125 Years of Commitment to your Best Night's Sleep
The Frankenmuth Woolen Mill was founded in 1894 to process wool from local farm flocks into warm, wool bedding. Local families needed this service to survive harsh Midwestern winters. What started as a quest to aid rural farm life in the nation's Heartland, has now turned into a 125-year tradition of making comfortable, healthy, and quality wool comforters and other wool bedding.
Our historic mill sits upon its original foundation and is surrounded by walls that have witnessed countless hours of hard work and dedication. If these walls could talk (and sometimes late at night they do) they would tell a story of a business that has seen two World Wars, twenty-two US Presidents, and countless changes to our American way of life.
These rough-hewn walls have witnessed the production of millions of pieces of wool bedding that are still made in much the same way as our company's founders made them in 1894.
Today, Matt and Abby Curtis are proud to be only the fourth owners of this historic Woolen Mill. Along with their staff, they look forward to the second century of providing the best all-natural wool bedding for you and your family. Rest assured that 127 years of excellence goes into our wool bedding, which in turn assures you a great nights rest.
Frankenmuth Woolen Mill Timeline
1894
The Frankenmuth Woolen Mill is established by Franz Ranke at 570 S. Main Street, Frankenmuth, Michigan. The woolen mill used locally grown wool to make socks, mitts, quilts, blankets and wool batting.
1903
The first modern World Series of Major League Baseball is held as the Boston Americans top The Pittsburgh Pirates.
1910
As the business grows at the Frankenmuth Woolen Mill, Ranke takes on partners Ben Felgner and William Abraham. The agreement dated December 10th, 1910 gives each man a one third stake in the company.
1904
The first successful field tractor is invented by American Benjamin Holt, using a caterpillar track to spread the weight in heavy agricultural machinery.
1918
The Frankenmuth Woolen Mill’s sales climb to a record $94,000 mostly in part to a government contract to supply woolen socks and mittens for the American troops fighting in France.
1924
Frankenmuth Woolen Mill founder Franz Ranke dies and his shares are sold to remaining partners Abraham and Felgner.
1931
The Star-Spangled Banner, by Francis Scott Key, is approved by President Hoover and Congress as the national anthem.
1948
Ben Felgner sells his share of ownership in the Frankenmuth Woolen Mill to William and Arnold Abraham.
1950
The Korean War begins its three year conflict when troops of North Korea, backed with Soviet weaponry, invade South Korea. This act leads to U.S. involvement when two days later, the United States Air Force and Navy are ordered by President Truman to the peninsula.
1951
William Abraham sells his interest in the Frankenmuth Woolen Mill making Arnold and Myra Abraham owners and managing partners of the mill.
1969
The Apollo program completes its mission. Neil Armstrong, United States astronaut, becomes the first man to set foot on the moon four days after launch from Cape Canaveral. His Apollo 11 colleague, Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. accompanies him.
1977
For only the third time in 83 years the Frankenmuth Woolen Mill has new owners as Gary and Carol McClellan purchase the mill.
1988
The Berlin Wall, after thirty-eight years of restricting traffic between the East and West German sides of the city, begins to crumble when German citizens are allowed to travel freely between East and West Germany for the first time.
2006
The Frankenmuth Woolen Mill changes hands as Abby Curtis becomes its 4th owner.
2011
Matt Curtis joins his wife Abby at the Frankenmuth Woolen Mill as a wholesale division is created. The new division is an instant success as the mill is contracted to produce over a half million dollars of wool bedding in its first year.
2017
Abby and Matt Curtis purchase the land and building that houses the Frankenmuth Woolen Mill making them the owners of Michigan’s oldest woolen mill.
2018
The Frankenmuth Woolen Mill enters into an agreement to purchase wool from transparent, equitable supply chains through Fibershed. This insures that the wool used in the mills bedding is part of the Climate Beneficial Wool Pipeline.
