Discover why digging into glass-making history is just part of what’s on tap inside National Bottle Museum

New director toasts recent renovations and innovations that will entice more folks to experience this cultural destination

MULTI-TIERED FEATURE  BY ANN HAUPRICH

My retired school teacher mom and I didn’t exactly save time in a bottle following our long ago excursion to the remote remnants of what in the 1800s had been a thriving glass making community in the foothills of the Adirondacks.

Rather than stuffing a parchment scroll inscribed with memories of our 1994 adventure into a flask to be uncorked by future archeologists, Audrey Bopp Hauprich sat down beside me at a word processor, complete with a floppy disk for storage purposes. Feeling like explorers who had returned home after discovering the location of a buried treasure, we began hammering out the opening lines of an article that would grace several pages in the July-August 1995 edition of Adirondack Life magazine.

Titled “A Town Made of Glass: Tales and truths from a forgotten industry”, the literary piece we co-authored began as follows: “There isn’t much to look at now on the wooded slopes of the Kayaderosseras Mountain Range above Lake Desolation in northern Saratoga County. What nature hasn’t eroded or covered with brush has been largely carted away by collectors. Only those with a keen awareness of local history and a vivid imagination can walk amidst the ruins of the once bustling village of Mount Pleasant and reconstruct – at least in words – the place known as Glass Factory Mountain.”

A vivid imagination truly was essential both during and after this “field trip” with my mother. For in its heyday, which lasted until around 1870, the settlement had boasted not only a glass factory that produced well over a million mouth-blown bottles annually, but also a sawmill, grist mill, blacksmith shop, schoolhouse, general store, post office, barns, stables and a hotel.

Fast forward three decades and pull out all the stops! For starters technological advancements have made it possible for visitors to this web site to CLICK HERE to read the in-depth story in its entirety. And, most impressive of all, thanks to a generous grant from the Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust, visitors to the National Bottle Museum in Ballston Spa may now drink in the wonders of an exquisite exhibit called Glass Factory Mountain: Making Bottles and Making History. The names of those who provided research assistance and design expertise are showcased near the entrance to the exhibit which traces the history of Glass Factory Mountain back to the 1840s when Oscar Granger, proprietor of the Mount Vernon Glassworks near Oneida, travelled to Saratoga County to find a suitable location on which to build a new factory. Granger’s company made bottles for Saratoga Springs mineral waters, as well as for inks, medicine, milk, snuff, wine and bitters. Since substantial quantities of wood and sand were needed to produce glass, the fourteen hundred acres Granger found high atop Mount Pleasant were deemed to be ideal especially since they were much closer to the springs themselves.

How I wished my Mom (who passed away at age 97 in December 2022) could have joined me as NBM Director Kayla Whitehouse recently agreed to pose beside a life-size portrait of Granger! In the spirit of bringing history to life, a trio of visitors (Robert Danison, Jr., Glenn Sheehan and Mike Mertle) soon followed suit while longtime museum volunteer Meg Stevens and the director stood beside an artistic recreation of a furnace that was used at the high production glassworks that had employed multitudes of glassblowers when all bottles were manufactured with hand tools and lung power. Whitehouse, who has been at the museum’s helm since January 2023, also cheerfully led me to displays of artifacts that include some of the earliest tools used to skillfully craft individual bottles and samples of raw materials that were required to make the glass that was needed to bottle the waters from this region’s world-famous natural mineral springs.

As captivating as The Glass Factory Mountain exhibit is, it represents just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what you’ll find inside of the historic Milton Avenue (Route 50) landmark. Indeed if you’re thinking of sending a message in a bottle worthy of being uncorked when it washes ashore anywhere in the world try this one: “HATS off to tapping into History, Art & Technology at the National Bottle Museum in the heart of Ballston Spa, New York, USA.”

Boasting a collection of 3,000 flasks dating as far back as the early 1700s, the museum’s effervescent new director’s archeological background promises to help guests develop an even deeper appreciation for the antique bottles that often spent decades as buried treasures before being unearthed and preserved as precious links to our past.

It was a long and winding road that led Whitehouse, who graduated with Ballston Spa High School’s Class of 2007, back to her hometown where she is passionate about celebrating glass and bottle making as America’s First Industry. Whitehouse is additionally eager to share news of enrichment programs and activities at the museum – as well as shining the spotlight on works of art that are showcased within The Jan Rutland Memorial Artists Space on its second floor.

After graduating from BSHS during the village’s Bicentennial year, Whitehouse pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics from Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. The year prior to earning this BA in 2011, she volunteered with the Mopan Valley Archeological Project in the Central American country of Belize where her duties included assisting with the excavation of a Mayan archaeological site. Not long thereafter, she embarked upon learning adventures at the Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, where in 2014 she earned a Master of Arts (MA) in Anthropology, with a Focus on Archaeology. These experiences helped to prepare – and uniquely qualify – her for the position she landed at the National Bottle Museum.

“Ever since I was a kid, I have been interested in history and archaeology—and I picked my college degree with that in mind,” smiles Whitehouse. “I chose Classics because I wanted to do Classical archaeology, and then changed my focus of interest to more New World archaeology after taking some courses on Mayan culture and languages during my undergrad. The Mopan Valley Archaeological Project was actually a field school run through the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and I had the opportunity to join the field school as a volunteer. That was a really great experience for me because first of all, it was really fun. But it also made me realize that even though I enjoyed it, I didn’t really want to be working in the field as my career. So I started looking into career options that would allow me to work with artifacts in a different aspect. For my Master’s thesis, I was working with and studying a few different museum collections. That experience really cemented for me that I wanted to work in a museum.”

One of the things Whitehouse most enjoys about working in a small museum like the NBM is that her leadership position is multi-faceted. “You’re not just doing one thing every day. You have to fill multiple roles simultaneously, in a way that isn’t as necessary in a larger museum. If you look at a big museum like the Smithsonian, the person working behind the counter at the gift shop doesn’t get to also work with the collections and put together a new display. But I will be working on exhibits as well as running the social media, and greeting guests to the museum, all on the same day. It’s really enjoyable for me, because it means that every day is something different, so it’s always new and exciting … We’ve had building upgrades, and recently were able to get electricity up on our third floor storage area. Previously it didn’t have any electric or lighting, which really limited its usability as a work space, so hopefully now we will be able to take advantage of that space. We also received a grant from the Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust which enabled us to repaint the façade of our building, keeping it in the Victorian style that Ballston Spa is famous for. We’re also working on our reference library and research area, so that if anyone is doing bottle research, they will be able to visit our library to use our reference materials.”

While the Glass Factory Mountain exhibit shines the spotlight on the 1800s, one of the oldest bottles in the museum dates back to the 1720s. “It was on a trading ship named Princess Carolina, which was damaged in 1729 and ended up being used as fill material when they built up the land to expand Manhattan. When the ship was excavated in 1982, the bottle was discovered onboard, and eventually made its way to the museum!” beams Whitehouse.

Her personal favorites in the NBM’s vast collection include bottles that have a painted label on them, especially soda bottles and milk bottles. “I love the different colors, and a lot of them have really cute slogans and designs on them. One of my favorites is actually a milk bottle that was released around Christmastime – the label shows a bunch of cows with reindeer antlers and wreaths around their necks,” she explains.

Because the NBM also operates the Ballston Spa Visitor’s Center, it offers a collection of village maps, flyers and brochures from local shops and restaurants. And while the gift shop mainly focuses on National Bottle Museum souvenirs, such as hats, T-shirts, and shot glasses it additionally partners with the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association (BSBPA) to provide some village-themed gifts, as well.

Last, but far from least, Whitehouse is eager to spread word of museum internship programs, volunteer opportunities and the importance of memberships – which have been the backbone of the not-for-profit since it was established in 1978. “Each year, the museum takes on an intern for the summer months through the Saratoga County Summer Youth Employment Program. We generally limit our interns to the ones that we coordinate through that program. It’s been beneficial for us, and it is a good program. However, we do have other volunteer opportunities, as well … including our Board of Trustees – all of whom are extremely active in the museum with exhibits and events. We would not be able to function without them.”

Membership benefits, meanwhile, include free admission to the museum, a discount in the gift shop and a newsletter. To learn more, visit www.nationalbottlemuseum.org.

ADDENDUM: Were my Mom (who led her Malta Avenue Elementary School students on many field trips over the decades) still alive, she would surely be encouraging public, private and home schooling educators to arrange to take their students on tours of the National Bottle Museum. When asked how those interested in scheduling field trips for the 2023-2024 academic year should go about doing so, Kayla Whitehouse enthusiastically responded: “Just reach out! Give us a call at 518.885.7589 or send us an email at info@nationalbottlemuseum.org. We would love to work with you to set up a field trip.” A field trip with bottles that will put a whole new spin on learning adventures in one’s own backyard. For extra credit, kindly scroll down to enjoy a richly illustrated bonus feature about why Ballston Spa was chosen as the perfect setting for the National Bottle Museum.

Why Ballston Spa perfect setting
for the National Bottle Museum

HISTORIC SIDEBAR BY ANN HAUPRICH
SIDEBAR PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAURICE “CHRISTOPHER” MORLEY COLLECTION

Ever wonder how a dot on the map as tiny as the one occupied by Ballston Spa became the home of the National Bottle Museum? Part of the answer was provided during a turn-of-the-millennium interview with now late NBM Executive Director Jan Rutland.

“Many visitors, and indeed many villagers, either aren’t aware or have forgotten that Ballston Spa was once a thriving resort community that attracted affluent guests who were eager to sample the natural mineral spring waters at the Sans Souci Hotel. The waters on the premises were believed to have therapeutic value and people journeyed from far and wide to partake of them,” Rutland said.

The posh destination which was established in 1803 graced an entire block that started at the corner of Front Street and Milton Avenue (where O’Brien Pharmacy now stands) stood three stories high and could accommodate 150 persons. Amenities included a grand ballroom with magnificent chandeliers. The ballroom led to a courtyard where an ornate gazebo and the drilled Sans Souci Spring were found. As per the photo that accompanies this photo-essay, Ballston Spa’s Sans Souci waters were also bottled for consumption at home and abroad.

According to historical records, including the text on the back of a rare picture postcard that shows the Sans Souci Hotel being dismantled in 1887, a man named W.J. Gleason was given the landmark as payment for removing it.

The spring from which the property’s waters flowed was also capped in a bygone era. Thus there was much ado about something when the historic Sans Souci Spring was reopened as part of a village revitalization initiative in 2020.

But that’s just one part of the story behind-the-story of why Ballston Spa makes the perfect setting for the National Bottle Museum. Until a half century or so ago, waters from the world famous Hides Franklin Spring were bottled within a circular structure of cobbled stone on the south side of Malta Avenue near Ralph Street.

The landmark, which was 80 feet in diameter, included hand-painted murals and 500-million-year-old fossils resembling giant sea cabbages. Late Village History Consultant Maurice “Christopher” Morley said the architectural masterpiece sheltering the Hides Franklin Spring was torn down and the pipe to its spring was stopped in order to accommodate the construction of ranch-style homes that now occupy that neighborhood.

Last, but far from least, there’s the Old Iron Spring near the Saratoga County History Center on the grounds of Brookside which has continued to flow without interruption from the time of this village’s first recorded history.

It would be nigh on impossible to imagine Ballston Spa without The Old Iron Spring and the Lions Club of Ballston Spa Music Park that in recent years became an added attraction on the grounds along the Gordon Creek.

KINDLY NOTE: Further insights into why Ballston Spa is the perfect location for the National Bottle Museum are highlighted in the main story about the upstate New York destination.