Steubenville Pottery Company Buildings
Also known as: Varium & Chemicals,Inc. Building
Why it's listed
Along the Ohio River north of Steubenville stands a large yellow-brick pottery factory begun in 1925 and expanded in 1946 and 1950 to roughly 133,000 square feet. Its design is plain and functional, with brick pilasters, industrial steel windows, a sawtooth roof on the 1946 addition, and a small 1950 office wing. Smaller resources on the site include a water tower and storage buildings. The Steubenville Pottery Company operated here after moving from its downtown site, becoming one of the major American dinnerware makers. The plant was listed for its place in Steubenville's industrial history, since most of the city's other factories have disappeared. It is also tied to industrial designer Russel Wright, who convinced the firm to produce his American Modern line starting in 1939. More than 80 million pieces were made here before the pottery closed in 1959. A chemical company has used the building since then.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the plant is significant under Criterion A for its role in Steubenville's industrial heritage, as one of few surviving industrial buildings in the city. It also notes the company's association with designer Russel Wright, whose American Modern dinnerware was made here from 1939 to 1959 and became the best-selling mass-produced dinnerware ever.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 92001034, listed July 31, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Co. Rd. 44 SW of jct. with OH 7, Steubenville |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | July 31, 1995 |
| Reference number | 92001034 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-1942 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a manufacturing facility by a chemical processing firm; several pottery kilns remain inside but other pottery-making equipment does not survive. |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Coordinates | 40.40095, -80.62342 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 92001034.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138379401
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.