Fenton Home Furnishings

Woolen Mill History Since 1894, the Frankenmuth Woolen Mill has provided luxurious wool-filled comforters and other woolen goods. Were rich in history, crafting high quality, hand-tied, wool-filled comforters, wool batting and roving from raw fleece for over 112 years. Same products, same name, same location! In 1894, sheep herding was an important local industry in mid-Michigan, so Franz Ranke built the mill to serve the local farmers. In 1910, Ben Felgner and William Abraham joined Ranke as partners. At this time, automatic knitting machines and other modern equipment were added. When the First World War broke out in Europe, the U.S. Government awarded the Frankenmuth Woolen Mill a contract for 66, 000 pairs of socks for our doughboys. By this time, with 24 women and 5 men, the Frankenmuth Woolen Mill had the largest payroll in Frankenmuth. When WWI ended, the Mill began expanding its line of wool-filled comforters to replace the rapidly shrinking market for horse blankets and army socks. These comforters, highly prized by the local population, would continue to be the core of the business for the next thirty years.