The lasting impact of the historic terra cotta industry once located in Alfred, NY is most visible in the iconic company office building on Main Street and the tile roofs scattered throughout the village and surrounding towns. Together they tell a story and create a beautiful visual scene. The industry also spurred the placement of the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. While terra cotta tile roofs last over a century they can develop problems over time without ongoing maintenance and care.

An introductory workshop will be held on Thursday, September 15^th to cover the basics of terra cotta history, the Alfred historic district and ideas on using terra cotta as a theme for the village. The central portion of the workshop, free and open to all, will be a presentation by an expert terra cotta tile roofer who will explain the steps for inspecting, maintaining, repairing, and replacing tile roofs. He will also discuss some pitfalls to be aware of when insuring a tile roof.

The goal of the workshop is to help educate attendees on terra cotta tiles and to help homeowners gain information to better manage their roofs. Everyone is invited to attend and light refreshments will be served. The workshop will be held in the Alfred Village Hall, starting at 6:00 pm.  Informational displays will also be on site.

The event is sponsored by the Alfred 21^st Century Group, the Village of Alfred, the Baker’s Bridge Historical Association, the Alfred University Archives, and the Western New York chapter of the American Ceramic Society.

Please direct any questions and RSVPs (preferred but not required) to archives@alfred.edu.