Without water, tanneries could not operate. Located upstream from Route 202, the water from Sandy Stream was used in the production processes and transportation. The tannery’s location was ideal for locals and passers-by. Its rich forests, water sources, close location to cattle/boar farms, and location on trade routes, made the tannery easily accessible by horse or by foot.
The abundance of trees was a primary reason for the production of the tanning business and Unity was ideal. Oak, chestnut, sumac and eastern hemlock covered the surrounding forest; while hemlock served as the one most important tree species for tanning purposes.
The area was quickly recognized for its rich old growth forests, and its abundance of White Pine and Hemlock trees. Tanneries began to pop up all over the Waldo County area. Hemlock bark was one of the most important ingredients in the tanning process, therefore tanneries searched out certain locations that where next to running water, and within the vicinity of the hemlock stands. A businessman named David Pingree from Massachusetts realized the profits that could be made by operating a tannery in the remote area, and in 1836 financed the construction of a tannery in Unity. Over the next couple of years the ownership of the tannery changed hands, but it always remained in the same location on Sandy Stream (Vickery).
In order for a leather tannery to exist, there is a particular combination of contributing factors and aspects that when brought together, constitute to make up the tanning of leather hides. Some of the basic components of a tanning industry include a flowing stream or river, preferably cold water in order to rinse and wash the hides during the tanning process. The quality of the water is also important for purification purposes. The cleaner and cooler the water the better the tanning process. Another ideal for a tannery is it to be located somewhere that it is accessible to all the other resources of the tanning operation. Another good reason the area was a perfect place for raising cattle, sheep, and pigs, which are main ingredients in the tanning process, is because of the remoteness of Unity. Here livestock can be raised on lots of open land, for a very low price, which in turn produces a greater profit for the farmer. Also the animals can be raised and slaughtered right here and then transported straight over to the tannery for processing. Rather than requiring the animals to be shipped in from somewhere else. When cattle and other animals are raised locally in a remote location and processed and transported with minimal energy then profits, time, and energy are maximized.
Another key ingredient in the tanning process is the bark which is used to tan the leather. The bark of the hemlock tree makes the best tanning agent, but other trees such as oak and ash can be used as well. The location of hemlock trees in this area played a key role in why the tannery was located here. When early settlers first discovered Unity, they found an abundance of hemlock trees all throughout the area. The stands of trees were especially thick on the top of Quaker Hill, and all along the road leading to what is now known as Albion. It was extremely important that the tannery be located fairly close to the source of the bark. During those times it was very difficult to move a very large tree or a couple of tons of tree bark to the source for processing, because all they had were horse and oxen-driven carriages.
According to Alfred Weber, an equation can be developed to show how materials and energy are used in the tanning process and what mix is necessary in order for it to succeed. Weber and his students determined the equation involving the labor used to gather the ingredients, the process it takes to produce the leather and the materials used by the tannery, the location of the supplies and cost of transport, and the labor it takes to extract the materials. One can then develop how the products and energy are used in an efficient way. The equation here will show where the tannery needs to be relative to the location of supplies, so that cost and energy does not outweigh the end profits. If the cost of transporting hides to market is the same in several cases, then hides can influence the location of a tannery twice as strongly as the market, and tree bark can influence the location of a tannery seven times as strongly. Therefore the location and orientation of a tannery is based mainly on the location of tree bark, and how accessible it is (Edgar Hoover).
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