Editing Gowanda, New York (section)

===20th century===

====Tanning and glue industries====
Important industries that flourished in Gowanda during the twentieth century, but which also polluted the adjoining Cattaraugus Creek, included the [[Peter Cooper]] Corporation Glue Factory and the Moench Tannery.<ref name="Redbook" /><ref name="Theatre">[https://www.proquest.com/docview/381229715? Community gets gift of Hollywood Theater for restoration], ''Buffalo News - Southern Tier Edition'', Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, December 16, 1996, O'Brien, B. | Accessdate November 2, 2013.</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20140610052216/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-22405784.html Gowanda reeling under new job loss: Closing of tannery follows shutdown of psychiatric center]}}, ''Buffalo News'', Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, May 30, 1992, Robinson, D., In ''Highbeam.com'', Retrieved November 12, 2013</ref> The first [[tannery]] in Gowanda was begun by Samuel T. Munger in 1829,<ref name="Redbook" /> although one was already in operation by Smith Bartlett since 1815 in Collins.<ref name="Redbook" /> In 1829, to tan one side of leather in six months was considered quick work.<ref name="Redbook" /> Other tanneries in operation in Gowanda were by the Benton Brothers; K. Webster (which was purchased by Agle & Sons in 1860); and Albert Gaensslen. In 1852, Albert Gaensslen converted the former wool factory in Gowanda to a leather plant with 12 liquor vats. The Gaensslen Brothers tannery manufactured only shoe sole leather. Gaensslen Brothers tannery was established in 1855; reorganizing as Gaensslen, Fisher & Company in 1896, following the partnership with E.C. Fisher.<ref name="Redbook" /> In 1879, the Gaensslen Brothers tannery "included 250 liquor vats and shipped 20,000 sides of sole leather to [[Cleveland]] each year."<ref name="Redbook" /> Additionally, the Agle & Sons tannery was expanded, containing 40 liquor vats and annually finishing 700 sides of leather by 1879.<ref name="Redbook" />

A [[glue factory]] was originally started in association with the Gaensslen Brothers Tannery in 1874 in order to utilize the tanning waste.<ref name="Redbook" /> At that time, {{convert|30000|lb}} of glue was produced annually.<ref name="Redbook" /> The first construction of Richard Wilhelm's Eastern Tanners Glue Company plant began on May 5, 1904.<ref name="Redbook" /> In 1898, tanning factory waste from the now-reorganized Gaensslen, Fisher & Company tannery produced {{convert|300000|to|400000|lb}} of glue.<ref name="Redbook" /> In 1899, the tannery was purchased by C. Moench & Sons.<ref name="Redbook" /> Although it was purchased by the Brown Shoe Company in 1925, it existed as the Moench Tanning Company, Incorporated.<ref name="Redbook" />

====America's glue capital====
A 1976 historical book about Gowanda states that the Eastern Tanners Glue Company begun by Richard Wilhelm, and later purchased and operated by the Peter Cooper Corporations, was "the largest glue making plant in the world."<ref name="Redbook" /> Gowanda, therefore, was known as America's glue capital.<ref name="Redbook" />