Portland Brownstone Quarries facts for kids
|
Portland Brownstone Quarries
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Brownstone Ave. and Silver St., Portland, Connecticut |
|---|---|
| NRHP reference No. | 00000703 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | May 16, 2000 |
| Designated NHL | May 16, 2000 |
The Portland Brownstone Quarries are old stone pits in Portland, Connecticut. People dug up a special type of stone called brownstone here. This stone was very important for building things in the late 1800s.
Stone from these quarries was used in many famous buildings. You can find it in Chicago, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., New Haven, Connecticut, and Hartford. This place became a National Historic Landmark on May 16, 2000. This means it's a very important historical site!
History of the Brownstone Quarries
When Stone Digging Started
People started digging for stone here way back in 1690. A man named James Stanclift made a deal with the town of Middletown. He would build stone things for them if they gave him some land.
Big-time stone digging started in 1783. The Brainerd Quarry Company was the first to do it.
The Peak of Brownstone Mining
When brownstone was super popular, over 1,500 people worked here. They even had their own ships to send stone away. They shipped stone for eight months every year!
From 1833 to 1884, the money made from the quarries went to Wesleyan University. Stone from these quarries was used to build many buildings on their campus.
Why the Quarries Closed
Over time, people started to like other building materials. Concrete became popular, so fewer people wanted brownstone.
Then, two big natural events happened. A flood in 1936 and a hurricane in 1938 filled the quarries with water. They tried to pump the water out, but it didn't work. Some people think the floods opened up underground springs. This would make it impossible to drain the quarries completely.
What's Happening at the Quarries Today
New Stone Digging
In 1994, a new company called Connecticut Brownstone Quarries started digging again. They do it on a small scale. They get stone for fixing old brownstone buildings.
A Park for Everyone
The town bought the historic quarries and 42 acres (about 170,000 square meters) of land in 1999 and 2000.
The quarries are now a fun recreation center! It's called Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park. The hope is that more people will learn about this historic place. This will also help the local economy.
Fun Activities at the Park
The park has added many cool things to do over the years. You can go scuba diving, climbing, and rappelling. There's also swimming, snorkeling, canoeing, and kayaking. If you like land activities, there's hiking and mountain biking.
For thrill-seekers, there's wakeboarding, cliff jumping, and giant inflatable toys. They also have challenge courses for groups. Most activities are ready, but a campground is still being built.
The park also plans to offer educational programs. Scuba diving is very popular here. Divers come from all over Connecticut and even other states.
Zip Lines Over the Quarry
Brownstone Park put in two zip lines in July 2007. One line goes from the west side of the park to a small island in the middle. The second line goes south along the west side of the quarry. These lines are 750 feet (229 meters) and 780 feet (238 meters) long.
In 2010, two more zip lines were added. One of them can only be reached by climbing a 65-foot (20-meter) rock wall!
Water Slide Fun
A 100-foot (30-meter) water slide was added to Brownstone Park in July 2007.
Water Toys and More
You can use many water toys like kayaks, canoes, launchers, and trampolines. Windsurfers are also available.
Wakeboarding Adventures
Several wakeboarding lines are ready for use. There are also jumps and rails for experts. If you're new to wakeboarding, free beginner lessons are included with a day pass.
