hazelhurst.k.1.htm

1900's: Keystone/Interstate Glass Factories
See Sanborn Map of Hazelhurst

photo credit: John Coleman Collection

Keystone Glass Company

The same year the Healy Glass Co. was formed (1904) another window glass plant made its entry into Hazel Hurst.The Keystone Glass Company built a plant about 1/2 mile down south of the Healy plant and while thier application for incorporation said that they were going to make window glass and plate glass, there is no evidence nor does anyone remember them ever making any plate glass at that plant.There were 9 stockholders with $60,000.00 worth of stock. Six of the stockholders were from Smethport and three were from Port Allegany. Robert C. Hilton, who had been involved in Bradford glass plants, and with two other Hiltons,R.E. Burdick, C.A. Burdick, H.H. Redfield, F.R. Brennan, C.L. Willey and G.W. Embler owning the other half.

About 1912 the Keystone Glass Co. changed their process from hand blown to machine blowing with consolidated machines. This is surprising because Robert Hilton and his brother Hugh who had the Allegany Glass Co. plant in Port Allegnay would never use the consolidated window glass machines in the Port Allgany plant and tried to develop a machine of their own in Port Allegany. Perhaps the Hiltons thought the lease payment on the consolidated machines was too high.

Interstate Glass Company

Interstate Glass Company built a window glass plant beside the Keystone plant soon after 1912 and later bought the Keystone plant. The two plants were operated as one unit from then on. In spite of the merger, the first plant seemed to retain the Keystone name and the winter of 1920-1921 there were pictures taken of the remains which identify the older plant as the Keystone Glass Company.

Neither plant was rebuilt and today there are piles of glass and refractories in a jumbled mass where the two plants stood.

2001: Former site of Keystone/Interstate Glass Factories

photo credit: Jeremiah Vandermark 2001