Thursday, October 14 2010
By BILL RETTEW JR. | Polk County Democrat (FL)
Although its been more than 60 years since the last cigar was rolled at the historic cigar factory on Third Avenue, some Bartownians still remember and cherish the mechanized factory.
More than 100,000 cigars a day were produced at the site. The building is now in disrepair and a group of concerned citizens led by Winter Haven and former Bartow resident Ken Atkins launched a campaign to renovate the factory and make it a draw for visitors.
Olga Gentner, 86, worked at the factory inserting hand rolled cigars in packaging sleeves and packing them in boxes that when stacked often reached from almost floor to ceiling.
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