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. They recognized a need to preserve the history of marbles and to promote the collecting and identification of marbles. Drawing donated by mike johnson and suzie metzler. The vitro agate company began operations in 1932 in parkersburg west virginia.

Working with molten glass is quickly becoming a lost art. 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. Vitro agate a division of paris manufacturing in maine is the only marble factory not owned by an individual.

The west virginia marble collectors club wvmcc was the inspiration of four wood county west virginia residents. Vintage scenes of parkersburg west virginia taken from old postcards and photographs. Hillybilly marble maker sam hogue. 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.

The other west virginia marble factory is champion agate in pennsboro in ritchie county. Discover for yourself why we are known for our tradition quality and history with a visit to our interactive museum and expanded gift shop. By the late 1930s there were several marble manufacturing plants in the state including the akro agate company in clarksburg. Established in the late 1940 s marble king marbles are highly recognized and respected worldwide.

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. 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. In 1982 gladding vitro was purchased by paris manufacturing company which changed the name back to vitro agate. It was acquired in 1969 by the gladding corporation which changed the name to gladding vitro agate company.

The power of imagination comes alive when you design a marble the vitro agate company parkersburg wv. 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.