The ruins are just a part of the leftover materials that comprise Ariel-Foundation Park. The park itself is a restoration project, playing into the artistic ideal of taking the old and making it something new. This has been done through sculpting pieces of leftover buildings, recycling old waste from the glassmaking industry, and putting it all together in an engaging and interactive space.

Still the tallest architectural structure in Knox County, the smokestack is a centerpiece among the factory ruins that pay tribute to the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company’s workers and their families. The 280-foot smokestack once expelled flue gases from the glassmaking facility. It was constructed by way of the slip form method, a continuous pouring of concrete that resulted in a smooth, uninterrupted surface. Lloyd Hull, a 31-year employee of PPG who worked mainly in the Carpenter Shop, recounted stories of pranks and bets between workers in the shop. One incident, in particular, involved the smokestack and a ten dollar bet between two co-workers to climb it. According to Hull, the man managed to successfully climb up the smokestack without any protective gear, but whether he ever received the $10 he was promised has been lost to history.