Kunhardt Mill
George E. Kunhardt (1862-1935), of German and Irish parents, was born in New York. He came to Lawrence in 1886 to establish the woolen manufacturing firm, Philips & Kunhardt; he was only 25 years old.Prior to founding the firm, Kunhardt had had extensive training in textiles in both England and Germany.
The Kunhardt Mill manufactured woolens, worsteds and uniform cloth for menswear. Between 1886 and 1926 the following changes were made:
Kumhardt extends the property and adds many more buildings, including
By 1885, as his partner Stanhope Philips retired and George Kunhardt took control as president of the company, the firm became known as the George E. Kunhardt Corporation.
As a member of the Executive Committee of the National Association of Wool Manufacturers, Kunhardt was active in the development of wage policies and wool tariffs. Outside the mills, he was a board member of the Lawrence General Hospital, senior warden at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in North Andover, and supported the Lawrence YMCA and the North Andover Country Club.
After he retired in 1932, Kunhardt's sons managed the firm until bankruptcy during the Depression.