Page 3 - Dresden Buzz 07/11/25

JULY 11 - 24, 2025 LOCAL NEWS | PAGE 3
A large piece of Dresden history returns home by Lynette Dotson

A structure that played a major role walls and sections of the building are
in the Longaberger Basket Company’s making their trip back to Dresden.
story is returning to Dresden. The J.W. To this day, buses and groups of visi-
Longaberger Workshop is being relo- tors still travel to Dresden to look for
cated back to the village in a large re- unique Longaberger Baskets to add to
location effort made possible through their collection. Although the times have
donations and support from the commu- certainly changed since the business
nity and Longaberger Basket collectors. was booming in the 1980s and 1990s,
Originally located on Eighth Street, the J.W. Longaberger and Dave Longaberg-
workshop was the original home of the er’s legacies are still tightly woven into
handwoven basket for 37 years. Dave the community that continues to cel-
Longaberger, J.W.’s son, continued his ebrate and embrace their roots as the
father’s legacy by founding the Longa- Basketmaking Capital. With the annual
berger Company in 1973, which went event, American’s Basket Festival (held
on to employ over 8,200 people and July 12, 2025), bringing what is project-
spark the entrepreneurial spirit in tens ed to be over 1,000 people this year, it
of thousands of consultants around the is evident that the excitement for hand-
country. Dresden became known as the crafted baskets that are made in Amer-
birthplace of the Longaberger Basket, ica is still very much alive. It and other Wall sections are being erected at the new site for the J.W. Longaberger Workshop (view from the cor-
ner of Main and 6th Streets). Matthew Dotson
which drew countless visitors to the events in the community throughout
village. The workshop was part of the the year highlight Dresden’s history but
Longaberger Homestead in Frazeys- also embrace the future as baskets are
burg and served as a popular attrac- still being woven in Dresden, many de-
tion to basket collectors for many years. cades after J.W. worked in his workshop.
The historic building is making its re- The preservation of the historic J.W.
turn to Dresden, being reconstructed in Longaberger Workshop is possible be-
a space on 6th Street next to the Dave cause of a partnership between the Vil-
Longaberger Memorial Park, where a lage of Dresden, Dresden Community As-
statue of Dave and large rocks engraved sociation, The Muskingum Community
with quotes from the Longaberger Bas- Foundation, and Friends of the Dresden
ket Company founder can be visited Parks as well as initial donations from
after they were also relocated to Dres- Eight Keyes Foundation (Rachel Longa-
den from the Homestead in 2018. The berger Stukey), D & Co Cares Founda-
park is on the corner of 6th and Main tion, Kendrick Excavating Inc., Lepi and
Streets and is just a block away from Associates Real Estate Services, Feder-
the World’s Largest Woven Basket. al Heating and Cooling, Barnes Advertis- A corner of the J.W. Longaberger Workshop has Construction efforts can be viewed through the
The J.W. Longaberger’s Workshop ing, PATRIOT Companies, Dingey Movers been placed on the concrete pad. trees behind the Dave Longaberger Memorial
Relocation Project is already underway Inc., T and Z Concrete - Zach Ferguson, Matthew Dotson Park. Matthew Dotson
with the lot prep work done, cement and Top Crete LLC - Etching - Jordan Lee. curacy and will be reconstructed and tributions will be matched. Additional
pad poured, and walls being erected. Support is still needed to bring this restored in its new home. Additionally, fundraising efforts are also in the works
At the former Homestead, the decon- project to fruition. Through funds be- a permanent fund to ensure the ongo- and will be announced at a later date.
struction process of the workshop ing raised, the original structure will be ing preservation and maintenance will Inquiries about making a donation
has been ongoing, and truckloads of relocated with care and historical ac- be established. Every dollar of all con- can be made by calling 740-819-0041.