November issue of Grist question regarding Guggenheim bottles. They found one in their home when they bought it in 1987. Curt was kind enough to bring it to the November meeting where we enjoyed seeing it. Hey, Curt, thanks a bunch!

THANKS AGAIN
Thanks to the Mayor and Council for once again gifting the Historical Society to the tune of $200. We appreciate your support and will use the funds wisely and well.

CARSON HOME ACCENTS
Back in November we received the following email through the web page: Hi, I am looking for information on a pewter plate with Carson , Freeport Pa. Stamped on the back . It also has a stamp of a buffalo with a capital letter B over it. The front of the plate has “remember the colonies” with the initials of the original thirteen colonies around the rim. Any information about the Carson Co, its history, when it was in business or if it is still in business is greatly appreciated. My e-mail is rah2675991@aol.com Thank you sincerely. Bob Ahearn

Of course, locals know that Carson is still in business and most of us know the company as Carson Casting; but it has also been known as Carson Industries (the phone is listed that way) and is currently better known as Carson Home Accents.

Recently three members of the Society visited the company and it’s current
President, Harry G. Carson, Jr., and were treated to a tour of the facility.

Harry tells us that his father began the company in 1969. Harry, Sr., had previously worked in the metallurgy lab at Allegheny Ludlum, then left the area to be plant superintendent at some iron foundries, the last of which was in Lancaster, Pa. It was in Lancaster that he would occasionally help a fellow employee with a small, side business of sand casting pot bellied stoves. This is where Harry, Sr. saw the potential for what could be done in the gift industry. He had always wanted to have his own business. So, with a leap of faith and all the dollars he could gather, he bought two acres on the Keener farm from Harry, Jr.’s grandmother, and built a 20 x 40 building. Then he went to work…day and night! It was a one-man operation. He would spend a week making product with most of the work being done by hand. When he had a trunk full, he would put on a suit and peddle his wares to local merchants who would then sell them to their customers. One of the most popular items in those early days was an eagle that was made in two sizes, 19 and 30 inches.

Carson still sells only to retailers and not directly to customers. About 70% of their sales at this time are of non-metal ware, most of which is imported. The dinnerware, goblets, etc., are all still produced at the local plant. At one time there were upwards of 250 employees. Because of changes in the giftware industry and the onset of automated equipment, they currently employ about 60. Four of these employees are full time sales people and the art staff consists of 8 individuals.

The product for which they are most known, Statesmetal®, is still made with the same formula – an alloy containing mostly aluminum and blended especially for them. It has a pewter like appearance. A mold is made of sand, clay and moisture and packed under extreme pressure. The molten alloy is poured in. Then the product moves through various machines ending in a long finishing process. No less than 8 to 10 different people handle an average piece. The molds are destroyed as part of the process and that material is reused.

Carson sells to all 50 states with the help of 142 independent sales representatives; they do a decent amount of business in Canada and ship a limited amount to England and Australia. Although Carson does not sell directly to individuals, they did have an on site outlet, called Top of the Barn – located as you might expect, at the top of the barn. Eventually they moved this establishment into Freeport where it is now called The Sheltering Tree. Here one can buy seconds of Statesmetal® as well as many other products. Due to the nature of the process, about 10 to 12% of finished product will not meet quality standards and these are sold at The Sheltering Tree. Tour buses can often be seen visiting this store.

Harry, Jr., began working in the business at age 11. He well remembers a fire in 1978 that completely destroyed the entire facility. There was a large shed that was used temporarily as the foundry until they could rebuild. It was a significant part of the history of Carson’s. Employees, family and the bank helped get them back on their feet and they rebuilt and were back in business and it thrives to this day. One thing Harry does not remember is the plate that Bob emailed us requesting information about – but Harry thinks it was probably produced around the time of the Bicentennial.

If you live out of the area, you can visit Carson at www.carsonhomeaccents.com.

WHAT’S IN YOUR…KITCHEN?
You thought we were going to say, “what’s in your wallet” didn’t you? Many readers may very well have some pieces of Statesmetal® in their kitchen, but some of the items in the 1880s probably are not part of your kitchen today. If this were 1880 your home probably had a cast iron cooking stove. Other things might be a Hoosier cupboard with pullout work surface, complete with breadbox and flour sifter. A small pantry might contain a coffee grinder, storage units, coffee pot, and pitcher. A copper boiler on the floor was a common way to warm the water for the daily chore of laundry. There is probably an icebox in the kitchen to keep the butter and milk from spoiling. About this time ice-making plants began to replace the ice-cutting industry.
Some other gadgets in an 1880 era kitchen were Ball-Mason Jars, which were patented on November 30, 1858. They had the embossed design on the front. Hand cranked cream separators were on the scene and Lenox China was ready for the table.
You will recognize some foods still in use today: Aunt Jemima Pancake Flour, Coca-Cola, flaked cereal, Log Cabin Syrup, Oscar Mayer Wieners, Salada Tea and Thomas’s English Muffins.
Most of these food companies exist to this day: B. H. Kroger, Calumet Baking Powder, Diamond Crystal Salt, Lever Brothers, Maxwell House, McCormick Spices, Pillsbury-Washburn Flour Mills, and R. T. French.
Ed. Note: Thanks to the Dayton Area Local History Society for this article on kitchens, published in their June 30, 2005 edition.
FROM JACOB SHOOP’S WEATHER BOOK 1848-1870
Link,Gary, ed., Weather Book 1848-1870, the Diary of Jacob Shoop,” 1989 Masters Thesis, IUP

Steben A. Duglas died June 3d 1861 in Chicago Ill was taken to Washing City for bering…on 7 June 1861 I had my Pocket Book Stole in Pittsburgh with $25.00…we had a very hevy storm rain thunder & hail on the Night of June 15th 1861…William Combs Died June 24th 1861…James Laughry Died June 27th 1861…on the first of july 1861 we had a hail storm hail fel as large as hickery nots very rainy wind it lasted all afternoon…their was a tremendious Comet in the sky & fier balls in the north on the first July 1861 at night…Robert Graham Died July 6d 1861 he strangeld at the table eting at Hawks…their was very hevy rain July 13 1861 it raind from 5 in the mor to 10 hevy…Simons Jimy Died July 12th 1861 at 9 in the Evining…on the 21d July 1861 the big fight took place in Virginia at Buls Run…on the 23 July 1861 the troops left Camps right at hultens Station & also left Camp Wilkins at Pittsburgh same time for Washington City…on 31 July 1861 we had the hevest rain we had all Sumer & thunder but no wind on the Night of 31 of July 1861 their was the heves storm thunder & lightning I ever saw it broke the canel at Karnes & brok 2 Hundred feet of the topath the tirentom equadoc fel down & the cars were stopt on the rode for 6 ours at the
same time…on 6 Augt 1861 the river raised about 2 feet it was a nice little rise…on the Night of 12th Augt 1861 their was the heviest rain I ever saw…it Swept every think off Buffalow Creek the Equidock was swept away tototly & the Bufflow bridge was swept away all but one span – their was also 2 Houses swept away on the Creek about the rough run furnice & 4 or 5 persons drouned nerly all the mill dams were cared off – the river raised 7 or 8 feet…on the 16 – 17 & 18 of Augt 1861 their was more rafts & Boats run down the river than I ever saw the river was covered with lumber…their was a warm caled the army warm in the summer of 1861 that was very destructive on the oats in many places cut it off intirly…the commence to work on the Creek aquedock on 28 augt 1861 to rebild it…we had a tremendious hale storm rain & wind on 6 Sept 1861 hail fel as thick as hasel nuts.
Ed. Note: Spelling, punctuation and grammar are as written by Jacob Shoop.

Harry Carson, Jr.

Items produced at
Carson Casting

Grist for the Mill