The Tannery at Fourth and Gilman in Berkeley, California, is a city landmark with a rich history. Its surrounding lot and nearby buildings have been a fundamental part of the manufacturing and textile industries throughout the 20th century, particularly from 1905-1986. In 1905, the West Berkeley tannery was purchased by Manasse-Block Tannery. Their tannery was in business for eighty years until 1986. The founders of The Manasse-Block Tannery both came from the Bay’s close German-Jewish community. August Manasse, born in Napa, was the son of German immigrant who also worked in the tanning business. At the age of 25, he relocated to Oakland and came into partnership with 21-year old Roy Block. Business was booming by the 1910’s and the company was shipping leather all over the United States – Houston, Milwaukee, Salt Lake City, Denver, Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Portland, OR. One newspaper notice admired how the leather had “a distinction of being in a class by itself”. In 1914, Block assumed the president role from Manasse. Following his exit from the business, the Block family owned the tannery for the rest of its productive life. The plant grew steadily until 1956, with its central product being boot and shoe leather. With a rise in overseas shoe production and emergence of synthetic leather, the tanning business weakened. The Manasse-Block Tannery officially closed to the public in 1986. The tannery was then deemed an official landmark in April of 1986. The facilities were eventually sold to Athena Development Corporation, which made the Tannery Project – an endeavor to restore the complex and covert from a run-down set of warehouses into a once-again operating facility. This was completed in 1990, incorporated in 1995 and the office complex now hosts live-work and creative office units.