Wolfeboro Historical Society Photograph Archive General Areas Wolfeboro Falls Area

This is known as the Shoe Factory or the Big Shop, a huge 4-story 200 feet long by 36 feet deep with 2 ells, 36 x 75 feet, on Factory St., now Lehner St., c. 1900. It was built in 1884, burned down in 1887, then rebuilt the same year in the same size. The Cropley and Brother Shoe Co. made shoes there from 1884-1894, employing as many as 300 workers. The Monroe Co. made shoes at the other end of the building from 1884-1891. Owned by the Town in the hopes of attracting business, it was continually controversial and a burden. In 1911, vacant at the time, it was torn down to make way for the power station, except for a section of the west wing, which was reduced to 2 stories. A third story was added in 1925, and that wing stands today at 16-18 Lehner St.

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