Rocky River Celebrates First Ohio Historical Marker

The Rocky River Historical Society, along with the Cowan Pottery Museum Associates, is thrilled to announce the installation of an Ohio Historical Marker at the old Cowan Property at 19621 Lake Avenue.

This is Rocky River’s first Ohio Historical Marker! Located at the property, from 1920 until its closure in 1931, were the factory, design studio and showroom of Cowan Pottery. Though it closed as a result of the Great Depression, Cowan Pottery played a significant role in the formative years of American ceramic art.

The pottery was founded in 1912 by artist and educator R. Guy Cowan. Under his direction, Cowan Pottery established a national reputation for its uniquely designed home products sold through fine department stores. Additionally, Cowan and his design artists were pioneers in the field of ceramic sculpture.

Examples of Cowan Pottery are widely collected and are held in museums including the Smithsonian and the Cleveland Museum of Art. The most comprehensive holdings are in the Cowan Pottery Museum at Rocky River Public Library.