George William Doerzbach, General Contractor

G. William Doerzbach is pictured above with a youngster and dog in an undated picture. Mr. Doerzbach was born in Sandusky in 1852 to Christopher and Louisa Doerzbach, both natives of Germany. Hewson Peeke wrote in A Standard History of Erie County (Lewis Publishing, 1916), that “G. William Doerzbach is a man who has largely been the architect of his own fortune.” As a youngster, he worked for the Western Union Telegraph Company. His first trade was cabinet maker, and then he became a carpenter. Eventually he studied in Philadelphia under a leading architect. When he returned to Sandusky, he worked as a general contractor. 

In 1894, G.W. Doerzbach built a bridge crossing Mills Creek. An article in the December 24, 1894 issue of the Sandusky Register reported about the new bridge.

After working independently for several years, he formed a partnership with his brother Fred C. Doerzbach in 1900. Together G.W. Doerzbach and Brother built many important buildings in Sandusky and beyond. The Sandusky Register of December 31, 1922 describes several of their projects:

The Hotel Rieger was built by the Doerzbach brothers in 1911.

Right across the street from Hotel Rieger, G.W. Doerzbach and Brother built the Sandusky Star Journal building (now occupied by the Sandusky Register) from 1920 to 1921:

Now home to Bailey Legal Group, this Market Street building was originally built by the Doerzbachs as Third National Exchange Bank:

Mr. Doerzbach never married. His office and home were located at the corner of Monroe and Camps Streets.

Image courtesy Google Maps

George William Doerzbach died in 1932, and his brother and business partner, Fred C. Doerzbach died in 1934. Both were buried in Sandusky’s Oakland Cemetery. Though the Doerzbach brothers have been gone for decades, many buildings in Sandusky still stand as a testament to their excellent workmanship as general contractors.