Vanished Hillsdale

Home City News Vanished Hillsdale
Vanished Hillsdale

Worhing_Alger

The abandoned factory on E. Carleton Road between Union and Oak Street formerly housed a thriving fur business. Worthing & Alger Co. was founded by H. O. Alger in 1889, according to the Michigan Department of Labor. The business specialized in the tanning and dressing of all types of furs as well as the manufacturing of fur lined overcoats. It also tanned many specialty furs sent in by customers from all over the United States.

Worthing & Alger offered a special deal for hides provided by the customer: half off on all tanning and assembly services. Customers sent in a variety of animal skins – from foxes and lynx to house cats and pet dogs – and have them transformed into articles of clothing. According to the Hillsdale Historical Society, a Worthing & Alger advertisement proclaimed, “furnish two Collie Dog Skins, we do the rest for only $10.”

L.P. Reynolds’ history of Hillsdale, Mich., published in 1915, says Worthing & Alger was the first factory to successfully tan and manufacture coats from Galloway cattle hides.