Day One

The first day of our trip began with an 8:30 Monday morning departure from the board office on our way to Williamstown, WV. There we visited Gabbert Cullert glass company. This is a glass recycling company, buying glass from recyclers, then sorting and selling it to what remains of the glass industry in West Virginia. This company sells glass to customers around the world by way of the internet. Gabbert Cullet

The next stop on the first day was at Fenton Art  Glass Company, also in Williamstown, WV. Fenton Art Glass Company was started in 1905 in Martin's Ferry, Ohio by John and Frank Fenton. Fenton Art Glass 

The brothers began by painting decorations on glass manufactured by others. However, glass was soon not available to them and they began to produce their own. The unique colors produced by Fenton Art Glass soon had them in the forefront of the art glass industry.

 

 

Fenton Art Glass now produces only glass beads as competition has reduced their work force from several hundred to only thirteen. Fenton Glass products are still available in their gift shop as shown by the glass mushroom shown  below.

Our last stop was at The Oglebay Institute in Wheeling , WV. Oglebay Institute The Oglebay Glass Museum is one of several museums and education facilities run by the Institute. The glass museum displays glass products made in Wheeling from 1820 to 1939, like the glass canes pictured below.

The Glass Museum also offers glass blowing demonstrations as a part of its education program. Four of our teachers were lucky enough to make their own glass paperweight under the guidance of their master craftsman.

Day One concluded with a short trip to our hotel to reflect on the first day and to finally relax.


References

http://www.oionline.com/about.

http://www.fentonartglass.com/history.asp