Earth, Fire and Form: The Potteries of South Central Pennsylvania is the newest exhibit presented by the Cumberland County Historical Society, located at 21 North Pitt Street in Carlisle. Earth, Fire and Form will be open free to the public beginning Friday, March 28 and run through Saturday, August 16, 2008. The exhibit curated by Jerry Clouse features various potteries found in Cumberland, Adams, Perry, Franklin and Dauphin counties, dating from c.1813 to 1918. Over 100 pieces of stoneware and redware pottery will be on display showing a variety of uses, forms and glazes.
The Cumberland Valley had an abundance of natural clays in the area. Reasonably priced land and the area’s growing population made the demand for household objects such as stoneware and redware increase. It wasn’t until the 1960s that pottery was recognized as a collector’s item and work of art. Cumberland County Historical Society’s first exhibit of Newville Pottery was comprised of seventeen pieces in 1966 when on November 4, 1966; The Evening Sentinel stated, “This is the first time such an extensive collection has been set up.”
The Society is offering for sale in the Museum Shop a 50-page color catalog authored by guest curator Jerry Clouse, with new research describing and referencing the pottery pieces in the exhibit. An avid collector, Jerry holds an MA in American Studies from Penn State University. Potteries discussed are:
Cumberland County
Shippensburg
• J. Carey & Co. c.1816-1859
• H. M. Speese c.1859-1862
• The Rudolph Pottery c.1868-1890
Newville
• H. H. Zigler c.1852-1865
• Samuel I. Irvine c.1865-1873
South Middleton
• Keeny and Machett c.1867-1887
Adams County
Gettysburg
• H. M. Speese & Son c.1885-1918
Perry County
Newport
• The Miller Pottery c.1838-1895
Franklin County
Chambersburg
• Jacob Heart c.1813-1865
• Conrad Newroth c.1870-?
Waynesboro
• John Bell c.1833-1880
Dauphin County
Harrisburg
• Willson, Young, and Moyer c.1852-1861
• Cowden & Wilcox c.1861-1915
The Cumberland County Historical Society is an active history center with an award winning museum, library, photo archives, educational center, museum shop and historic Two Mile House. The Historical Society’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret and promote research of Cumberland County history. Anyone interested in local history is invited to become a member. Call 249-7610 or visit our web site www.historicalsociety.com for more information and to see the museum virtual tour. Cumberland County Historical Society is located at 21 North Pitt Street, in Carlisle Pennsylvania. Hours are Monday 3 to 9 pm, Tuesday through Friday 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday 10 am to 3 pm. Admission to the museum is free.
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The Cumberland County Historical Society and Hamilton Library Association is a nonprofit educational institution that has been preserving and sharing Cumberland County history since 1874.
