Hadley Pottery had its inception early in 1940.  At that time, M.A. (Mary Alice) Hadley applied her artistic talents to the making of a custom set of dishes for a cruiser that the Hadleys' had on the Ohio River.  The pottery for the boat caused much favorable comment from all who saw it and led to many requests for similar pieces.  The supplying of those early orders apparently gave wide circulation to the ware because orders soon began to come in from all parts of the country.

Prior to 1939, Mrs. Hadley's talents had been devoted entirely to the field of painting, in both water color and oil as well as a mural or two, from which she had received numerous awards and other recognition.  However, her work in pottery developed into a much more fertile field for her creative talents.  To the best of our knowledge there was nothing out of its kind on the market when Hadley ware was first brought out.

In growing, the Hadley pottery has exerted a concerted effort to revive craft production on a small scale.  It is their goal to produce a line of ware embodying true pottery craftsmanship, the creative genius of an artist and everyday utility. 

All of the designs were created or suggested by Mary Alice Hadley and are painted completely free-hand on each piece.  The reverse side of each piece bears the signature "M.A. Hadley."  Her pottery originals and paintings in water color and oil have been exhibited in New York, Boston, Los Angeles and other cities.  The Hadley designs are unique in their originality and have been so well received as to be simulated by several other pottery makers.