G Wm Doerzbach and Bro

• Also Known As: G William Doerzbach and Bro

• American

William Doerzbach, the eldest of four sons of German immigrants, started advertising as a carpenter about I878. He was joined in this occupation by his brothers, George, Pred, and Jacob. After several years, George abandoned carpentry to sell "talking machines" and insurance. The other brothers formed the contracting firm headed by William, G Wm Doerzbach and Bro. Under this title they erected hotels, offices, college buildings, churches, courthouses, jails, and filtration plants. Examples of their skill in Sandusky included the Biemiller Opera House (razed, 1955); the Hotel Rieger, Sandusky's first "fireproof "hotel; Star Joumal Building; and the Third National Bank (NR), They also constructed the Bentley Science Building (razed, 1972) whose architect was Wilm Enox, at Lake Erie College; Baldwin Cottage, Peters Hall, and Talcott Hall, designed by Weary and Kramer, at Oberlin College; and the administration building at the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Home, just south of Sandusky, among others throughout northern Ohio. G Wm, Doerzbach and Bro also maintained a stone yard at 930 Camp St, Sandusky. This was an important facility in a community which has more limestone buildings than anywhere else in the State of Ohio. - NRHP