Pick up at our Zanesville Factory Outlet
Pick up at our Zanesville Factory Outlet
The exact origins of the building remain uncertain, but it is believed to have been constructed in the late 1800s.
Its pottery history began with J.B. Owens, who owned a pottery business in nearby Roseville. After purchasing pottery from the Blue Bird Potters in 1885, Owens became increasingly involved in the industry. The abundance of local clay made the region ideal for producing useful household pieces such as crocks and storage containers.
In 1891, Owens saw an opportunity to establish a pottery business in Zanesville. The city offered him the building, surrounding land, and $3,500 to bring his operation to the area. He accepted, and pottery production began here in 1892.
1880s–1890s
J.B. Owens became involved in pottery after purchasing work from the Blue Bird Potters in 1885. With plentiful local clay and a growing pottery industry nearby, Owens eventually chose Zanesville as the home for a new operation.
In 1892, this building officially became part of Zanesville’s emerging pottery story.
1902–1920s
On March 2, 1902, tragedy struck when fire destroyed the building along with pottery models and molds.
Owens rebuilt immediately and expanded the operation to include 11 kilns. By 1905, tile production had been added, and in 1906 the property became part of The Zanesville Tile Company. Pottery continued to be produced under the J.B. Owens Pottery Company name.
During the 1920s, additional investors joined the company and the tile operation became known as Empire Floor and Wall Tile Company.
Another major fire struck in March 1928. The building was rebuilt once again before the operation eventually entered receivership.
1930s–1970s
During the 1930s, both Brush Pottery and McCoy Pottery operated in the building for a short time.
Later, the property was converted into a feed mill, taking advantage of its convenient location near the railroad. The mill’s late-night operation and heavy traffic reportedly became a source of frustration for nearby residents.
By the 1970s, the building had taken on yet another role and was being used by a local furniture company.
PROHIBITION-ERA HISTORY
One of the building’s most unusual stories dates to the Prohibition era.
During the 1930s, federal authorities began monitoring the movement of sugar and molasses, key ingredients used in alcohol production. Investigators discovered that the building was allegedly being used in connection with the production of approximately 5,000 gallons of illegal alcohol and 36,000 gallons of sugar syrup.
The investigation became one of the largest FBI busts in the region during Prohibition.
Reports from the period also suggested that a network of tunnels beneath the building may have been used to move materials throughout the surrounding neighborhood.
Approximate amount of illegal alcohol reportedly produced.
Approximate amount of sugar syrup connected to the operation.
Roughly 25 men were arrested, many from Cleveland and Youngstown.
1970s–2004
In the mid-1970s, Pat and Sharon Hart of Chatham, New Jersey, founded Hartstone Pottery.
By 1983, they relocated manufacturing to Zanesville. Their business had grown from the Original Ceramic Cookie Mold Company, which produced cookie and shortbread molds sold in antique stores nationwide, into dinnerware and pottery accessories.
Looking to expand, they turned to Ohio, long considered a heartland of the American pottery industry, and found this building to be an ideal home for Hartstone.
Hartstone Pottery operated successfully here for about a decade before the Harts sold the business to Carlisle Home Products. The business continued for approximately another decade before the factory closed in November 2004.
2005–2018
In June 2005, an investment group purchased the building and reopened Hartstone Pottery.
The company operated from the facility for much of the following decade, continuing the building’s long connection to pottery production.
2019–TODAY
By early 2019, Ohio Stoneware purchased the buildings and assets of Hartstone Pottery as part of an expansion to a second location.
The historic facility required significant restoration and improvement before it could become fully operational, including a new roof, new flooring, new vertical beams, and major equipment repairs.
Ohio Stoneware brought production of its traditional stoneware products, including crocks, pet feeders, birdbaths, and mixing bowls, to the facility while also continuing production of the hand-decorated Hartstone line.
Today, the building also includes the Paint Your Own Pottery Studio, giving guests an opportunity to experience Zanesville’s pottery tradition firsthand.
THEN & NOW
From its early pottery days to Ohio Stoneware today, the building has changed while its connection to Zanesville’s pottery tradition has endured.
THEN
An early view of the Zanesville building that has been home to generations of pottery and industry.
Historical representation of J.B. Owens Pottery, created based on the documented history associated with the Dearborn Street property. This image is intended to illustrate the site’s pottery heritage and is not an exact architectural depiction of the building as it appears today.
NOW
Today, the historic facility is home to Ohio Stoneware production, retail, and hands-on pottery experiences.
More than a century later, pottery is still being made within these walls.
For more than a century, this building has played an intricate role in pottery manufacturing in Zanesville.
Today, Ohio Stoneware is proud to continue that legacy, producing American-made stoneware, preserving traditional craftsmanship, and creating opportunities for visitors to experience the region’s pottery heritage firsthand.
See where Ohio Stoneware products move through the manufacturing process, continuing a pottery tradition that has defined the region for generations.
The hand-decorated Hartstone line continues to be produced here, carrying forward another chapter in the building’s pottery history.
Visitors can experience the creative side of Zanesville’s pottery tradition through our Paint Your Own Pottery Studio.
Visit our Zanesville factory outlet and discover the place where more than a century of pottery history continues today. Shop Ohio Stoneware, explore our facility, and experience the craftsmanship behind the products we make.
ORIGINAL HISTORY DOCUMENT
Want to see the full story as it appears in our original printed history piece? View the document to learn more about the building, the businesses that called it home, and its unique place in Zanesville history.
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