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- Subject is exactly "Tanneries"
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In 1868 there were 7 tanneries in and around Santa Cruz, using monthly 300 tons of tan bark.
The historic Salz smokestack dated back to the beginnings of the tannery in the 1890's. It fell during the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989. Salz staff thought that it had killed an employee who was working in the vicinity when it fell, but fortunately…
Salz president, Norman Lezin graduated from Reed College and originally wanted to pursue a career as a government worker. His marriage to Ansley Salz's daughter, Margaret brought him to Santa Cruz. He fell in love with the business and decided to…
This aerial photograph of Salz Tannery was taken in the early 1950's possibly by Vester Dick Photography. River Street/Highway 9 is on the left and the San Lorenzo River is on the right.
Salz employees Chuck Anstead (left) and Joe Bellas work with a Sheridan Press. Sheridan Presses were large machines designed to create heat and pressure. When leather was sandwiched between these huge plates, the surface was flattened, brightened and…
This photo of the Salz Tannery lunchroom was taken sometime during the mid-1950's. According to Jeremy Lezin, Salz was one of the very few companies in the 50's and early 60's that hired African Americans. As a point of interest, Helen Salz, Ansley's…
Salz owner and president, Norman Lezin inspects tanoak bark. This was used to "vegetable" tan the leather. Tanoak was used as the primary tanning source until the early 1960's. After that leather was tanned by using a chrome process.
Salz sales manager Howard Halper presented Miss California (name not known) with a leather gift at the tannery. Occasion unknown.
The oldest building at Salz was probably built around 1861. It was the original "beam house", that housed the wet operations at Salz. The photo is taken from Highway 9. A horse and wagon used to move bark to the tannery from the drying sheds paused…