Miniature Pottery Educates Visitors at the Crooksville-Roseville Pottery Festival

Submitted by WHIZ Intern Maddie Luebkert

CROOKSVILLE, Ohio — Participants at the Crooksville-Roseville Pottery Festival running from July 10 to July 12 can get a special look into what Ohio’s potteries looked like back in the day, thanks to this miniature, mechanical model.

Lonny Claypool’s passion project involves restoring this scaled-down model of a real pottery, the Robinson Ransbottom Pottery located in Roseville, Ohio. The pottery opened its doors in Roseville in 1916, and soon became one of the most prominent potteries in the country. The pottery closed its doors just 20 years ago, after doing business in Ohio for almost 90 years.

“This is a replica of Robinson Ransbottom’s Pottery as it would have been run around the turn of the 20th century, around 1901,” Claypool said. “My grandfather Melvin was the boiler operator for about 31 years. He died in 1959, my father took it over and it sat around for a long time until the pottery festival began, I think it was either 1965 or 1966.”

Everything in the model runs off of a 125 year old steam engine that could be older according to Claypool. Otherwise, Claypool noticed much of the machine needed new parts, so Claypool broke out his 3d printer to give the historic machine a few modern updates including a new water tower for the machine. Restoring the machine is important to Claypool, to keep the history of pottery in Ohio alive.

“My nephew Matt is the fourth generation owner,” Claypool said. “I don’t want to see it go away, I don’t want to see it sit and languish. I’d like to see him handle it and take care of it, and show it at the pottery festival and maybe even other venues and keep the legacy going.”

Visitors can see this model and more at the Crooksville-Roseville Pottery Festival happening until Saturday July 12 located at Crooksville Village Park.