COEY TANNERY
Coey Tannery was founded in 1955 by Mr. Horace Coey to process raw animal hide into usable leather that could be sold to shoe and glove manufacturers. In 1955 the tannery employed 10 to 12 workers and had a 6400 square foot building. There were only minor additions over the years until 1961 when the plant doubled in size. The plant not only created jobs in Wartrace, it also maintained a constant production flow. The plant remained in excellent condition until a terrible disaster in 1996.
During the late evening hours of September 20, 1996, the town of Wartrace was wakened by the wale of fire trucks racing to Coey Tannery. The fire was unfortunately not a small flame and an influential and historic company was burned to the ground. Although there were no injuries in the fire, the community felt the impact dramatically. The sixty employees were suddenly unemployed.
Under the leadership of Mr. John Mekin Lane and Mrs. Carolyn Lawson, many of the former workers are working to rebuild the tannery. The new tannery will have an improved structural design and is updating to prevent another disaster. The tannery has always been, and will remain, environmentally safe. Although a construction completion date is not known, Wartrace eagerly awaits the opening of this important employer.
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