Ford City in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
John B. Ford
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 3, 2025
1. John B. Ford Marker
John B. Ford,
Father of the Plate Glass Industry in America, by three thousand employees on the eightieth anniversary of his birth
November 17, 1891.
Erected 1891 by The Employees of Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is November 17, 1891.
Location. 40° 46.184′ N, 79° 31.99′ W. Marker is in Ford City, Pennsylvania, in Armstrong County. It is on 3rd Avenue north of 8th Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located in Ford City Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 840 3rd Avenue, Ford City PA 16226, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Pittsburgh. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: German World War II Cannon (a few steps from this marker); Ford City Veterans Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Liberty Tree Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Ford City Anniversary (within shouting distance of this marker); The Ford City Park (within shouting distance of this marker); The Flood That Changed Ford City (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line);
this page online
Regarding John B. Ford. Ford City was founded in 1887 as a company town by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company (now PPG Industries) as the site for its Works No. 3 glass factory. The town was named in honor of the company founder, John Baptiste Ford. The factory employed as many as 5,000 workers in its heyday. PPG shut down its Ford City operations in the 1990s.
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 3, 2025
2. John B. Ford Marker
Photographed by Bradley Owen, October 3, 2025
3. John B. Ford Marker
Monument is located at the left of the flagpole.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 25, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 43 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 25, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
