Misplaced Pages

Little Joe Tower

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
U.S. landmark

Little Joe Tower
Little Joe Tower, seen behind Corning's headquarters.
Little Joe Tower is located in New YorkLittle Joe TowerLocation within New YorkShow map of New YorkLittle Joe Tower is located in the United StatesLittle Joe TowerLittle Joe Tower (the United States)Show map of the United States
General information
Town or cityCorning, New York
CountryUnited States
Coordinates42°08′42.9108″N 77°03′27.738″W / 42.145253000°N 77.05770500°W / 42.145253000; -77.05770500
Completed1912 or 1913
OwnerCorning Inc.
Height187 feet (57 m)

Little Joe Tower is a landmark structure in Corning, New York, United States.

The tower was built in either 1912 or 1913 by Corning Glass Works (now known as Corning Incorporated). The construction came during a period of growth for the company, and the 187-foot (57 m) tower was used in drawing glass for thermometer tubes. To create the thermometers, in a process known as "vertical draw", the heated glass was pulled up the length of the tower using a cable, to form a continuous tube that was later cooled and cut to required sizes. By the 1940s, advancements in drawing technology reduced the use of the tower, and in June 1973, the tower was decommissioned. However, the company continues to maintain the building, which the Star-Gazette claims is "the Corning area's best known landmark".

On the outside of the white tower is a blue stenciled silhouette of "Little Joe", a glassblower, giving the tower its name. The symbol of the gaffer, or glassblower, was originally created in 1880 from a sketch made by an itinerant painter who has visited a glass factory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The symbol has undergone various modifications over time, and has become a Corning Inc. trademark.

In 1999, the tower was repainted, and in 2015, the tower experienced a renovation that began in May and ended in August.

References

  1. ^ Gampel, Kelly (May 29, 2015). "Corning's Little Joe Tower gets a makeover". Star-Gazette. Gannett. Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  2. ^ Smith, Jeffery (May 29, 2015). "Little Joe getting a facelift". The Leader. Gannett. Archived from the original on August 9, 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  3. ^ Dyer, Davis; Gross, Daniel (2001). The Generations of Corning: The Life and Times of a Global Corporation. Oxford University Press. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-19-803231-1 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Green, Hardy (2010). The Company Town: The Industrial Eden's and Satanic Mills That Shaped the American Economy. Basic Books. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-465-02264-9 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "How Cool is That? The Story Behind "Little Joe"". www.corningfingerlakes.com. January 21, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  6. Wilson, Larry (June 25, 2015). "Corning Watch: The men who helped save Little Joe". Star-Gazette. Gannett. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
Categories: