Fridays in PA: Youghiogheny Glass Company

This is not my studio floor:

glass scraps outside the Youghiogheny glass company

Last June I went to Cleveland to meet up with a friend. I swung low on the way home to take the southern route across PA in order to meet up with a friend in Pittsburgh. Part of the plan was to also stop at Youghiogheny Glass when I left Pittsburgh. My waning spirit, which can be more concerned about distance and time, was leaning towards skipping the glass. But the Pittsburgh friend fueled the enthusiasm and so there I was headed south away from the turnpike. I blew pass the no trucks detour sign and hit a massive amount of construction and a long trip across the Youghiogheny River. I navigated through the town and walked into the old train station. Glass variety was a bit skimpy and nothing appealed to my eyes.

The lone worker got off the phone and said they were closing down the shop but I might be able to get to the factory and buy glass there. The only road to the factory was blocked due to another construction project, back to the mess of traffic and back around, but not far enough around so back around again and through a parking lot to bypass the construction.


Every door to the factory was locked, and I was about to head home when some dude emerged from the adjoining business and said follow me. My glasses were plenty dark from the summer sun as he winded me through a darkened glass factory till we found a human.

And then there was glass. The best glass in the world to some folk. I will show you this Thursday how it has entered my pieces.

The photos are taken in the driveway along the side of the factory, not my studio floor

glass scraps outside the Youghiogheny glass company