Monroe County history: Meat processing in Monroe was popular in 19th century
In the 19th century, Monroe’s position as a meat slaughter and processing center in Michigan began with small operations located along Monroe’s central business district and nearby farm areas, according to the Pageant of Historic Monroe book, published in 1926.
Meat dealers of the day (identified as “drovers” who would travel the country to identify and buy cattle to then be “driven” to the slaughterhouse) in Monroe included members of the Fishburn, McCormick, Curtis and Geniac families.
The slaughtering process in Monroe began small in rooms adjacent to the market, much like the slaughter operations at Hoffman’s Market located on 2302 North Dixie Highway which I wrote about a while ago. The 19th century slaughterhouses were located in the Loranger Field area south of Monroe.
One of the larger west-side-based slaughterhouses was the Fishburn Slaughterhouse, located at 800 West 7th Street at Union (the site of the former Weis Manufacturing Company and the current WoodCraft Square facilities). While cattle slaughter was the dominant type of meat processing output at these large-scale facilities, sheep slaughter for shipment to eastern markets along the East Coast was also significant. Additional slaughterhouses were also built on what was the Navarre Farm in the eastern part of Monroe.
It was in 1853 that Ernhardt Schrauder and his family (which included four sons) came to Monroe to work for Monroe’s meat dealers and slaughterhouses. After a few years, Schrauder started a small-scale business where he and his sons made sausage, slaughtered animals and sold them door-to-door in local neighborhoods. The success of Schrauder’s cottage meat business led to opening a market located in the Egle Building on West Front Street in Monroe.
The shop later moved to 6 East Front Street in Monroe, according to the Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory of 1877. Schrauder also built a slaughterhouse on Lang Island – a small island near the Waterloo Mill. Another slaughterhouse was built via a partnership with Henry Heck on the Church farm located on North Monroe Street with larger packing operations for Schrauder and Company built west of Monroe during the 20th century.
It was during this time that a young Charles Micka began his storied career in the meat business. Dick Micka writes, “My dad, Charles Micka, went to work for Schrauder and Company about 1926. He learned something about sausage making there. The Depression hit Monroe hard. He never said much about his activity there other than to say he made deliveries. The only slaughter house that I remember was on Grafton Rd. in Carleton, Michigan about 12 miles north of Monroe. It was called Hause’s Meat Packing. Dad did a lot of business with them early on (1948 - 1954) or thereabouts. I actually saw them slaughter cattle there…Tough business.”
Micka continues, “Then Dad bought his beef from Loewenstein in Detroit. Loewenstein was a Jewish operation and the rabbis did all of the killing. This was a very clean operation and the prices were reasonable for “choice” beef. At the time, there were three grades of beef – U.S. Prime, U.S. Choice and Good. Prime was heavy in suet (fat). Choice was leaner but still had enough suet for flavor and tender cuts. Good was very lean and some parts were tough. The Rabbis were experts in discriminating the best stock in accordance with their religious principles.”
Heck’s son, John, started his meat business in Monroe in the early 1870s. It was located near Henry Heck’s operations at 13 West Front Street. Of course Charles Micka would locate his own meat market on Cole Road. It thrives today as Danny’s II.
Tom Adamich is President – Visiting Librarian Service, a firm he has operated since 1993. He also is Project Archivist for the Greening Nursery Company and Family Archives.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe County history: The story of meat processing in Monroe
