Every week we publish a historic photo highlighting a story from Naperville’s past from the history archives of Naper Settlement.
Before the automobile changed life in America forever in the early 1900s, the horse-and-buggy trade was a thriving business in Naperville.
Among the most successful was Strubler & Hiltenbrand Carriage Repository, which was reviewed in glowing terms in Holland’s Business Directory in 1886.
The business was owned by “Daniel Strubler and Joseph H. Hiltenbrand, two gentlemen who have the reputation of being practically masters of their respective trades — the former as ironer, the latter as wood-worker — with a record for fair dealing, good work, promptness and low prices, of which the most exacting could not fairly complain.”
Their motto, “Best Work, Lowest Prices,” was touted in the review.
Much like the car dealers do today, Strubler & Hiltenbrand had displays of the buggies, carriages, and farm and spring wagons they produced and sold. And just like modern car dealerships, repairs were a big part of a successful business.
Strubler focused on blacksmithing while Hiltenbrand fixed wagons. Both men were Naperville natives.
Strubler was born in 1837, the fourth son of George and Salome Strubler. The family was of German descent, but George Strubler had been born in Alsace, France.
In 1854, Strubler apprenticed in the blacksmith and horseshoeing trade at age 17. He soon built a house at 232 Washington St., with his blacksmith shop located just south of it. (Today the site is the current home of Karisma Boutique.)
In 1857, he began his wagon and carriage business. One year later, he started a blacksmith shop with Sam Shimp, who would sell his share of the business in 1859 when he joined Naperville Plow Works.
In 1866, Strubler won the First Premium award from the DuPage County Agricultural and Mechanical Association for horseshoes finished with a hammer.
He teamed up with Hiltenbrand in 1872.
Being a successful businessman proved to be good for a political career. Strubler was elected to the Naperville Village Board in 1879.
He would live until 1912. His grave can be found in Naperville Cemetery along with those of his wife, their infant daughter and an adopted daughter.
Hiltenbrand was born in 1849, son of Toussaint Hiltenbrand and Magdalena Clementz Hiltenbrand.
He started making wagons in 1868 and four years later teamed up with Strubler as his business partner. Later on in his career, he would be associated with Goetsch & Son.
Hiltenbrand in 1877 married Mary Eye. The couple had two children.
He was a longtime Naperville resident until 1924, when he and his wife moved to Seattle with their son Victor and his family.
Hiltenbrand died in Seattle in 1925.
The 2010 Downtown Survey puts George A. Duel Horseshoeing and Repairing at 236 S. Washington St.
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The 1892 Sandborn map has this area as part of the complex of what it called the Strubler & Hiltenbrand Wagon Shop.
As cars began replacing horse-and-buggies, the building was repurposed in the 1920s as an auto garage. It was later converted into a store.
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. Andrea Field is the curator of history at Naper Settlement. For more information, go to www.NaperSettlement.org.