Jamestown Glassworks
The first English industrial works in the New World was glassblowing. The Jamestown Colony was established in 1607 (the Pilgrims were newcomers. 🙂 ). Seeking profits, glassworks seemed reasonable with plentiful local supplies of sand, potash, and wood. A glassworks was established at Jamestown in 1608. In 1610, it was reported that the works was of a “goodly nature” … but the attempt failed. The second attempt in 1622 also failed.
The old glass furnaces were uncovered in 1948.
A reconstruction has been built near the remnants of the old works’ furnaces (which are now uncovered and on display in situ). The techniques used in the new works are similar to those of the 1600s but natural gas is used in the furnaces rather than wood. This modern works is far more successful than the original works; the articles produced are available for sale at the gift shop.
I does likes me sum colorful glass.
“An example of diversity losing and commonality winning”
One of the many things that have solidified the relationship between my wife and me is our shared attraction to colorful glass. Specifically, Cobalt glass. We discovered this strange phenom early in our relationship.
Staring deeply into clear cobalt glass is like staring into the universe, or your very soul. For me, I think this thing originated when I was a young kid and playing with glass marbles in the gravel driveway. I’d close one eye and hold the marble up to my open eye and look around and marvel. The distortion of the trees, the weird shape of a car tire, and how my brother walked with a limp though there was nothing wrong with him, as evidenced when I looked at him through my naked eye.
My wife and I have given each other numerous pieces of cobalt glass over the years and you can’t go anywhere in our house without seeing it on display. There is even a 12″ diameter cobalt gazing ball on a tall wrought iron tripod in the middle of my wife’s flower garden that I gave her the first year we moved here to the woods. To stand there in the yard when the summer sun is high in the sky and see it reflected behind you in that gazing ball is amazing….