Category:Cigar Manufacturing and Marketing in Allentown, Pennsylvania

Allentown was a major center of cigar production in the 1800s and early 1900s.

In the 19th century, Allentown's Ruhe family was among the bigger cigar makers. It was a family tradition. John F. Ruhe was followed by his son, Charles A. Ruhe, and he was followed by his sons, Joseph, Charles and Frederick, who were followed by their sons, Edward, John and George.

William Nonnermacher ran a thriving cigar business from 1870 to 1910 from his factory on Hamilton Street near Hall. Francis P. Hunsicker opened a cigar business in 1882 and by 1914 had 17 employees that turned out over five million cigars a year. His offices were in the 11 story Hunsicker Building on N. 7th Street.

In 1909, Allen R. Cressman Sons, one of the largest cigar makers in the state, came to Allentown and in 1911 opened a factory that employed 200 people at Ridge and Green streets, turning out the popular "Councillor Cigar." Victor Thorsch Company, Bondy & Lederer, "44" Cigar Company and Bayuk Brothers Company were among the other big cigar makers. Along with the big factories were 40 smaller cigar makers.

Cigar boxes were another major local industry. The best known were A.H. Balliet's plant at the corner of Franklin and Warren streets. Built in 1907, the five-story brick factory employed between 250 and 275 workers. They imported cedar logs from Cuba to make the cigar boxes.

A combination of things did in the Lehigh Valley's cigar industry. In the 1880s, a machine was invented that could mass produce cigarettes, and by the 1920s, cigarettes were the smoke of choice. The development of huge multi-national tobacco companies gradually forced the small cigar makers out of business. Then, the Great Depression of the 1930s killed off what was left of the Lehigh Valley's already weakened cigar industry.