Tri City Glass & Door is proud to have played a role in preserving a piece of Appleton’s history! The company recently donated and installed custom glass structures for new displays at the Appleton Historical Museum. These displays feature equipment from the historic Courtney Woolen Mill, which produced batting for quilts since 1880 before closing its doors in July of this year. Tom Courtney, the mill’s fourth-generation owner, donated the equipment to the Appleton Historical Society to ensure its preservation as part of the city’s rich heritage. This display is one of many within the museum, which aims to celebrate Appleton’s history.
Tri City Glass & Door’s involvement began when the Appleton Historical Society approached the company, thanks to a connection through a friend of Donna Dorn, who dedicated significant time to the museum’s renovation. After assessing the project on-site, the team provided a design for approval and brought the vision to life. A special thank you goes out to the dedicated team at Tri City Glass & Door, including company president Ryan Hartman, for their hard work in making this project a success.
Tri City Glass & Door’s commitment to the Fox Valley region dates back to its founding in 1960, when it operated out of Richard and Shirley Bender’s home for 16 years. The business provided the area’s first mobile auto glass service and, in 1976, expanded to a larger facility on Northland Avenue, adding residential windows, glass, mirrors, acrylics, and commercial glazing products to its offerings. In 2016, the company further grew with an expansion and renovation of its Green Bay branch, enhancing the customer experience and improving production flow. That same year, Tri City Glass & Door began its transition to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), culminating in December 2023 with the full transition to 100% employee ownership.
As an ESOP company, every team member at Tri City Glass & Door is an owner, ensuring that each project is completed with pride and dedication. The company is honored to contribute to projects that preserve community history and support Appleton’s cultural legacy.
Slide through photos below!
