Beckley Furnace State Park
The Beckley Iron Furnace once produced iron for the manufacture of railroad car wheels that gained a world wide reputation for their excellence and durability. It is Connecticut's best preserved example of a technology that has long since vanished. The structure is part of the National Register of Historic Places.
Iron making had been a local industry that for 150 years shaped the formation of America. The Beckley blast furnace was built in 1847 and ceased operation in 1919. The Furnace was a part of an industry that shaped both the cultural and ecological future of the entire region. The recently refurbished structure stands as the best preserved example of technology that has long since vanished.
Visitors can enjoy a personal tour each Saturday morning from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. from May through mid-October. Learn how iron was made by walking in the footsteps of the iron makers. Stand in the hearth where temperatures reached nearly 3,000 degrees. Visit the only remaining turbine used to power a blast furnace. Pets on a leash are permitted.
