Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Street art in Cartagena.
Colombia • 10 days, 9 nights
Colombia Discovery: Coffee, Art & Music
from
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The intaglio leaves a subtle impression on the land along Riverside Drive in Fort Atkinson.
Panther Intaglio
Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey
The wall commemorating 11,908 Jewish victims of the Shoah from Frankfurt.
Börneplatz Memorial
Entrance to the munitions area of the lower part of the bunker
Simserhof
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
USDA and Washington State agriculture officials tagged this Asian giant hornet. Sept. 10, 2021.
What Ever Happened to the Murder Hornets?
about 6 hours ago
The exterior of the Hall of Records.
Atlas Obscura Mailbag: Urban Exploration, Illegal Carvings, and Repeat Vacations
2 days ago
Biosphere 2 campus (2016)
Biosphere 2: How Volunteers Survived for 2 Years in an Airtight Habitat
3 days ago
Places like Forest Grove linger on the edge of wilderness and civilization.
Listening for Echoes of the Forest Grove Sound
3 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States New York State New York City Alfred Celadon Terra Cotta Building
AO Edited

Celadon Terra Cotta Building

A physical catalog of ceramics made by the now-defunct Celadon Terra Cotta company.

Alfred, New York

Added By
David Jensen
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The Celadon Terra Cotta building in its current location   Denise J Kirschner/CC BY-SA 3.0
The Celadon Terra Cotta building in its current location   Denise J Kirschner/CC BY-SA 3.0
View of the Terra Cotta from the road with NYS Ceramic College building in background   Doug Kerr/CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo circa 1910 of the aftermath of a fire that destroyed the Terra Cotta Tile Co. factory   Public Domain
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Now located in front of Alfred University, this small building is one of the most obvious reminders of the legacy of the Celadon Terra Cotta Company.

The village of Alfred had existed for many decades before it was discovered that the clay found in its riverbeds was ideal for the making of terra cotta ceramics. In 1889, the Celadon Terra Cotta Company was founded by local residents and quickly grew into a large manufacturer of terra cotta products. In addition to bricks and roof tiles, the company made ornamental tiles for the exterior of buildings, which were very popular at the time.

In 1892 the Celadon Company built the Terra Cotta building next to their tile plant to serve as a physical catalog and showcase the various tiles available for sale. The building was considered so unique that it served as inspiration for one constructed at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.

The company became so widely known for its quality products that Alfred was chosen as the location of the New York State School of Clayworking, which grew into the New York State College of Ceramics and Material Science. To this day the village of Alfred features a large number of buildings featuring tilework made by the Celadon Company.

The company merged with the Ludowici Roofing Tile company in 1906 and in 1909 the plant in Alfred burned down, causing all operations to move to the company's factory in New Lexington, Ohio, where the company remains in operation to this day.

The only part of the plant to survive the fire was the Terra Cotta building, which remained alone for many decades. In 1969, Alfred University announced plans to clear the former site of the Celadon Company to build a gym, and the village historical society raised money to save the Terra Cotta by moving it across from the village post office in 1974, where it remains to this day.

These days the Terra Cotta is a village landmark and National Historic Property, occasionally opened to the public and members of the ceramic art college next door for viewing and appreciation.

Related Tags

Ceramics Crafts Buildings Architecture Clay

Know Before You Go

Visitors are able to enjoy much of the terra cotta detailing from the outside of the building. It is found across the road from the village post office and right in front of Harder Hall at Alfred University. Parking can be found closer to the heart of Main Street, but there are sidewalks leading right to the building.

Community Contributors

Added By

Davidmj

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

July 5, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Cotta_Building_(Alfred,_New_York)
  • https://herrick.alfred.edu/index.php/terra-cotta
Celadon Terra Cotta Building
N Main St
Alfred, New York, 14802
United States
42.25649, -77.7891
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Angelica, New York

Angelica, New York

miles away

T.M. Younglove Octagon House

Hammondsport, New York

miles away

Glenn H. Curtiss Aviation Museum

Hammondsport, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New York State

New York State

United States

Places 807
Stories 45

Nearby Places

Angelica, New York

Angelica, New York

miles away

T.M. Younglove Octagon House

Hammondsport, New York

miles away

Glenn H. Curtiss Aviation Museum

Hammondsport, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New York State

New York State

United States

Places 807
Stories 45

Related Places

  • Buzescu, Romania

    Roma Mansions of Buzescu

    Roma who struck it rich in the 1980s built extravagant mansions in this small Romanian town.

  • Taichung City, Taiwan

    921 Earthquake Museum

    A once-shattered school now preserves a visible fault line, showcasing Taiwan's traumatic 1999 earthquake.

  • Lee and Pup McCarty first set up shop in an old mule barn.

    Merigold, Mississippi

    McCarty’s Pottery

    Founded in 1954 by a husband-and-wife duo, this ceramics studio carries on a powerful artistic legacy.

  • The 5th floor, in 2008.

    Holmdel, New Jersey

    Bell Labs Holmdel Complex

    The real-life ‘Severance’ office building.

  • This is a rare example of authentic late medieval architecture in Tokyo.

    Higashimurayama, Japan

    Shōfukuji Temple Jizōdō Hall

    Considered the oldest intact wooden structure in Tokyo Prefecture, this impressive temple was built in 1407.

  • London, England

    The Ostler's Hut

    This is London's smallest listed building.

  • Swedish Dancing is popular in front of the Swedish Pavilion at the Midsummer’s Day festival.

    Lindsborg, Kansas

    1904 World's Fair Swedish Pavilion

    A preserved relic of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair and a center of Swedish American Culture.

  • The golden entry of the Philcade building, with zig zag style Art  Deco elements.

    Tulsa, Oklahoma

    Philtower and Philcade Buildings

    Tulsa's historic skyscrapers define the oil boom era of Art Deco construction, and are known for their ornate arched lobbies.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.