Marble Factory Parkersburg West Virginia

Exploring an abandoned marble factory in west virginia.

Marble factory parkersburg west virginia.

These enthusiastic marble collectors were ron shepherd paula shepherd gary traugh and the late tim wyer. It was acquired in 1969 by the gladding corporation which changed the name to gladding vitro agate company. In 1982 gladding vitro was purchased by paris manufacturing company which changed the name back to vitro agate. History of the vitro agate factory in parkersburg west virginia written by former owners of the vitro agate corporation original edite by the marble museum and in 2008 edited again by.

Drawing donated by mike johnson and suzie metzler. Akro agate was founded in ohio in 1910 and moved to clarksburg in 1914. The power of imagination comes alive when you design a marble the vitro agate company parkersburg wv. The advent of marble making machinery in the early 20th century helped bring the industry to west virginia which already had a robust glass industry.

Discover for yourself why we are known for our tradition quality and history with a visit to our interactive museum and expanded gift shop. The other west virginia marble factory is champion agate in pennsboro in ritchie county. See it while this old timer is still around to do it. This factory was once the vitro agate marble factory in parkersburg west virginia now it sits rotting away next to the train tracks but it.

They recognized a need to preserve the history of marbles and to promote the collecting and identification of marbles. Was the marble capitol and largest marble factory in the world picture courtesy gary traugh after the marbles roll out from between the rollers they slide down a pan. Vintage scenes of parkersburg west virginia taken from old postcards and photographs. Working with molten glass is quickly becoming a lost art.

He s a real hoot and you ll be fascinated watching him make glass marbles. By the late 1930s there were several marble manufacturing plants in the state including the akro agate company in clarksburg. The vitro agate company began operations in 1932 in parkersburg west virginia. If you re anywhere near northwest west virginia take a side trip to this guy s home and workshop.

Parkersburg s vitro agate marble co. The west virginia marble collectors club wvmcc was the inspiration of four wood county west virginia residents.