Tanoak bark was stacked for drying. Originally harvested locally, tanoak provided the chief ingredient in tanning California Saddle Leather (TM), a Salz specialty. As local supplies dwindled, Salz purchased it from suppliers throughout California. Salz moved to chrome tanning in the 1960s. By the mid 1980's Salz began purchasing prepared hides and adding finish dyes. Salz ceased the actual tanning process 15 years before the plant closed in 2001.

Source of information: Jeremy Lezin

Sentinel (Online ed.) Aug. 4, 2001.