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East Granby, Connecticut: A Copper Mine Turned Colonial Prison

East Granby, Connecticut

Pictures from East Granby

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Old New-Gate Prison, original entrance Old New-Gate Prison from Peak Mountain

East Granby was first settled by Europeans in 1664 as part of Simsbury, later becoming the Turkey Hills Ecclesiastical Society in 1786, before the town incorporated independently in 1858. In 1705, 64 Simsbury residents formed what is described as the first chartered copper mining company in America on the land that became Old New-Gate; when the mine played out, Connecticut converted it into a prison in 1773, and John Hinson, sentenced to ten years for burglary, became its first prisoner that December — he escaped 18 days later. During the Revolutionary War the underground prison held British Loyalists among more than 100 prisoners working as shoemakers, coopers and blacksmiths. The state closed New-Gate in 1827, moving inmates to the new Wethersfield State Prison; the National Park Service designated the site a National Historic Landmark in 1973. Bradley International Airport's property extends into East Granby from neighboring Windsor Locks.

  1. A National Historic Landmark colonial copper mine turned prison.

  2. Traprock cliffs looking down on Old New-Gate Prison.

  3. 15-plus miles of wooded and mountain-biking trails.

  4. 480 acres of open fields and trails against the Metacomet Ridge.

  5. A playground and picnic park on the Wild & Scenic Salmon Brook.

  6. A tasting room pouring 38 wine varieties.

  7. A local Italian-American fixture for over 40 years.

  8. A family-run American grill open year-round.

  9. A 15-barrel brewhouse that opened in 2026.

  10. Slow-smoked barbecue on South Main Street.

New-Gate's caverns and a traprock ridge

Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine's visitor center, outdoor prison yard and historic ruins sit above the abandoned copper mine, open for guided tours down into the caverns; a rotating prison arts program and the Connecticut Hall of Change honor formerly incarcerated people. A $750,000 federal grant is funding the rehabilitation of Viets Tavern, the former warden's residence, toward eventual public use, and a Save America's Treasures grant is stabilizing the 1824 four-story cell block — neither building is yet open to visitors. Above it rises Peak Mountain, a roughly 730-foot traprock summit of the Metacomet Ridge with cliffs about 200 feet high; the 51-mile Metacomet Trail crosses its top, with views down onto Old New-Gate and out to Congamond Lake and the Salmon Brook Valley.

Getting there

East Granby is a car-first Farmington Valley town reached on Connecticut Route 20, the main east-west corridor linking Bradley International Airport and Windsor Locks to the east with Granby to the west, plus Routes 187 and 189. Interstate 91 lies just east of town, improving access between the Bradley Airport area and both Hartford and Springfield. There is no train station in East Granby itself; rail travelers use the CTrail Hartford Line and Amtrak stop in adjacent Windsor Locks, whose nine-station line runs Springfield Union, Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford Union, Berlin, Meriden, Wallingford, New Haven State Street and New Haven Union.

Vineyard tables and a taproom that changed hands

Brignole Vineyards pours 38 wine varieties in its tasting room, with ticketed wine dinners, pasta-making classes and goat yoga alongside seasonal live music and food trucks. Luppoleto Brewing opened its second taproom in East Granby in June 2026, in the Kripes Road space vacated by Almost Famous Brewing, running a 15-barrel brewhouse with 28 draft lines. For a sit-down meal, J & G Restaurant & Lounge has been, in its own words, "a go-to place for locals for over 40 years," and Frank's Place serves slow-smoked barbecue on South Main Street.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to East Granby?
By car — Route 20 is the main east-west corridor, connecting Windsor Locks and Bradley International Airport to Granby. There is no train station in East Granby; the nearest CTrail Hartford Line and Amtrak stop is in Windsor Locks.
Is there a train to East Granby?
No. The nearest station is Windsor Locks on the CTrail Hartford Line, also served by Amtrak.
What is Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine?
A former colonial copper mine converted to a state prison in 1773, now a National Historic Landmark with guided tours into the mine caverns. Open seasonally, roughly May-October, Friday-Monday 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; admission $10 adults, $8 seniors, $5 youth. Phone (860) 653-3563.
Can I hike Peak Mountain?
Yes — the Metacomet Trail crosses its roughly 730-foot summit, with cliffs looking down on Old New-Gate Prison and out to Congamond Lake and the Salmon Brook Valley. Hiking, bird watching and snowshoeing are permitted.
Is there a hotel in East Granby?
No hotel, inn or B&B could be verified inside East Granby. The nearest chain hotels cluster around Bradley International Airport in neighboring Windsor Locks.

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