| Click on image titles for larger views. || | Some of Alfred's
most outstanding structures date from the nineteenth and early
twentieth century, reflecting the continued prosperity of the
institution and, more profoundly, the emergence of Alfred's
ceramic industry. The story of Alfred's clayworks industry
illustrates the emergence and development of brick and terra
cotta manufacturing throughout America. By the late 1880s,
numerous brick and clay manufacturers had been established
throughout the northeast. The Celadon Terra Cotta Tile Company
in Alfred emerged as a renowned leader in the industry. The
company flourished for two decades, gaining national recognition
for the variety and quality of its clayworks, and the Village of
Alfred served as a showcase and testing grounds for the
company's products. The Terra Cotta building was originally the
office building and display center (clients could order directly
from the exterior or interior designs; it was a "three-
dimensional catalog") until the tile plant w