Wisteria was purchased in December 1972 by the Schneider family and opened as a bed and breakfast in 2004. Laurel Bricks were filmed for the HGTV Pilot of Home Town, on the courtyard of Wisteria Bed and Breakfast.
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Peter William Schneider purchased St. Joe Brick—located in Louisiana—in 1891, and it is still owned by some of the Schneider family. Bricks with PWS and others with St. Joe can be found in Laurel. Two of Peter William's sons, Henry and Ben, purchased Laurel Brick Works in 1911, and the Schneider family owned the company until the 1980s. The bricks imprinted with the word "LAUREL" were made in the 1920s and 1930s from Laurel clay. The clay was moved to the brick plant by a mule with a cart on rails. When the clay and water were mixed, it was then extruded like toothpaste, cut into slugs, and put into molds. The clay was then pressed and compacted. The word "LAUREL" was then formed on the top of the clay in the mold. This would become the bottom of the finished brick, leaving a smooth surface for floors or paving. The indention compacts the clay in the mold and made a receptacle for the sand and lime (pre cement mortar) used when building walls. Bricks were fired by sawmill slabs (trimmings when boards were cut) . Steam generated on-site powered the plant. Bricks are no longer produced in Laurel.
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