Rebecca Palmer Cooper founded North State Pottery in 1924. Her Husband, Palmer Cooper, was in charge of glazing pots. He loved to experiment with glazes and had a close working relationship with the Ceramic Engineering Department at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Among the glazes he most frequently used were copper red, Chinese blue, moss green, and a turquoise blue.

Some of the potters who worked at North State during its thirty-six years of operation were: Jonie Owen, Walter Owen, Charlie Craven, Garland Williams, and Braxton Craven, who had glazing and kiln duties.

Rebecca Cooper died in 1954. After the death of Henry Cooper in 1960, Walter N. Owen became the owner and he changed the name of North State Pottery to Pine State Pottery.