SCM to present two films on Kanawha Valley glass factories June 13th, 7 PM
Marquee of The La Belle Theater, photo by Joe Hodges, filmmaker
The South Charleston Museum will be presenting two films by Joe Hodges about the Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Company and the Owens-Illinois Glass Company on Saturday, June 13th, at 7 PM. There will be a 15-minute reception for LOF retirees with films to start at 7:15 PM. SCM will be using this event to promote awareness of the once thriving glass industry in the Kanawha Valley and the future exhibit about the Belgian glass factories that once existed in South Charleston. Admission will be $ 4. Filmmaker and LOF retiree Joe Hodges will introduce the films.
Photo of Owens-Illinois, across the street from LOF. Photo courtesy of Kanawha County Public Library
Photo of outside and inside of Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass. Courtesy of Kanawha County Public Library.
Mr. Hodges made the two films, the LOF film in 2004 and the OI film in 2007, to preserve photos, film interviews, and other memories of the thousands of people who worked at the two world-class plants for decades.
Stan Bumgardner with poster for coming SCM Belgian Glass Worker Exhibit
Stan Bumgardner, creative advisor to the new WV State Museum and designer of the coming SC Belgian glass worker exhibit, told me that they had been unable to locate photos showing the inside of the two plants. I told him to contact Mr. Hodges who had collected such items for making his two films. I think that everyone who ever worked at the two giant glass plants will be happy when SCM publically shows the two films. Hopefully the new State Museum may even be expanded to include some of the photos shown in the two movies.
Here are my two descriptions of the film -
REMEMBER LIBBEY-OWENS-FORD GLASS 1915-2004 2004 55 mins. Joe Hodges In 1915, the founder of Libbey-Owens came to Charleston and purchased the land inKanawha City that would be the home to the world’s largest maker of sheet glass. The plant operated from 1916 to 1980. It was demolished in 1982. It is said that the demolition of the 12 tall chimneys is a world record. This film is a compilation of photographs and videotaped interviews with retirees of the plant. The film has 21 chapters. Joe Hodges of Kanawha City videotaped the photos, adding identifications when he could. A visit by U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, running for president, is documented. One of the most interesting chapters shows how homes that still exist were once used by employees of LOF including managers, glass cutters, and more. The film also shows how various pieces of the plant have been re-used in homes and yards in the area including the well-known chunks of slag glass. Access: Joseph D. Hodges, , 595-1090.
REMEMBER OWENS-ILLINOIS 1921-2007 2007 55 mins. Joe Hodges A second glass plant existed right across the street from LOF on MacCorkle Ave. SEin the Kanawha City section of Charleston. This plant became the largest producer of glass bottles in the world by the 1930s. In 1917, just one year after the LOF plant was founded, the Owens-Illinois Company began manufacturing fruit jars, jars for industrial products, and after Prohibition ended, beer bottles. This film tells the story of WV native son Michael Joseph Owens, the inventor of the bottle making machine that revolutionized the glass industry worldwide. Photos of workers are shown, and videotape showing reunions are included. The plant closed in 1963. Many workers at this plant would walk across the street and work at the LOF plant when things were slow. Access: Joseph D. Hodges, 5426 Lancaster Ave. SE , 925-1819 or David Radford, 2950 Pine St., Belle, WV , 595-1090.
5426 Lancaster Ave. SE, 925-1819 or David Radford, 2950 Pine St., Belle, WV
June 15th, 2009 at
I just have a small question, one of the photos that was published of the LOF Glass company has a pic of my grandfather in it, i was wondering how would i go about trying to get a copy of it? My grandfather passed away in 2003 and i would like to have it to give to his wife of over 50 years.
Thanks Samantha Bowman