Preservation Spotlight: Redeveloping the Brooke County Glass Factory's Cold Metal Building4/22/2023 The history of Wellsburg is written in glass, and one of its authors is the Brooke County Glass Factory. Originally established in 1876, it was one of more than 40 glass factories that operated in Brooke County. The site embodies West Virginia’s industrial heritage and unique connection with the world of glass, yet it is currently vacant and full of potential. Together with other sources of funding, PAWV’s Saving Historic Places Grant will ensure that sites like these will be preserved to both tell the stories of the past and be useful to present and future communities.
For two centuries, West Virginia has been a key figure in glass production. West Virginian soil possesses rich deposits of premier silica sand, a valuable resource needed for glass molding. Combined with the state’s abundance of natural gas, the industry was able to rapidly increase production at a relatively inexpensive cost. And as glass production increased so did advancements in glass making technologies, making production much more streamlined and efficient. The ability to easily produce glass attracted many outside laymen to West Virginian manufacturing companies. Their understanding of the glass trade was minimal, but these untrained laborers were much cheaper to hire and maintain than skilled artisans, resulting in larger workforces toiling in ever-growing factories. As the industry expanded, companies were able to create boomtowns up and down the Ohio River. One of the towns to prosper in this era of expansion was Wellsburg, located in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. The Brooke County Glass Factory, sometimes known locally as the Cold Metal Building, is part of Wellsburg’s long history with glass. Within a few decades of the town’s founding, entrepreneurs established Wellsburg’s first glass factory in 1813. The Brooke County Glass Factory was built in 1876, and was first known as the Riverside Glassworks. It sits alongside the Ohio River, and is a short walk away from Wellsburg’s dynamic downtown. The factory was the first in the area to take advantage of West Virginia’s natural gas and incorporate it into the manufacturing process. The building has survived nearly 150 years in the ever-changing landscape of modern Wellsburg, but today the glass giant sits empty. And that’s not stopping Wellsburg, a great example of a West Virginian community working to take control of its historic heritage. The city of Wellsburg established a historic district in 1982 that currently contains 693 buildings. The most notable buildings to stand alongside other brick and mortar structures are the Crescent Glass Factory, The Patrick Gass Cottage (Patrick Gass was a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition), Miller’s Tavern, and the Wellsburg Wharf. Although currently vacant, the Brooke County Glass Factory is under active development. The building and some adjacent lots are now owned by The Business Development Corporation (BDC), who plan to save the factory from demolition. Together with the Wellsburg Urban Redevelopment Authority, the new owners plan to rehabilitate and maintain a dedicated space to tell the story of the Wellsburg glass industry. The project coordinators hope to see the factory transform into a space that embraces the contemporary needs of modern-day Wellsburg. Some ideas suggested for the structure are to repurpose it as a community center, event space, a rest spot on the local rail trail, an artisan space, or even into a heritage tourism facility. Historic sites like this are full of possibilities. The history of Wellsburg is written in glass, and one of its authors is the Brooke County Glass Factory. Originally established in 1876, it was one of more than 40 glass factories that operated in Brooke County. The site embodies West Virginia’s industrial heritage and unique connection with the world of glass, yet it is currently vacant and full of potential. Together with other sources of funding, PAWV’s Saving Historic Places Grant will ensure that sites like these will be preserved to both tell the stories of the past and be useful to present and future communities. For two centuries, West Virginia has been a key figure in glass production. West Virginian soil possesses rich deposits of premier silica sand, a valuable resource needed for glass molding. Combined with the state’s abundance of natural gas, the industry was able to rapidly increase production at a relatively inexpensive cost. And as glass production increased so did advancements in glass making technologies, making production much more streamlined and efficient. The ability to easily produce glass attracted many outside laymen to West Virginian manufacturing companies. Their understanding of the glass trade was minimal, but these untrained laborers were much cheaper to hire and maintain than skilled artisans, resulting in larger workforces toiling in ever-growing factories. As the industry expanded, companies were able to create boomtowns up and down the Ohio River. One of the towns to prosper in this era of expansion was Wellsburg, located in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. The Brooke County Glass Factory, sometimes known locally as the Cold Metal Building, is part of Wellsburg’s long history with glass. Within a few decades of the town’s founding, entrepreneurs established Wellsburg’s first glass factory in 1813. The Brooke County Glass Factory was built in 1876, and was first known as the Riverside Glassworks. It sits alongside the Ohio River, and is a short walk away from Wellsburg’s dynamic downtown. The factory was the first in the area to take advantage of West Virginia’s natural gas and incorporate it into the manufacturing process. The building has survived nearly 150 years in the ever-changing landscape of modern Wellsburg, but today the glass giant sits empty. And that’s not stopping Wellsburg, a great example of a West Virginian community working to take control of its historic heritage. The city of Wellsburg established a historic district in 1982 that currently contains 693 buildings. The most notable buildings to stand alongside other brick and mortar structures are the Crescent Glass Factory, The Patrick Gass Cottage (Patrick Gass was a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition), Miller’s Tavern, and the Wellsburg Wharf. Although currently vacant, the Brooke County Glass Factory is under active development. The building and some adjacent lots are now owned by The Business Development Corporation (BDC), who plan to save the factory from demolition. Together with the Wellsburg Urban Redevelopment Authority, the new owners plan to rehabilitate and maintain a dedicated space to tell the story of the Wellsburg glass industry. The project coordinators hope to see the factory transform into a space that embraces the contemporary needs of modern-day Wellsburg. Some ideas suggested for the structure are to repurpose it as a community center, event space, a rest spot on the local rail trail, an artisan space, or even into a heritage tourism facility. Historic sites like this are full of possibilities.
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On July 10, 2022, Fairmont’s Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church got a big surprise for their 120th church anniversary. Dr. Mark Staples, Senior Pastor, had sought out the owner of their original but idle 1928 church for permission to go inside. “All I asked was to take a picture of our older members in that church again for our anniversary brochure,” he says. Instead, the owner offered to give their original church back to them - as a gift. His only condition - it must be used for service to the community. So, in September 2022, Mt. Zion took possession of 501 Cleveland Ave. again, and designated it as a second campus called Mt. Zion’s “Center of Hope.” Mt. Zion is its owner/steward, and all donations and expenses are accounted for separately from the church’s general fund. Dr. Staples had already established “Dare to Dream” with Marion County public schools, holding an annual church graduation ceremony for all ages. That outreach has extended to “Mt. Zion After School Academic and Enrichment Program,” currently meeting twice a week at the nearby Fairmont Hills apartment complex until restoration of the “Center of Hope” is completed. Eventually holistic health/wellness programs, kingdom karate, marriage and premarital classes, divorce recovery, health resources, and similar life-enhancing services will be added to equip church members and area residents in the community with hope for a better future. In addition, Mt. Zion is seeking “Partners in Hope” to: (1) restore the original church for shared use as a community outreach center in an underserved area and (2) align with providers of existing services such as NA, AA, Celebrate Recovery, etc. to use the “Center of Hope” to expand to that location, at no cost to recipients. Such use will be offered on a scheduled basis to maximize the productive time of Mt. Zion volunteer oversight of the center. The mostly senior congregation of Mt. Zion was not prepared for the financial investment this project will require. Mt. Zion’s membership rolls are larger than their weekly attendance. But so far, most donations of time and treasure have come from outside the Mt. Zion congregation. The providential nature of this project so far encourages them to keep working with others across the community to offer proactive, life-enhancing activities at the ”Center of Hope” for any residents who wish to avail themselves of it. In a building this old that has seen decades of neglect, there is much restoration to do. Poor drainage outside has caused interior water damage, which has already been partially remediated. The roofline is straight, and the floors in good condition and level, but the structure needs professional evaluation to determine its exact condition and any needed reinforcement. The HVAC and roof are approximately 15 years old, and the original stained-glass windows are still inspiring. Dr. Mark A. Staples, Senior Pastor
Barbara Grigg, Assistant to Pastor West Virginians are invited to celebrate their historic preservation success stories through the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia’s West Virginia Preservation Spotlight series. Submitting a Preservation Spotlight story helps shine a light on the small preservation successes that can add up to significant positive change in a community. Whether it’s a homeowner restoring a historic feature of their house or a business moving into a building on historic Main Street, PAWV wants to hear about preservation “wins” both big and small.
Spotlight stories should involve a West Virginia property listed on the National Register of Historic Places or as a contributing structure to a National Historic District. If you believe your story is relevant despite not meeting this specification (perhaps an event or advocacy success), please email to check with a member of our staff at info@pawv.org. Submitted Preservation Spotlight stories may be featured on PAWV’s website and social media channels to celebrate the positive steps everyday West Virginians are making towards historic preservation in their communities. PAWV is accepting submissions through a Google form here. A Word document submission form is available for download below. |
AuthorHistoric building owners from around West Virginia submit their preservation success story. ArchivesCategories |