Bus tour to Homer Laughlin factory

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Young Leaders Advisory Board of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society is hosting a bus trip to East Liverpool on Aug. 12. The trip will begin with a special behind-the-scenes tour of the Homer Laughlin China Factory with host Katie Bricker, marketing manager for the pottery company.

Brothers Homer and Shakespeare Laughlin formed The Homer Laughlin Co. in 1871 to sell the pottery ware that was made in their hometown of East Liverpool. The current factory in Newell, W.Va., was constructed between 1904 and 1905, and at the time, it was the largest pottery factory in the world. After the tour, there will be time for shopping in the factory store where the popular Fiesta Ware is sold.

Lunch will take place at historic Bricker’s Cafeteria, a former Isaly’s store and current East Liverpool institution. After lunch will be a guided tour of the Museum of Ceramics downtown, along with a walking tour of several other downtown historic sites with MVHS Executive Director Bill Lawson. The bus will return to Youngstown at 5 p.m., and return to the Tyler History Center at 6 p.m.

The bus tour will depart the Tyler History Center, 325 W. Federal St., downtown, at 9 a.m. Cost of the trip is $45 per person ($40 for MVHS members), which includes transportation on a deluxe motor-coach, lunch and tour admissions. The tour involves some walking and handicap accessibility is limited.

Reservations are required. Call the MVHS with a credit card at 330-743-2589, or print and mail in the registration form at mahoninghistory.org with payment.