For Insulator and Fruit Jar Collectors -- Hemingray Plaque Fund

From our Inbox:

January 4, 2011
Dear Collector,
How would you like to be a part of Hemingray history? After all, many of us love the fruit jars and other
products produced by them for their history as well as for their beauty. Now here is an opportunity for you to
make a difference by placing a historical marker at the old Hemingray factory site in Muncie, Indiana.


Maybe you drove by the factory site during one of the Muncie fruit jar shows. Or, maybe you just always
thought that would be a cool thing to do. If the site isn't somehow marked for future collectors and history
buffs, it could eventually be lost as an important part of glass making history. But you can help prevent that
from happening.

During my tenure in the office of NIA President, I undertook an effort to make an application to the State of
Indiana to have a historical plaque erected at the factory site of the Hemingray Glass Company in Muncie,
IN. The plaque was approved and will likely be erected in 2012.

As part of the application process, it was recommended that we privately fund the purchase and erection of the
plaque due to staff cutbacks and state budget constraints. In fact, most of the plaques erected are privately
funded, but maintained by the state once erected. The cost of the plaque fabrication and erection is
approximately $2,500 plus any ancillary costs for the dedication ceremony and any required permits.

The NIA has established a special Hemingray Plaque Fund in hopes that NIA members and other interested
parties would consider donating money to see this project through to completion. If funds are left over after the
erection of this plaque, those funds will be utilized for future plaque projects.

The National Insulator Association, Inc. is a non-profit corporation. It is also classified as a "public charity"
under IRS 501(c)(3) regulations. As such, most donations to the NIA are tax deductible.

A similar plaque to what is proposed at the Hemingray site was erected in 2008 for Ball Bros. Glass Mfg. Co.
See pictures of their plaque for an example of what we are erecting:

http://www.insulators.info/pictures/?id=297296912 and http://www.insulators.info/pictures/?id=297296977

If you are interested in making a donation, please send your payment to:
Robert B. Stahr
515 Main St. Unit 403
West Chicago, IL 60185

All checks should be made out to the National Insulator Association. A letter of receipt will be sent.
We appreciate your time and thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Stahr
NIA First Past President
(630) 231-4171
1stpastpres@nia.org