During a recent, brief visit to see family in Connecticut, they surprised me with a sight-seeing trip to the Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine which is a National Historical Landmark. I am still thinking about that site and how the prison-slash-copper mine use has shifted over hundreds of years. I doubt that I will ever forget imagining those who worked, or were imprisoned, in those cold, dark and wet tunnels underground in Colonial Connecticut times.
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| my souvenirs from the gift shop |
Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine, East Granby, Connecticut
East Granby, Connecticut is home to the Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine. Author William G. Domonell compiled the history of this site and lists the time frames of the various uses as:
- Copper Mine, 1705 - 1773
- Colonial prison 1773 - 1775
- Military prison 1775 - 1782
- State prison 1776 - 1827
- Renewed mining activity, 1830 - 1837 and 1855 - 1857
- Tourist attraction under private ownership, 1857 - 1968
- Historic museum and tourist attraction under state ownership, 1968 - present
During our visit to Old New-Gate, visitors were allowed to roam the area and take in the atmosphere at their own pace. Tours were self-guided and signs provided historic information. The admission was free and re-enactors were present on site. The folks in colonial-period costumes included soldiers, families, and traders. I especially enjoyed seeing the woman who was somehow using a the equivelant of a large, many-tined, wooden fork to weave while seated in a chair.
When open for the season, visitors are able to walk down into the mine. Closed toe shoes are recommended on the website. Sturdy shoes for walking or hiking are recommended by me. There are handrails along most of the mine path, which is a good thing because the floor is uneven and slanted (both downwards and to the side in many places). On the day we were there the mine was self-guided. However, the staff positioned in certain areas were more than happy to give a large amount of information. It was clear that the gentlemen who were giving us information were not just repeating dry facts. They were painting a vivid picture of life in the mine for both prisoners and miners.
My understanding was that at one point it was thought that the prisoners would mine the minerals. But it was quickly discovered that prisoners will/may escape given access to the mining tools (pick axe, hammers, shovels, etc). The prisoners were then given other jobs on site with the idea that jobs helped with reformation. The miners worked in almost total darkness; moving the rocks in buckets to daylight, via two vertical shafts, to be sorted there. While the mine was cool during the warm summer day, the water dripped on our heads and I could only imagine how difficult it would be to spend an entire day, or try to sleep through a night, in the dripping, wetness of the mine.
As a very amatuer rock collector, I was interested to learn that the obvious green lines in the mine tunnels were malachite, a "common secondary copper mineral". I have seen beautiful bracelets and jewelry made of malachite stones. I never imagined that it could be processed into copper.
malachite and copper bits
The Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine was not a large site and only took a brief part of our day to tour. The impact of the information I learned there was significant and will remain with me for years to come.
Related Links. This historical site is open seasonally. Please check the website for accurate hours of operation as well as for any scheduled special events.
Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine official website and YouTube channel. The documentary video is very interesting. There is also a mine video tour. While you are able to see the inside of the mine, it is NOTHING like walking it, and experiencing it, in person.
note: While researching books, photos, and websites it seems that Old New-Gate is spelled in several different ways. I have chosen to the use the spelling that CT.gov is using.
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| a portion of the stone and brick walls from the parking lot |
