Several popular products have their origin right here in West Virginia. Fiesta Dinnerware, for example, is produced in the Northern Panhandle. But here’s another interesting one that you might not have been aware of: billions of the world’s marbles started their lives in West Virginia. Several of West Virginia’s marble factories have moved or closed over the years, but Marble King, located in Paden City, still cranks out nearly a million of these little round balls of glass per day.
Marbles have been a popular component of a variety of pastimes for many, many years. From Chinese Checkers to marble shooting competitions to marble racing, generations of children (and adults) have known hours of fun thanks to marbles.
Samuel Price/Google Maps
And many of those marbles that have brought such fun to so many originated right here in West Virginia, at Marble King in Paden City.
Marble King/Facebook
Founded in 1949 in St. Marys, West Virginia, the company relocated to Paden City after a fire destroyed the original factory in 1958.
Mountain Made WV Handmade Art/Flickr
Marble King produces nearly a million marbles a day, and their popular products have been featured all over the nation.
Marble King/Facebook The company has always been a leader in marble production, manufacturing the first U.S. made “cat’s eye” marble and developing the first “marble veneering” process, in which a less expensive glass could be used for the marble’s core and covered with a finer colored glass.
The variety of products Marble King has to offer is astounding: not only do they have dozens of different colors of marbles for sale in their online gift shop, but you can also order many other marble related products, from mazes and marble runs to t-shirts and jewelry.
Marble King USA
While Marble King’s in-person gift shop is currently closed for the 2020 season, you can still purchase all of their products at their online gift shop.
Katie Leaptrot/Google Maps And check back frequently, as they do hope to re-open their on-site gift shop when possible!
If all this talk of marbles has you feeling nostalgic for the good old days, plan a time soon to revisit your childhood (and bring your friends and family along) with a game night featuring authentic, made-in-West-Virginia marbles.
Samuel Price/Google Maps Chinese Checkers, anyone?
Did you play with marbles growing up? Were they West Virginia marbles? If not, you can order some from Marble King here. What were your favorite marble games? Let us know in the comments!
Samuel Price/Google Maps
Marble King/Facebook
Mountain Made WV Handmade Art/Flickr
The company has always been a leader in marble production, manufacturing the first U.S. made “cat’s eye” marble and developing the first “marble veneering” process, in which a less expensive glass could be used for the marble’s core and covered with a finer colored glass.
Marble King USA
Katie Leaptrot/Google Maps
And check back frequently, as they do hope to re-open their on-site gift shop when possible!
Chinese Checkers, anyone?
If this profile of Marble King has sparked your curiosity about products with West Virginian origin, you might also find this article about other things that come from West Virginia interesting!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: 329 S 1st Ave, Paden City, WV 26159, USA
