannery site shut down in 2002 and want to preserve the 3 story part of the building
because of its unique architecture and design and for what it brings to the community and the
history and story that it has to tell. Other uses for the site have been a walking path/trail through
the natural wetlands habitat along the 47 acres by the river that was developed in cooperation with
Al Goodman and a conservation group. Other ideas are under development so stay posted.
Please hit the Back Button on your Browser to Return. to your last page.
Brief History of
Moser Leather -
Moser was
founded in
1878 by
George Moser
who immigrated
to the United
States from
Germany
sometime in the
1860's. He
came to New
Albany, Indiana
and stayed with
his brother who
ran a tailoring
business there
and went to
work for August
Barth who
owned Barth's
Tannery on
East Tenth
Street which is
just down the
river from the
current tannery
location. Barth
was established
in 1864. After
working for
Barth for 10
years, Moser
purchased the
Lockwood
Brothers
tannery at
272-278 East
Eight Street in
1878. He
enlarged and
improved it and
went into
business for
himself. In July
of 1891 John M.
Moser came
into the firm as
a partner, he
was George's
nephew and
they changed
the name to
George Moser
& Company. By
1902 the
company
employed 35
men and sold
its products to
jobbers across
the country and
was handling
about 15,000
medium weight
hides per year.
Moser
specialized in
high grade
leather for
harness and
collar makers,
the company
marketed its
product as
Hemlock Collar
Leather. In
1900 Charles E.
Moser assumed
his brother
John's interest
in George
Moser &
Company. In
1905 George
opened an
additional plant,
which he name
the Indiana
Leather
Company, on
Silver Street,
south of the PA
Railroad. Fire
destroyed the
East Eighth
Street tannery
in 1914.
George died
the same year,
and his heirs
renamed the
remaining
Indiana Leather
Company the
George Moser
Leather
Company.
Eventually
George's son's
- George Jr,
Julius, and Karl
joined the
company, but it
was George's
partner (and
nephew),
Charles Moser
who assumed
presidency. By
1936 the
company
covered nearly
eight acres and
employed
approx. 100
workers and
was a wholesale
leather
manufacturer,
tanning hides
purchased by
the carload and
converting them
into leather for
shoes, belts, or
saddles. In the
1980's the
company
bought Caldwell
Leather Co. of
Auburn, Ky
which was
founded in
1863 by
George
Washington
Caldwell and
became
Caldwell/Moser
Leather Co. -
Caldwell a Shoe
Lace Tanner
and part of
Brown Group of
St. Louis had
just shut down
their tannery
and Moser
bought them
out. Some info
courtesy of
Historical article
internet blog
Moser Leather -
Moser was
founded in
1878 by
George Moser
who immigrated
to the United
States from
Germany
sometime in the
1860's. He
came to New
Albany, Indiana
and stayed with
his brother who
ran a tailoring
business there
and went to
work for August
Barth who
owned Barth's
Tannery on
East Tenth
Street which is
just down the
river from the
current tannery
location. Barth
was established
in 1864. After
working for
Barth for 10
years, Moser
purchased the
Lockwood
Brothers
tannery at
272-278 East
Eight Street in
1878. He
enlarged and
improved it and
went into
business for
himself. In July
of 1891 John M.
Moser came
into the firm as
a partner, he
was George's
nephew and
they changed
the name to
George Moser
& Company. By
1902 the
company
employed 35
men and sold
its products to
jobbers across
the country and
was handling
about 15,000
medium weight
hides per year.
Moser
specialized in
high grade
leather for
harness and
collar makers,
the company
marketed its
product as
Hemlock Collar
Leather. In
1900 Charles E.
Moser assumed
his brother
John's interest
in George
Moser &
Company. In
1905 George
opened an
additional plant,
which he name
the Indiana
Leather
Company, on
Silver Street,
south of the PA
Railroad. Fire
destroyed the
East Eighth
Street tannery
in 1914.
George died
the same year,
and his heirs
renamed the
remaining
Indiana Leather
Company the
George Moser
Leather
Company.
Eventually
George's son's
- George Jr,
Julius, and Karl
joined the
company, but it
was George's
partner (and
nephew),
Charles Moser
who assumed
presidency. By
1936 the
company
covered nearly
eight acres and
employed
approx. 100
workers and
was a wholesale
leather
manufacturer,
tanning hides
purchased by
the carload and
converting them
into leather for
shoes, belts, or
saddles. In the
1980's the
company
bought Caldwell
Leather Co. of
Auburn, Ky
which was
founded in
1863 by
George
Washington
Caldwell and
became
Caldwell/Moser
Leather Co. -
Caldwell a Shoe
Lace Tanner
and part of
Brown Group of
St. Louis had
just shut down
their tannery
and Moser
bought them
out. Some info
courtesy of
Historical article
internet blog