Rosswog Fancy Steam Dyeing

Old Time Erie Rosswog photo ©Harry Bierig.

Julius Rosswog came to the U.S. from Endigen, Baden, Germany in 1888 and opened a fancy steam dyeing business at 1320 Turnpike St. in Erie, PA. He moved to a new building at the corner of 14th and Peach in 1892. His son, Robert J. Rosswog, bought the business in 1902. Julius died in 1905 at the age of 74; he was married twice and had eleven children.

When he was a young man, Robert learned the cleaning and dyeing trade from his father. He bought the building on 14th and Peach six years after he bought the cleaners, and then bought the lot next door so he could expand. He employed 12 people in his 40' x 90' plant after installing Hoffman Sanitary Steam presses.

The photo of the Rosswog family includes Karolina, Josephine, Amelia Brucker Rosswog, Julius Sr. and Robert Rosswog. The building shown here was demolished when Turnpike Street was eliminated.

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