In 1913, R. Guy Cowan opened Northeast Ohio's only art pottery here, the Cowan Pottery Studio, first known as the Cleveland Pottery and Tile Company. He molded Lakewood's clay into sculptural forms covered with unique glazes, while the venture depended on the commercial success of its tiles, which adorned homes and community institutions throughout greater Cleveland. By 1917, Lakewood Ware had gained international recognition with an award from the Art Institute of Chicago. After World War I service, Cowan returned to Lakewood, and a drained gas well led to the pottery's relocation to Rocky River. Until it closed in 1931 as a casualty of the Great Depression, its artists produced elegant household wares and limited-edition ceramic sculptures sold throughout the United States and Canada.