Cigar heritage

The latest Tiffin 200 window display features Tiffin cigar manufacturers. During this bicentennial year, local historian Mark Steinmetz of the Tiffin 200 Committee and Seneca County Historical Society is putting together displays highlighting the city's history, and periodically changing them. This display is located in the window of the law office of Randall C. Schwartz, 66 S. Washington St., next to Bailiwicks Coffee Shop. "The W.H. Kildow Cigar Co. was by far the largest and most successful cigar company in Tiffin," Steinmetz said in the display. Williams Kildow started his company around 1892 any by 1910 he was employing 125-150 skilled people. Brands includes El Pensivo, Western Empire and the famous Old Stock. Kildow's sales increased each year, and by 1910 he was making 20 million cigars each year he said. "What's even more amazing is that in 1909, there were 10 other cigar manufacturers other than Kildow listed in the city directory," Steinmetz said. The Kildow Cigar Co. was listed in the city directory as late as 1946. The window display highlights Kildow memorabilia as well as other cigar companies.