Portland Brownstone Quarries
Encyclopedia
The Portland Brownstone Quarries are a set of historic quarries
in Portland, Connecticut
. The brownstone
mined from these quarries was an important source for construction in the latter half of the 19th century. The stone from these quarries was used in a number of landmark buildings in Chicago
, Boston
, New York City
, Philadelphia, New Haven, Connecticut
, and Hartford, Connecticut
. The site was listed as a National Historic Landmark
, which also placed it on the National Register of Historic Places
, on May 16, 2000.,
to build stonework in exchange for a deed of land. Commercial quarrying started in 1783 when the Brainerd Quarry Company began operations. During the peak of the brownstone era, more than 1500 workers were employed by the quarries, which shipped stone on their own ships for eight months out of the year. 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. As tastes in buildings shifted, and concrete
became the material of choice, the demand for brownstone declined. A flood
in 1936 and a hurricane in 1938 flooded the quarries, ending their operations. All efforts to drain the flooded quarries have been unsuccessful; one theory is that the floods opened some underground springs, making it impossible to effectively drain the quarries.
The town purchased the historic quarries and 42 acres (169,968.1 m²) of adjacent land in 1999 and 2000.
The quarries have been leased for development as a recreation center and is currently being operated by Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park, with the hope that awareness of the historic landmark will strengthen the local economy.
Over the years the park has gradually expanded its attractions to include scuba diving, climbing and rappelling, swimming, snorkeling, canoeing and kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, wake boarding, cliff jumping, giant inflatable toys, and challenge courses for group team building. All activities are currently available except for the campground - which is currently under construction.
There are also plans to offer educational programs at the site. Scuba diving
is becoming a popular recreational use within the park, with divers coming from all over Connecticut and even some from out of state.
Zip Lines
Brownstone Park installed two zip lines that cut across the quarry in July 2007. The first line goes from the west side of the park to the peninsula at the center of the park. The second line travels south along the west side of the quarry. The lines are 750 and 780 feet (237.7 m) long respectively. For the 2010 season, the Park added another two zip lines, one of which is only accessible by climbing up an 80-foot rock wall.
Water Slide
Brownstone Park installed a 100 feet (30.5 m) water slide in July 2007.
Water Toys
A variety of water toys including kayaks, canoes, launchers, trampolines and windsurfers are available.
Wake Boarding
Several wake boarding lines are available, along with expert jumps and rails. Compliementary beginning lessons are included in the day pass.
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
in Portland, Connecticut
Portland, Connecticut
Portland is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,732 at the 2000 census. The town center is listed as a census-designated place . It is situated across the Connecticut River from Middletown....
. The brownstone
Brownstone
Brownstone is a brown Triassic or Jurassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States to refer to a terraced house clad in this material.-Types:-Apostle Island brownstone:...
mined from these quarries was an important source for construction in the latter half of the 19th century. The stone from these quarries was used in a number of landmark buildings in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Philadelphia, New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, and Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. The site was listed as a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
, which also placed it on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, on May 16, 2000.,
Early history of the quarry
Quarrying on this site began in 1690 by James Stanclift, who contracted with the town of MiddletownMiddletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
to build stonework in exchange for a deed of land. Commercial quarrying started in 1783 when the Brainerd Quarry Company began operations. During the peak of the brownstone era, more than 1500 workers were employed by the quarries, which shipped stone on their own ships for eight months out of the year. Proceeds from the quarrying business were deeded to Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
from 1833 through 1884, and stone from the quarries was used to build many campus buildings. As tastes in buildings shifted, and concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
became the material of choice, the demand for brownstone declined. A flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
in 1936 and a hurricane in 1938 flooded the quarries, ending their operations. All efforts to drain the flooded quarries have been unsuccessful; one theory is that the floods opened some underground springs, making it impossible to effectively drain the quarries.
Current use of the quarry site
In 1994, a new operator, Connecticut Brownstone Quarries, began a small-scale quarrying operation to provide stone for restoration of brownstone buildings.The town purchased the historic quarries and 42 acres (169,968.1 m²) of adjacent land in 1999 and 2000.
Over the years the park has gradually expanded its attractions to include scuba diving, climbing and rappelling, swimming, snorkeling, canoeing and kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, wake boarding, cliff jumping, giant inflatable toys, and challenge courses for group team building. All activities are currently available except for the campground - which is currently under construction.
There are also plans to offer educational programs at the site. Scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
is becoming a popular recreational use within the park, with divers coming from all over Connecticut and even some from out of state.
Zip Lines
Brownstone Park installed two zip lines that cut across the quarry in July 2007. The first line goes from the west side of the park to the peninsula at the center of the park. The second line travels south along the west side of the quarry. The lines are 750 and 780 feet (237.7 m) long respectively. For the 2010 season, the Park added another two zip lines, one of which is only accessible by climbing up an 80-foot rock wall.
Water Slide
Brownstone Park installed a 100 feet (30.5 m) water slide in July 2007.
Water Toys
A variety of water toys including kayaks, canoes, launchers, trampolines and windsurfers are available.
Wake Boarding
Several wake boarding lines are available, along with expert jumps and rails. Compliementary beginning lessons are included in the day pass.