It was the abundant stands of hemlock timber in the forests surrounding White Lake that caught the eye of Michigan pioneers of the leather industry. The hemlocks offered a plentiful supply of tan bark used in leather processing. Taking advantage of these resources, developers founded the Eagle Tanning Works on the shores of White Lake in 1867.

 Within a few years, the original enterprise became the Eagle-Ottawa Leather Company. For many years thereafter the company enjoyed a reputation as tanners of some of the finest leather produced in the country. Decades later, the best automobiles of the day used Eagle-Ottawa leather for upholstery.

Long regarded as a stabilizing force in the White Lake area economy, the tannery remained strong, even during the trying years of the Great Depression. Newspaper clippings from 1934 comment on the relatively small number of workers on Whitehall’s welfare roles. The Muskegon Daily noted proudly that Whitehall had fewer delinquent taxes than any community of similar size in Michigan.

According to some reports, the tannery kept as many workers busy during this period as any time during its history. During the Depression years, the plant employed upwards of 300 men. This was a remarkable feat, given that much of the finished leather languished in storage for lack of a buying market.

NEXT TIME: A personal tannery tour