By Dr. Dipa Sarkar
Special to the Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE
July 07, 2007 04:03 pm
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About 6 years after the Civil War, the business now known as Columbian Home Products was organized. It was known as the Bellaire Stamping Co. in Bellaire, Ohio.
The Bellaire Stamping Co. fabricated metal stampings, such as mason jars, kerosene lanterns etc. Later it increased its business and glass products were introduced. While still in Ohio, the firm experimented with porcelain enameling. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed a large part of the facility and the company moved to Harvey, Ill., in 1890, where a factory was specifically built for production of porcelain enameled utensils. In 1893, the company’s name was changed to “Columbian Stamping and Enameling,” in conjunction with the commemoration of the Columbian Exposition, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America.
The company was doing very well until the New Year’s Eve of 1899 when, again, a fire totally destroyed the building. In spite of two large setbacks, in 1902, the company decided to rebuild and found a new location in the city of Terre Haute, Indiana at 1600 Beech St.
The new manufacturing facility was steam-operated, utilizing the most modern technology. The company operated as a miniature city with its own deep well water supply and sewage treatment facility. The only problem was the source of light, which was only sunlight. So working hours were limited. In 1913, four Buckey generators were installed in the powerhouse and they supplied enough electricity to run the factory, warehouse, and offices 24 hours a day. Every morning, the boiler operators released steam to sound the 6 a.m. whistle, which was the alarm clock of the neighborhood, which only stopped in 1996.
For the first 50 years, the enameled glass on steel products were fired in box furnaces and men and women working there were called fire tenders and earned the best pay. The second tier of people were fire attendants who pushed racks full of steel coated pots and pans and other accessories into furnaces with a temperature of 1,500 degrees. Because of the intense heat, they had to keep a constant watch on how the products were being cured.
All of the enameled products were hand-dipped into an enamel bath. It took considerable skill to wipe a second coat of enamel, especially for two-colored or patterned products. Because some of the patterns needed use of fingers dipped in colors, the company was sometimes referred to as a “stamping mill.”
World War I brought changes to the factory. There was great demand for helmets and other items relating to the war. The company met the challenge and produced steel helmets and other items for the soldiers.
For the first 60 years of its existence, the company produced all of the enamel to coat the steel cookware. There was one formula called “Hoosier Gray” which produced an exceptionally hard and durable surface. The formula was only known to an eccentric chemist who never revealed the secret. With his passing, the formula was also lost.
In 1968, General Housewares acquired Columbian Enameling and Stamping Co. Their corporate headquarters moved from Connecticut to Terre Haute in July 1990. In March 1998, the company was sold to Dick Ryan, who renamed the cookware business Columbian Home Products, which continues to manufacture the Granite Ware brand.
Columbian Home Products is celebrating more than 100 years of manufacturing in Terre Haute. The principal products sold under Columbian labels are porcelain enameled utensils for kitchen and household use, hospital and sickroom ware, photographic darkroom equipment, and hotel and restaurant steam tables.
Because the National Graniteware Society is conducting its national convention in Terre Haute this month, the Vigo County Historical Museum is doing a special exhibit, called “Taking It For Granite,” to celebrate the diversity and longevity of Columbian Home Products. Many varieties and colors of enamelware are on display. The superimposed photo shows the operation of the hand lathe and assembling of shapes.
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