The Diamond Plate Glass Company (Elwood, Indiana)

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Constructed about 1890, The Diamond Plate Glass Company was the largest factory in Elwood, housing 14 acres under one roof and employed a maximum of 1,500 workers. By 1893, it had $2 million dollars in profit. In 1895, the company was sold to The Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company and in 1905 moved to Kokomo. In between 1910 and 1914, most of the plant had been torn down. In 1914, the plant was reopened and manufactured glass house refractories. On June 1, 1940, the plant closed their doors for the last time.

Other companies that housed in the remaining structures in between 1940 and 1962 include: The McGuire Co., The Muncie-Elwood Lamp Co., The National Aircraft Corp, The U.S. Plastic Corp, and more. On October 12, 1942, a portion of the Lamp Company caught fire and burned, resulting in a partial demolition of the pre-1900 building. It is specifically unknown when the rest was torn down.

In 1962, the site had new hope when State Plating, constructed their plant here. State Plating closed May 3, 2008, leaving a large, empty building. On the night of November 30, 2012, the abandoned building left was subject to arson, resulting in demolition mid 2014. Today the site sits empty and desolate(except for the smaller structures on both sides). Who would have ever thought that 110 years ago, the once largest factory in Elwood sat here.

All that is believed to be left of the Glass Company is the structure on the west side of the property.