The early industrialisation of Glarus

28 July 2021

The village of Glarus has always been the administrative centre of the Canton of Glarus. The Landsgemeinde has been held here on the first Sunday in May for 600 years.

The industrialisation of the canton began as early as 1740. In that year, a company in Oberdorf experimented with textile and cotton manufacturing for the first time. By 1860, six large factories were employing around 1800 people.

Numerous specialised suppliers emerged. Banks, insurance companies and stock exchange were established. In 1859, the railway reached Glarus. It enabled the widespread use of coal and other transport.

The transition from the 19th to the 20th century brought about the decline of this industry. However, many trades and services survived, and the canton has many modern industries.

(Source: www.gl.ch).