Peter Zimmerman standing behind the counter of his Cigar Factory Shop. Lyle Kotchen Collection
Peter Zimmerman was born in Rauenberg, Germany on May 18, 1861. As a young man, he learned the art of cigar making in his father Henry’s factory, in his home town of Rauenberg. In 1883, Peter emigrated from Germany to New York where he found employment in the cigar industry. From New York, Zimmerman moved first to Ohio, then to Kenosha, Wisconsin. While living in Kenosha in 1890, Mr. Zimmerman met and married Mamie Gales. The couple came to Manistique in 1891, where Zimmerman opened a very successful cigar factory. Mr. Zimmerman was a skilled and prosperous businessman who was extremely popular and well respected in the community.