21-1/2 Sherman Avenue
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Building Name: M. Ames Chemical Works
Building
Street Location: 21 1/2 Sherman Avenue, Glens Falls
Use: Original: Chemical Factory
Use: As of 1981, Multi-family Residential
Date of Original Construction: 1918-1919 for M. Ames Chemical Works
Note: 1930, Chemical Works moved to Rogers Street and 21-1/2 Sherman was
converted to apartments.
Architect: Unknown
Builder: Unknown
Historical and Architectural Importance: Built in 1918-19, to replace the original enlarged wood-framed "Chemical Laboratory" of the M. Ames Chemical Works, this structure was occupied by the firm until the 1930's when larger facilities were procured on Rogers Street, and the Works were moved there. Significantly, due to the nature of the refinery process and the use of highly flammable silver nitrate solutions, this structure was built as a semi-fire-proof building. A fire completely gutted the original facility, built ca. 1865 by Merritt Ames in back of his residence (Merritt Ames House, 21 Sherman Avenue).
The M. Ames Chemical Works was the earliest producer of reclaimed silver salts and gold in the nation. Founded by Merritt Ames, a young man, who through various travels and experiences developed an appreciation for the art and craft of the of the nineteenth century photographer, as well the means to recover silver and gold from photographers' waste. This enterprise flourished in a community, which in 1874, boasted of five professional photographers including: George W. Conkey, Charles Oblenis and Seneca Ray Stoddard. The Glens Falls photographic profession grew to include by 1910, more than a dozen professional photographers and several commercial supply houses many of whom depended on the services of the Ames Works.
Merritt Ames had, prior to establishing the Ames Works, traveled extensively on lecture tours giving illustrated talks with the help of lantern slides, ranging from dissertations on the Arctic explorations of Dr. Kent Kane, to those in Africa by Dr. Livingstone. He was an acclaimed speaker, and apparently came into contact with George Eastman and Mathew Brady through his interest in the developing art of photography. Returning to Glens Falls and a growing local society of photographic professionals, he hit upon the idea of recovering silver and gold from photographers, used developing baths and wooden tubs, at first offering a waste removal and tubs replacement service and selling recovered silver to the U.S. mint. He also supplied ready-made silver nitrates and gold chloride for the use of photographers, dry plate manufacturers and whole Sale druggists. By 1885, Ames Chemical Works products were distributed in 25 states along the eastern seaboard, it also was the largest single refiner of photographers' residues and manufacturer of silver nitrates and gold chlorides in the country. The Works was employed by the U.S. government to refine waste from five of its photographic departments. Ames also supplied silver for the mirror and medicine manufactures markets. By 1916, six years after the founder's death, the firm abandoned the refining operation and devoted its time to the production of silver nitrates, there being considerable competition in the refining business and not much profit in it. M. Ames Chemical Works continued in operation at the Rogers Street site under successive generations of Ames related families until 1970. This 1918 M. Ames Chemical Works building survives as the only extant early factory buildings built by the firm for the purpose of silver nitrate production. It survives with a great deal of original integrity.
SOURCES:
Name of Collector: Richard C. Youngken
Collected on: February 4, 1981
Organizations: City of Glens Falls Community Development Office
Previous ownership:
Previous occupants:
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