Black plaque № 20133

Willis, TX, United States

Site of Willis Cigar Factory. Following the Civil War, area farmers found the climate and soil conditions of Montgomery County were ideal for the production of tobacco. The varieties grown here were of the highest quality, winning international awards in Chicago and Paris. At the height of local tob

acco production, there were eight cigar operations in Willis. One, the Willis Cigar Factory, was located at this site. Founded by Kentucky native Capt. Thomas Wesley Smith (1829-1901), a Civil War vet

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