this blog
Posts
Edward Leopold Steuk was born in the Village of Doneuvitz, Province of Podolia, Russia, to
William Edward Steuk and his wife, the former Johanna Straese. The Steuk family
was of Prussian heritage, and both William Edward Steuk and his father Johann
Steuk worked as cloth manufacturers. When just a youngster, Edward came with
his family to the United States. For a time, William E. Steuk was involved in
the clothing business, while his wife ran a grocery store on Market Street in
Sandusky. Eventually he bought some land on Venice Road, and he
began to raise grapes and manufacture native wine.
Edward L. Steuk worked with
his father in the wine business. In the 1870s the Steuk winery was at the
corner of Market and Decatur Streets. In 1881, Edward L. Steuk married Julia
Harms, the daughter of pioneer grape grower from Put in Bay.
Pictured below are Edward L. Steuk,
his wife Julia, and their first two children, William Ludwig Steuk and Elmer
Carl Steuk. Later they had another son
named Edward Frederick Steuk.
Edward L. Steuk carried on the family
wine business after his father’s death. This advertisement appeared in the 1912
Sandusky City Directory:
Hewson L. Peeke wrote about Mr. Steuk in his
book A Standard History of Erie County, Ohio (Lewis Publishing Co., 1916):
“Among the energetic and
enterprising Erie County men who have met with assured success in the culture
of grapes is Edward Leopold Steuk, of Sandusky, who has established an
extensive and remunerative business in that line of industry.” This picture,
taken not long before Mr. Steuk's death, shows a happy and healthy
gentleman who found success in his adopted homeland of America.
Later generations carried on the
family wine business for several years. During Prohibition, the Steuk family
concentrated on selling fruit from its orchards. After Prohibition ended, the family went back to making wine as well as running Steuk’s Market at the
intersection of Routes 2 and 6 on the west side of Erie County. After the
construction of the Route 2 Bypass, travelers on the highway could see the big red
apple from Steuk’s Market. Steuk’s closed in 1997, but hundreds of local
residents and tourists have wonderful memories of this longtime local business.
3 comments:
I remember many happy years going to Steuks in the fall to watch the apple press. The wonderful aroma of the pressing room and the fresh baked smells from the adjacent room where you purchased the cider, donuts and my favorite, the apple fritters! In that big old barn. And in the summer we always stopped at the main store while taking a ride in the car, my mother and grandmother made their purchases, all I don't remember but I do remember the meats, cheeses and honey. There was a large candy display in the 60's and us children each got to pick one of the many flavors of suckers. They were a rounded rectangle with a flat back. Delicious! A lovely place for families to go.
I also remember buying grape juice here,five gallons at a time, for the purpose of making my own homemade wine. Their pink Catawba juice made good wine. Sometimes it was so good our family drank most of the juice before we got around to making the wine.
I remember stopping here on my way to my grandmother's house or going to Cedar Point in the 80s/90s. The apple cider and fritters were amazing. Apple fritters are my favorite doughnut thanks to this place. I hope I never forget that giant apple on top of the roof.
Post a Comment