Alfred Dolge

Alfred Dolge (December 22, 1848 – January 5, 1922) was a German born industrialist, inventor, and author of two books.

Originally an importer and manufacturer of piano materials he later founded his own factory, manufacturing felt products at Brockett’s Bridge, Fulton County, New York which in 1887 was renamed to Dolgeville, New York.

Alfred Dolge was born December 22, 1848 in Chemnitz, Saxony. He attended public school in Leipzig until he was 17 when he entered his fathers’ business, the A. Dolge and Co., Piano Manufacturers, as an apprentice. He pursued high school studies in a night school conducted by the Free Masons in Leipzig and received his diploma from them. He first came to the United States in 1865, when he was 17. He remained permanently in 1868 and worked in piano making and importing in New York City. In 1874 Dolge went to Brockett's Bridge, Fulton County, New York, prospecting for spruce wood to be used for piano sounding boards. He purchased the old Brockett building and in April 1875, he began manufacturing felt in it, later known as the Dolge Company Factory Complex. Within a few years Brockett's Bridge grew from 325 to over 2,000 inhabitants, many of whom were German immigrants, whom he had interested in the area by advertisements and agents. Eventually, Dolge built felt mills, made felt shoes, autoharps, piano cases, piano sounding boards, piano hammers, ran lumber yards, and contributed to the local physical infrastructure and educational needs.In 1887 the citizens unanimously petitioned the authorities at Washington to change the name of the place from Brockett’s Bridge to Dolgeville, New York.

Dolge failed financially and left Dolgeville in May 1899. He lived in California and started a business there. He died in Milan, Italy on January 5, 1922 on a round the world tour. He is buried in the Dolgeville cemetery.

In late 2014, Alfred Dolge's 1895 mansion, which stood behind the historic factory complex was destroyed by fire. The mansion was owned by Charles Soukup, who had recently purchased and converted the Dolge Company Factory Complex. To date, the cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

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