The Glass Capital

Side A: Attracted by the promotion of a civic group, as well as abundant fuel, Edward Drummond Libbey relocated his glass operation from Massachusetts to Toledo in 1888. His company was renown as a producer of fine art glass. Michael J. Owens, a Libbey Superintendent, developed the first fully automatic bottle-making machine in 1903. His invention revolutionized the industry and helped eliminate child labor in glass factories. Side B: In 1899 Edward Ford established his quality plate glass factory upriver and developed Rossford as a model company town. Locally developed innovations include glass tubing, sheet window glass, and fiber glass. In the twentieth century Toledo has served as corporate headquarters for Owens-Illinois (1929), Libbey-Owens-Ford (1930), and Owens-Corning Fiberglass (1938).