Conrad Poppenhusen: The Life of a German-American Industrial Pioneer (SIGNED COPY)
by: James E. Haas

Softcover. Baltimore, Gateway Press, 1st, 2004, Book: Very Good, Dust Jacket: None, Softcover, 164 pages, b&w illustrations. SIGNED BY HAAS on the title page. This is the story of a 19th century German-American industrialist who made his fortune manufacturing hard rubber combs thanks to his friendship with Charles Goodyear and his invention, vulcanized rubber. Poppenhusen founded a town, College Point, New York, and became a much-loved philanthropist funding churches, libraries and an educational institute that is today both a National and New York City landmark, the Institute that bears his name. He was an innovator in education introducing the first free kindergarten for his workers and the people of the town, perhaps the first corporate day care facility in the U.S. He made the catastrophic mistake of getting involved in the railroads in the late 1860's and used his vast fortune to bring about the consolidation of what has come down to us today as the Long Island Railroad.