Connecticut Industrial Heritage Trail The combination of waterpower, proximity to markets and yankee ingenuity made Connecticut one the superpowers of the industrial age. With more patents per capita and thousands of manufactured products. Connecticut’s image and history were shaped by a culture and economy about making thing. The Connecticut Industrial Heritage Trail, a project of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, was conceived to increase public awareness of the importance of Connecticut’s industrial history – and to build support and awareness for the increasing challenge of preserving the a legacy of the industrial age – a remarkable built environment. Based on extensive field research and influenced by studies conducted by Matt Roth and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in the 1980s – and with special thanks to Connecticut History Online and Jerry Dougherty’s Connecticut – a massive online, town by town visual data base, sixty preliminary sites have been chosen. They are located in every corner of the state – (though especially concentrated along the three primary watersheds), represent dozens of products and industries – and cover the subject from its origins in the late 18th century with simple saw and grist mills – to the great levianthans of the industrial age – massive industrial complexes in places like Waterbury and Hartford and in eastern Connecticut long the Shetucket River.

3. Sites on the Connec,cut
Industrial Heritage Trail

4. Connec,cut’s abundant
streams and rivers,
kickstarted the industrial
age.

5. American Clock & Watch Museum, Bristol
100 Maple Street, Bristol, CT
Open April-November, 7 days/week, 10-5,
Weekends only Dec-March
ConnecFcut was the clockmaking capital of
world. The museum holds the largest
display of American clocks and watches
anywhere! As visitors travel through the
museum’s eight galleries, these
Fmekeeping devices chime and strike upon
the hour. Located in the historic "Federal
Hill" district of Bristol, the museum is
housed in an 1801 Federal-style home with
a sundial garden. The Museum opened its
doors to the general public in 1954. Visitors
will find over 1,500 clocks and watches on
display including old adverFsing clocks,
punch clocks, grandfather clocks, blinking-
eye clocks, railroad clocks and even Hickory
Dickory Dock clocks. It's the story of
America from the mid-18th century through
the mid-20th – seen through the prism of a
fascinaFng ConnecFcut industry

6. American Woolen Company, Stafford Springs
8 Furnace Ave, Stafford Springs, CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
American Woolen – a rare survival among New
England’s once epic texFle manufacturing
industry – occupies the mills and sites of the
former Warren Mills. Founded in 1853, Warren
originally made camelhair as well as woolen
fabrics. It became the town’s only surviving
texFle mill in 1984, when it bought its last
remaining rival, the Cyril Johnson Mills. The
complex is evocaFve and was built up and
around a core stone mill building from the
1850s. Its longevity is reflected in the
architecture with addiFons and expansions at
various points in the later 19th and into the
mid-20th centuries. Stafford Springs is a classic
mill town. Its mineral springs became a
desFnaFon in the 18th century – future
President an founding father John Adams
“took the cure” there in 1771. Water and
water power kickstarted ConnecFcut’s
industrial age

7. Ames Iron Works Historic Trail
Housatonic River Rd. Falls Village, CT
Interpreted trail – accessible every day
In 1995, CL&P and the town of Falls Village collaborated on
the construcFon of the one-mile Falls Village Historic Trail
for the site where the Ames Iron Works forged cannons
during the Civil War. Falls Village was known as Amesville,
the technological epicenter of ConnecFcut’s iron industry
at a Fme when ConnecFcut was a center of the iron
industry in America. At its peak three shies of 800 men
worked around the clock producing iron. The Housatonic
River powered the producFon system and the railroad
provided transportaFon and delivery. Signs along the trail
explain that, in 1833, Oliver and HoraFo Ames founded the
Ames Iron Works. The region’s iron was used in the
manufacture of nails, hinges, cooking utensils, hardware,
scythes, axes, shovels and other tools, locks, chains, potash
pots, plows, mowing machine teeth, stoves, and many
other items. Because of its resistance to shock, it was also
used in musket barrels, cannon and cannon balls, ship
anchors, railroad car wheels, and locomoFve driving wheel
Fres. Eli Whitney used it for the thousands of muskets
made in Norfolk; Thomas Alva Edison used the local iron for
his phonograph needles.

8. Bal,c Mills, Sprague
Main Street, BalFc CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
BalFc was formed around a cogon mill, at one
Fme the largest texFle mill in the United
States. Established on the on land purchased in
1856 by former Rhode Island Governor and
Rhode Island Governor U.S. Senator William
Sprague. The A. & W. Sprague Manufacturing
Co. mill burned down in 1887. Subsequently,
Frederick Sayles of Pawtucket, Rhode Island,
purchased the site and built the BalFc Mills Co.
cogon mill, which opened in 1899. The mill
conFnued operaFng unFl 1967, when it was
closed and the property and equipment were
sold. The historic district includes 208
contribuFng buildings and two other
contribuFng structures. In 1999, the remains
of the mill were destroyed by fire. There was
only one building that survived. Its enough to
report the news of this once great industrial
leviathan and a reminder of the fragility of this
history.

9. Benedict & Burnham Mfg Co, Waterbury
Benedict St. Waterbury
Drive by landmark– no public access
Waterbury owes much of its idenFty to brass.
Today, while the brass industry is a thing of the
past, Waterbury is sFll known as the Brass City.
Benedict & Burnham began in 1812 in Waterbury.
As the US went to war with England, Aaron
Benedict seized on an opportunity. Soldiers and
sailors needed uniform bugons, but England would
no longer supply them. Benedict bought up every
brass kegle, pan and pot he could find, established
a rolling mill and began making bugons for the
armed forces. In 1832, Gordon Burnham, entered
the firm of Benedict & Coe, which by that Fme was
also manufacturing brass and copper utensils. What
became The Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing
Co., evolved into the largest manufacturer of brass
and copper appliances and fixtures in the United
States. They produced copper and copper alloys,
door handles, furniture knobs, safety pins, rivets,
bolt hinges, lamp burners, insulated electric wire,
copper wire for telegraph lines, and clocks.

10. Berlin Historical Society
305 Main Street, Kensington, CT
Open, Saturday, 1-4 PM, April through December
or by appointment
The Berlin Historical Society museum preserves
and presents the evidence of a diverse and
fascinaFng industrial history. Berlin was an
industrial hub in the Megabasset watershed. It
claims the first cement mill in country; the first
Fnsmiths (1740s) in the country - William &
Edmond Papson; a descendant Fn
manufacturing giant in Peck, Stow & Wilcox Co.
that dates back to 1797; an important chapter in
the birth of interchangeable parts in the firearms
industry in the story of Simeon North; and the
famous Berlin Iron Bridge Co . At one Fme Berlin
was the home of 26 brick yards. The story and
products of the brick industry are fascinaFng and
the arFsFc bricks – a local product – beauFful.
Founded in 1873, the Berlin Iron Bridge Co., sFll
exists as Berlin Steel. Their iron bridges were
shipped in parts and assembled on site,
throughout New England into western New York
and Pennsylvania.

11. Bigelow-HarJord Carpet Co., Enfield
55 Main St, Enfield, CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
In 1828, Orrin Thompson built the first of the carpet
mills that, for 150 years, brought fame and wealth to
the Thompsonville secFon of town. The mill was
manned by skilled weavers brought over from Scotland.
Early producFon consisted mostly of inexpensive flat-
woven ingrain carpeFng. As the mill became
established other more expensive weaves, including
three-ply ingrain, rugs, and loop Brussels were added.
By 1846 there were 230 looms in operaFon at the mill.
By 1850 carpet output from the Thompsonville mills
had reached 250,000 yards per year. In 1854, a group of
Harrord investors bought it and formed Harrord
Carpet Company. By 1871 the mill was producing over
7000 yards of carpeFng per day. Improvements to the
mill included electricity and a reducFon of the work
week to 56 hours for the work force of 1,800. In 1914
the Harrord Carpet CorporaFon merged with the
Bigelow Carpet Company of Massachusegs to form the
Bigelow-Harrord Carpet Company. This new company
peaked with a output of 13,000,000 yards of carpet per
year.

12. Bristol Historical Society Museum
98 Summer St., Bristol
Open Wednesdays 10:00am -2:00pm and on
Saturdays Noon- 4:00pm
The Bristol Historical Society museum is
dedicated to the promoFon of interest in
Bristol history. It collects, preserves, and
interprets significant historical resources to
enhance the present community and provide a
historical context for future growth. The
museum has outstanding exhibiFons on such
local industries as Bristol Brass Co., Horton
Manufacturing Co (sporFng goods) & the New
Departure Bell Co. which developed into the
bearing industry and at one point
manufactured bicycle parts and, briefly,
automobiles. The museum is housed in the old
high school – an important 1880s architectural
landmark.

13. Brownell Twine Co. 1844, Moodus (East Haddam)
423 E Haddam Moodus Rd, Moodus
Drive by landmark– no public access
Moodus was the “Twine Capital of America,” with
twelve mills in operaFon during the 19th and early
20th centuries. The most successful was Brownell &
Company. Moodus was in an ideal locaFon for texFle
producFon since it had access to ample water power
and shipping (via the ConnecFcut River and the
ConnecFcut Valley Railroad), and it was close to an
enormous trade center, New York City. Moodus's
mills primarily manufactured cogon yarn, duck
(canvas fabric used as sail cloth), and twine used in
making fish nepng. Twine producFon lasted from
1819 to 1977. The mills also produced certain related
products, parFcularly fishing nets and pearl bugons.
Brownell was a pioneer in the producFon of nylon
products, and Brownell sFll manufacturers
specialized texFle-related products in Moodus such
as archery bowstrings, helicopter cargo nets, and
tennis nets. Its 1844 wooden factory building is one
of the best surviving examples of that early period of
industrial mill building in ConnecFcut.

14. Canton Historical Museum & Collins Axe Factory, Collinsville
11 Front St. Collinsville, CT
Open April-November, Wed. – Sun. 1-4:00pm / December-
March Sat- Sun 1-4pm
The Canton Historical Society collects and preserves items
relaFng to the area's cultural heritage and features a
blacksmith shop and an extensive collecFon of 19th Century
memorabilia housed on three floors in one of the original
Collins Axe Company buildings. Built in 1865, the building was
used for finishing agricultural plows. At its peak 100 plows per
day were manufactured by the company. The first ready-to-
use axes produced in the United States came from the Collins
Company, founded in 1826. Prior to the firm’s establishment,
consumers either purchased unground axes imported from
Europe or looked to a local blacksmith to make axe heads. As
the number of laborers grew, the company built housing for
workers and their families, a CongregaFonal church, bank,
and other structures. The emerging factory town became
known as Collinsville. The museum has outstanding
collecFons and dioramas related to this local industry. The
adjoining mill complex is currently the focus of an adapFve
reuse iniFaFve to create The Axe Factory — single-family
houses, condos, a bouFque hotel, and retail and office space.

15. Capewell Horse Nail Company, HarJord
70 Charter Oak Ave.
Drive by landmark & mixed use mill – no public
access
Capewell is a three-story brick industrial complex
located near the Coltsville NaFonal Park and
Historic Landmark district.. It was built in 1903 by
industrialist George Capewell at the corner of
Charter Oak Avenue and Popieluszko Court aeer
the previous headquarters burned down. Twenty
years earlier, Capewell invented a machine that
efficiently manufactured horseshoe nails, and his
success made Harrord the "horseshoe nail
capitol" of the world. The administraFon building
is ConnecFcut’s finest example of Dutch Colonial
Revival architecture with highly arFculated brick
and brownstone details. Through mergers the
company conFnued manufacturing at this locaFon
unFl 1985. The CorporaFon for Independent
Living, a non-profit housing group, acquired the
property in 2014 and is converFng it into 72 one,
two- and three-bedroom units, plus 5,000 square
feet of office or retail space.

16. Cargill Falls Mill, Putnam
52 & 58 Pomfret St , Putnam
Drive by landmark & mixed use mill – no public access
At the dawn of the American Industrial age the Cargill
Falls Mill was the first in ConnecFcut to produce cogon
broadcloth, establishing a standard of excellence for the
rest of New England to follow. One building dates to the
18th century, the oldest cogon mill sFll standing in
ConnecFcut and the only mill complex in the country
that exhibits every style of architecture ever used in
cogon mills. Expanded and modified in the mid-
nineteenth century to accommodate the producFon of
woolen goods, the twenty building complex represents
more than 178 years of mill architecture. The Lo/s at
Cargill Falls Mill, situated on the westerly edge of
Putnam’s downtown business district, is in the process of
becoming a mulFple use urban community where
residenFal loes exist alongside enclaves of compaFble
office, retail and restaurant workplaces. The fourteen
buildings that comprise the 140,000 square foot
riverfront complex, will include 82 residenFal apartment
units along with 30,000 square feet of mixed commercial
workspace.

17. Chamberlain Grist Mill, Woodstock
IntersecFon of Old Turnpike & Dewing School Rds,
Woodstock
Drive by landmark– restoraFon in progress since 2014,
accessible & operaFonal by 2017
Chamberlin Mill is a rare example of a water-powered
circular sawmill – an early industrial form that once
doged stream and mill ponds all across ConnecFcut. This
two story post and beam building is supported on a field
stone foundaFon which incorporates the penstock and
turbine. This sturdy structure sFll houses many of the
historic cast iron gears and flat belt pulleys that
transferred the power of water via the turbine to the
circular saw on the main level. For most of the mill’s
lifespan it was powered by water from the adjacent SFll
River, which was dammed to form Lower Chamberlin
Pond, with a small millpond below the dam. In summer,
the water level of Lower Chamberlin Pond was drawn
down to grow hay, and in the winter it was raised to
provide power to the mill. Today, the dam and ponds
remain visible and intact while the surrounding historic
neighborhood and landscape contribute to the telling of
the mill’s story.

18. Founded in 1876, Chase Brass was one of the manufacturers that contributed to Waterbury's
nickname "The Brass City". The development of the brass industry is one of ConnecFcut’s most
remarkable industrial stories. Augustus Chase consolidated several local businesses, including
the U.S. Bugon Company (founded 1837) to create an industrial leviathan. His son I HH
Henry Sabin Chase succeeded him as president in 1900 and introduced the first brass rolling
mill in Waterbury. The Chase Headquarters Building was part of a civic cluster designed by
architect Cass Gilbert in 1916, to contrast with the style of the city hall he also designed. During
World War II, the Chase Brass and Copper Company made more than 50 million cartridge cases
and mortar shells, more than a billion small caliber bullets and, eventually, some of the
components used in the atomic bomb. Chase entered the consumer market with a line of
chrome Art Deco household items in the 1930s, created by leading designers such as
Russel Wright, Rockwell Kent and Walter VonNessen. Look for the disFncFve company logo of a
centaur drawing a bow.. The company sold the building to preservaFonists in 1963 for one
dollar. It is now known as the Chase Municipal Building and is part of Waterbury's Cass Gilbert
Historical District.
Chase Brass headquarters building,
Waterbury
236 Grand St. Waterbury
Drive by landmark– Now City offices –
accessible to visitors

19. The first successful silk manufacturers in the United
States were the Cheney Brothers. The original mill was
begun as the Mt. Nebo Silk Mills in 1838. The mill used
the new Rixford roller that proved to be a
revoluFonary improvement. The first products were
sewing silk, with silk imported from Asia. In 1844,
Ward Cheney learned the main points of silk dyeing
from Edward ValenFne of Northampton,
Massachusegs. The development of the sewing
machine by Singer and others greatly increased the
need for stronger sewing thread. Silk was preferred.
Investors embraced the idea of locally-grown silk and
mulberry trees. By 1913, America was at the forefront
of internaFonal silk manufacturing, and the Cheney
Brothers dominated the American market. The 1920s
was a golden age for the company. Cheney Brothers
was the only factory in the world carrying silk all the
way from its raw form to a finished product, and
employment rolls peaked at over 4,500 workers. The
museum is housed in the 1895 Cheney machine shop
and is close to the Ribbon Mill (150 Pine), the Velvet
Weave Shed (182 Pine) , the Velvet Mill (185 Pine) the
Dye House (190 Pine), the Yarn Mill (210 Pine) and the
20+ places to visit in the Cheney Brothers NaFonal
Historic Landmark District.
Cheney Brothers Silk Mills,
Manchester History Center &
District
175 Pine St. Manchester, plus
Drive by landmarks– museum
accessible for special tours and by
appointment

20. Chester Museum at the Mill of the Chester
Historical Society
9 West Main St. Chester CT
Open June – October, Saturdays 1-4 p.m., Sundays
10-4 pm, plus Friday of Thanksgiving
In 2001, the Chester Historical Society assured
preservaFon of the last factory on the South
Pagaconk Brook by buying the 1870s C.L. Griswold
Shop and beginning its restoraFon as a future site
for the Society’s offices and museum. It was one of
the fist local historical organizaFons in ConnecFcut
to single our industrial history as its primary
emphasis. The museum opened in 2010 in the
historic 1850s Griswold Mill site, overlooking a
waterfall and the Pagaconk Brook. Two exhibits
filling both floors of the museum, tell the story of
the life, development and growth of Chester, since
it was first home to the Wangunk Indians. The
award-winning long-term exhibit, Streams of
Change: Life Y& Industry along the PaBaconk. is on
the second floor. A Made in Chester exhibit deals
with local trades and manufacturers, including
screw augers, small tools and the Sullivan portable
ink wells.

21. Coltsville Na,onal Historic Site, HarJord
140 Huyshope Avenue, Harrord, CT
Drive by landmark– NaFonal Park Visitor Center
forthcoming
Samuel Colt’s legendary revolving firearms were
manufactured in the South Meadows factory complex
that Colt reclaimed from the ConnecFcut River flood
plain in 1855. In one of the boldest real estate
development campaigns in Harrord's history, Colt
acquired and surrounded 250 acres of land with two
miles of dyke to protect against flooding. Here, by 1856,
Colt built and occupied: the largest Armory in the world
(500' long and 4 stories tall), worker's housing, wharf
and ferry faciliFes on the ConnecFcut River, and a
gathering place named "Charter Oak Hall" for the
instrucFon and amusement of his employees. Crowning
the hilltop in the northwest corner of the complex was
"Armsmear", the enormous Italian Villa dream house
Colt built for himself and his new bride Elizabeth Hart
Jarvis in 1857.The Church of the Good Shepherd (1868)
and Caldwell Colt Memorial Parish Hall (1894), at the
north end of Coltsville, were built as family memorials
by Elizabeth Colt.

22. Connec,cut An,que Machinery Museum, Kent
31 Kent Cornwall Rd, Kent, CT
Open Wed. - Sunday, May-October, 10am-4pm
The ConnecFcut AnFque Machinery AssociaFon
museum is dedicated to the preservaFon,
restoraFon and demonstraFon of anFque
machinery from our rich industrial and
agricultural past. Industrial Hall houses a large
collecFon of staFonary steam engines. One of
their finest examples is the late 1800's Noble T.
Greene engine used to power the Tiffany &
Pickeg Company wood products mill in Winsted,
CT. The site also contains the Connec,cut
Museum of Mining and Mineral Science.
ConnecFcut's complex geologic past provided
our forefathers with a substanFal mineral legacy.
Significant iron ore deposits, copper ore, garnets,
marble, limestone, basalt and brownstone all
provide or have provided for profitable mining
operaFons in our state. At one Fme ConnecFcut
had more than 200 brickmaking companies. The
history of brickmaking in the state is explored in
a special secFon of the museum.

23. Connec,cut Historical Society, “Making
Connec,cut” Gallery
1 Elizabeth St. Harrord, CT
Open Friday-Saturday, 9am-5pm; Tuesday-
Thursday, 12-15pm
Established in 1825, the ConnecFcut Historical
Society is the state’s historical society. CHS’s
collecFon includes more than 4 million
manuscripts, graphics, books, arFfacts.
“Making ConnecFcut” is colorful, interacFve,
and filled with more than 500 historic objects,
images, and documents. Themes of daily life,
clothing, transportaFon, sports and leisure,
work, and social change run throughout the
exhibit. It is especially strong in showcasing the
products and processes associated with the
industrial age. Occasional changing
exhibiFons, programs and publicaFons also
explore aspects of ConnecFcut’s industrial age.

24. Cranska Thread Mill, Moosup (Plainfield)
70 Main St, Moosup CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
Drawn to Moosup by its easily accessible
source of water power, the Cranska Thread
Mill and nearby former mill of the
Uniondale cogon industry are each housed
in large brick buildings, surrounded by
workers’ tenement houses. The business
was founded by Floyd Cranska (1849-1920)
who, aeer a decade with the Grosvrnor
Dale Manufacturing Co in his naFve
Thompson, CT, bought out the cogon mill
founded in 1832 by Joseph Gladding. There
he manufactured cogon thread yarns. The
mill expanded in 1886 with a 112 x 42’,
three story stone addiFon, It doubled in
size in 1907 and again in 1916. Cranska was
a relentless modernizer seeking out the
best machinery. At the Fme of his death
the mill contained 22,000 spindles and
employed 160, naFve born and French
Canadian immigrants.

25. Danbury Museum & Historical Society (hat
industry exhibits)
43 Main St, Danbury, CT
Open Monday-Saturday, 10-4
The Danbury Museum preserves and presents a
collecFon of historic sites including the John Dodd
hat shop. Danbury was the internaFonal center of
the hat making industry in the 19th and 20th
centuries. A Danbury resident, Zadoc Benedict ,
apparently plugged a hole in his shoe with some
fur and discovered that fricFon and sweat
transformed it into felt. Applying Yankee ingenuity,
Benedict used his bedpost to mold and shape the
felt into hats. SomeFme around 1780, he opened a
shop on Main Street and his iniFal output was a
mere three hats per day. By 1800, Danbury was
producing more hats than any place else in the
United States. By 1887, the 30 factories that had
had sprung up in the city were manufacturing five
million hats a year. "The Hat Capital of the World,"
as it was called, was living by the words of its
mogo: "Danbury Crowns Them All."

26. Deep River Historical Society
245 Main Street
Deep River, CT
Open by Saturdays & Sundays 2-4pm during July
& August or by appointment 860-526-1449
Founded in 1938, the Deep River Historical
Society’s Stone House museum was donated by
Ada Southworth Munson in 1946. It was built of
local granite in 1840 by her father Ezra
Southworth. The Munson Room contains
permanent exhibits of Deep River businesses
and products such as an extensive collecFon of
Niland cut glass, ivory products of Prag, Read &
Co. Inc. and Calvin B. Rogers Co., auger bits of
Jennings Co., and samples of Leavers lace (the
last lace to be made in ConnecFcut). From 1840
to around 1940, the U.S. was the world's biggest
buyer of ivory and most of it went to Deep River.
The rival Comstock, Cheney & Company was
established in Ivoryton, in neighboring Essex in
the 1860s. These two largest American ivory
manufacturers "commanded a monopoly on all
ivory producFon in the United States."

27. East Haddam Historical Society
264 Town St., East Haddam, CT
Open Memorial Day through Columbus Day, Saturday
& Sunday 10am-4pm
The East Haddam Historical Society preserves and
presents the collecFons related to several local
industries – the twine industry – which gained
naFonal influence, ship-building and Boardman Silver
– a significant player in one of ConnecFcut’s major
19h century industries. Luther Boardman & Son was
founded in 1840. In 1842 he invented and patented
an improved mold for creaFng Britannia silverware.
The industry was a huge success and they began to
ship their wares down the ConnecFcut River to
naFonal and internaFonal markets. East Haddam
achieved greater fame as the center of the twine
industry. Fieeen separate mills centered mainly in
the Moodus secFon of town, each mill employed
from from a dozen to eighty “hands” many of whom
were women. They produced twine, duck or canvas
and gill nepng. At one point Moodus produced a
substanFal porFon of the naFonal market for nepng.
The museum presents the stories of these industries.

28. Eli Whitney Museum & Workshop, Hamden
915 Whitney Ave., Hamden, CT
Open Monday-Friday, 9-5, Saturday & Sunday 11-4
The Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop, established
in 1979, preserves the site where Whitney
constructed the first American factory in 1798.
Painters, journalists and presidents visited
Whitneyville. The famous 1827 view by of
Whitneyville by William Giles Munson is shows an
evolving factory village that is organized, peaceful,
and in harmony with the river and hills that surround
it. It recalls a benign beginning, human scale and
dignity not yet darkened by smoke. The site includes
the mill river, dam, waterfall, and Ithiel Town's
famous 1820 lapce-truss bridge design, and, across
the street, the 1816 barn and workmen’s boarding
house. The museum features a firearms collecFon, a
collecFon of products associated with A,C, Gilbert
Company, and large dynamic working model of the
1825 factory. Eli Whitny and his son Eli Jr. both played
important roles in the birth of ConnecFcut’s firearms
industry.

29. Enfield Historical Society
1294 Enfield St (rte 5), Enfield, CT
Open Sundays 2:30-4p,, May through October
and by appointment 860-745-1729
The Old Town Hall Museum of the Enfield
Historical Society contains three floors of
exhibits that illustrate many facets of Enfield's
history. Thousands of arFfacts, ranging from
dinosaur tracks to household items to farming
implements to industrial machinery represent
life in Enfield - both before and aeer the
arrival of humans. Among them the exhibits
collecFons related to The Hazard Powder
Company - gunpowder kegs, Fns, photos, and
other arFfacts of Colonel Hazard's industrial
empire; The Carpet Mills of Thompsonville
The industry, founded in Enfield by Orrin
Thompson, has moved out of Enfield, but not
before leaving an indelible mark on our
history - and a huge number of mementos
and arFfacts, including a rare Axminster loom
with the carpet sFll in it - just as it was lee the
last Fme it was shut down.

30. Farrel Foundry & Machine Co., Ansonia
25 Main St. Ansonia CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
Farrel was founded in 1848 as a foundry by Almon
Farrel. During the Civil War, they produced bayonets
and cannon barrels. In 1927, Farrel Foundry merged
with Birmingham Iron Foundry of Derby, ConnecFcut.
The plant of the Farrel Foundry & Machine Co., of
Waterbury, was started in 1851, and in 1857 was
consolidated in connecFon with the Ansonia Foundry
under the name of the Farrel Foundry & Machine Co.,
and so conFnued unFl 1880. The shop like many
others in New England undertook a varied assortment
of work in order to keep the business profitable.
Among other things they built verFcal millers,
traversing head shapers, and other machine tools.
Machinery for rolling mills, wire drawing, tube making,
thread rolling and cold heading is made in many forms
and sizes. AutomaFc nut machines, power presses,
shears, automaFc forging drops, hinge machines,
cartridge machinery, hydraulic tools, presses,
accumulators and pumps, special machinery for the
manufacture of cigars, cigareges, were all made here.
In 2015, the foundry closed for good.

31. George Washington Jones blacksmith shop,
Bakersville/New HarJord
1140 Litchfield Turnpike (rte 202)
Drive by landmark– no public access –
development in program by NHHS
Blacksmith shops were seminal incubators of
industrializaFon, machining, and
technological innovaFon. Although
ubiquitous in early ConnecFcut life – they
were also essenFal and their proprietors
mastered skills that the emerging industrial
technology evolved out of. The GW Jones
blacksmith shop (ca. 1830) is arguably the
best-documented, most intact blacksmith
shop in New England, possibly the naFon. It
was built and operated conFnuously through
the mid-1950s and remains in the family
together with extensive collecFons,
acccountbooks and documentaFon. The New
Harrord Historical Society is (slowly) working
with the family on a preservaFon plan that
should bring this fully into the public domain.

32. Gilbert & Benne^ Mfg Co, Georgetown
6 Portland Ave. Georgetown, CT (Wilton/Redding Line)
Drive by landmark– no public access
Benjamin Gilbert was a leather craesman who envisioned a market in
horsehair sieves and the manufacture of horse, cagle and hog hair
filler for furniture, In 1830, he purchased what became known as the
Old Red Shop. Sturges Benneg, joined Gilbert in 1828 to form Gilbert
& Benneg. The sales were person to person and on the return trip
he'd stop at tanneries and slaughterhouses to collect the hair used in
the manufacture of their products. Gilbert invented the first
machinery ever used in picking hair in 1826. The company eventually
focused on wire products including woven wire cloth for meat safes,
the first insect wire screening, and poultry nepng. As the business
grew improvements were made: a three-story addiFon was built; a
mill dam was built and a small pond was formed about 100 feet long
and 60 feet wide. During the Civil War Gilbert and Benneg's southern
sieve and carriage cushion markets dried up. Inventory piled up. An
invenFve employee decided to give the sieve wire a coat of protecFve
paint and offer it for sale as a window screen- a vast improvement
over the cheesecloth previously used. The invenFon shieed the mill's
focus to the manufacture of window screens. Gilbert & Benneg
celebrated its first 75 years at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, as an
exhibitor. The company supplied 3 miles of woven fencing, and about
8 acres of nepng, which hung under the fair buildings' glass ceiling.
The company exhibited: Wire Cloth, Galvanized Nepng, Wire Fencing,
Gates, Ornamental Wire Work, Screens, and Home Furnishing Wire
Goods.

33. Gurleyville Gristmill, Mansfield
Stonemill Rd. Gurleyville (Mansfield), CT
Open Sundays from late May – October 1-5 pm.
Groups by appointment 860-429-9023
The Gurleyville Gristmill, located on the Fenton
River, offers a unique opportunity to observe
rural 19th century gristmill technology. It
contains a complete system of preserved milling
equipment. This is not a restoraFon; here
visitors see the equipment as it was operated
over many decades. A sawmill was built on this
site in 1723 and the gristmill was added around
1750. The lager was replaced in the 1830s by
the present mill that conFnued to operate unFl
1941. The gristmill, constructed of stone,
remains in a remarkable state of preservaFon.
Visitors can observe and operate a minature
working model of the mill that allows visitors to
see how the mechanism of the mill used to
operate. The Gurleyville Gristmill was for some
years operated by the family of Wilbur Cross, a
four-term governor of ConnecFcut. The nearby
miller’s cogage was his birthplace.

34. HarJord Rubber Works / Pope Manufacturing
Company, HarJord
1478 Park St. Harrord, CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
Albert Augustus Pope incorporated began
manufacturing of bicycles in Harrord in 1878, at
the Weed Sewing Machine Company factory.
Pope manufactured bicycles, motorcycles, and
automobiles. The incorporaFon documents
stated the company's intended business
acFviFes, "to manufacture and sell air pistols and
guns, darning machines, lathes, cigarege rollers”
For several years, the company was a major
player in the emerging automobile industry, Pope
Manufacturing acquired the Harrord Rubber
Works in 1892 as part of a verFcal integraFon
strategy. Founded by John Gray in 1885, Harrord
Rubber Works imported raw material from
Sumatra and produced solid Fres. Later the
factory produced cushion and pneumaFc Fres.
Harrord’s claims as one of the birthplaces of the
automobile industry is in its associaFon with
Pope.

35. Hazard Powder Co. / Hazardville Ins,tute, Enfield
4 North Maple St, Hazardville (Enfield), CT
Drive by landmark– no public access – prospect of a
signed walking trail
Gunpowder was manufactured by mixing ground
water, sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter and then grinding
this mix using heavy verFcal roller wheels rolling
through a circular bed trough. The mix had to be wet or
grinding would cause it to explode. In 1843 the Hazard
Powder Company was incorporated with Colonel
Augustus Hazard as principal owner. He moved to
Enfield, built a mansion and was visited by luminaries
including Daniel Webster, Samuel Colt, and Jefferson
Davis. The gunpowder business was booming. The war
with Mexico in 1846, the 1849 California gold rush, and
the 1854 Crimean War all brought huge orders for
gunpowder. It was a million dollar business by the
outbreak of the Civil War. WarFme capacity reached
12,500 pounds per day. January 14, 1913 a huge
explosion heavily damaged the plant and killed two
workers. - damage so extensive that the mill was
permanently closed. In 1869, Hazard donated land for
the construcFon of the Hazardville InsFtute, recently
restored by the Hazardville InsFtute Conservancy.

36. Hockanum Mill, 1849, Rockville
207 West Main St, Rockville (Vernon), CT
Drive by landmark– no public access, future Mixed Use
Mill
The Hockanum Mill is the oldest surviving mill building in
Rockville, on a site first developed for water power
manufacturing in 1814. The Bingham & Nash Mill was one
of first to manufacture saFnet, a cloth made of cogon
warp and woolen filling. In 1858 they began producFon of
high grade cassimeres from domesFc and imported wool.
The high quality cloth produced there became legendary.
President William McKinley’s inaugural suite was made
from cloth manufactured in the Hockanum Mills. By 1903,
400 workers were employed. It survived the World War II
era by making cloth for military uniforms. It shut down in
1951. In 2012 Kaplan Mill Works LLC received a $2 million
loan from the state to clean up the Hockanum Mills
brownfield site so it can be redeveloped for commercial
use. The goal is to restore 10 buildings, 150,000 square
feet for commercial and industrial space on the 11 acre
property. The site will be the home of a proposed New
England Motorcycle Museum. The Town of Vernon is a
partner in this redevelopment.

37. Home Woolen Works, Beacon Falls
2 North Main St. Beacon Falls, CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
As early as 1836, companies explored water power on the
Naugatuck river, in Beacon Falls. In 1863, the Home
Woolen Company bought the American Hard Rubber
Company’s plant built. The facility consisted of a three-
story factory, about 30 houses, a boarding house and 250
acres of land. Under the supervision of John Wolfe, the
Beacon Falls agent of the Harrord-based Home Woolen
Company, the enterprise installed new machinery. By the
following year, Home Woolen had 50 looms, 125 workers
and was making 1000 yards of double-width cloth per
day, much of which went into the producFon of woolen
shawls. In 1867, the company expanded the main mill—
doubling its iniFal size. Aeer producing nearly 13,000
shawls per month, work at the mill temporary halted in
December 1876, thanks in part to an American interest in
long coats that reduced demand for the woolen shawls
made popular during the Civil War. The Home Woolen
Company remained in operaFon unFl July of 1887. In
1986, is was to apartments. Beacon Mill Village is a
shining example of adapFve reuse.

38. Lambert Hitchcock (1795-1852) is famous for mass-producing and mass-markeFng the
Hitchcock chair. In 1818, he opened a furniture factory on the Farmington River in a village then
called Hitchcocksville. Hitchcock mass-produced simple, affordable chairs. Instead of painFng
designs on the backs, he used the new and faster technique of stenciling. By the late 1820s, the
Hitchcock Chair Company was producing over 15,000 chairs a year. About 1826, Hitchcock built
this three-story brick factory. In 1830, it was one of the largest mill buildings in ConnecFcut – a
harbinger of a coming wave. The business did not survive past the 1850s. A century later John
Kenney came upon the abandoned factory and, with markeFng support from the G. Fox
department store in Harrord started a new Hitchcock Chair Company in the same locaFon. That
business lasted unFl 2004. In the spring of 2010, Rick Swenson purchased the Hitchcock name,
plans, and artwork and is again making a go of it there.
Hitchcock Chair Factory,
Riverton
13 Rivertown Rd.. Riverton
(Barkhampsted), CT
Drive by landmark– retail chair
factory and showroom, public
access

39. Jocelyn Firearms / Atwood Machine Co Factory,
Stonington
32 Water St, Stonington, CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
In 1851, John F. Trumbull set his granite factory building
on Stonington harbor. The building was leased first to a
maker of horseshoe nails, then to a fabricator of
trinkets for the South Seas trade. But its most notable
early tenant was the Joslyn Fire Arms Company, named
for Benjamin F. Joslyn, of Worcester, and incorporated
locally. During the Civil War, it manufactured 16,500
breechloading carbines, most of which were used by
Union cavalry. It closed soon aeer the war. Later the
building had a series of short term tenants unFl the
arrival in 1876 of the Atwood Machine Company. The
Atwood Machine Company was founded by mechanical
geniuses, John E. Atwood and his son Eugene, who
invented advanced machinery for making silk thread.
They moved to Stonington and remained there for
seventy years. The company prospered, sepng up
offices in New York and selling its machines around the
world. What’s lee of the building is today occupied by
the La Grua Center a venue for educaFon, the arts,
celebraFons, meeFngs and other acFviFes.

40. Lock Museum of America, Terryville
240 Terryville Rd, Terryville (Plymouth), CT
Open May-October, Tuesday-Friday 1:30-4pm & weekends by
appointment 860-480-4408
The Lock Museum houses an extensive collecFon that includes
a Cannon Ball Safe, 30 early era Fme locks, Safe Escutcheon
Plates, Door Locks, Padlocks, Handcuffs and Keys, and
more. Located in Terryville, the museum is directly across from
the original site of the Eagle Lock Company, founded in 1854.
The Eagle Lock room contains over 1,000 locks and keys
manufactured from 1854 to 1954. The Corbin-Russwin room
(New Britain and Berlin) contains a large display of ornate
hardware. A large display of mounted door knobs and
escutcheons made by ConnecFcut firms are extensively
detailed in styles such as Roman, Greek, French and Italian
Renaissance, Gothic, Flemish, and Elizabethan English. The Yale
Room features locks manufactured by the Stamford-based
company from 1860 to 1950. One of the agracFons here is the
original patent model of the MorFse Cylinder Pin Tumbler Lock
designed by Linus Yale Jr., in 1865. This device is considered the
greatest invenFon in the history of lockmaking. In this fine
specialty museum the evidence is overwhelming. ConnecFcut
was an internaFonal powerhouse in the lock industry.

41. Ma^atuck Museum, "Coming Home" Gallery,
Waterbury
144 West Main St. Waterbury, CT
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10-5, Sunday 12-5
"Coming Home: Building Community in a Changing
World," the Magautuck Museum’s primary civic
history installaFon is like a machine that
manufactures ciFzenship and civic engagement. It’s
inspired by the fundamental value of what history is
good for and how necessary it is to our collecFve
ongoing struggle to make our industrial age ciFes
work in for the post-industrial age. Aside from the
content and interacFves - the greatest joy about
"Coming Home" is that it is overflowing with GREAT
stuff. Machines, furniture, ceramics, painFngs, tools,
local industrial products, ephemera – everything
from teletubby dolls to locally-made firearms and
furniture. "Coming Home" presents some powerful
and controversial subjects; including horrifying
staFsFcs about accidents and loss of fingers and
limbs in industrial accidents. It is rich in products and
machinery from Watertbury’s industrial age –
bugons, Chase brass, Scovill Manufacturing,
machines and machine process.

42. Meriden Historical Society’s Andrews Homestead Museum
424 West Main Street,
Open Sundays from May and October 12-4pm or by
appointment - 203-639-1913
Chock full of items from Meriden’s past, this museum presents
and preserves one of the most important collecFons of locally-
made industrial products in ConnecFcut - Meriden produced art
objects – pewter, silver, lamps, household utensils, brass
furniture, toy banks, firearms, and decoraFve goods. For a
century, several of the most famous names in American anFques
and decoraFve arts – notably Handel Lamps, Meriden Britannia,
Bradley & Hubbard and the Charles Parker Co. produced art
goods in Meriden. In 1898, the InternaFonal Silver Co. was
formed through the consolidaFon of about a dozen ConnecFcut-
based electroplated silver manufacturers. It became the largest
producer in the industry internaFonally. In 1984, as the
descendant company was going out of business, they donated
their corporate collecFon – a remarkable treasure – to the
historical society – making it one of the best industrial products
displays in the state. Meriden’s dominance in silverplate,
originated when pewterer Ashbil Griswold set up shop there in
1807. His work is found here and in some of the leading
museums in the country. The museum’s display of these
industrial products is wide-ranging and deep.

43. Museum of Connec,cut History, HarJord
231 Capitol Ave, Harrord. CT
Open Monday-Friday 9-4, Saturday 9-2
ConnecFcut's important role in the story of American
industry and manufacturing is a major focus of the museum
collecFons. ConnecFcut was known for the precision
manufacturing of firearms, clocks, hardware and tools.
Examples of the products of ConnecFcut inventors and
manufacturers such as Whitney, Colt, Terry, Winchester,
Stanley and others are highlighted. "ConnecFcut
CollecFons" also includes more recently made ConnecFcut
products. The Colt Firemarms Mfg CollecFon (donated in
1957) is the largest and most comprehensive in the state –
possibly the naFon. In the annals of the history of American
firearms development, no name is more recognizable than
that of Colonel Samuel Colt (1814-1862). Colt's genius in
both invenFon and markeFng helped made ConnecFcut a
major center for firearms and precision manufacturing. The
collecFon includes Colt-made Gatling guns, shotguns and
automaFc weapons. In 1995 the original "Rampant Colt"
statue from 1855 was acquired by the museum. It is a
"must-see" for both firearms enthusiasts and students of
American history.

44. Na,onal Wire Ma^ress / Russell Erwin, New Britain
Corner of High Street & Columbus Boulevard, near the
New Britain Public Library
Drive by landmark– no public access
Here is where the Russell & Erwin and NaFonal Wire
Magress Companies stood. The Wire Magress building was
erected in the 1880s, the building later housed a company
that made ball bearings. New Britain’s idenFty as “the
Hardware City” owes to the presence of the Russell & Erwin
Manufacturing Co. (1851-1902) .Their award-winning
hinges, door knobs, latches and locks – captured and
internaFonal market and were known – especially in the
1870s through 90s, for arFsFc exuberance. Founded by H.E.
Russell and Cornelius B. Erwin, in addiFon to hardware,
they made kitchen items including food choppers and
muffin pans. By 1895, Russell and Erwin Manufacturing
Company was “the largest hardware manufacturing
company in the world” In 1902, the company merged with
the P&F Corbin Company to form the American Hardware
Company, which eventually became part of Black & Decker.
The NaFonal Wire Magress Co., organized in 1872,
adverFsed as the “best spring magress in the world” and
“the best bed on earth.” Their products were distributed
naFonally.

45. North Grosvenordale Mill District, Thompson
920 River St. North Grosvenordale (Thompson), CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
The North Grosvenordale Mill Historic District developed around
The Grosvenor Dale Company. It consists of more than 100
houses and other mill-related structures surrounding a large
former texFle mill. The district extends northward along the
French River, including a mill dam, a large headgate structure, a
church, and a canal that carried water to power the mill. The
North Grosvenordale Mill, known as Mill No. 2, was built in 1872.
It is four stories tall and measures a giganFc 464' x 75’. In 1864,
William Grosvenor, a Rhode Island physician and investor,
purchased two small texFle mills and associated water privileges
along the French River in Thompson. He built large new mills at
each site, starFng in 1868. The North Grosvenordale Mill ran
65,000 spindles and employed 850 people in 1882. Employment
increased to 1,122 in 1890 and 1,750 in 1900. By concentraFng on
high-value goods, the mill's producFvity and employment steadily
increased. The Depression of the 1930s was a serious blow; the
company reduced workers' wages and, in 1938, sold most of its
houses. It limped along under different ownership unFl 1954.
Today light industrial and warehousing businesses occupy the
buildings. From the beginning the majority of the workers were
French Canadians.

46. New Britain Industrial Museum
185 Main St. (CCSU Building), 1st floor, New Britain, CT
Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 2pm-5pm, Wednesday: 12pm-5pm
Saturday: 10am-4pm
The New Britain Industrial Museum was founded (1990s) on the
premise that a museum dedicated to New Britain’s accomplishments
could “generate civic pride and inspiraFon and serve as an economic
beacon for future industrial development and tourism.” They have
now built one of the premiere collecFons of ConnecFcut industrial
products and history – largely by concentraFng on New Britain’s
contribuFons. The collecFons include products and memorabilia
from: The Stanley Works - Organized as a joint stock company in
1857, Stanley Rule & Level; Landers, Frary & Clark (Universal) -
incorporated in 1862. Frary & Clark manufactured products to make
life easier for the American housewife including food scales, coffee
grinders, cake mixers, bread makers, coffee pots and percolators
along with tableware of every descripFon. The American Hardware
CorporaFon was formed in 1902 as a holding company for the Russell
& Erwin Manufacturing Company and P. & F. Corbin; North & Judd -
in 1812 a company was started by Alvin North, H.C. Whipple and Seth
North to make plated wire and arFcles from that wire such as hooks
and eyes. They became prominent in the manufacture of saddlery
and harness hardware including bits and spurs.

47. New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks
36 Perimeter Rd, Windsor Locks, CT
Open 10-5, Tuesday-Sunday
Founded as the ConnecFcut AeronauFcal Historical Society in
1959, the Museum has been at its present locaFon since
1981.Today, the Museum houses one of the world's most
outstanding collecFons of historic aviaFon arFfacts: more than
80 aircrae and an extensive collecFon of engines, instruments,
aircrae parts, uniforms and personal memorabilia – including the
last remaining four-engine Sikorsky VS-44A, the Bunce-CurFss
Pusher (1912), the oldest surviving ConnecFcut-built airplane;
the Sikorsky S-39, the oldest surviving Sikorsky aircrae; and a
Kaman K-225 helicopter, the oldest surviving Kaman-built
aircrae. Exhibits and collecFons relevant to the ConnecFcut
industrial story include Pra^ & Whitney - Innovators Who
Changed Our World – the inspiring story of how a handful of
entrepreneurs and engineers moved to ConnecFcut and founded
Prag & Whitney, one the world’s greatest aerospace companies.
The Igor Sikorsky Memorial Exhibit is a comprehensive tribute
to the great aviaFon pioneer who started his aviaFon work in
Czarist Russia and then in the United States with the
development of amphibians and flying boats, culminaFng with
his design and building the world’s first pracFcal helicopter.

48. Ponemah Mill, Tacville
160 Taeville-Occum Rd, Norwich, CT
Drive by landmark with signage and interpretaFon
The Taeville Cogon Mill, was built on the Shetucket River at a
spot where a large dam could be built to provide power. The
large mill building (Building No. 1, 1866)), was one of the largest
weave-sheds, 750’ x 74’, under one roof at that Fme. It was
completed in 1875. It closed in 1972, one of the last great New
England mills to shut down. The name “Ponemah” was taken
from HW Longfellow’s Poem, Song of Hiawatha meaning “our
hope.” The mill owners built a village to house their workers,
naming it Taeville aeer the principal investors, Edward and
Cyrus Tae of Providence. At its peak the Ponemah Mill
employed 1600 workers and produced over 20 million yards of
cloth a year. They were the first importers and users of EgypFan
cogon in the United States, and the first mills in this country to
manufacture fine fabrics. A developer is presently involved in a
planned $26.6 million adapFve reuse renovaFon. The Loes at
Ponemah Mill, owned by Ponemah Riverbank LLC, will receive
grants and loans to rehabilitate the historic Ponemah Mill
complex. This Second Empire style “cathedral of industry” is
one of the most impressive landmarks from the industrial age
anywhere in America. Its scenic allure make it a compelling stop
on the industrial heritage trail.

49. The Portland Brownstone Quarries, a NaFonal Historic
Landmarks, were an important source for stonework used from
New York to Maine and beyond during the “Brown
Decades” (1865-95) in fashionable high-end building construcFon.
Stone from these quarries was used in a number of landmark
buildings in Chicago, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia,
New Haven, ConnecFcut, and Harrord, ConnecFcut. Quarrying on
this site began in 1690 by James Stanclie. Used for foundaFons
and gravestones, it was one of ConncFcut’s early export industries
– known in Boston as “ConnecFcut Stone.” Commercial quarrying
started in 1783 when the Brainerd Quarry Company began
operaFons. During the peak of the brownstone era, more than
1500 workers were employed by the quarries, which shipped
stone on their own ships. Proceeds from the quarrying business
were deeded to Wesleyan University from 1833 through 1884, and
stone from the quarries was used to build many campus buildings.
A flood in 1936 and a hurricane in 1938 flooded the quarries,
ending their operaFons. The quarries have been leased for
development as a recreaFon center operated by Brownstone
ExploraFon & Discovery Park. Over the years the park has
gradually expanded its agracFons to include scuba diving, climbing
and rappelling, swimming, snorkeling, canoeing and kayaking,
wake boarding, cliff jumping, and giant inflatable toys.
Portland Brownstone Quarries / Brownstone
Explora,on & Discovery Park
161 Brownstone Ave. Portland, CT
Drive by landmark to view or experience

50. The Remington Shot Tower (1909) stands today as a
looming symbol of a once dominant industry. In 1782, a
BriFsh plumber discovered that the key to producing
perfectly round shots was to drop molten lead from a
great height. The surface tension pulls them into a
sphere. Shot towers began to spring up when we could
no longer import shot from Europe. Remington Arms
Company was founded in 1816 in Ilion, New York, as E.
Remington and Sons. Remington is America's oldest
gun maker. In 1888, ownership of E. Remington & Sons
was sold to Hartley and Graham of New York a major
sporFng goods chain who also owned the Union
Metallic Cartridge Company in Bridgeport, ConnecFcut,
and the Winchester RepeaFng Arms Company of New
Haven, ConnecFcut. At this Fme the name was formally
changed to the Remington Arms Company. The
Bridgeport site became the home of Remington's
ammuniFon plant. Remington Arms gave up on its
Bridgeport complex in the mid-1980s. Subsequent
owners used it for manufacturing and also leased parts
to a variety of small enterprises.
Remington Shot Tower, Bridgeport
914 ArcFc Street, Bridgeport, CT
Drive by landmark– no public access

51. Sharp’s Mill / Ocean Pearl Bu^on factory, Willington
212 Luchon Rd, Willington, CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
Built at the site of am 1812 grist mill, operated by
Albert Sharp and his father, it 1895 it was purchased by
William Masinda. Who was part of a substanFal Czech
and Hungarian migraFon, known as the great Bohemian
land swindle. Hoping to acquire working farms cheap
they made do by introducing shell bugon making
technology from the old country to the northeast
ConnecFcut as a cogage industry. Masinda conFnued
operaFng the saw, shingle, and grist mill along with the
bugon shop unFl it was destroyed by fire in 1907. He
was quick to replace the mill with a smaller one-story
bugon mill. During reconstrucFon, the mill was
converted to the more efficient turbine source of power
and conFnued to operate as the Ocean Pearl Bugon
factory unFl 1938. Pearls were shipped from Australia,
transferred by rail and then to the mill by a horse
drawn wagon. The bugon shop survives largely intact
with its equipment, bugon spoil, pond, dam, and
turbine. It is in the process of restoraFon for public
access as a working turn-of-the-century shop.

52. Stanley Steam Plant & Factory, New Britain
78 CurFs St. New Britain
Drive by landmark– no public access
From the Stanley Steam Plant on CurFs Street you can see
Stanley factory complex strung along Myrtle St. This steam house
provided steam heat for the factories. From here, the famous
Stanley yard goat moved goods and cars around the Stanley
campus. The company, known for over a century as Stanley
Works, got its start as two separate companies. Frederick
Stanley’s (1802 –1883) established Stanley's Bolt Manufactory in
1843 which expanded into forging other types of hardware such
as hooks and hinges. In 1854, Stanley hired 19-year-old William
Hart, a visionary who designed new machinery and invented the
process for cold rolling steel. By 1919, the company’s sales had
grown from $7,000 a year to $11.3 million. In 1920 this company
was merged with Stanley Rule and Level Company founded by
Frederick’s cousin Henry Stanley in 1857 to make levels, squares
and the famous Bailey Plane. By 1900, it was the largest
manufacturer of planes and tools in America. Stanley today
remains one of the world's most recognized brands. In the
twenFeth century Stanley Works negoFated its way through the
era of corporate consolidaFons and mergers and in 2010 merged
with hardware giant Black & Decker . They sFll manufacture a
few tool lines in New Britain.

53. Strouse, Adler Corset Factory, New Haven
84 Olive St. New Haven
Drive by landmark– no public access
The first corset manufacturer in the U.S., the
Strouse, Adler Company, were the exclusive
makers of “Dr. Scog's Electric Corsets,” which
promised to cure nervousness. The company
made corsets—and later, girdles—from the late
1800s unFl it ceased operaFons in 1999. Corsets,
and the layers of clothes worn over and under
them, were a marker of class status in the
mid-19th century. Bavarian Jews Max Adler and
Isaac Strouse became leaders of New Haven’s
corset industry. In 1866 Strouse established the
first corset factory in the United States. This led
to the Strouse, Adler Company Corset Factory
housed in buildings on Olive Street and later
known as Smoothie FoundaFon Garments.
Toward the end of the 19th century, the factory
employed nearly 2,000 people, churning out
corsets that promised females 18-inch waists and
hourglass figures. In 2001, the building was
converted into luxury apartments.

54. The Strong Manufacturing Co was formed in 1866.. The original stockholders were William L.
Gilbert, David Strong, Clark Strong, Joseph Norton and others. The first president was William L.
Gilbert. They manufactured burial robes and casket linings, selling goods to undertakers. Many
of the arFcles were of great beauty. With their silver-plated coffin handles the designers art
vied with the plater’s in producing elaborate elegant arFcles. When President Grant died in
1885, the casket handles, solid silver and the name plate of solid gold were furnished by this
company. It also supplied the handles and plate for the caskets of President Harrison and
Cornelius Vanderbilt. The company is situated in the heart of the business district. When the
company was first organized, it occupied a small wooden building, but in 1873 a new brick
factory was buit, then added to in 1886 to become one of the most substanFal of Winsted’s
factories. There were many establishments in the country which made coffin trimmings, but the
Strong Mf’g Co was the largest and best known. Although the business is long gone, this second
empire building at the center of town is being rehabbed for mixed use.
Strong Manufacturing
Co., Winsted
95 Main St, Winsted, CT
Drive by landmark– no
public access

55. Talco^ Brother Woolen Mill and Historic trail,
Vernon
47 Main St. Talcogvillee (Vernon) CT
Interpreted trail – accessible every day
A project of the Vernon Historical Society, The
Talcogville Historic District encompasses a
19th-century mill village, including
archaeological remnants of very early cogon-
spinning faciliFes, an old stone dam, and a
major wood-frame mill constructed by the
Talcog brothers. Also included in the village
are a significant number of mill worker housing
units, many daFng to the middle decades of
the 19th century, and an 1891 lenFcular pony
truss bridge, built by the
Berlin Iron Bridge Company. Its walkable, well-
signed and interpreted and beauFful. The
largest building is the Talcog Brothers Mill,
1870, at 47 Main Street. The District appears
today much as it did in the first half of the
twenFeth century when the Talcog Brothers
Company produced fine woolens. Talcogville is
an excepFonally well-preserved example of a
nineteenth century factory village.

56. Torrington Historical Society
192 Main St. Torrington, CT
Open April 15-October 31 Wedn.- Saturday 12-4 pm
Significant industrial growth began in Torrington to in
1813 when Frederick Wolcog erected a woolen mill.
In 1834 Israel Coe and Erastus Hodges began the
construcFon of rival brass mills. This was the
beginning of the brass industry in Torrington, an
industry that became synonymous with the enFre
Naugatuck valley. One of the most significant
collecFons at the Society is the Manufacturing History
CollecJon mostly items manufactured in Torrington
from the early 19th century to the present, including
products made at industries such as the Coe Brass
Company, the Torrington Company, Union Hardware
Company, Hendey Machine Company and the
Warrenton Woolen Mill. Locally made brass kegles,
wooden-works clocks, a reed organ made at the Arvid
Dayton factory, needles, bicycles, machinery, tools,
woolen cloth, ice and roller skates, household
appliances and sporFng goods are featured in state-
of-the-art galleries; thanks to Gertrude Hotchkiss
who, in 1956, lee her Hotchkiss-Fyler House and
estate to the then-fledgling Historical Society.

57. United States Rubber Co., Naugatuck
6 Rubber Ave
Drive by landmark– no public access
The United States Rubber Company (Uniroyal) was founded
in Naugatuck in 1892. By 1892, there were many rubber
manufacturing companies in Naugatuck, ConnecFcut, as
well as elsewhere in ConnecFcut. Nine companies
consolidated their operaFons in Naugatuck to become the
United States Rubber Company. From 1892 to 1913, the
rubber footwear divisions of U.S. Rubber manufactured
their products under 30 different brand names, including
the Wales-Goodyear Shoe Co. The company consolidated
these footwear brands under one name, Keds, in 1916, and
were mass-marketed as the first flexible rubber-sole with
canvas-top "sneakers" in 1917. U.S. Rubber also produced
Naugahyde in a Naugatuck factory. The normally peaceful
Naugatuck River that flows through Naugatuck
overflowed its banks on August 19, 1955. The river cut a
path of destrucFon that forever changed the face of
Naugatuck.As American manufacturing declined in the late
20th century, the mills closed and the town fell on largely
hard Fmes. In 1990, Uniroyal was acquired by French Fre
maker Michelin and ceased to exist as a separate business.

58. Up-Down Sawmill, Ledyard
172 Iron St. (Route 214), Ledyard, CT
Open, April & May / October & November,
Saturdays, 1-4pm & by apt - 860-464-8740
The historic Up-Down Sawmill is the original
water-powered sash sawmill located on the
original site on Lee’s Brook in Ledyard.
Restored to operaFng condiFon in the 1970s,
the mill is open to the public for water
powered sawing demonstraFons. It is is one of
the few remaining examples in North America
of a 19th century sash sawmill. It was first
operated by Israel Brown in the 1870s old-
fashioned when it was new. By that Fme most
of the old style up-and-down sawmills had
been replaced by the newer, more efficient
circular saw technology. It provides a glimpse
into the last days of an old technology that was
an important part of the growth of the
European colonies in North America and in the
young United States. Most of ConnecFcut’s
mills are located on sites originally power by
water. This represents the age of mills and
manufacturing at its most embryonic.

59. Wallace Silversmiths, Wallingford
328 Quinnipiac St. Wallingford
Drive by landmark– no public access
The founder of Wallace Silversmiths, Robert Wallace,
immigrated from Scotland in the late 18th century. At
the age of 16 he became an apprenFce to Captain
William Mix, a renowned spoon maker. In 1833 he
bought a dilapidated gristmill, and began to produce
his own cutlery. IniFally, Wallace did contract work,
producing cutlery for a number of firms. In 1875,
Wallace introduced the first three sterling pagerns to
feature the esteemed Wallace name - Hawthorne, The
Crown, and St. Leon. Over the next century, the
company conFnued to grow. Wallace and Sons Mfg.
Co. invested heavily in new machinery and skilled
arFsans. It grew to be the largest manufacturer of
flat tableware in the world.
On April 1, 1987, Wallace Silversmiths' corporate
headquarters were moved from ConnecFcut. The
company conFnues to design sterling, silverplate, and
stainless steel flatware. This building was the
corporate offices. Nearby are several of the producFon
faciliFes – repurposed for 21st century needs.

60. Wauregan Co^on Mills, Plainfield
55 South Walnut St. Wauregan (Plainfield), CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
In 1850, Amos D. Lockwood, bought the water privileges and
surrounding land and Wauregan Mills Company was born.
James S. Atwood was hired as superintendent, responsible for
sepng up machinery and starFng producFon. The principal
product of Wauregan was cogon sheeFng and flannel.
Atwood developed a "model hamlet" where his factory's
employees "could find agracFve and comfortable homes near
their daily tasks." The mill expanded, workers' houses were
built, and ameniFes added including 104 company-owned
buildings, railroad staFon, a post office, and a company store.
Another building housed a firehouse, clubhouse, jail, reading
room and library. The mill's labor force was around 750
people. The mill would eventually reach a capacity of 56,616
spindles and 1,464 looms, with an annual output of eleven
million yards. Aeer World War II, Wauregan Mills entered a
period of decline. In August 1955, Hurricanes Connie and
Diane caused many dams along the Quinebaug River to break.
The mill was flooded. Workers tried to salvage as much cloth,
raw materials and machinery as they could. In 1957, Atwood’s
grandson James III, closed it down. Today it is a NaFonal
Register Historic District.

61. Whi,ng Mills & American Mural Project Campus, Winsted,
Connec,cut
100 WhiFng St., Winsted, CT
Mixed Use Mill – Open for 3rd Sunday Mill & Mural Open
House. Tours & Programs – otherwise by appointment or
drop in as arFsts and vendors make available.
The Winsted Hosiery Company complex is the site of
WhiFng Mills, a mixed use mill and art project. Founded in
1882, by 1936, the company was the largest hosiery
manufacturer in ConnecFcut. The company made wool and
wool/cogon blend hosiery, underwear and sweaters with
carding, spinning and weaving operaFon on one site. It was
founded by Winsted industrialist William L. Gilbert
(1806-90), who had his hand in everything around town. It
closed in 1865. In 2004, WhiFng Mills, opened as a mixed-
use mill building - home to a variety of arFsts, craespeople,
retail shops, small manufacturing companies, and a center
for arFsFc, community, and social events. Their semi-
annual Open Studio events are a desFnaFon
experience. Part of the site will be the future home of the
American Mural Project, currently projected to open in
2017. There is already much to experience and see of this
enormous mural homage to American work and labor.

62. Winchester Historical Society’s Solomon Rockwell
House, Winsted
225 Prospect St., Winsted, CT
Open Sundays, May-October, 1-4pm or by
appointment 860-379-8433
The Solomon Rockwell House (1813) of the
Winchester Historical Society preserves and presents
an outstanding collecFon of local art, arFfacts, family
furnishings and an expansive collecFon of products
represenFng the town’s various industries. The clock
industry was a mainstay from the arrival of Riley
WhiFng about 1808 to the final closing the William C.
Gilbert Co in the 1960s. Other local industries and
products include: American Hoe Co. Thayer Scythe
Co, Garter & Baker Machine Co., Winsted Hosiery,
Hudson Wire, Union Pin Co., Empire Knife Co.,
Waring Blender, Ryko, Capital Products, and
Fitzgerald’s Magic Maid. William L. Gilbert was one of
the foremost clockmakers of 19th-century
ConnecFcut. Gilbert’s first company was founded in
1828. A decade later, Gilbert was in business with
Chauncey Jerome, one of the most iconic figures in
American clockmaking.

63. Windham Tex,le & History Museum / Williman,c
Linen Factory
411 Main St. WillimanFc, CT
Open Fri, Sat & Sun 10 -4
The Windham TexFle Museum tells the story of the rise
and fall of the texFle industry in WillimanFc and eastern
ConnecFcut. The museum occupies the former
headquarters, library and meeFng hall of the American
Thread Company’s once-giant WillimanFc Mills, across
the street. Founded in 1854, as the WillimanFc Linen
Company, at its height the WillimanFc Mills was the
largest thread mill in North America. Its massive
buildings included the iconic Mill Number Four. The
company manufactured the first thread specifically
designed for sewing machines, and the thread in U. S.
army uniforms, NASA spacesuits, and major league
baseballs. The city of WillimanFc boomed as America’s
Thread City. Tens of thousands of people came from
around the world to work in the mills, and to raise their
families in the hills of New England. There is no beger
spot to reflect and absorb the story of the great era of
texFle manufacturing in eastern ConnecFcut. Alas, in
1985, life in WillimanFc, ConnecFcut changed forever.
The American Thread Company closed its WillimanFc
Mills plant and shieed operaFons to North Carolina.

64. Yan,c Falls Historic District, Norwich
255 YanFc St. Norwich, CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
At YanFc Falls there are a series of mills, the
oldest one is built of stone c. 1837 as a paper
mill. Manufacturing began in 1813 with a factory
that cut nails with a newly invented machine. In
1826, the Quinebaug Company was chartered to
manufacture cogon and woolen goods. These
producFve days conFnued unFl 1837 when
many businesses failed in the financial crash
that affected the enFre country that year. The
Quinebaug Company became the Shetucket
Mills, then the AtlanFc Carton Company, and
the Thames Manufacturing Company became
the Falls Mills. Co. The buildings were expanded
as the new companies prospered. As it grew, it
purchased rights and privileges in the
neighborhood so that by the 1860's it was able
to control nearly the enFre waterpower of the
YanFc River. For a Fme in recent years, the mill
buildings were vacant and falling into disrepair.
They are now occupied by the Falls CorporaFon
and the Instruteck CorporaFon

65. Yale and Towne Lock Co,, Stamford
220 Henry St. Stamford, CT
Drive by landmark– no public access
Stamford, once known as the Lock City, was home to the
Yale Lock Manufacturing Co. In 1861, Linus Yale invented
the pin tumbler lock. Yale was an inventor and
manufacturer of bank locks eager to expand his small
business when Henry R. Towne, an engineer, took an
interest and saw the potenFal for an important new
industry. Yale’s five-pin tumbler lock was compact, offered
many combinaFon variaFons, was virtually pick-proof, and
had a lightweight key. When Yale died in 1868, Towne
pressed ahead and the factory that opened in 1869. In
1883 he renamed it the Yale & Towne Manufacturing
Company and was company president unFl 1915. The
city's largest single employer, Yale & Towne dominated
Stamford's economy within 25 years of its establishment
and conFnued to do so unFl it departed in the 1950s. In
the twenFeth century the company expanded worldwide
through purchases, acquisiFons and joint ventures. It
employed more than 12,000 people. Today Yale is one of
the oldest internaFonal brands and remains as a division
of Assa Abloy.