A load of oysters is heavy, but the baskets lasted for years. Glass-making was one of the first industries for which New Jersey became famous. Its glass bottles, jars, paperweights and even scientific implements were exported around the country and the world. South Jersey, which geologists sometimes describe as an old, dirty beach covered by scrub forest, was perfect for making glass. The village, now owned by Wheaton Village Inc., a non- profit foundation, features a working replica of the T.C. Wheaton glass factory that burned in 1888.
Artisans still make pitchers, bowls, bottles and paperweights there.
The village also hosts the Museum of American Glass, the largest museum in the country dedicated to preserving the history of glass made in the United States, plus the folklife center and local crafts. In the 19th century, glass factories were not at all rare in New Jersey. It was not until the arrival of the railroad that New Jersey embarked on its journey that would transform it into one of the most industrialized states in the union. By the end of the last century, New Jersey was known as the home of the industrial trusts, or monopolies, and one dominated by the railroad interests. In 1825, John Stevens of Hoboken unveiled the first steam locomotive built in the United States, which he demonstrated on a 600-foot track near Hoboken.