Stepping into Historic Rochester

Stepping into Historic Rochester. H.C. Fry Glass Company. , Henry Clay Fry was born in 1840 near Lexington, Kentucky, and at the age of 16 he found his way to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was employed by the William Phillips and Company glasshouse in 1856 until 1862 when Fry left to join the Union Army during the Civil War. After the Civil War, Fry returned to Pittsburgh and was involved with several glass manufacturing firms before coming to Rochester. In 1872 Fry began his legacy in the glass industry and made manufacturing history in the county. Along with several area businessmen, he became the first president of the Rochester Tumbler Works. The Rochester Tumbler Works became the most important glass factory in the world. At its peak, the company employed 1,100 people and was producing 75,000 dozen glass tumblers weekly. In 1901 the Rochester Tumbler Works was destroyed by fire and after some disagreements with associates, he decided to sever his ties and move on., In 1901, H.C. Fry, along with his two sons, organized the Rochester Glass Company, which later become known as H.C. Fry Glass Company. This new factory was in North Rochester and was recognized as the most modern and well-equipped glass factory in the world., The H.C. Fry Glass Company made industrial history in the Rochester community in the early part of the 20th century. In production were some of the finest glassware made in America and provided a major source of employment for area citizens. The company employed immigrants from Germany, Italy, Ireland, Sweden, and many other countries. These workers were selected and brought to America by Fry for their glass working expertise and considered the most skilled glassworkers in the world., Among the first lines of wares produced at the Fry factory were high quality lead glass blanks for the cut glass trade. Not only were these lead glass blanks cut in-house at the Fry factory, they were also sold to cutting shops nationwide to be finished and marketed as their own products. The H.C. Fry Glass Company was acknowledged worldwide for the purity, and crystal-clear quality of its lead glass, and the design and precision of its cut glass pattems. Several first prize awards were presented to the H.C. Fry Company at expositions and trade shows all over the globe for its superior cut glass products., As the demand for cut glass products in America began to diminish in 1915, the Fry factory evolved with the times, but the quality never wavered. High quality etched glass wares went into production. These lines featured floral, geometric, naturistic, and lifelike human designs, and were accomplished through an extensive acid etching process. Colored glass tableware and decorative ware were also in production. The Fry factory was well known for its bright, vibrant colors such as, Rose Pink, Amber, Emerald Green, Black, Fuchsia, and two different shades of blue. The colored glass decorative and tableware lines were vast and included a piece for nearly any application., In 1915, Fry began production of what was to become its largest, most popular and practical line of glassware. Fry's heat resistant cooking glass was an immediate success and changed the way Americans cooked their food. The first heat resistant oven glass produced by Fry was a clear glass called "Lime Glass". Later the formula was refined, and the opalescent Fry oven glass was created. The opalescent oven glass lines saw many years of success, and due to its popularity, the recipe was refined once more to evolve into Fry's opalescent FOVAL Art Glass. FOVAL, an acronym for the words Fry Ovenglass Art Line, was produced in the mid-1920s, and required the work of Fry's most skilled glass makers. Fry's FOVAL Art Glass is indeed a true form of artistry and is coveted by collectors still today., The Fry factory also manufactured several types of glassware for industrial applications. Several different sizes and styles of lenses were made for motion picture cameras and industrial lighting applications, along with laboratory glass, electrical insulators and optical glass. Also founded in 1918 was The Guarantee Liquid Measure Company which manufactured the famous Fry Visible Gasoline pumps, along with many other products supplied to the petroleum industry., Due to H.C. Fry's death in 1929 and the Great Depression, the decline of the H.C. Fry Glass Company began and operations ceased in 1933. During his time in Rochester, Mr. Fry was highly respected by not only his employees, but also citizens of Rochester. He was a beloved figure in the community and was responsible for many accomplishments aside from the glass industry. He was a member of both the Town Council and school board and built a continuation school for his employees and their children to further better their education. He was the first president of the Duquesne Light Company and helped organize and was the first president of the First National Bank of Rochester. Mr. Fry also had a key role in organizing the First Baptist Church in Rochester, where he filled the role as Sunday School Superintendent for several years. The impact that Mr. Fry had on the town of Rochester has had a lasting effect, and it is safe to say that without him our town would not be what it is today.