South Corning, New York: Grave of the Doomed Glass-Blowers

Mass grave of 18 Corning glass blowers, killed in a train wreck on their way back from helping other glass-blowers to form a union. Large black marble arch topped with a life-size marble glass-blower. Easily the tallest monument in the cemetery.

St. Mary's Cemetery

Address:: 391 Park Ave., South Corning, NY
Directions:: St. Mary's Cemetery. Southeast of downtown, on the west side of NY-225/Park Ave., across from the car wash. Don't confuse with the larger Hope Cemetery up the street.
Hours:: Daily May-Nov 7-9, Dec-April 7-6. Gated after hours. Local health policies may affect hours and access.

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Grave of the Doomed Glass-Blowers.

Grave of the Doomed Glass-Blowers

This is an impressive memorial both in size and quality. With the exception of the statue at the top, it looks like it was as likely to be erected in 2022 as 1892. The statue doesn't look bad either, but it has some moss growing on it.

When you enter the cemetery (across the street from the laserwash), make the second left, the monument is at the end on the left.

The inscription reads:

This monument has been erected by the American Flint Glass Workers Union To the memory of eighteen of its members who were killed in a railroad disaster which occurred at Ravenna, Ohio July 3rd, 1891, While they were en route from Findlay, Ohio to their homes in Corning, New York, whither they were journeying to meet loving friends from whom they had been separated by an effort to improve their industrial condition. Erected 1892.

All of the men were 26 or younger at the time of the accident.

[Dave Hollenbeck, 04/07/2022]