In December, 2019, the Allied News and Sharon Herald carried an article about the Grove City Area Historical Society receiving a grant to catalog and preserve the works of Arthur Armour, Grove City’s renowned aluminum metalworker. The Historical Society and many donors matched the grant, and the project was led by Arthur’s Son, Tom, a retired Sharon pediatrician and longtime society volunteer. With that work completed and the grant satisfied, the next goal was to relocate the tools, dies, and other materials still in existence in Arthur’s long-closed Grove City workshop to a historical society exhibit room. Once there, a ‘hands-on’ workshop would be set up to tell the story of the artist who created his first die sitting on his back porch and went on to be the first artisan to develop the technique of anodizing aluminum, adding that distinctive gold color. The dream became a reality over this past winter, and now everyone can visit the Arthur Armour Aluminum Workshop located within the Grove City Area Historical Society & Museum.

Pictured above is a rendering of Arthur Armour welcoming Mary “Skip” Sample, who spear-headed the winter project, into his workshop.

They welcome the public to the Grand Opening of the Arthur Armour Aluminum Workshop which is on May 13, 2025. Dan Armour, Tom’s Son, is the first in the Historical Society’s Spring 2025 Speaker Series. His presentation is titled “Arthur Armour and the Pioneering Spirit of Grove City.” He will explore Arthur’s “unique contribution to design, craftsmanship, and the community” at 6:30 p.m. that evening. Dan will provide workshop demonstrations at 5:45 and again at 7:15, prior to and after he tells the story of his Grandfather, the Carnegie Tech architectural graduate who became a giant in the engraved aluminum industry. More can be learned about Arthur Armour’s contribution to the industry at www.arthurarmour.com.

The program is free of charge and the building at 111 College Avenue, Grove City is handicap accessible. Join the celebration on the evening of May 13.