Madison County Historical Society

The Madison County Historical Society presents "The Gas Boom And Cut Glass" Exhibit which will run the entire month of September and until October 26, 2012. The display is at the History Center, 7 West 11th Street, Anderson, Indiana. The Exhibit Hall is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The early pioneer glass companies that located here after the discovery of natural gas were many. Some came and located plants here from other states while some factories were converted from making other items such as chimney for kerosene lamps. People came from far and wide to work in these plants.

Lippincott Glass Company was in Alexandria and made stemware. One of the most famous was the Thomas Wright company which made cut glass. Thomas moved to Anderson in 1891. He started making cut glass items in 1904.

The Model Flint Glass Company in Albany, Indiana made green ware items. The Beatty-Brady Glass Company made colored bowls and glass ware. They were purchased by Indiana Glass Company and were well established through the 1950s and 60s.

Our special "Thank You" to Bill Knepp for putting this collection of cut glass and glass ware together and bringing it to the History Center for you to enjoy. If you have glass ware and/or cut glass that you would like to have identified, you are invited to bring your piece to the Exhibit Hall and speak to Bill. He will try to help you with any item you have.

The exhibit is free to everyone in the community. It is for you and your family; that's why we do it! For more information and/or questions, please call us at (765) 683-0052 during public hours. Thank you!

Fall 2012 Indiana Glass Events

October 5-26 -- Indiana's Emerging Glass Artists Exhibition, Indianapolis Artsgarden in the Circle Centre Mall, 110 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. - 9:30 p.m., Sundays, noon - 6:30 p.m. (www.indyarts.org/artsgarden)

October 27 -- Hot Glass Infusion 2, Hot Blown Glass Studio, 3717 S. County Road, 200E, Clayton, Indiana. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. watch live glassblowing and flameworking demonstrations. (www.hotblownglass.com)

November 13 -- Ball State University's Glick Center for Glass, Visiting Artists, John Drury and Robbie Miller -- Artists Lecture, 6:30 p.m. in the Art & Journalism Building, Room 225, BSU, Muncie, Indiana. Demonstration follows lecture at the Marilyn K. Click Center for Glass.

Lippincott stemware is very distinctive by the wonderful craftsmanship and the beautiful Bird of Paradise pattern.

Model of gas well derrick.

Detail inside gas well derrick model.

Wright cut-glass is marked in the middle of the piece. You must look very carefully to see the mark.

Glass canes and walking sticks.

To view past exhibits and displays, please click here.

Mr. Thomas Wright, pictured above, first manufactured shovels at the plant that became his cut-glass factory.

Examples of Hemmingray Glass Company located in Muncie, Indiana from 1886-1972.

The Aladdin Lamp and chimney was manufactured in Alexandria, Indiana around 1900.

Some glass was made with color.

Leader Glass Works located in Yorktown, Indiana from 1894-1897.

Glass and cut-glass with color was manufactured in Dunkirk, Indiana.