Follow the Glass–road to Toledo…

By Diane Warning

By now you will have read about the exciting program planned for the 2009 PCA Paperweight Convention which will be held in Toledo, Ohio from May 20 — May 23, 2009. If you live on the East Coast like I do, you might be choosing between flying or driving to Toledo. My suggestion? Why not enhance and extend your trip by planning to take advantage of the many glass–related opportunities on the way to Toledo?

One of the highlights of this year's PCA Convention will be a special exhibit of paperweights by Midwest Glass makers. Why not whet your appetite for this display by visiting some museums along the way that include the work of Midwest glass makers in their permanent collections. You would be able to see examples of the work of glass artists such as John Degenhart, Robert Hamon, Charles Lotton, and Dominic Labino.

The Ohio River Valley has been a glass–making area for over 100 years producing all manner of objects, from pressed to art glass. I know from personal experience, that collectors often find other things to collect besides paperweights, so I've included links below to other types of glass made in the Ohio River Valley — Blenko, Fenton, Fostoria, Mosser, Tiffin and an assortment of museums in Southern Ohio and West Virginia.

Possible itineraries are:

• From Boston, drive to Corning, NY and visit the Corning Museum of Glass (http://www.cmog.org/) on Day 1. Then on Day 2 drive along Lake Erie to Milan, OH and visit the small Milan Historical Museum which contains a Pattern & Early Molded Glass Collection and an Art Glass Collection which includes work by Dominick Labino and Charles Lotton. (http://www.milanhistory.org/exhibits/galpinhouse.aspx)
• Traveling from New York, Philadelphia or Baltimore, approach Toledo from the south and visit glass–making centers in West Virginia and Ohio, including the Degenhart Museum in Cambridge, OH. John Degenhart's window paperweights and name plaque paperweights are displayed in the museum, and the shop often has paperweights for sale and on consignment as well as new work by local artists. If you visit the Degenhart Museum, stay overnight between Cambridge and Columbus. In Columbus, I recommend that you visit the Topiary Garden where Georges Seurat's famous post impressionist painting, A Sunday on the Island of La Grande Jatte is created in topiary. Also, visit Franklin Park Conservatory where there is a Chiluhy Exhibit before heading to Toledo. (The website photos of the installation of Chihuly's glass pieces alongside beautiful plants in the Conservatory look stunning.)
• Before or after the convention, you could visit the Ohio River Valley glass making areas of Ohio & West Virginia — Cambridge, OH — Wheeling, WV — Weston, WV — Huntington, WV. See references below.

I grew up in Cleveland and since I still have family there and in Columbus, I have often driven from one city to the other and always look for interesting and fun diversions. Here are two of my favorite places to stop along the way:

• The Warther Museum and Knife Factory in Dover, OH — "Incredible wood carvings of trains; a Swiss flower garden; tour the knife factory; admire the button and arrowhead collections of founders."
• Scenic Amish region including Millersburg–Berlin–Charm — in Ohio, the "Little Switzerland" cheese–making area, Amish crafts (woodworking and quilts) & country restaurants.

References:

• Blenko Glass Company — Milton, WV — http://blenkoglass.com
• Carriage House Glass Museum — Wheeling, WV — Referenced on http://eapgs.org/museums9.htm
• Corning Museum of Glass — Corning, NY — http://www.cmog.org/
• Degenhart Museum — Cambridge, OH — http://www.degenhartglass.com
• Fenton Glass Museum — Williamstown, WV — http://www.fentonartglass.com/
• Fostoria Glass Museum — Moundsville, WV — http://www.fostoriaglass.org/
• Franklin Park Conservatory & Chihuly Collection — Columbus, OH — http://www.fpconservatory.org/
• Huntington Museum of Art — Huntington, WV — http://www.hmoa.org/
• Milan Historical Museum — Milan, OH — http://www.milanhistory.org/exhibits/galpinhouse.aspx
• Mosser Glass — Cambridge, OH — http://www.mosserglass.com/
• Tiffin Glass Collectors Museum — Tiffin, OH — http://www.tiffinglass.org/index.html
• Topiary Park — Columbus, OH — http://www.topiarygarden.org
• Warther Museum and Knife Factory — Dover, OH — http://www.warthers.com
• West Virginia Museum of American Glass & National Marble Museum — Weston, WV — http://wvmag.bglances.com/

Distances to Toledo from:

Click here for a map of the
Crowne Plaza–Toledo
444 N Summit St
Toledo, OH 43604

• Baltimore, MD — 471 mi — about 7 hours 50 min.
• Boston, MA — 755 mi — about 12 hours 5 min.
• Chicago, IL — 240 mi — about 4 hours.
• Cleveland, OH — 117 mi — about 1 hour 56 min.
• Columbus, OH — 145 mi — about 2 hours 44 min.
• Detroit, MI — 59 mi — about 1 hour 5 min.
• New York City, NY — 564 mi — about 9 hours 13 min.
• Philadelphia, PA — 532 mi — about 8 hours 45 min.
• Milan, OH — Milan Historical Museum — 65.6 mi East of Toledo, about 1 hour.