This home was built in 1920 for prominent Erie cigar manufacturer,
George Wingerter. George and his brother, Adam, both originally from
Erie, opened a cigar shop in Central City, Colorado in 1883, where they
operated for two years before returning to Erie in 1885. In that year,
the brothers formed Wingerter Brothers Cigars, and the firm became one
of the largest cigar manufacturers in Erie. George was a travelling
salesman, selling the company’s products on the road, while Adam
remained in Erie, operating the firm’s factory at 926 State Street.
Before opening his own firm, George learned the cigar trade from
prominent cigar manufacturer Manley & Company, of Chicago. After
working with the company for a decade, George worked for E.A. Fette in
Colorado for four years. With his expertise in the cigar industry,
George and his brother became one of the largest cigar manufacturers in
Northwestern Pennsylvania, and successfully operated their firm for
over thirty-five years in the City of Erie.
George commissioned the construction of this home towards the
end of his career with Wingerter Brothers Cigars. Over the last
century, multiple families have lived in the home. In 2016, Gannon
University uses the property as a Christian community residence and
renamed the home the “Kirk House.”
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