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| Oak Harbor Glass Factory, ca. 1929 Arch Street, Fremont, Ohio Melinda Keller Hofacker (center) Courtesy of John Liske, Oak Harbor Library Local History & Museum Center |
On a recent visit to the splendid Oak Harbor LibraryLocal History and Museum Center, I admired the display of glassware. The more I
looked, the more I recognized pieces that resembled several of those in my
cupboard. I remembered that my pieces were supposedly Heisey Glassware, but
none bore the distinctive “H” within a diamond. I recalled that one of my late
aunts had worked at the Oak Harbor Glass Factory. After discussions with John
Liske who is knowledgeable about “all things Oak Harbor,” I learned that indeed
a glass factory had once existed on Houghton St. north of town. Mr. Liske
showed me the notes he had acquired from Connie Bahs who researched the history
of the factory and interviewed several of the former employees. Her work is
published in the History of Ottawa County, Ohio and Its Families.
Originally known as the “Brilliant Cut Glass Company,”
it began operations in 1919 with Jacob Neipp as president and John H. Fisher, a
glass cutter formerly of Libbey Glass, as manager. The following year, the
“Liberty Cut Glass Company” of Egg Harbor, New Jersey purchased the plant,
retaining Fisher as its manager. Within the year, Fisher became the president
and owner of what was then named the “Oak Harbor Glass Factory.”
No glass was blown or molded at the factory. Blanks
were shipped from Cambridge and the Heisey factory in Newark, Ohio as well as
Egg Harbor. The “Oak Harbor Glass Factory” employed 30 to 40 women as etchers.
Their wage was 30 cents per day. Skilled etchers from Libbey Glass taught the women
the proper technique of hydrofluoric acid etching. They practiced on broken or
imperfect pieces known as “chards.” Sometimes samples were given to the women,
who then created their own designs. Variations also occurred as each woman
worked to perfect her technique. Other
“chards” were tossed out the window onto a heap behind the factory. Villagers
often salvaged some of these less than perfect pieces.
Women worked in lots of a dozen pieces, using a
grinding wheel to apply a single design to each piece. Once completed, they
etched a second design (leaf. stem, or bud). on each of the same blanks until
the entire design was complete. There were at least eleven designs. Some were
known as dahlia, aster, forget-me-not, daisy, grape, poppy, vesta, and mystic.
Oak Harbor Glassware
The women wore heavy aprons to prevent burns from the
lime water sprayed onto the grinding wheels to keep them from overheating. They
etched a myriad of pieces: glasses (a dozen sold for $1.50) plates, compotes,
cordials, sherbets, pitchers, sugar and creamer sets, cake plates,
candlesticks, syrup containers, vases, and candy dishes. Even lamps, and
mirrors were etched. Not all were crystal clear. There were blue, green, pink
and even rare amber pieces.
Ms. Bahs states that the “Oak Harbor Glass Factory” sold
“vast quantities of the finished product to Kresge’s and Woolworth’s.” The Lion
Store, Hudson’s, and Crowley’s were just a few of the department stores that
carried Oak Harbor glassware. Locally, grocery stores gave them away as
premiums.
On a cold night in February 1928, fire destroyed the
factory. Crossed electrical wires were believed to have been the cause. Fisher
estimated the loss at $40,000. The company continued in business above the Oak
Harbor fire station and then in 1929 moved to the north end of Arch Street in
Fremont, Ohio. A victim of the depression, the Oak Harbor Glass Factory went out of
business the following year. Stop in at the Oak Harbor Library. You too may
find that you have some Oak Harbor Glassware!
