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- Guard Tower South/East Corner
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- West Wall Outside looking in.
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- West Wall. Outside looking in.
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- Outside of west wall from the over flow parking lot.
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- Guard Tower Soiuth/West Corner
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- Underground artwork created for the museum.
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- Underground artwork created for the museum.
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- Underground artwork created for the museum.
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- Underground artwork created for the museum.
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- Great place for a photo opp. but not so fun for those confined.
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- Remains of the chapel 1805.
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- The guards quarters.
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- A peek inside from an exterior wall.
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- Remains of 1824 cellblock.
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- Shackles
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- Under this circle lies the descent straight to hell from the guards quarters.
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- The guards quarters.
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- Entrance to hell.
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- A view seldom seen.
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- Underground artwork created for the museum.
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- Best advice I can give you when you visit.
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- Entrance to “hell”.
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- Ex-cons artwork here at Old New-Gate Prison.
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- The layout.
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- About the Metal Man art work.
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- Beautiful mineral samples for sale at the gift shop.
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- Part of the gift shop.
Old New-Gate Prison Museum
115 Newgate Rd. East Granby, CT 06026
P.O. Box 230
East Granby, CT 06026
Admission
Adult (18-64) $10
Senior (65 +) $8
Youth (6-17) $5
Child (0-5) FREE
FREE admission to active military and their families.
The Old New-Gate prison was in operation from 1773 to 1827. It was the 1st state prison and in 1707 chartered as the 1st copper mine in early America.
Cheryl and I were certainly educated during our visit to the Old New-Gate Prison. If you’re going here with the expectation of seeing some “pretty” sites from yesteryear you’re missing the point and will walk away dissatisfied. If however, when you arrive, you actually visualize men living and laboring 50, 60, 70 ft. below ground in a cave to pay for their wrong doings then you’ll start to get it. The depravation, poor food, sickening air quality, rock for a bed, dripping of water all day and night, low ceiling heights, darkness, disease and perhaps most frightening the debauchery that men impose on weaker men. Oh and let’s not forget the bat colonies that co-mingled with the prisoners.
They were forced to mine for copper in this cave and some had, probably, a more pleasant task of making nails. Tuberculosis and other diseases were rampant. The vast majority of these convicts were in for stealing. What an absolute living hell was. I’m all for punishment but I’m for humane punishment. Although I photographed what I could “above ground” I was unable to properly take images underground without being a noticeable disruption to our tour guide.
In 1827 (120) men were shackled and marched 20 miles from Granby to Wethersfield CT where they found their new home. They went from a cave to a modern above ground facility that later became the CT Department of Motor Vehicles Wethersfield branch. I’ve gone there for my MVD needs and it’s still in use today. To say there is a radical difference is an understatement.
On a more pleasant note be sure to spend a few minutes at their gift shop. As an avid photographer I purchased about a dozen of these beautiful minerals they have for sale. I intend to shoot some close up photography of these in the future.
I’m not going to repeat all the information that is already abundantly in print about this prison so I would merely suggest going here for further info. and videos: Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine, East Granby, CT
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