Toward the end of the 19th century until the mid-20th century, up to 90% of gloves sold in the United States were made in only one place: Gloversville, New York. An hour's drive away from Albany, Gloversville was first settled by New England Puritans in the late 18th century. The abundance of clear water and hemlock bark (used in leather tanning) eventually lured skilled workers from Europe's glove-making centers, reshaping the physical layout of the town and its cultural heritage to reflect the German, Polish, and Italian roots of its new residents.