Museum of American Glass in West Virginia facts for kids
The West Virginia Museum of American Glass is a special place in Weston, West Virginia. It's in Lewis County, West Virginia, USA. This museum started in 1993. Its main goal is to find, collect, and share information about the glass industry. They focus on glass made in West Virginia, across the United States, and even other places. In 2008, the museum's name changed. It became "The Museum of American Glass in West Virginia." This new name shows that the museum collects glass from all over America, not just West Virginia.
Contents
History of the Glass Museum
For many years, Lewis County in West Virginia was a big center for making glass. In the 1940s, it was known as the world's largest maker of hand-blown stemware. About thirty glass factories once operated there.
How the Museum Started
In 1990, a man named Dean Six had an idea. He was a glass expert and author. He thought West Virginia needed a big museum to save the history of its glass industry. He wanted a place to show glass items and help people study them.
Dean's idea reached Merle Moore, who worked for the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce. She invited Dean to Weston. With some help, they formed a study group. This group included people from the local area, the government, and the glass industry. They all agreed that a glass museum and research center was a great idea.
Building the Museum
In May 1992, a group called the Weston Area Glass History and Study Group formed. It was made up of retired glassworkers and people who loved glass history. This group worked hard to create the museum. They raised money and bought old glass pieces for the future museum.
The West Virginia Museum of American Glass, Ltd. officially became a non-profit organization on May 7, 1993. This meant it could operate to help the public. Later, in 1994, it received tax-exempt status. This helped the museum get donations and support its work.
Finding a Home
In 1995, there were ideas to put the museum in old buildings in Weston. But these buildings were not available. Then, in October 1996, the museum received a state grant. This money helped them buy a building.
In the winter of 1996, some of the museum's glass was shown in a local antique mall. On April 25, 1998, the museum officially opened to the public. It was in a former drug store building in downtown Weston. This first space was about 800 square feet.
As the museum's collection grew, they needed a bigger place. In September 2006, they bought the former JCPenney's department store. This much larger building at 230 Main Avenue has been the museum's home ever since.
The Museum's Glass Collection
The museum has an amazing collection of American glass. It includes glass made from the 1800s until today. About 18,000 pieces of glass are on display for everyone to see. There are also many more pieces stored for research and study.
Many people and groups have given their glass collections to the museum. For example, the museum has Steuben Glass from a famous Broadway producer. It also has Cameo glass by West Virginia artist Kelsey Murphy. Plus, there are glass paperweights from the Degenhart Museum.
Research Library
The Dorothy B. Dagherty Research Library is a great place to learn. It has thousands of books about glass history. You can also find books to help identify different types of glass. The library holds old records from the American Flint Glass Workers' Union of North America. These include meeting notes and their monthly magazine, "The American Flint."
Museum Archives
The museum also keeps many important historical papers. These are called archives. They include hundreds of original glass catalogs. You can also find old letters from glass factories, advertisements, and photographs. There are even original drawings and records of how glass was made. The archives also have unique records from the American Flint Glass Workers' Union. These show important details about both glass and labor history. The museum also has a "virtual museum" online. It lists over 34,000 glass objects and thousands of photos and documents.
Museum Programs and Events
Before the museum even officially started, a glass history conference was held in Weston in 1992. Now, the museum hosts an event called the Glass Gathering every year. It's a two-day research conference. It takes place in Weston one year and a different city the next.
Other yearly events include a symposium about American Mid-Century Modern Glass. The museum also hosts meetings for "The Ancient and Honorable Order of Glass Flakes." This is a special group of well-known glass researchers and authors from around the world.
