| Little Joe Tower | |
|---|---|
 Little Joe Tower, seen behind Corning's headquarters. | |
  Location within New York  Little Joe Tower (the United States) | |
| General information | |
| Town or city | Corning, New York |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 42°08′42.9108″N 77°03′27.738″W / 42.145253000°N 77.05770500°W |
| Completed | 1912 or 1913 |
| Owner | Corning Inc. |
| Height | 187 feet (57 m) |
Little Joe Tower is a landmark structure in Corning, New York, United States.
The tower was built in either 1912[1][2] or 1913[3][4] by Corning Glass Works (now known as Corning Inc.). The construction came during a period of growth for the company, and the 187-foot (57 m) tower was used in drawing glass for thermometer tubes.[1][2] To create the thermometers, in a process known as "vertical draw", the heated glass was pulled up the length of the tower using a cable, to form a continuous tube that was later cooled and cut to required sizes.[5] By the 1940s, advancements in drawing technology reduced the use of the tower,[1] and in June 1973, the tower was decommissioned.[2] However, the company continues to maintain the building, which the Star-Gazette claims is "the Corning area's best known landmark".[6]
On the outside of the white tower is a blue stenciled silhouette of "Little Joe", a glassblower, giving the tower its name.[3][4] The symbol of the gaffer, or glassblower, was originally created in 1880 from a sketch made by an itinerant painter who has visited a glass factory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[5] The symbol has undergone various modifications over time, and has become a Corning Inc. trademark.[5]
In 1999, the tower was repainted, and in 2015, the tower experienced a renovation that began in May and ended in August.[2]