Hauntings at the Homer Laughlin China Factory

If you're from West Virginia or surrounding areas, there's a good chance you've got a least one piece of Fiesta in your kitchen.  The iconic colorful dinnerware has been a favorite American classic since the 1930's, but the company that makes them (Homer Laughlin China Company) has been cranking out beautiful pieces in Newell, WV for 112 years!  With that kind of history, you might expect a ghost...or two.

Colorful Fiesta Dinnerware

The Homer Laughlin Company is actually a bit older, but the current building, known as Plant #4 is what is currently in operation...and currently what is haunted.  Built between 1905 and 1906, the plant was then known as the largest pottery plant ever built!

Homer Laughlin China Company Plant #4

It's evident that Homer Laughlin China is proud of their rich history, spanning from East Liverpool Ohio to Newell, West Virginia, but surprisingly, they seem quite proud of their HAUNTED history as well!  I always love it when businesses and organizations acknowledge their haunted history and are willing to be open about the spooky goings-on within their walls.

And, it looks like there's a lot of those spooky goings-on within the walls of the Homer Laughlin plant!

According to an article posted on the Fiesta Blog, "many workers in the factory have reported hearing footsteps when no one was around, garbage cans being moved, and even experiencing their hair being pulled when they were alone. Other employees have sworn that they’ve seen white figures darting around the showroom. Some have pictures of footprints in the factory that start and stop out of nowhere. Once, a worker even witnessed a clay mold being thrown across a room while completely alone." 

Showroom, where white figures have been spotted

The same blog surmises that the activity may be due to Homer Laughlin himself.  Homer, along with his brother, Shakespeare, began Laughlin China in 1871. Shakespeare left the company in 1879, and ten years later, Homer joined forces with William Edwin Wells.  Seven years after that, the two incorporated the company, and not long after THAT, Homer sold his share of the company out to Wells.  Homer Laughlin died in 1913 while in California.  Therefore, it doesn't seem like he was a part of the company that bears his name when the new factory was built...was he still watching over his namesake, regretting his decisions? 

Whoever the ghost(s) is/are is a moot point.  What is fascinating is that this reputable, historic factory, which makes beautiful, sought-after pieces of dinnerware known world over, MIGHT just have a few extra employees who aren't on the payroll!  

The Homer Laughlin China Company offers tours of its factory, providing you with an opportunity to stock up on pieces missing from your collection, view the history of this wonderful company, and maybe even catch a glimpse of a ghost! 

Sources:

Homer Laughlin China Company Wikipedia

10 Things You Didn't Know About the HLC Factory