The Optical Heritage Museum

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The Optical Heritage Museum

• Dick Whitney Curator President
• http//www.opticalheritagemuseum.org
• http//www.dickwhitney.net

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The Museum 1983-2000
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Ruth Wells and John Young before the 1983 Museum
Opens
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• Ruth Wells and the Wells family (AO) founded OSV.
  Albert and JC Wells instrumental. The Wells
  Antique Collection was at the Wells building at
  171 Main Street Southbridge. A Living Museum
  was decided and Quinebaug Village formed in 1938.

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The Museum was located there from 1983- 2000
(the last 10 years by Appt Only)
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MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE OPTICAL HERITAGE MUSEUM
Sept 2004

• "The Optical Heritage Museum is dedicated to
• the education and enrichment of the general
• public in the history, growth and contributions
  of
• The Eye of the Commonwealth -Southbridge,
• MA. This will be accomplished through
• continuing efforts to collect, maintain, preserve
  
• and display cultural, social and industrial
• artifacts, along with written documentation and
• oral accounts."

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The OHM Board

• Optical Heritage Museum, Inc. Board Members
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• President and Curator- Dick Whitney
• Vice President - Margaret Morrissey
• Treasurer - Dave Butler
• Secretary - Gary Bridgman
• Board of Directors Chair Dave Cunniffe
• Southbridge Downtown Partnership subcommittee on
  the Museum
• Bruce Hynes, Johnathan and Lisa Krach, Margaret
  Morrissey, Maureen Prokos, Harvey Shanbaum Dick
  Whitney

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George W. Wells and Daniel S. Wells (1890s and
today)
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Recent Displays Jacob Edwards Library
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Restoration of AO Negatives underway. Shown here
AO Americanization class
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Norman Rockwell / AO Art
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The Birthplace of AO -1833
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The Birth of AO

• William Beecher starts a jewelry and watch shop
  on the corner of main and central streets in
  1826.
• AOs birth in 1833, when Beecher makes silver
  spectacle frames on the second floor above the
  jewelry shop.

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AO Birthplace Corner of Main Central St.
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AO The Early Years
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This building was located at Save More Gas
Station near Rotary (Corner of Main And Chestnut)
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FIRST Building (Model in Museum)
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The Arts Center and Chestnut st in old AO
Location in 1892
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Factory 1872
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AO Main Plant by1892 All Wood
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American Optical Main Plant 1888
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1888

• Workers
• In front of
• building

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AO Complex - 1892
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Why AO first Made Lenses

• Originally Imported lenses from Europe
• 1888 Import Tarriffs were adopted
• Huge Celebration in Southbridge on Nov 15, 1888.
  Fireworks

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George Wells
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George Wells

• 1864- Arrives in Southbridge at the age of 17
  with 100 in his pocket.
• 1864- George and brother Hiram hired by R.H.Cole
  and then fired.
• 1865 George Wells rehired by RH Cole.
• 1869 George Wells offered partnership.
• 1891- Cole retires, George Wells Pres.

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Wells Family

• Georges Sons Channing, Albert, Joel
• Alberts Son George B. Wells (last Wells
  President of AO) marries Ruth Adams Dyer Ruth
  was instrumental in founding Old Sturbridge
  Village

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AO Ophthalmic Optics
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AO Ophthalmic Lens Firsts

• Tillyer Corrected Curve Series
• Minus Toric Series
• Implementation of Franklin Style Executive
  Bifocal
• First Plastic Photochromic Lens
• Permalite Abrasion Resistant coating
• AO Compact Small Frame PAL

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AO Safety Products Firsts

• First Safety Goggle
• First Heat Tempered Glass Lens (added impact
  resistance lens strength)
• Invented Calobar and Cruxite
• Fulvue Frame (first with temples attached at the
  top)
• Executive Safety lens

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AO Instrument Firsts Include

• The LENSOMETER
• Additive Phoroptor
• Additive Trial Sets
• Non Contact Tonometer (1972)
• Cardiac difibrillator
• Demand pacemaker
• Solid State Laser

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The AO Lensometer
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Todd AO
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Wide Screen Projection
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AO and Fiber Optics

• Early 1953 Dr. Brian OBrien joins AO (Todd-AO
  his top priority)
• Sept 1954- AO / CIA hires Will Hicks Mid 1957
  Image Scrambler Project ends after Hicks tells
  CIA code easy to break
• 1958 Hicks leaves AO and Forms Mosaic
  Fabrications in Sturbridge
• 1960 Hicks / Eli Snitzer (AO) single mode
  wavelength patent

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American Optical Main Plant Late 1890s
(prior to clock tower)
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AO in 1908 Postcard
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Main Plant- Unusual View
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In the Main Plant (1920s?)
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AO Offices in 1925
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The AO Complex MP Side of River prior to
demolition
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AO Main Plant Demolition (2000)
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The Demolition and Construction of AO Main Plant
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The Southbridge Hotel and Conf. Center
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AO From the Air - 1965
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Recent AO History (Ownership)

• 1949 Wells family sells interests in AO
• 1967 Warner Lambert Buys AO
• 1982 M R Purchase AO from WL, divests Soft
  Contact Lens (1984), Safety (1990), AO Lens
  (1996)
• AO Businesses still on Southbridge
• 1996 SOLA buys AO Lens Co.

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The People of AO
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Women played a key role
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AO Women Workers in 1919
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AO - 1972
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AO Gathering in Mexico From Around the World
1999
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AO Postcard (1960s)
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Companies formerly a part of AO still in
Southbridge

• AO Lens Company ? Now Carl Zeiss Vision
• Aearo (formerly AO Safety)
• AO Sunwear (moved to Dudley line)
• Schott Fiber Optics
• Franklin Realty (Grounds / Powerhouse)

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Glass Executive Lens manufactured in Building 50
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Other Companies on the Complex in Southbridge

• Aramark
• SAIC
• Stonebridge Press
• Semicon
• Bay Path College

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