In 1870 William Huttig founded the Huttig Manufacturing Company in Muscatine, Iowa. He was born in Germany and came to Iowa and studied music. Then he started a grocery business followed by the manufacture of doors and sills and sashes. This business was founded in 1870. In 1882 his two sons, below, left for Kansas City and built the Western Sash and Door Company. It was at 22nd and Grand. My Great Grandfather, George Vetter, worked at the mill in Muscatine and when the brothers went south to KC he went with them. He started on the lowest rung and worked his way up to Superintendent of the Kansas City millworks. Michael Bushnell made significant contributions to this post, from the Northeast News archives.
Above, Western Sash and Door building. Foreground is the future location of Union Station. Another view of the factory below.
In 1906 this building was closed and a new one built in Northeast on Wilson Road. The new building stood where Price Chopper and the Northeast Library stand now. The photo below was taken in 1925, the others of the buildings are from 1940. With the construction of the new location my Great Grandfather moved from a house at 2002 Broadway to a house at 645 Brighton Avenue.
The building below sits just behind the dirt mound on the right in the above photo.
Below, this building sat where the Northeast Library sits now.
My Grandfather's car, below, is parked in front of the building above.
My Great Grandfather in his car, below, and car by itself, above. Car is parked outside Huttig Mills.
Below, George and Annie Vetter.
