BRICKS: We recently came across this Hanley brick, which was made locally right in Lewis Run.

While most are familiar with the old brick manufacturer, we thought our readers would be interested in learning more. This information is from a 2010 Bradford Landmark Society “Inkwell” newsletter.

While there were at least five brick factories in the Lewis Run area supplying this essential building material, one business man stands out among the rest for his business sense, knowledge and entrepreneurship — William Hanley.

The Hanley Co., founded in 1893, was originally known as the Bradford Pressed Brick Co. In 1900, Hanley acquired full ownership, and set about modernizing the entire brick manufacturing system. He held several patents in this regard, and by 1930, Hanley Brick was the second largest producer of face brick in the United States. He installed a railroad tunnel kiln in Lewis Run in 1920; the first one ever successfully operated in a brick plant. The next year, a second kiln was put into operation, and the capacity of the two Lewis Run plants increased to three million bricks a month.

Bricks from Hanley’s Lewis Run factory, like the one pictured, were used to construct multiple buildings and homes in and around Bradford; most of which still stand today.

Some of the buildings built with bricks from the Lewis Run Hanley Brick Co. in Bradford include City Hall in 1898; St. Bernard’s Church in 1892; Fourth Ward School in 1894; the Mansion House in 1896; Bay State Hotel in 1897; the Hanley Mansion in 1898; McKean Theater in 1910; Schonblom Building in 1902; YMCA in 1906; the first Bell Telephone Building in 1903; Central Fire Station in 1910; Carnegie Library in 1901; Tuna Valley Milk Co. in 1907; the Post Office in 1910; Bovaird & Seyfang Engine House in 1909; and the Marilla Reservoir built from 1898-1901.

In 1924, Hanley then built a second brick factory in Summerville. The Summerville factory was a mammoth plant that covered three and one-half acres of floor space, and had a capacity of turning out 60 million bricks per month.

The Hanley Brick Co. was a part of the Lewis Run area for years, but by 1984, the bulk of Hanley’s production had moved south, and the factory was closed. Hanley made a fortune, and his famous “Bradford Red” brick can be seen on nearly every brick building in Bradford.