Among the printers of our city the prospering and ever-growing Buffalo Volksfreund Printing Company holds an excellent place. The book and brochure printing presses of this business deliver excellent work and one may justifiably say that the Buffalo Volksfreund Printing Company has shown Buffalo what printing artistry truly is. The significant achievements of this firm have received well deserved recognition for a long time. The Chamber of Commerce, many of the best organizations, and the premier businesses of our city are among its customers. Also the work presented here, Buffalo and its German Community, was printed in the offices of the Volksfreund Printing Company and represents a fine example of the company's ability.

On May 15, 1868 the Volksfreund Company incorporated under the name the Buffalo German Printing Association. On May 17, 1894 the name was changed to the Buffalo Volksfreund Printing Company. Since its founding the company has published the daily paper the Buffalo Volksfreund, which holds a respected place among German-American presses. Since the time of the change the Volksfreund Printing Co. has published a weekly edition of the Buffalo Volksfreund, a weekly paper called the Pittsburgh Beobachter (Pittsburgh Observer) and a yearly "friend of the house" calendar, which first appeared in 1878. 68,000 copies of this calendar have been produced and the calendar has a fine reputation throughout the United States. This calendar is beautifully illustrated and its content is quite interesting, as befits a German-American calendar.

The Volksfreund Printing Company has experienced its greatest prosperity since 1905, at which time the current management took over the enterprise. The editorial management lies in the steady hands of Mr. Mathias Rohr, who is also president of the corporation. In Mr. Joseph F. Eltges the Volksfreund has found a wise, productive, and enterprising business manager and the firm owes him much thanks. The book and brochure printing operation he established in 1908 is largely responsible for the great success the enterprise has enjoyed in the past years. The Volksfreund Company has its own magnificent home at 46 - 48 Broadway and from year to year the printing operation grows thanks to the increasing number of its customers. The Live Wire, the publication of the Chamber of Commerce, and the weekly paper The Horse World are printed by the Volksfreund Printing Co.

The officers of the Buffalo Volksfreund Printing Company are: president, Mathias Rohr; vice-president and manager, Joseph F. Eltges; treasurer, Edward D. Horgan; secretary, Francis J. Rohr.

The Volksfreund Printing Company has modern equipment and it uses first-class material rich in content. It produces first-class work in both German and English. Besides the printing of books and brochures the press also produces catalogs, programs, circulars and all kinds of pamphlets. A German business, which was built on hard work, ability, and intelligence, does honor to its German name!

The German-American Brewery

The products of the Buffalo brewing industry enjoy a good reputation well beyond the limits of the city and the state. Thus it is for the Maltosia brand produced by the German-American Brewing Company. It's appreciated by all who know good beer. At the International Nutrition Exposition in Antwerp in 1911 it was awarded a golden service medal.

The German-American Brewing Company, with its building at the corner of Main and High Steets in the center of a fine residential district, is a pleasing addition to this part of the city because of its elegant and imposing architecture. It was originally built by Philip Scheu in 1849. In 1859 the brewery passed over to Joseph L. Haberstro. In 1885 the German-American Brewery was organized with Geo. Dittly as president, Wm. Henrich as vice-president, and Mathias Stork as treasurer. In 1893 a new, modern brewery was constructed.

The greatest period of prosperity for the brewery dates back to 1899 when Mr. Carl A. Strangmann became president and the guiding spirit for this business.

Mr. Strangmann first saw the light of the world in Westphalia. As a 15-year-old boy he came to America and was employed in New York in a provisions dealership. Then he went to Alexandria, Virginia and became a shipping and office clerk in the Robert Portner Brewery. He advanced quickly and in 1883 he became Mr. Portner's partner, secretary, treasurer, and operations manager. In 1895 Mr. Strangmann bought the Geo. Muth Star Brewery in Cleveland with Mr. John M. Leicht. In 1897 the brewery was bought out by a syndicate. Two years later Mr. Strangmann became manager of the German-American Brewing Co. in Buffalo. The officers of this company are: Carl A. Strangmann, president; Ernst Mühlhauser, vice-president; John F. Nagel, secretary; Carl J. Weidemann, treasurer.

The Iroquois Brewery

The Iroquois Brewery on Pratt Street near Broadway as it stands today is not only the largest brewery in Buffalo but also one of the most modernly equipped facilities in the country. Furthermore the Iroquois Brewery is not only the oldest in Buffalo but also the first brewery in the United States in which lager beer was brewed.

The original brewery was built in 1840 by Jacob Roos. At that time Broadway was called Batavia Street and the area of Pratt Street was called Sandy Town. The prosperity of the brewery dates back to the time when it had been in the possession of Mr. Leonard Burgweger for 17 years and it was renovated and significantly enlarged. Since then the old building has disappeared and a new, modern building has taken its place, equipped with the newest machinery and devices. The products of this brewery are sold well beyond the limits of the city and the state.

The Iroquois Brewing Co. is run the following officers: Leonard Burgweger, president and operations manager; Henry Burgweger, secretary and assistant operations manager; Thimmert Bartholomay, treasurer. Mr. Leonard Burgweger found his son, Mr. Henry Burgweger, to be an excellent assistant. The young man is well acquainted with all the individual aspects of the large operation. He has an enterprising spirit and "push". Many improvements are due to his initiative.

Edgewater Park

One of the best known and most loved summer resorts is on idyllic Grand Island, an isolated little piece of the earth where nature and art go hand in hand. Edgewater is a small paradise, a true "Sans Souci". When the summer sun scorches the city and sweltering humanity is looking for a cool breath of air, Edgewater Park is the destination of thousands of tourists. From early morning to late at night they come and go on colorful boats filled with happy children of humanity. At Edgewater they find everything they've been looking for: cool shady places, green pastures, colorful scenery and the scent of flowers, music, and amusement.

And making sure that the inner man is satisfied, that he has a cool, potent drink, and that he has a bite to eat - this is the job of the man who presides over Edgewater Park, the hospitable German Mr. William Boetsch.

Mr. Boetsch was born in Buffalo on June 14, 1862 as the son of brewer Wilhelm Boetsch and his wife Anna. He attended the public schools and became a brewer like his father. In 1892 he took over the management of the summer resort known as Edgewater Park. Under his management the park has prospered and today it is a chief resort for German clubs and lodges. Edgewater offers the best hotel ammenities. It has bowling alleys, billiard and pool rooms, dance halls, playgrounds for children, carousels, a Ferris Wheel, etc. An excellent kitchen delivers meals at any time. Mr. Boetsch has his own steamboat, which travels between the Edgewater landing (connected with the Niagara Falls Trolley Car) and the island. Mr. Boetsch, a member of the Teutonia Liederkranz, the Harugaris, the Eagles, the Swabian Support Association, and other organizations, married Miss Clara Blessing. The happy union has been blessed with 6 children: Edward, Charlotte, William, Frederick, Anna, Henriette.

Caption under picture at center reads Edgewater Park

This is the end of section 3

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Susan Kriegbaum-Hanks
Revised September 15, 2005