Fenton Glass Bells
The Festival of the Bells Committee sold commemorative bells featuring many historical buildings and churches throughout the county for 20 years. These bells were produced by the Fenton Art Glass Company and featured artwork by local artists, Mike Bick and Stacia Burke. Each bell was a unique color and shape.
We no longer offer the bells for sale, with the last new one being offered in 2011, but you can find information on the history of Fenton Glass and the Fenton Gift Shop Company that purchased the in 2012 and continues to operate today,
http://fenton-gift-shop.edan.io/ or on facebook,
Bell List: 1991-2011
1991-
Highland County Courthouse
1992 –
Highland House Museum
1993 –
Hillsboro High School 1994 –
McCoppin Mill 1995 –
Barrett Mill 1996 –
Scott House 1997 –
Lynchburg Covered Bridge 1998 –
Bell’s Opera House 1999 –
Governor Allen Trimble Home 2000 –
C.S.Bell Mansion 2001 –
Hillsboro
First United Methodist Church 2002 –
Hillsboro St. Mary Catholic Church 2003 –
Hillsboro First Presbyterian Church 2004 –
Hillsboro Church of Christ 2005 –
Hillsboro St. Mary’s Episcopal Church 2006 –
Hillsboro First Baptist Church 2007 –
Highland County Courthouse 2008 –
There was not a bell for this year, as the Fenton Co. was closed.
2009 –
C.S. Bell No. 48, Hillsboro, Ohio 2010 –
Civil War Monument
2011 –
Hillsboro Bank Building, formerly the site of Fifth Third Bank
FENTON HISTORY
Turning Glass into Fine Art Since 1905
Fenton Art Glass Company is the largest manufacturer of handmade colored glass in the United States today and among the foremost glass manufacturers in the world. Known for its beautiful colors and patterns, Fenton Art Glass continues an American tradition with its skilled glassworkers and talented decorators.
Fenton Art Glass was founded in 1905 by brothers Frank L. and John W. Fenton. They began their business In Martins Ferry, Ohio, by painting decorations on glassware made by nearby manufacturers. Prompted in part by the desire to work with a broader range of colors, the brothers soon decided to produce their own glass, and opened the Fenton Art Glass factory in Williamstown, West Virginia in 1907. In fact, Fenton introduced "iridescent ware" later that same year. Now known as "Carnival" glass, it's a popular collectible item today.
Frank L. Fenton's love of color and his admiration for glass artisans like those at Tiffany and Steuben helped keep Fenton Art Glass in the forefront of the handmade art glass industry for the next few decades, but during the Depression Era and the early years of World War II, Fenton also produced practical items such as mixing bowls and perfume bottles.
By the late 1940s, a new generation of Fentons was running the company. Brothers Frank M. and Wilmer C. (Bill) Fenton would lead the Fenton factory through significant growth for the next 30 years. In 1986, George W. Fenton, Frank's son and a third-generation family member, became president of the company.
Eight Fenton family members worked together along with more than 100 employees in Williamstown, West Virginia, creating new colors, patterns and handpainted decorations that result in handmade glass artistry that is loved by collectors around the world.
Traditional glassmaking ceased in 2011. The Fenton Art Glass Company property was sold in 2017 to Wood County Schools. Plans are for the factory to be demolished and a new elementary school built on the site.