Ranson in Jefferson County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Goetz Harness and Collar Factory
Ranson Lost History Trail
In the early spring of 1891, the Goetz Harness and Collar Factory became the second business to agree to set up shop in Ranson. A. D. [Adam Drinkhouse] Goetz, a harness maker considered to be one of the few expert leather men of the world, was originally from Martinsburg, Pennsylvania. He bought the lot on the northwest corner of George Street and 2ND Avenue and on September 1st the three-story brick factory went in production. Within a matter of weeks, fifty workers were employed at the Harness Factory where they manufactured "an endless variety of harness, saddles, and horse collars, all at extremely low prices."
During World War I the Goetz Harness Factory became one of the leading US manufacturers of harness and collars supporting the war effort. The US Army in World War I literally ran on horsepower with harnesses being the most essential ingredient in horse-drawn conveyances. Gas powered vehicles didn't meet the muster as the war began, and instead tens of thousands of horses and mules were enlisted to do everything from moving field guns to transporting wounded soldiers in ambulance wagons. In short, if it moved, a horse or mule provided the power.
Erected by Ranson West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau; Jefferson County Museum.
Topics. This historical marker
this page online
Location. 39° 17.584′ N, 77° 51.74′ W. Marker is in Ranson, West Virginia, in Jefferson County. It is on South George Street north of West 2nd Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 W 2nd Ave, Ranson WV 25438, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in the Eastern Panhandle. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Victor Products / Dixie-Narco (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Charlestown Mining, Manufacturing & Improvement Company Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); Ranson Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Right Reverend Ernest Eugene Baltimore (approx. 0.2 miles away); Emancipation In Jefferson County (approx. 0.2 miles away); John Frederick Blessing (approx. Ό mile away); The James H. Webb House (approx. Ό mile away); The First School for "Colored" in Jefferson County (approx. Ό mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ranson.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 30, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 30, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 350 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 30, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
