The Hill ~ Fulper ~ Stangl
Potteries Museum

The Museum was originally located in the old Stangl Pottery Factory Showrooms, now Pfaltzgraff, located in Flemington's Historic District.

This display had been the most unique pottery display in existence. It was housed in the last existing periodic kilns in the state of New Jersey. Stangl Pottery had originally established a small display of their manufacturing procedures in the largest kiln in 1950. This display was a popular attraction for generations of Stangl shoppers. "Boarded-up" since Stangl's close in 1978, this kiln was re-opened in 2000 and provided 144 square feet of glass showcases filled with historical products of the Hill, Fulper and Stangl Potteries.

The historical importance of this display was two-fold. Stangl Pottery originated as Hill Pottery in 1814, and enjoyed a rise to prominence as Fulper Pottery when New Jersey was the ceramics capital of the nation. Hundreds of kilns of this type were instrumental in establishing New Jersey as the nation's ceramics leader in areas such as Middlesex and Mercer Counties. This display preserved these last remnants of our ceramic heritage in their original setting and outlines their original use.

Pfaltzgraff, once the oldest operating commercial pottery in the United States, understood the importance of preserving the history of the Hill, Fulper, Stangl Potteries, and the vitality they provided to the local community, the State of New Jersey and ultimately the whole nation.

Museum Dedication
On April 15, 2000, the Hill-Fulper-Stangl Museum was dedicated to the memories of William Hill Fulper II and Johan Martin Stangl for their respective pioneering efforts at the helm of the Fulper Pottery Company. The museum was also dedicated at that time to Martha Stangl Bacheler, Christl Stangl Bacheler, Betty Stangl Thomas, Merrill Bacheler, David Thomas, Kay Hackett and Rose Herbeck; each for the prominent parts they played in the success of Stangl Pottery. A plaque stating this dedication was mounted on the wall of the kiln for all to see.

In February 2000, the museum directors approached Stangl Pottery's original designer, Kay Hackett with the idea of a central medallion on the floor of the kiln that would be altogether new, yet express the essence of STANGL. Kay was more than enthusiastic with the project. As the directors were told at the time, "What's the good of a design studio if there is no purpose to producing a design?"

Kay jumped headlong into the project, using the self-same tempera paints and squares of Celotex she had used at Stangl during the 1950s and 1960s! Within two weeks Kay had come up with about a dozen new and original motifs. Each one represented Stangl in its own way, but Kay had two favorites. So sure was she that it would be one of these two that would be chosen, she went ahead and also created the 30" stencils required to transfer the design to the floor!