Born in Hanover, Germany, Louis Ehlers (1858-1946) immigrated to the United States in 1870. He settled in what is now Shiner and married Alwine Wied in 1883. In 1894, Ehlers opened a cigar factory, housed in a structure in front of his family’s property on Avenue H. The business was one of the first major enterprises in the town of Shiner. He hired five union men who made one cent for each cigar rolled. The cigars were then packed into wooden boxes. Ehler’s cigars were renowned across the state, with particular popularity in Pecos and Wichita Falls. Ehlers invested the funds back into the community. The factory ran until 1945. The building was later moved. (2023)