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Portland, Connecticut: Brownstone That Built Manhattan

Portland, Connecticut

Pictures from Portland

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Brownstone quarry and Arrigoni Bridge Portland Brownstone Quarries Portland Main Street

The land at the Connecticut River's "big bend" was home to the Wangunk people; Europeans settled the area in 1692, and it carried a succession of names — Mattabesset, Middletown, East Middletown, Chatham — before becoming the Town of Portland, incorporated in 1841. The name comes from Portland, Dorset, England, another place famous for its quarry industry. English stonecutter James Stanclift began working the brownstone deposits around 1690, and by the 1850s the quarries employed more than 1,500 workers, with over 25 ships carrying stone to markets across the U.S., Canada and England. Portland brownstone built the rowhouses of Manhattan and Brooklyn, buildings in Boston and San Francisco, and Hartford's Old State House. The Portland Brownstone Quarries were designated a National Historic Landmark in 2000; a 1936 flood and the 1938 hurricane flooded the pits permanently, ending extraction. The Arrigoni Bridge, linking Portland to Middletown since 1938, holds the longest bridge spans in Connecticut.

  1. Portland is the southern terminus of this 50-mile rail-trail.

  2. Connecticut's first state forest, established 1903.

  3. A seasonal Christmas-tree farm with wagon rides.

  4. An 18-hole public course over the old quarry landscape.

  5. Italian dining overlooking the Quarry Ridge fairways.

  6. A restored-barn tasting room pouring wines and ciders.

  7. Casual pub dining at Portland Golf Course.

Brownstone that built Manhattan

Commercial quarrying began in 1783 with the Brainerd Quarry Company; successive waves of Irish, Swedish and Italian immigrants supplied the labor that made Portland brownstone one of the country's defining building materials, used in Manhattan and Brooklyn rowhouses, buildings in Boston and San Francisco, and Wesleyan University's campus. The 1936 flood and 1938 hurricane flooded the quarry pits permanently, ending commercial extraction; the town acquired the site in 1999–2000, and it was designated a National Historic Landmark on May 16, 2000. The flooded pit is now developed for recreational use by a private operator; call ahead to confirm current hours before visiting. The Arrigoni Bridge, opened August 6, 1938 at a cost of $3.5 million, carries Routes 66 and 17 across the river to Middletown on 600-foot arch spans, the longest bridge spans in Connecticut, and won the American Institute of Steel Construction's first "Most Beautiful Steel Bridge" award.

Getting there

Portland is a driving destination, reached across the Arrigoni Bridge (Routes 66 and 17) from Middletown, about a mile west, and roughly 16 miles south of Hartford. There is no passenger rail station in Portland or in neighboring Middletown; the nearest CTrail Hartford Line stops are Berlin and Meriden. Route 2 provides access to Meshomasic State Forest between Exits 10 and 12.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Portland?
By car — Routes 66 and 17 cross the Arrigoni Bridge from Middletown, about a mile west. There is no passenger rail station in Portland or Middletown; the nearest CTrail Hartford Line stops are Berlin and Meriden.
Can I visit the Portland brownstone quarries?
The historic quarry pits themselves are permanently flooded and no longer worked. A private operator has developed part of the site for outdoor recreation — call ahead to confirm current hours and access before visiting.
What is Meshomasic State Forest?
Established in 1903 and covering roughly 9,000 acres primarily in Portland, East Hampton and Marlborough (with smaller portions in Glastonbury and Hebron), it was the first state forest in Connecticut and the second in the United States. It offers hiking, including the blue-blazed Shenipsit Trail, and holds Connecticut's largest population of the endangered timber rattlesnake.
Is there a hotel in Portland?
No hotel, inn or B&B could be verified operating inside Portland. The nearest verified option is the Inn at Middletown, 70 Main Street, Middletown, roughly a mile across the Arrigoni Bridge.

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