Did you know that the first pottery in the United States devoted entirely to the manufacture of sanitary earthenware (sinks, bathtubs, toilets, etc.) was established in Trenton, NJ? The Enterprise Pottery Company was established by E. Mercer Shreve and Charles H. Skirm around 1880 on the lot occupied by a former fire brick manufacturer. From the beginning Enterprise manufactured sanitary earthenware, such as earthenware closets, druggists’ vitrified ware, plumbers’ earthenware, stationary washstand basins and decorated toilet ware. In 1892 it joined with four other sanitary ware potteries in Trenton (Crescent, Delaware, Empire and Equitable) to form the Trenton Potteries Company. Enterprise was known as Plant No. 4 but continued to be listed in city directories under the name Enterprise until 1916. Although acting as one in terms of marketing and distribution of finished wares, each pottery continued to operate separately, managed by whomever owned the company before the merger.