The Home Page Network

Skip Cavanaugh, affectionately called the historian for the era of glassmaking in Wellsboro, joins Home Page Vice President Sara Vogt to discuss preserving this extraordinary history! Skip’s professional work experience at the Corning Glass factory in Wellsboro, beginning in 1965 and retiring with Osram in 2002 as the Technical General Manager of packaging and finishing, gives him the passion and expertise needed to pursue this project.

Skip showed many examples of glassware in the video presentation, such as tumblers made in the 1970s by Corning Glass and votive candle cups made by GTE, to mention a few. Along with others, they ask you to join them in this preservation of the glass history of Wellsboro by inviting you to donate any piece you choose to share by taking them to Pop’s Culture Shoppe at 25 Main Street in Wellsboro. Donors will be required to fill out a “Deed of Gift” form so that they can be appropriately recorded and acknowledged. When possible, include original packaging or any notes that may accompany the item. If you or a family member worked at the plant, your donation would allow the history to continue for generations to come.
Any questions, please call the store at 570-723-4263 or email wellsboroglass@gmail.com.

When asked why they were collecting these historical glass pieces, Skip told Sara of the vision for building a museum that would house the story of the glass history of Wellsboro. A large part of this museum, physically and historically, would be the two ribbon machines that came back to Wellsboro this year. To learn more about the arrival of the two ribbon machines in Wellsboro, please click on the link below.
https://www.wellsborochristmasonmainstreet.com/ribbon-machines-come-home.html

Suppose you caught the vision of this excellent opportunity to tell the story of glassmaking in Wellsboro. In that case, you can send your tax-deductible donation to the Wellsboro Foundation at 114 Main Street here in Wellsboro, referencing the ribbon machines.

If you are interested in learning more about the history of glassmaking in Wellsboro, please visit the following link to purchase either one or both Ornament History Guides for 2019 and 2020: http://popscultureshoppe.com/store/go/list/4208/

On the broadcast link below Skip shared the details of Corning Glass beginning in 1916 in downtown Wellsboro when they purchased a defunct plate glass plant to blow light bulbs for Thomas Edison. He and George Westinghouse were lighting up New York City at the time and they developed an e-machine. Soon after that in the early 1920s, Mr. Woods developed the ribbon machine, and that is still the machine that blows light bulbs and glass ornaments today.
https://www.thehomepagenetwork.com/the-ornaments-that-made-history/