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>> WE ARE OUT OF THE STUDIO AND
ON THE ROAD AND WE'RE BEGINNING
OUR TANK TRIP AT THE WORLD'S
LARGEST -- AND WORLD'S LARGEST
SPHERE.
WHERE IN INDIANA COULD WE
POSSIBLY BE?
ONLY KOKOMO, THE CITY OF FIRSTS.
JOIN US AT THE KOKOMO AUTOMOTIVE
MUSEUM, THE SEEBER LING -- OKAY.
DO THAT AGAIN.
JOIN US AT THE KOKOMO AUTOMOTIVE
MUSEUM, THE MANSION, THE KOKOMO
GLASS FACTORY AND ARTWORKS AND
THE ART ALLEY.
ALL THIS AND MORE HERE IN KOKOMO
RIGHT NOW ON "THE WEEKLY
SPECIAL."
>> WELCOME TO "THE WEEKLY
SPECIAL."
I'M ERICA SAGON.
WE'RE HERE IN KOKOMO KNOWN AS
THE CITY OF FIRSTS.
IT GOT ITS NAME BECAUSE OF ALL
THE INNOVATION THAT HAPPENED
HERE OVER THE YEARS.
WE ARE GOING TO START WITH A
LOOK BACK AT ELWOOD HAYNES, A
PIONEER IN THE AUTOMOTIVE
INDUSTRY.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE
BUT INDIANA SITS ATOP WHAT WAS A
MASSIVE NATURAL GAS DEPOSIT.
IT WENT INTO EASTERN ILLINOIS
AND WESTERN OHIO.
SO THIS WAS A MASSIVE NATURAL
RESOURCE.
THE DISCOVERY OF THIS DEPOSIT
MORE THAN 150 YEARS AGO GAVE
RISE TO AN INDUSTRIAL KOKOMO.
AND IT MEANT WORK AND
OPPORTUNITY FOR INNOVATION WAS
PLENTIFUL.
IN 1891 A GENTLEMAN NAMED ELWOOD
HAYNES CAME FROM PORTLAND,
INDIANA THAT.
HE WAS COLLEGE EDUCATED.
HE HAD BEEN A METALLURGIST.
HE ALSO DESIGNED AND BUILT ONE
OF THE EARLIEST AUTOMOBILES MADE
IN THE UNITED STATES.
>> VERY SIMPLE.
HE NEEDED A WAY TO GET TO THE
GAS FIELDS.
AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT WAS
THIS NEW THING, THE AUTOMOBILE,
WHICH DIDN'T HAVE THE NAME
AUTOMOBILE.
IN OLD LITERATURE THEY REFERRED
TO IT AS A MOTORCYCLE OR
HORSELESS CARRIAGE.
THE AUTOMOBILE WASN'T IN COMMON
USAGE.
>> THE NEED MAY HAVE BEEN SIMPLE
BUT THE BUILD WAS ANYTHING BUT.
HAYNES SOURCED A GASOLINE
ENGINE, CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY
FOR THE TIME, FROM MICHIGAN,
THEN SET OUT TO CONVINCE THE
APPERSON BROTHERS TO HELP HIM
BUILD HIS HORSELESS CARRIAGE.
>> SAYING SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN
A FACTORY WOULD BE LIKE SAYING I
WANT TO BUILD A ROCKET THAT WILL
GO TO MARS AND I WANT YOU TO
BUILD IT FOR ME.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT YOU
LIKE YOU'RE A LITTLE OFF.
>> MR. HAYNES MUST HAVE BEEN A
PRETTY GOOD SALESMAN, BECAUSE
THE CAR, LATER KNOWN AS THE
PIONEER, WAS BUILT.
>> HE EVENTUALLY HAS A THOUSAND
DOLLARS WRAPPED UP IN THIS
THING.
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, THE AVERAGE
PERSON IN THE 1880s, '90s,
THE ONCH WORKER WAS MAKING 300
BUCKS A YEAR.
SO THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY.
IT TOOK THE BETTER PART OF THE
YEAR.
THE TEST RUN, BRINGS IT BA K
INTO TOWN AT 7 MILES AN HOUR.
>> BY MODERN STANDARDS IT HAD A
FEW ISSUES.
>> IT DIDN'T HAVE BRAKING
CAPACITY, VERY GOOD.
IT HAD NO REVERSE.
IT HAD NO MUFFLER.
AND THE STEERING WAS A CRANK.
YOU PUSHED IT THIS WAY, YOU
PULLED IT THAT WAY TO STEER.
IT DIDN'T WORK VERY WELL.
>> IN 1894, IT WAS A MARVEL.
HAYNES CONTINUED TO INNOVATE,
IMPROVED HIS ORIGINAL DESIGN AND
SOON BUILT A FACTORY IN KOKOMO.
THE FACTORY, WITH PRECISION
TOOLS AND ELECTRIC POWER, WAS
ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE WORLD TO
PRODUCE CARS AND WAS A
REVELATION FOR ITS DAY.
>> YOU LOOK AT THE PRODUCTION
TIME, IT GOES FROM BEING LIKE A
WHOLE YEAR DOWN TO SIX TO EIGHT
MONTHS AND BY 1897 WE ARE
INCORPORATING AND BUILDING
SEVERAL CARS A YEAR.
IT SHOWS THERE'S A MARKET FOR
THEM FOR ONE THING.
THEY WOULDN'T BUILD THEM IF THEY
COULDN'T SELL THEM.
THERE WERE 30 CARS BUILT IN 1899
AND THEN IT GETS TO BE DWOD,
300, 400 CARS.
EYE SHOWS THERE IS A MARKET FORB
THAT.
>> THERE WAS ALSO VERY STIFF
COMPETITION.
BY 1912 ELWOOD HAYNES WAS
LARGELY OUT OF THE CAR BUSINESS
HAVING RETURNED TO HIS FIRST
LOVE, METALLURGY.
THE LAST HAYNES POOBL ROLLED OFF
THE LINE IN 1925.
THE SAME YEAR ITS NAMESAKE
PASSED AWAY.
BUT KOKOMO'S TIES TO THE
AUTOMOBILE DIDN'T END WITH
HAYNES AND THE APPERSON
BROTHERS.
DELCO'S RADIO DIVISION SET UP
SHOP IN THE LATE 1930s AND TWO
YEARS LATER CHRYSLER OPENED ITS
FIRST TRANSMISSION PLANT.
TODAY MORE THAN 10,000 HOOSIERS
HAVE JOBS IN KOKOMO RELATED IN
SOME WAY TO THE OONL INDUSTRY.
AUTOMOBILE
INDUSTRY.
A TRIP TO THE KOKOMO AUTOMOTIVE
MUSEUM ALLOWS VISITORS TO GET UP
CLOSE AND PERSONAL.
>> I REMEMBER THAT CAR.
MY MOM HAD THIS.
MY DAD HAD HAD THIS.
THAT WAS MY FIRST CAR.
I TOOK MY PROM DATE TO THE PROM
IN THAT CAR.
WHATEVER.
IT'S THAT CONNECTION.
AND WE OWE A LOT TO PIONEER AUTO
FOR STARTING IT.
THEY DONATED HUNDREDS MUCH
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO BUILD
THIS THING.
THEN THEY BROUGHT THEIR CARS IN
AS A WAY TO FULFILL IT.
>> THERE ARE NOT SURPRISINGLY A
NUMBER OF HAYNES CARS.
IT'S THE LARGEST COLLECTION IN
THE WORLD AND INCLUDES A REPLICA
OF THE HAYNES PIONEER, THE
ORIGINAL SITS IN THE
SMITHSONIAN.
>> WE HAVE A JACKRABBIT THAT I
CALL A 1910 CORVETTE.
WE HAVE A 1923 HAYNES MODEL 75
TOURING CAR.
IT WAS OWNED BY ONE OF THE
FOUNDERS OF THE MUSEUM.
IT'S A TYPICAL 1920s TOURING
CAR, LARGE, MAROON AND BLACK.
IT HAS A PRESENCE.
>> THERE ARE COLES, DUSENBERGS.
IF YOU ARE A CAR HISTORIAN THERE
IS SOMETHING HERE FOR YOU.
THE GOAL OF THE MUSEUM IS TO
CELEBRATE THE CITY OF FIRSTS
FROM ELWOOD HAYNES TO TODAY.
>> WITHOUT KOKOMO WE WOULDN'T
HAVE THIS.
WITHOUT KOKOMO WE WOULDN'T HAVE
THAT.
MY GOODNESS.
SUDDENLY IT BECOMES, MAYBE
THERE'S SOMETHING TO THAT PLACE.
MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING TO THAT
PLACE.
MAYBE IT'S JUST MORE THAN AN OLD
INDUSTRY TOWN.
WHATEVER CITY YOU LIVE IN OR
WHATEVER CITY YOU'RE PASSING
THROUGH, YOU GET TO KNOW THAT
HISTORY AND YOU APPRECIATE WHAT
IT WAS AND HOW IT AFFECTS YOU
AND THINGS TODAY.
>> DON'T MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY
TO SEE THESE BEAUTIFUL CARS UP
CLOSE.
GET HOURS AND DIRECT SHUNDZ TO
THE KOKOMO AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM AT
KOKOMOAUTOMOTIVEMUSEUM.COM.
>>> ELWOOD HAYNES WASN'T THE
ONLY INDUSTRYIST TO PUT DOWN
ROOTS IN KOKOMO.
IN 1889 ANOTHER AMBITIOUS
ENTREPRENEUR BUILT THIS MANSION
AND NOW IT'S AN ICON HERE IN
KOKOMO.
IF YOU LOVE OLD HOUSES LIKE I
DO, YOU'RE IN LUCK.
LET'S HEAD INSIDE.
WE'RE HERE WITH DAVE, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE HOWARD COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WHICH
OVERSEAS THE MANSION.
DAVE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING US HERE.
>> WELCOME.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I WANT FOR YOU TO GIVE US AN
IDEA OF THE HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS MANSION.
WHY SIT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?
>> IT REALLY GOES BACK TO THE
INDIANA GAS BOOM OF THE
MID-1800s WHEN THEY DISCOVERED
NATURAL GAS, AND AT THAT TIME
THIS WAS AN AGRICULTURAL
COMMUNITY, AND THEY BROUGHT IN
INDUSTRY BECAUSE OF THE NATURAL
GAS.
THEY WERE GETTING AWAY -- GIVING
AWAY FREE GAS TO PEOPLE WHO
WOULD BUILD FACTORIES.
ONE OF THE VERY FIRST TO USE
THAT ON A LARGE SCALE INDUSTRIAL
MANUFACTURING BASIS THROUGHOUT
INDIANA WAS A GUY NAMED MONROE
SEIBERLINNG.
HE HAD PLENTY OF MONEY SO HE
BUILT THIS GORGEOUS HOUSES.
>> THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY ALONG
WITH THE COUNTY HAS BEEN
RESTORING THIS MANSION SINCE
ABOUT THE 1970s.
GIVE US AN IDEA WHAT THE
RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OF
THIS BEAUTIFUL HOUSE HAS BEEN
LIKE.
>> WE'VE HAD TO DO IT IN EAR IS
A EASE OF STAGES THAT BEGAN
AROUND 1971, '72 WITH SIMPLY
STABILIZING THE STRUCTURE
BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN SITTING
EMPTY FOR A FEW YEARS, AND IT
UNFORTUNATELY DETERIORATED QUITE
A BIT.
SO WE JUST HAD TO MAKE SURE THE
ROOF WAS INTACT AND CLEAN UP
SOME OF THE RESIDUE FROM THE
BIRDS AND THE BROKEN WINDOWS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEN WE COULD BEGIN TO MOVE THE
MUSEUM IN.
THEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT
FEW YEARS, WE HAD A MAJOR
RENOVATION IN '88.
WE HAD ONE ABOUT 2002.
AND THEN THE MOST RECENTLY WE
JUST DID SOME ROOF WORK.
>> ONE REALLY NEAT POINT IN THE
MANSION'S PAST IS THAT IT
ACTUALLY USED TO HOUSE INDIANA
UNIVERSITY KOKOMO.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THAT?
>> YOU BET.
THE HOUSE WAS A RESIDENCE FOR
THE FAMILY FOR A FEW YEARS
BEFORE THEY MOVED ON.
THEY BUILT THIS GORGEOUS HOUSE
AND FINISHED IN 1891 AND IN '95
THEY LEFT.
THE GI BILL WAS EXPANDING
COLLEGE ENROLLMENT ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND INDIANA UNIVERSITY
WAS GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS
AND ESTABLISHING BRANCH
CAMPUSES.
KOKOMO'S ENROLLMENT EXPLODED,
THEY NEEDED MORE ROOM AND THE
HOUSE WAS AVAILABLE.
SO THEY BOUGHT IT FROM THE
ESTATE OF THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND
THEY TURNED THIS INTO A
UNIVERSITY.
>> WOW, WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
STUDENTS.
I CAN'T IMAGINE HAVING CLASS IN
SOME OF THESE GORGEOUS ROOMS.
>> YEAH.
AND THEY HAD CLASSES, THEY HAD
DANCES, THEY HAD SOCK HOPS.
THE STUDENT UNION WAS IN THE
BASEMENT OF ALL PLACES.
IT WAS KIND OF NEAT.
>> AFTER BUILDING THIS BEAUTIFUL
HOUSE, THEY DID NOT STAY HERE
VERY LONG.
WHY NOT?
>> HE WAS AN INDUSTRIAL
ENTREPRENEUR.
HE WAS A GUY WHO BUILT THINGS.
HE CAME FROM THAT BACKGROUND IN
OHIO IN THE AKRON AREA.
HE CAME OVER HERE SPECIFICALLY
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE GAS
BOOM AND BUILD THE FACTORIES.
SO HIS GLASS COMPANY IN KOKOMO
WAS TAKEN OVER BY A BIG
SYNDICATE FROM OUT EAST AND HE
MOVED ON TO ILLINOIS TO BUILD
SEVERAL MORE FACTORIES IN THE
PEORIA AND OTTAWA.
>> THE MANSION IS KIND OF A MIX
OF EXHIBITS AND SORT OF
PRESERVATION, AND IT'S OPEN TO
THE PUBLIC, OF COURSE.
WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE, WHAT
SHOULD THEY NOT MISS?
>> THE WOODWORK IS STUNNING, AND
I LOVE WATCHING PEOPLE'S MOUTHS
DROP WHEN THEY WALK IN FRONT
DOOR.
THE WOODWORK, THE STAINED GLASS
WINDOWS ARE ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.
THE NATURAL GAS BROUGHT A LOT OF
GLASS MANUFACTURING TO CENTRAL
INDIANA, NOT JUST HERE, BUT IN
MADISON COUNTY, ELWOOD,
ANDERSON, CLEAR UP TO HARTFORD
CITY.
ONE THAT CAME IN WAS KOKOMO
GLASS AND THEY MANUFACTURE ART
GLASS, WHICH IS COLORED GLASS
FOR STAINED GLASS WINDOWS.
IN FACT, THEY MANUFACTURED QUITE
A BIT OF GLASS FOR TIFFANY AND
COMPANY.
SO THEY WERE HERE WHEN HE CAME
MAKING GLASS, AND THEY MADE THE
GLASS AND THE WINDOWS FOR THIS
BEAUTIFUL MANSION.
WE HAVE A FEW WINDOWS THAT ARE
REPRODUCTIONS BUT WE HAVE A
NUMBER OF ORIGINAL STAINED GLASS
WINDOWS WITH THAT ORIGINAL UP A
LESSANT GLASS IN IT.
>> WHAT IS EXACTLY IN THE
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE OF THIS
HOME?
>> THE OFFICIAL NAME IS
NEOJOCOBIAN REVIVAL.
IT'S PRIMARILY ROMANESQUE, WHICH
IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE HEAVY
STONE BLOCKS THAT ARE AROUND THE
HOUSE.
IT GIVES IT A REALLY SOLID-BUILT
FEATURE, FEELING WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THE HOUSE.
IT'S A BIG STONE BRICK
ROMANESQUE.
>> IN ADDITION TO BEING A LOVELY
HOME, THIS IS ALSO A COUNTY
MUSEUM WITH EXHIBITS.
TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE
EXHIBITS YOU'LL FIND HERE.
>> WELL, WE TRY TO GO THROUGH
AND EXPLAIN THE FOUNDING OF THE
COUNTY AND REALLY FOCUS ON THE
GAS BOOM HISTORY BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT MADE KOKOMO WHAT IT IS
TODAY.
SO WE HAVE -- INSIDE THE HOUSE
WE HAVE A MIX OF EXHIBITS AND
PERIOD ROOMS TO LET PEOPLE GET
AN IDEA OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO
LIVE HERE AND THEN TO ALSO
UNDERSTAND HOW THE COMMUNITY
CAME TO BE, HOW THE COUNTY CAME
TO BE WHAT IT IS TODAY.
>> AS YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, AT
ONE POINT THE HOUSE WAS IN SUCH
DISREPAIR THAT SOME MIGHT HAVE
WONDERED WHY NOT JUST TEAR IT
DOWN.
WHY SAVE IT.
WHY IS THIS HOUSE IMPORTANT TO
KOKOMO AND MAYBE IMPORTANT TO
INDIANA?
>> OBVIOUSLY IT'S AN
ARCHITECTURAL BEAUTY.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE ICONIC
BUILDINGS THAT HAS COME TO STAND
FOR NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY BUT
THIS WHOLE COUNTY.
BUT BEYOND THAT IT HAS
TREMENDOUS SYMBOLIC VALUE
BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS THE HUGE
CHANGE THAT MADE KOKOMO THE
INDUSTRIAL TOWN THAT IT IS.
THIS BUILDING IS AT THE CORE OF
WHY THIS TOWN IS WHAT IT IS.
>> WE'RE CERTAINLY FORTUNATE TO
HAVE THIS WONDERFUL HOME HERE AS
A PEEK INTO INDIANA'S PAST.
THANK YOU, DAY, FOR GIVING US A
TOUR OF THE HOME AND ITS
HISTORY.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE
INFORMATION ON THE MANSION OR
THE HOWARD COUNTY MUSEUM, VISIT
THEIR WEBSITE
HOWARDCOUNTYMUSEUM.ORG.
AS DAVE MENTIONED THE MANSION IS
FULL OF GLASS FROM THE KOKOMO
OPEN LESSANT GLASS FACTORY, A
BUSINESS OVER 100 YEARS OLD AND
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU THERE
NOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
FASCINATING HISTORY.
>> WHEN KOKOMO SPECULATORS
DISCOVERED NATURAL GAS IN 1886,
NEWS TRAVELED QUICKLY FROM
KOKOMO ALL THE WAY TO NEW
ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, WHERE
CHARLES EDWARD HENRY, A
SUCCESSFUL GLASS CHEMIST, SAW AN
OPPORTUNITY, ONE THAT WOULD
BEGIN A 130-YEAR LEGACY KNOWN
TODAY AS THE KOKOMO OPAL HE
ISANT GLASS FACTORY.
>> HE HR HAD CONNECTIONS IN THE
INDUSTRY, INCLUDING LEWIS
TIFFANY.
TIFFANY WAS LOOKING FOR UNIQUE
GLASSES, THINGS WITH TEXTURE,
LITTLE FLAWS IN THEM THAT ADDED
CHARACTER AND GAVE THE GLASS A
CERTAIN LOOK.
HENRY WAS WILLING TO PROVIDE
THAT.
WHEN HE HEARD ABOUT THE INDIANA
GAS BOOM HE DECIDED TO COME OVER
TO INDIANA BECAUSE WHAT BETTER
PLACE TO HAVE A GLASS FACTORY IF
YOU CAN HAVE FREE NATURAL GAS.
AND THE CITY OF KOKOMO ACTUALLY
GAVE HIM THIS PROPERTY.
SO THEN HE ERECTED THE ORIGINAL
FURNACE ROOM AND STARTED
MANUFACTURING GLASS.
>> ON NOVEMBER 16th, 1888,
HENRY SHIPPED HIS FIRST HAUL OF
GLASS, OVER 600 POUNDS OF
BRILLIANT BLUE AND WHITE SHEETS
TO TIFFANY.
SHORTLY THEREAFTER HEN TREE
SHIPPED GLASS TO DISPLAY AT THE
PARIS EXHIBITION, THE WORLD'S
FAIR WHERE HE WON A GOLD MEDAL.
NEW ORDERS POURED IN FROM ACROSS
EUROPE.
>> WE'RE FAMOUS FOR OUR COLORS,
THE VIBE RUNS OF THE COLORS, THE
RICHNESS, INTENSITY OF THE
COLORS.
I THINK MAYBE PRIOR TO HENRY THE
LOOK FOR STAINED GLASS, PEOPLE
WANTED TO SEE IT CLEAR AND FLAT
AND FLAWLESS.
YOU KNOW, PRODUCING A TEXTURED
STAINED GLASS WAS SOMETHING THAT
WAS NEW AND DIFFERENT.
>> SPEA SITE THE SURGE OF
SUCCESS, HAD HE BEEN RE'S POOR
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT LED TO
BANKRUPTCY WITHIN THE YEAR.
BUT THE KOKOMO COMMUNITY BANNED
TOGETHER TO SAVE THE FACTORY.
THREE LOCAL BUSINESSMEN
PURCHASED THE GLASSWORKS AND
OVER THE NEXT CENTURY THE
FAMILIES BUILT A GLASS EMPIRE.
KOKOMO'S GLASS CAN BE SEEN
ACROSS THE WORLD FROM
ARCHITECTURAL WONDERS LIKE THE
CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER AND
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S DANA HOUSE
TO STUNNING PLACES OF WORSHIP
LIKE THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY'S
CADET CHAPEL, AND EVEN THE
VATICAN.
IN FACT, THERE ARE ESTIMATES
THAT 75% OF THE WORLD'S CHURCHES
CONTAIN KOKOMO'S GLASS.
TODAY IT IS THE OLD US STAINED
GLASS MANUFACTURER IN THE
COUNTRY.
>> SO WE MAKE OUR PRODUCT JUST
LIKE WE DID BACK IN 1888.
THE PROCESS HAS NOT CHANGED.
WE'RE USING THE SAME RECIPES WE
DID IN HIS DAY.
WE MELT THE GLASS THE SAME WAY
WE DID, WE HAND A LITTLE IT,
HAND MIX IT AND ROLL IT AND IT'S
ALL ESSENTIALLY EXACTLY THE
SAME.
THE THING THAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT
THAT IS NO TWO SHEETS OF GLASS
ARE GOING TO BE IDENTICAL.
EACH ONE IS GOING TO BE A UNIQUE
PIECE OF ART.
>> AND BECAUSE OF THIS APPROACH,
THE KOKOMO GLASS FACTORY WAS
ABLE TO OFFER 22,000 DIFFERENT
COMBINATIONS OF COLOR AND
TEXTURE.
THE FURNACE'S 12 CRUCIBLES CAN
EACH HOLD A MOLTEN GLASS, UP TO
600 POUNDS AT A TIME.
IT TAKES HALF A DAY TO MELT BUT
WHEN THE GLASS IS READY TO BE
POURED, THE CREW LEAPS INTO
ACTION.
>> THAT IS AN ART FORM MORE THAN
A SCIENCE.
IT TAKES A LOT OF YEARS AND A
GOOD EYE TO KNOW WHEN YOU'VE GOT
THE APPROPRIATE MIX.
YOU DON'T WANT TO OVERMIX IT
BECAUSE IT WILL BECOME MUDDY AND
YOU DON'T WANT TO UNDERMIX IT
BECAUSE THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE
COLORS SEGREGATED WHERE YOU WANT
THEM COMBINED TOGETHER IN JUST
THE RIGHT AMOUNT.
>> WHEN THE MIX IS READY,
SPECIALIZED ROLLERS FLATTEN IT
INTO A SHEET AND THE SHEET IS
PUSHED INTO AN ANNEALING
FURNACE.
THERE THE GLASS IS GRADUALLY
COOLED TO PREVENT CRACKS.
ONCE THE SHEET REACHES THE TRIM
ROOM IT IS READY TO BE KUPT INTO
THE NECESSARY SIZES.
ALL TOLD, THE FACTORY PRODUCES
BETWEEN 1500 AND 2500 SQUARE
FEET OF UNIQUE GLASS EACH DAY.
>> WE STARTED OUT STRICTLY AS A
MANUFACTURER OF STAINED GLASS
SHEETS AND SLOWLY WENT --
SELLING THAT TO GLASS ARTISTS
AROUND THE WORLD.
OVER THE YEARS WE'VE EXPANDED.
BACK IN THE '90s WE ADDED THE
HOT GLASS STUDIO WHERE WE HAVE
GLASS BLOWERS ON STAFF, AND THEY
PRODUCE REALLY AN UNLIMITED
NUMBER OF PRODUCTS THERE.
RONDELS ARE A COMMON PRODUCT FOR
US.
WE PROBABLY PRODUCE MORE THAN OF
THOSE THAN ANYTHING.
WE ALSO DO VASES, BOWLS, PAPER
WEIGHTS.
YOU NAME IT.
IF IT'S MADE OUT OF COLORED
GLASS, WE'RE PROBABLY DOING IT
SOMEWHERE IN THIS OF FACTORY.
>> THEY OFFER ART CLASSES AND
OPEN UP THE FACTORY FLOOR EACH
WEEKDAY MORNING WHERE VISITORS
CAN STEP BACK IN TIME AND WATCH
THE CENTURY-OLD PROCESS TAKE
PLACE, ALL IN THE SAME FACILITY
THAT CHARLES HENRY ONCE BUILT.
>> YOU CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL THAT
CONNECTION TO THE PAST, THE
IMPORTANCE OF THIS PLACE TO THE
COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EMPLOYEES HERE
WHO ARE MULTI-GENERATIONAL IN
THEIR SENIORITY.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO WILL COME IN
AND TELL US THEIR GRANDFATHER
WORKED HERE.
IT'S REALLY NEAT WHEN WE HAVE
THOSE PAST STORIES COME ABOUT.
WE'RE PART OF THE INDUSTRIAL
HERITAGE OF NOT JUST KOKOMO BUT
INDIANA AND THE UNITED STATES.
WE'RE ONE OF JUST A SMALL
HANDFUL OF MANUFACTURERS
PRODUCING GLASS THIS WAY.
THE GLASS ART COMMUNITY
WORLDWIDE RELIES ON US TO
CONTINUE IN BUSINESS AND BE ABLE
TO SUPPLY THEIR NEEDS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS, A
LOT OF NEW THINGS TO TRY HERE.
WE'RE CONSTANT DLOIFLING AND
IMPROVING -- DEVELOPING AND
IMPROVING WHAT WE DO AND ADDING
NEW PRODUCTS.
IT'S NEVER ENDING, THE POTENTIAL
OF THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH GLASS,
AND IT'S VERY REWARDING THAT
WAY.
>> YOU CAN TAKE A TOUR OF THE
KOKOMO GLASS FACTORY AND SEE UP
CLOSE HOW THEY'VE MADE THEIR
QUALITY GLASS FOR OVER 100
YEARS.
LEARN MORE AT KOG.COM.
>>> WHEN IT COMES TO ARTISTRY
THE GLASS COMPANY HAS BEEN
HAPPENING MAKE A NAME FOR KOKOMO
FOR DECADES.
UP NEXT WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE
KOKOMO ART ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS
ENSURING KOKOMO IS A PLACE FOR
ARTISTS FOR YEARS TO COME WITH
PUBLIC WORKS LIKE THE KOKOMO
MANTIS.
>> COKE MOST ARTIST ASSOCIATION
WAS BOARND IN 1926.
SO WE HAVE BEEN HERE 92 YEARS
NOW.
WE'RE, I THINK, THE OLDEST
OPERATING ART ASSOCIATION IN
KOKOMO.
THE MISSION WAS TO BRING ART TO
THE COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITY TO
ART.
>> IN 1988 THE ORGANIZATION
OPENED THE KOKOMO ART CENTER TO
HOUSE AND SHARE THE
ASSOCIATION'S EXTENSIVE ART
COLLECTION.
STILL, THE ORGANIZATION WANTED
TO DO MORE TO SUPPORT ITS
COMMUNITY.
SO THEY STARTED TO LOOK FOR A
SECOND HOME WHERE LOCAL ARTIST
KOZ SHOWCASE AND SELL THEIR
WORK.
>> WE DECIDED WE LIKED THE
VISION THE MAYOR HAD FOR THE
CITY MAKING DOWNTOWN AN ARTS
DISTRICT AND WE THOUGHT THIS WAS
THE PLACE WE SHOULD BE, AND WHEN
WE WALKED IN THE DOOR OF THIS
BUILDING AND SAW THE BUILDING WE
THOUGHT, THIS IS IT.
>> AND IN 2012, THANKS TO A
GRACIOUS BENEFACTOR, THE KOKOMO
ARTS ASSOCIATION WAS ABLE TO
PURCHASE THE BUILDING.
TODAY THE ARTWORK'S GALLERY
FEATURES STUDIO SPACES FOR
CLASSES AND DISPLAYS FOR LOCAL
ARTISTS, CULTIVATING A CREATIVE
ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL AGES AND
ABILITY.
>> WHEN YOU FIRST COME IN AS THE
NEW ARTIST, YOU COME IN, AND
BEING AROUND OTHER ARTISTIC
PEOPLE, YOU LEARN AND YOU ABSORB
AND YOU BECOME A BETTER ARTIST.
I'VE BECOME A BETTER
PHOTOGRAPHER JUST BY BEING IN
THE ARTWORKS GALLERY.
EVERY MONTH HERE WE HAVE A
FEATURE OR A GUEST ARTIST, AND
WE TRY TO BRING IN ARTISTS FROM
THE COMMUNITY BUT ALSO FROM
OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE HAD ARTISTS FROM CHICAGO,
CINCINNATI, AND WE TRY TO BRING
IN THINGS THAT PEOPLE HERE IN
KOKOMO WOULD NOT NORMALLY SEE.
>> AND IF SOME RESIDENTS WEREN'T
GOING TO VISIT THE GALLERY, THEN
THE KOKOMO ARTS ASSOCIATION
WOULD BRING THE GALLERY TO THEM,
WITH THE HELP OF THE CITY AND
LOCAL VOLUNTEERS.
THE ORGANIZATION CONVERTED THE
PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY OUTSIDE THEIR
BUILDING INTO A 24/7 OUTDOOR
EXHIBIT ACTUALLY NAMED ARTIST
ALLEY.
IT'S THE ASSOCIATION'S HOPE THAT
THE GALLERY WILL TRANSFORM FAR
MORE THAN BRICK WALLS.
>> THE HEART OF A CITY IS THE
DOWNTOWN, AND TO HAVE A VIBRANT
CITY YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VIBRANT
DOWNTOWN.
IT'S AMAZING TO WALK THROUGH THE
ALLEY AND SEE OTHER PEOPLE WALK,
AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE ART
AND READING THE DEGYP SHUN OF
THE ART -- DESCRIPTION OF THE
ART AND ENJOYING WHAT WE HAVE
OUT HERE.
IT'S WONDERFUL.
THERE AGAIN, WE'RE REACHING
PEOPLE.
WE'RE BRINGING ART TO THE
COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN SEE IT.
YOU CAN SEE THE PEOPLE AND HOW
THEY ENJOY AND IT MAKES THEM
HAPPY.
>> AND SEEING THAT JOY INSPIRED
THE ASSOCIATION TO BRING EVEN
MORE ART INTO THE COMMUNITY.
PARTNERING WITH OTHER KOKOMO
ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL ARTISTS
TO CREATE INCREDIBLE MURALS,
DOTTING THE TOWN'S WALKING
TRAILINGS AND BUSINESSES.
>> WHEN WE DO THESE MURLZ,
PEOPLE STOP AND THEY LOVE IT AND
THEY TELL YOU WHAT THEY THINK OF
THE MURAL, THEY WANT TO KNOW IF
YOU'RE GOING TO DO MORE, AND THE
PEOPLE ARE JUST EXCITED TO SEE
THESE PIECES OF ARTWORK GO UP.
I THINK IT BRIGHTENS THE
COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT GIVES PEOPLE WHEN
THEY SAY IT, I THINK IT GIVES
THEM A LITTLE BIT OF HEAP EANESS
FORHAPPINESSFOR THE DAY.
I HOPE IT BRINGS PRIDE TO PEOPLE
THAT THEIR COMMUNITY IS TRYING
TO BEAUTIFY THE PLACES THAT THEY
WALK AND FIT AND SEE EVERY DAY.
I HOPE PEOPLE HAVE PRIDE IN
THAT.
I KNOW I DO.
BUT I HOPE IT'S AN ENJOYMENT AND
BRINGS A LITTLE SENSE OF WHAT
ART IS AND WHAT IT DOES FOR YOUR
LIFE.
I WANTED TO HAVE A LEGACY OF ART
IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I HOPE WE
CONTINUE TO.
>> THERE ARE MANY WONDERFUL
ARTISTS IN THE CITY AND THE
KOKOMO ART ASSOCIATION IS
DEDICATED TO BRINGING THEM TO
THE COMMUNITY.
FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN SEE THEIR
WORK AT KAAA.ORG.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO SEE
IN KOKOMO WITH NEW ATTRACTIONS
EVERY YEAR.
DISCOVER THE CITY OF FIRSTS.
LEARN MORE AT VISITKOKOMO.ORG.
>>> THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE
TONIGHT.
WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THE
JOURNEY INTO KOKOMO WITH US AND
DISCOVERING ALL THE INNOVATIONS
AND IDEAS THAT GOT THEIR START
RIGHT HERE.
GOOD NIGHT!
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