Morgantown in Monongalia County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Seneca Glass Company
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 20, 2014
1. Seneca Glass Company Marker
Inscription.
Seneca Glass Company. . In 1891, a small group of glass-making artisans from Seneca County, Ohio, founded the Seneca Glass Company. For almost 100 years, Seneca Glass Company’s highly skilled craftspeople manufactured glassware and exquisitely etched lead crystal by hand, sometimes taking twelve man hours to produce a single goblet. Elmer Jacobs, a prominent Morgantown architect, designed the towering 100-foot conical glass furnace and a large part of the original brick factory. Skilled people were necessary in a plant with with the technology of the Seneca Glass Company. Many original workers came from Europe, particularly from France, Belgium and Germany, and lived in the neighborhood surrounding the factory, which was also called Seneca. Women were etchers, washers and packers in the factory. Customers include Eleanor Roosevelt, President Lyndon Johnson and the U.S. State Department. The factory closed in 1983 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1891, a small group of glass-making artisans from Seneca County, Ohio, founded the Seneca Glass Company. For almost 100 years, Seneca Glass Company’s highly skilled craftspeople manufactured glassware and exquisitely etched lead crystal by hand, sometimes taking twelve man hours to produce a single goblet. Elmer Jacobs, a prominent Morgantown architect, designed the towering 100-foot conical glass furnace and a large part of the original brick factory. Skilled people were necessary in a plant with with the technology of the Seneca Glass Company. Many original workers came from Europe, particularly from France, Belgium and Germany, and lived in the neighborhood surrounding the factory, which was also called Seneca. Women were etchers, washers and packers in the factory. Customers include Eleanor Roosevelt, President Lyndon Johnson and the U.S. State Department. The factory closed in 1983 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
N, 79° 57.76′ W. Marker is in Morgantown, West Virginia, in Monongalia County. Marker is on Beechurst Avenue (West Virginia Route 7) north of 7th Street when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 709 Beechurst Ave, Morgantown WV 26505, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Wikipedia Entry. “In the Fall of 1896, it was announced that the company would move to Morgantown, West Virginia. Morgantown was a desirable location because of transportation, fuel, and raw materials—and a cash subsidy. River transportation between Pittsburgh and Morgantown improved during the 1890s because of a new river lock on the Monongahela River. Railroad transportation became available after the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad connected Morgantown to the nation’s railroad network. Oil and gas had recently been discovered in the area, providing more options for fuel in addition
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 20, 2014
2. Seneca Glass Company Marker
to the coal that was abundant in the area. Good quality sand, used as a raw material for glassmaking, was available nearby in both the river and mountains. The Seneca Glass Company had additional reasons to move to Morgantown. It received free land, low-priced gas, and $20,000 (over $500,000 in 2013 dollars) as enticement to move.” (Submitted on June 20, 2014.)
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 20, 2014
3. Seneca Glass Company, Now Seneca Center
Glass furnace building, on the left, with the conical chimney. The factory complex is now Seneca Center, a collection of retail shops and offices. The hallways are a museum filled with Morgantown glass pieces and photographs of the glassworks.
Photographed By Bradley Owen, November 30, 2020
4. Plate Displayed At Entrance To The Building
Credits. This page was last revised on November 30, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 20, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 718 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 20, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4. submitted on November 30, 2020, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
