Kohler & Frohling played key roles in the development of the Southern California wine industry. They were the founders of the Anaheim colony in 1857, when 50 German-American families from the San Francisco area paid $750 each to invest in the Los Angeles Vineyard Society. Settlers voted to call the community "Annaheim",

the "anna" referring to the Santa Ana River and "heim" meaning home in German. Later

the name was changed slightly to Anaheim. Anaheim became a well-planned, well-executed agricultural experiment devoted to the production of grapes and wine.

Kohler and Frohling hired George Hansen, Los Angeles County's assistant surveyor, to purchase and lay out the new wine-making colony. Kohler was also a member of the Los Angeles Common Council, the governing body of that city. Kohler and Frohling planted 3,000 vines of wine grapes in the Los Angeles area. Anaheim remained largely an agricultural community until Disneyland opened in 1955.