Brand Story – Lodge Kitchenware
We are an independent online retailer of genuine Lodge® products. We are not affiliated with, authorized by, or sponsored by Lodge Manufacturing Company.
A Story That Began in 1896
Tucked between the Appalachian Mountains and the Tennessee River, in the small town of South Pittsburg, Tennessee, a story of grit, resilience, and American craftsmanship began over 125 years ago. Lodge Cast Iron is the only cast iron cookware foundry from its era still operating in the United States. As Lodge Kitchenware, we’re proud to share this remarkable story with you.
The Founder: Joseph Lodge
Joseph Lodge was born in Pennsylvania and left home at the age of 15, traveling across the country on foot and working in machine shops. In 1867, he boarded a steamship from Pittsburgh to Louisville and traveled through Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana — mostly on foot. He kept a detailed daily journal of his journey, documenting his travels and attempts at finding work. On March 31, 1867, while in Missouri, he wrote: “I have the first cornbread here I ever ate”.
In October 1867, Joseph boarded a ship to Cuba, where he lived for two years before traveling to Peru. There, he built and operated railroads, working and communicating in Spanish — even signing his letters home as “Jose Lodge”.
In 1876, at age 28, he returned to Tennessee. While on a walk in Chattanooga, he ended up in South Pittsburg, a small industrial town along the Tennessee River. It appealed to him. In 1877, Joseph Lodge and his wife Anna built their home there — a home still inhabited by a member of the Lodge family today.
The Blacklock Foundry (1896–1910)
In 1896, Joseph Lodge founded the Blacklock Foundry, named after his friend and minister Joseph Blacklock. The company focused on manufacturing a wide range of cast iron products — skillets, Dutch ovens, camp cookware, stoves, sad irons, tea kettles, and even kitchen sinks.
By 1910, Blacklock employed 100 men. The local newspaper called it “the largest independent sad iron and hollow ware manufacturer in the South”.
But in May 1910, disaster struck. A fire sparked and roared through the building, burning the foundry to the ground.
Joseph Lodge and his family did not give up. Just three months after the fire, the company was reborn a few blocks away, and the foundry was renamed Lodge Cast Iron.
Weathering the Great Depression (1930s)
During the Great Depression, consumer purchases of cast iron cookware declined. Richard Leslie Lodge, Joseph’s son, noticed that while skillets weren’t selling, people would still buy doorstops.
In response, Lodge increased production of novelty items — cast iron garden gnomes, animals, and doorstops. These sold well and kept the family business afloat, and local workers steadily employed through the end of the Depression in 1939 and beyond.
Innovation Through the Decades
1950 — Automated Molding Process
As the economy bounced back, Lodge converted its foundry from a hand-pour operation to an automated molding process — a rare move at the time — leading to safer and more efficient manufacturing.
1973 — The Iconic Logo
Lodge created its first official logo — a simple black skillet frying a single egg. The concept came from using a round skillet with an egg as the letter “O” in LODGE. It’s still in use today.
1970s — Rebuilding for the Future
During economic hardship, William Leslie Kellermann, Joseph Lodge’s grandson, drafted a plan to reconstruct the foundry. This multi-year project brought employees back to full, five-day workweeks.
1992–1994 — Environmental Leadership
Lodge replaced its coal-fire cupola furnaces with an electro-magnetic induction melting system. In 1994, the company earned a Tennessee Governor’s Award for Excellence in Hazardous Waste Reduction.
The Game-Changer: Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron (2002)
For the first 100 years of its history, Lodge cast iron was sold coated with a thin layer of wax to prevent rust during storage and shipping. Customers had to wash, dry, oil, and bake the iron themselves before using it.
“We got calls from people asking how to season it,” recalls Henry Lodge, Lodge CEO & President. “We felt sure that if we could offer a seasoned product ready to use right out of the box, it would probably help our sales”.
In 2002, Lodge developed a process for seasoning cast iron in the foundry and launched a new line called “Lodge Logic” — becoming the first ever US cookware manufacturer to sell pre-seasoned cast iron.
The tagline: “We should have thought of this 100 years ago”.
It was a breakthrough. That year, Lodge received one of Good Housekeeping’s coveted “Good Buy Awards” for a groundbreaking product that solved an everyday problem. By 2007, Lodge had discontinued all unseasoned iron. Every piece has been seasoned and ready to use ever since.
Today: Still Family-Owned, Still American-Made
Today, Lodge Cast Iron operates two foundries in South Pittsburg, Tennessee — the same town where it all began. It remains the only cast iron foundry from its era still operating in the United States.
The company is still owned and managed by the descendants of the Lodge family — now in its fifth generation.
Proudly Serving Home Cooks Across Canada
At Lodge Kitchenware, we are proud to bring this tradition to home cooks across Canada. Every Lodge product we sell carries with it over 125 years of craftsmanship, quality, and American heritage.
Still Have Questions?
If you’d like to learn more about the Lodge brand or need help choosing the right piece, we’re here to help.
📧 Email: [email protected]
📞 Phone: (416) 437-9671
🕐 Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM EST
📍 Mailing Address:
3406 Eglinton Avenue
Toronto, ON M4P 1A6
Canada
Lodge Kitchenware is an independent online retailer of genuine Lodge® products and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or sponsored by Lodge Manufacturing Company. Lodge® is a registered trademark. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners.