The 8th Wonder (Once)

A post earlier this week related our recent meet-up with blogger friends in PA. Linda and Bob were wonderful and very informative tour guides who introduced us to an amazing PA sight at Kinzua Bridge State Park. Spoiler Alert: This is a long post.

Admittedly, we are always interested in sites new-to-us and especially ones with a historical background. What we saw at this 339-acre Pennsylvania state park near Mt Jewett was amazing. We can understand why it was selected by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and Bureau of Parks as one of 25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks. 

The park's highlight is the Kinzua Sky Walk extending 624 feet into the Kinzua Gorge featuring panoramic views. Once known as the Kinzua Viaduct, this engineering marvel was once the highest railway bridge in the world. Six of the bridge's 20 towers were taller than the Brooklyn Bridge. In 1977, it was listed as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. 

Although the state park name uses Kinzua Bridge, the original and correct name is Kinzua Viaduct, both terms are used interchangeably today. Kinzua Bridge became a common, widely accepted name among the general public rather than viaduct.. 

A major difference between the terms is purpose. While a bridge usually spans a single gap, like a river or roadway, a viaduct is a type of bridge comprised of various spans over uneven terrain with multiple supports to maintain a consistent, level grade. Since this structure included a railway across the Kinzua Creek Valley, Kinzua Viaduct is the more accurate and historical term that will be used herein. 

The Kinzua Sky Walk is the feature in Kinzua Bridge State Park

As for this post title, there's no actual Eighth wonder of the world; however, this designation was unofficially applied to the 1882 wrought iron Kinzua Viaduct which for 2 years held the record as the tallest railroad bridge in the world. Eight years later (1890), the bridge was dismantled and rebuilt with steel. It survived for over a century until the structure met the force of Mother Nature (details to follow).

The Back Story — construction, rebuilding, disaster, rebirth

Thomas Kane

In the 1880s, the half-mile wide and 300 feet deep, Kinzua Creek Valley stood in theway of commerce since the New York, Lake Erie and Western Coal Railway (NYLEW) needed to transport coal, lumber, oil and other resources to Buffalo's markets faster. The fastest way would be to build a bridge across the valley compared to putting down eight miles of track over rough terrain to carry trains loaded with the materials. Railroad president Thomas Kane urged investors to open their wallets to fund the construction of a bridge to transverse the gorge. Kane, who wheezed from a chronic lung condition and also had been injured in the Civil War, lived long enough to see his dream become reality.

1882 construction of the wrought iron Kinzua Viaduct and some of the workmen

Construction of the iron viaduct began in May 1881, staring with the placement of stone piers. It took 6 to 10 months to do the pier work with some months off for winter. Erection of the tubular iron began nearly a year later in May 1882. Amazingly, it was in completed in only 94 days. A work force of approximately 100 to 150 men placed 110 piers with over 1,552 tons of wrought iron at an estimated cost between $167,000 and $275,000 (back then). The viaduct was designed by Octave Chanute, a prominent civil engineer who advised early aviators including the Wright brothers.

Visitor center display of viaduct engineer Bonzano (L) and designer Chanute (R)

The bridge's 110 sandstone masonry piers were quarried from the hillside used for the foundation of the bridge. The original viaduct was 301 feet high, 2,053 feet long and weighed over 3,100,000 pounds. 

Phoenix column construction used for Kinzua Viaduct

Visitors' center exhibit explaining how viaduct was built

Engineer Adolphus Bonzano used a patented design called Phoenix Columns, lighter in weight with greater strength than cast iron columns of similar design. Because of the design of these columns, it was believed mistakenly that the bridge had been built with wooden poles. 

Erecting the original 1882 Kinzua Viaduct with a traveling crane

Bonzano determined that trains could safely cross the viaduct at 5 mph sending vibrations down the iron structure like a tuning fork. By 1893, the NYLE&W went bankrupt and merged with the Erie Railroad, the new owner of the viaduct. Less than 10 years later at the start of the 20th century, locomotives were 85 percent heavier and the iron bridge couldn't carry them safely. The decision was made to rebuild the entire structure with steel for both heavier locomotives and longer trains. 

Steel reconstruction of the Kinzua Viaduct in 1890 and some of the workmen

Rebuilt process from wrought iron to steel

In 1990, a crew from the Elmira Bridge Company dismantled the iron structure and rebuilt each tower with steel latticework. Working in 10-hour shifts, some 100 to 150 men completed the project in 105 days. The new steel viaduct had the same measurements and weighed nearly double the original at 6,706,000 pounds. Bolts used to hold the towers to the anchor blocks were re-used from the original bridge. This decision would eventually play a major role in the bridge's downfall.

Vintage photo showing train on steel rebuilt viaduct

Yet, despite this reconstruction, the train's speed limit remained 5 mph. As the bridge aged, heavy trains pulled by two steam locomotives had to stop so engines could cross the bridge one at a time. Lighter diesel locomotives didn't have that limit. 

Vintage postcard showing a train traveling the Kinzua Viaduct

The last steam locomotive in commercial service crossed on October 5, 1950, freight traffic ended in 1959 and the Erie Railroad (owner of the viaduct) sold it to a salvage company in Indiana, PA, for $76,000. When local citizens protested, the salvage company owner, who admired the extraordinary structure, worked with local support groups to save it and offered to sell it to the State of Pennsylvania. In August 1963, then Governor William Scranton signed a bill to purchase the viaduct and adjacent land for $50,000 to create Kinzua Bridge State Park. The viaduct received national recognition and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, an honor later rescinded.

A Knox and Kane steam locomotive on the Kinzua Viaduct before 2002

After freight traffic stopped, the Knox and Kane (K&K) Railroad purchased a portion of the Erie Railroad and in 1987 started steam rail trips across the viaduct from Knox to Kane, PA. The trip went through the Allegheny National Park and traveled on the viaduct before returning. 

But in June 2002, the viaduct was closed when an inspection by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) revealed it needed a full restoration. The fear was that high winds could cause a collapse. Trains again were barred from travel on the viaduct. The K&K railroad lost a major tourism draw so was affected severely. When it suspended operations in 2006, the PA salvage company that had bought the viaduct then resold it to the state, bought the tracks.

Worse news than the end of the excursion train came two months later. In August 2002, the viaduct was closed to all traffic, even pedestrians. In February 2003, an Ohio-based bridge construction and repair company started restoration. 

Aftermath of 2003 tornado shows towers torn from their bases

This was a short lived effort As construction workers were leaving the site in late afternoon July 21, 2003 — disaster hit as an tornado with wind speeds of 73-112 mph struck a side of the viaduct. The F-1 classified storm tore down 11 of 20 towers at the center of the bridge from their concrete bases toppling them to the valley floor. The tornado also snapped and uprooted nearby trees. There were no injuries or deaths reported. (I wondered if this was unusual PA weather. But, an online check showed that while the state averages 16 tornadoes per year mostly in May to July, these can occur year-round.)

Remember those bolts that were not replaced? 

A post-collapse inspection revealed that the 1882 wrought iron bridge had been replaced in 1900 with steel except for the anchor bolts. The anchor bolts holding the bases of the towers were badly rusted. An investigation determined that the viaduct swung back and forth several times before the base bolts failed due to fatigue. The century-old viaduct was destroyed in under a minute. 

Rusted and failed base bolts contributed to the collapse

Towers, which fell intact in sections and sustained impact damage, were left where they fell. The state of PA opted not to rebuild as the cost would have topped $45 million (then). Before the collapse, Kinzua Bridge State Park attracted over 200,000 visitors annually. A decision was made to transform the disaster into a visitor attraction to showcase both the history of the structure and the forces of nature.

Park visitors can hike down to view the collapsed towers left where they fell

As if the situation could not get worse, it did when in July 2004, the viaduct was removed from the National Register of Historic Places after the catastrophic collapse.

Railroad ties twisted after the tornado and currently with all tracks removed

This was because the 2003 disaster changed its physical integrity and it didn't exist as the historic entity for which it had been recognized earlier. The viaduct's removal from the listing wasn't a punitive delisting but caused by its destruction.

But, there was also good news too. In June 2005, the State of Pennsylvania released $700,000 to design repairs on the remaining towers and reinvent the viaduct as the Kinzua Sky Walk. The state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) put forward another proposal to add an observation deck and visitors' center. 

View below Kinzua Sky Walk

This plan allowed access to a remaining portion of the viaduct with a hiking trail for views of the fallen towers. The Kinzua Sky Walk cost $4.3 million and opened in September 2011. A tourism expert estimated it could bring in over $11 million in annual revenue. The area benefits from visitor spending on food, lodging and other activities. Admission to the visitors' center, sky walk and park are free. 

Lower observation deck of Kinzua Sky Walk

On the Kinzua Sky Walk, visitors walk 600 feet onto the remaining support towers of the former Kinzua Viaduct. The pedestrian walkway is on six restored original towers, yes with new anchor bolts. The 225-foot high observation deck offers a view of Kinzua Creek Valley with 11 twisted and scattered towers at the bottom. The railroad tracks have been removed from the deck. The walkway ends at an overlook with a partial glass floor. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit, a catwalk had been installed for crews to access the underside of the sky walk. The view was obstructed and we couldn't see the ground 225 feet below; maybe another time.

Picture taking platform under the skywalk provides a 3D effect

Highly recommended is the picture taking platform under the sky walk where visitors and photograph themselves and the remaining support towers. The view resembles a 3D effect, similar to the pre-tower collapse.

Front entry of Kinzua Bridge State Park visitors' center

The Visitors Center is accessed at the edge of Kinzua Gorge. Huge steel towers flank the doorway. The building features two exhibit halls with displays showcasing the three E’s – Engineering, Energy and the Environment. 

If you're ever in the vicinity of Mt Jewett, PA, we would highly recommend going out of your way, if necessary, to find and explore this amazing structure. That said, there's limited time to do so in 2025. The Kinzua Sky Walk will close October 31 after its temporary reopening for fall foliage season. The walkway is closed for a multi-year rehabilitation. The next reopening will be fall 2026 if you want to plan ahead..

Even if the viaduct wasn't an actual wonder of the world, the fact that original construction took 3 months, reconstruction took just a half month longer and that it stood for over 121 years since originally built — is amazing. Our thanks to Linda and Bob for introducing us to what we consider a true wonder, even if it's not on the books as such.

View down from the sky walk

On the other hand, if you have a fear of heights, it might be best not to look down over the side, just look straight ahead.

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Aside from photos taken during our visit, all vintage photos used to showcase the Kinzua Viaduct before, during and after restoration were obtained from online sources. These have been used solely for the purpose of documentation. I am grateful for all the sources.

Meeting Blogger Friends

We have been fortunate in our years of blogging to have met several bloggers both in the U.S. and abroad. These meet-ups have always been wonderful get togethers with bloggers who had already become friends, so that an in person meeting was extra special. Several of these have lead to additional get togethers.

Linda & Bob

That was the case with our recent PA road trip which included a reunion with blog friend, Linda, and her husband, Bob. They've had visited Nashua, NH, twice before (2021 and 2023) as family live nearby in nearby Amherst, NH. (If you want to check out Linda's blog it's Days to Remember.)

This year, we wanted to reciprocate by visiting their home in Warren, PA. Over a series of texts, we mutually agreed on the best time. It's an 8-1/2 hour road trip between the two cities, so this visit was combined with a road trip as we really don't need too much encouragement for one. Last week's post described an overnight stop in Corning, NY, a  6-hour drive from NH, which presented the opportunity to visit the amazing Corning Museum of Glass.

Plaza Restaurant, Warren, PA

We met up with Linda and Bob late the next day, which by a happy coincidence was their 27th wedding anniversary. After asking for a restaurant suggestion, we treated them to dinner at the Plaza Restaurant in Warren. Surprises are always nice. It was great to treat our visit hosts.

The Plaza is a family-owned restaurant and a favorite downtown landmark that's been serving Greek and American comfort food for over 60 years, open daily except Sunday. If you ever have reason to visit Warren, PA, it should be a definite stop.

After dinner there was enough time and daylight for a short walking tour in downtown Warren. The city was named for doctor and Major General Joseph Warren killed June 1775 at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Most of us are familiar with the midnight ride of Paul Revere and others who rode to warn colonists that the British militia (Redcoats) were closing in to nearby towns. But, what I learned was that it was General Warren enlisted Paul Revere and William Dawes to warn the militia that the Redcoats were closing in. 

General Joseph Warren (portrait by John Singleton Copley) and Warren, PA, memorial

Fourteen U.S. states have a county or city named for this Revolutionary War hero, one in New England is Warren, MA, renamed in 1834 from Western. As for Warren, PA, the city was laid out in 1795 by General William Irvine, who named it in Warren's honor. There's a statue of General Warren in a small pocket park that's named after him and is the only statue of Warren outside of Boston, MA. Commissioned by the Daughters of the American Revolution and unveiled on July 4, 1910. It was refurbished in 2011 when a new sword was attached to replace the original that had been missing for years. 

The 1889 (left) and 1891 views of Flatiron Building in Warren, PA

Another central landmark in downtown Warren, PA, is at the intersection of 2nd and Pennsylvania Avenues. Architecturally striking is a triangular building known as the Flatiron building. This historic eight-story triangular building dates to the late 1800s. Built of Hummelstown brownstone (dense sandstone named after the town it was quarried in), it features a clock tower with a dragon weather vane. The building's history connects to the Warren Savings Bank. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1889 and rebuilt by 1891 as the current structure. Today, it's known as the Key Bank Building and occupied by that bank. The building is referred to as the Flatiron; however, this name has never been a formal part of the record.

Historic Flatiron building in downtown Warren, PA

Directly in front of the Flatiron building, today, is a large ornate fountain. This historical fountain is located in the City Square. The fountain is known for its design that features local wildlife. It was completed in 2010 and was the centerpiece of Warren's Downtown Revitalization Project. It underwent a major renovation in 2022, which included adding a new bird statue. The fountain is a a venue for local events and a popular visitors' spot. It's been referred to as the Northwest Bank fountain and also Heritage fountain.

Veterans Memorial Bridge across Allegheny River in Warren, PA, and photo opp

Our next day's adventure was a road trip with Linda and Bob as navigators and tour guides. What would have been a half hour drive became an hour-long journey due to road closures. Our first stop was Rimrock Overlook located in Warren County in the Allegheny National Forest which offered great views of the Allegheny Reservoir.

Rimrock Overlook was a great photo opp background

The Allegheny Reservoir was created by the controversial damming of the Allegheny River in the 1960s and construction of the Kinzua dam. Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the dam and its resulting reservoir created significant controversy and had a devastating impact on the Seneca Nation of Indians. 

View of Kinzua Dam on the Allegheny River

Thanks to Linda and Bob we had a wonderful outing filled with a lot of information, but it wasn't over yet. The highlight of this day trip was Kinzua Bridge State Park, home to the Kinzua Viaduct, built in 1892 and once the longest and highest railroad structure in the world. Because of its long and fascinating history, that stop will be the subject of a separate next post.

If you ever have the opportunity to meet up with blogger friends, we highly recommend doing so. I'm hoping to do it again in NYC before year end.

Friday Funnies

Just because we all could all use a bit of cuteness and who could resist this face?

This sweet-looking dog wasn't in a shop window (as in the song noted below) but in a car parked next to ours at the grocery store this week. No name for this fellow (or gal?) who was eager for a pet. Its owner kindly left the back windows open for our visit, but hadn't returned by the time we went shopping. Car and doggie and car were gone when we returned to ours.

A well-known song about a doggie in a shop window was first recorded by American 1950s singer Patti Page in 1953 and included rather unconvincing dog bark sounds. 

Originally written as The Doggie in the Window (Bob Merrill) in 1952, later sheet music had the song retitled to (How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window. It became a #1 for Page on the 1953 Billboard and Cash Box charts selling over two million copies and remained atop the charts for weeks afterwards.

The song was so popular that it became associated with pet adoption. After Page's death, the Humane Society recognized the singer for her compassion to animals.

This song was one of many novelty songs in the the early half of the 20th century. A few others included: I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts, Chantilly  Lace, Alley-Opp, f I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake, Come On-a My House, Que sera sera, A Bushel and a Peck, Papa Loves Mambo.

You will silently thank me for not including a link to any of these.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

Fall has (finally arrived) with cooler temps, great for outdoor 🍁🍂 ramble

Museum of Glass

Most folks have heard of the Emerald City made famous in The Wizard of Oz.

While that was city was fictional, there's a very real city in south-central New York nicknamed the Crystal City because of its connection with the glass industry. Perhaps. you already know its name — Corning, NY — or know and have used many of the company's inventions and products. 

This city is where we visited the Corning Museum of Glass, a world-class museum completely dedicated to glass. This visit was the first part of our recent PA road trip which included a visit with long-time blog friend, Linda and husband, Bob. (Details on our meet-up will be in a future post.)

Internet photo as it would not have been possible for me to show its size 

The museum is located in Corning, just north of the Pennsylvania border and is open daily from 9-5. The standard adult admission is $25 with a discounted rate of $22 for senior, military and college students and $12.50 for local residents, free for members and children under 17. General admission is valid for two consecutive days.

Corning Glass Works established the Corning Museum of Glass in 1951 as an educational institution to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the original company which was renamed Corning Inc. in 1989. This is the world’s largest glass museum dedicated completely to glass. Multiple modern buildings that comprise the grounds are all, not unexpectedly, made of glass. Visitors come here worldwide and an estimated 300,000 annually view collections of over 50,000 glass objects, some over 3,500 years old. The museum is also one of the premier glass working schools in the world.  

Once entering the museum, we were struck by the size of the piece in the center of the lobby, Fern Green Tower by American artist Dale Chihulymade. The glass and steel sculpture was constructed in 1999 and redone in 2013 increasing its height from 11 to 15-1/2 feet. The sculpture was disassembled, cleaned and a steel structure was added. The sculpture was then reassembled with 200 additional blown glass pieces for a total of 712 handmade elements attached to the steel structure. 

In case anyone was curious, the Corning Museum of Glass has never been a showcase for the Corning company or its products. This non-profit institution is dedicated only to preserve and expand the knowledge of a glass through its history, culture, science and design.

Armory Houghton

The history of the city's connection with glass dates to the 1800s. Elias Hungerford, a Corning businessman had a patent for glass window blinds, but there were no glassmaking facilities in the region. Hungerford formed a business partnership withArmory Houghton, owner of the Brooklyn Flint Glass Company. 

If you're wondering why the owner of a Brooklyn-based company would relocate to a small town, the answer is cost. Labor costs were cheaper in Corning than in NY, plus there were natural resources of coal, sand and limestone, all used in glassmaking. A canal and railroad network provided better access to other supplies and sales markets. The company was renamed the Corning Flint Glass Works and later incorporated as Corning Glass Works. 

While the company was being established, lead glass was becoming popular in the American market and Corning, NY, soon became the leading center for this glass style. Multiple cutting firms started as professional glassmakers worldwide spurred the city's growth and reputation. and region. Corning became the center of glass research and became nicknamed the Crystal City.

In 1877, Charles Houghton (son of Armory Houghton) designed and patented a new signal lamp for the railroad that resisted dirt, snow and ice buildup making it a big improvement. In the 1880s. Corning also has a long history producing glass for lighthouses through its work with the Fresnel lens system used in them.

Corning manufactured the glass used in lighthouses

Around the turn of the 20th century, Corning became the country’s leading producer of light bulbs. In 1879, a 32-year old inventor, Thomas Edison, sought the help of Corning Glass Works with his idea for the light bulb. Edison needed the perfect glass to enclose delicate filaments of his incandescent lamps. By 1880, Edison designated Corning as his sole supplier of the glss bulbs.

Full size glass blower sculptures in Coming Museum of Glass

Corning manufactured glass tubes used in primitive versions of the radio and then applied this knowledge to mass produce cathode ray tubes (CRTs) in the early 1940s at the dawn of the TV age. By the 1950s, Corning was the top supplier of CRTs; by the 1960s, the company was producing 100 percent of the world’s TV glass, which included TV bulbs and replacement bulbs.

These events provided financial stability and led the way for glass being used in science and technology.

Tower of 600 glass bowls, Corning Museum of Glass

Corning Glass Works soon was a worldwide leader in glass technology and invented many well known products. Pyrex glassware used in households for baking and in labs. Corning Ware was one that many families, including our own, used daily. Another invention was fiber optics, the vehicle through which light travels and speeds across the internet, connecting people. Corning also developed Gorilla Glass years before it was used for cell phone screens. The company has been involved with everything glass-connected including thermometers, space shuttle windows, telescope and lighthouse lenses. 

Aerial views of 1972 flooding from Hurricane Agnes (Corning Museum of Glass)

On June 23, 1972, Hurricane Agnes severely damaged the museum when the Chemung River overflowed into the streets of Corning, NY. Floodwater rose to 5-1/2 feet on the main floor flooding rare books in the museum's collection. A case of 600 collapsed and the books were covered by mud and shards of glass panes. Half of the entire collection was damaged in the flood; over 500 of the museum's 13,000 objects sustained damage.

Damage to the Corning Museum of Glass library was extensive (Internet source)

Thomas S. Buechner, former museum director labelled this: the greatest single catastrophe borne by an American museum. The damage to exhibits and the library took years to recover; however, the Glass Museum pledged to reopen which it did on August 1, just 39 days after the flooding. The museum also provided financial assistance to help the town and its residents in recovery efforts. (I watched several videos of the widespread flood devastation in Corning, NY. All above photos are from the Corning Museum of Glass.)

Sticker on glass of museum lobby shows flood water height

The museum expanded in 1980 and again in the mid 1990s-2001, when it added a glass blowing studio, the current Contemporary Glass Gallery and Innovation Center. It went through another expansion in 2015 opening the Contemporary Art+Design Wing, currently the largest space in the world dedicated to art and design in glass.

Steuben glassware in Carder Gallery, Corning Museum of Glass

Corning also has a long-standing association with Steuben crystal. The brand was re-acquired by Corning Inc. after being sold and temporarily shut down and was then licensed to The Corning Museum of Glass in 2013. The museum's Carder Gallery is dedicated to Frederick Carder, the English designer who managed Steuben Glass Works from its 1903 founding in 1903 to 1932. The gallery showcases Steuben vases, goblets and other ornamental pieces.

Amphitheater Hot Shop at Corning Museum of Glass (Internet source)

The Steuben factory, once adjacent to the glass museum, was renovated to become the 500-seat Amphitheater Hot Shop, which preserves the footprint of the original factory. The Hot Shop is one of the world’s largest facilities for live glass blowing demos and glass design sessions. We learned how melted sand can be transformed into works of art. Most of the narrated demos are 30 minutes and repeated several times daily. (I was so caught up in the process and "forgot" to take photos.)

The gift store of the Corning Museum of Glass is on the entire lower floor

Many pieces created in Hot Shop demos are sold in the museum's extensive gift store. We toured it, but didn't bring anything home despite seeing a wonderful glass blown penguin at a mere $100, sadly without a frog companion.

We saw a demo on flameworking described as glass working with a 4,000°F torch.

These delicate pieces were created by the process of flameworking

Our recent rainy day visit was a perfect way to enjoy several hours in this museum which is divided into distinct galleries, many of which are permanent. 

Contemporary Art+Design Wing, Corning Museum of Glass

Most of our visit was spent in the Contemporary Art+Design Wing mentioned earlier. The contemporary galleries there feature stark white walls and floors and soaring ceilings with skylights. The main gallery includes 70+ international works from the museum's permanent collection, many are large and visually impressive.

Forest Glass by Lino Tagliapietra, Corning Museum of Glass

Endeavor. a work by Italian glassblower Lino Tagliapietra, that has been viewed as a flock of birds, a school of fish or a fleet of boats. Tagliapietra was inspired by the floating gondolas in Venice  gathering for the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin. 

The 80-year old Tagliapietra is a leader of the 20th century Italian glassblowing revival and is considered a master of traditional techniques. His work is known for its elegance, complexity and visual poetry. 

Forest Glass by Katherine Gray, Corning Museum of Glass

Forest Glass by Canadian glass artist Katherine Gray was created from 2,000 found drinking glasses in shades of green and brown. Gray created the piece by collecting glass from thrift shops and stores, then assembling the recycled glass into the shape of trees. Even looking at this piece from several angles, I failed to see the forest.

Here's photos of other exhibits seen in galleries the Contemporary Art+Design Wing. Unfortunately, I didn't get information on the names of these pieces or the skilled artists who created them.

The Mad Hatter, perhaps?

There was no car or more tires, only a single glass tire

A unique offering for visitors to the Corning Museum of Glass is the chance to try glassmaking at The Make Your Own Glass studio. The studio is in a separate walkable facility from the museum. Visitors working under the guidance of experienced glass blowers could select a glass design and try glass blowing, fusing and sandblasting. 

Each project was completed by a single person, safety equipment was provided and required. At the time of our visit, participants could elect to create a pendant, ornament or small glass pumpkin for which cost ranged from $30 to $40. From what we saw, experienced personnel did most of the work and participants did more watching than actual hands-on. Those ovens were really hot! We only watched.

This has been dubbed the world's largest glass pumpkin weighing in at 70 pounds with a circumference of 97 inches. It was said to have taken 50 hours and several failed attempts until its 2009 successful creation. It was made by the museum's Hot Glass team which also presents daily glass blowing demos.

After Thoughts — This week, I starting thinking of word combinations with glass in them and here's just a few: glass slipper, magnifying glass, glass house, glass jaw, sea glass, spy glass, safety glass, broken glass, looking glass, stained glass, shot glass, cut glass, optical glass, shattered glass, glass ceiling, glassy eyed, under glass.

Also, thought of phrases that include the word glass, like: glass half full (or empty), through the looking glass, through a glass darkly, looking through rose-colored glasses, raise your glass, smooth as glass, live in a glass house, a glass in every half pound (Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate ad), bottle and glass (Cockney rhyming slang for arse) — there's others and most likely you know some as well.

Glass has become part of our everyday lives not only in form and function, but language too.