Old Furnace State Park

About Old Furnace State Park

The 367-hectare park has a historical and industrial history, and hiking trails of about three and a quarter miles lead to lookout points with a viewing width of ten miles.

Most of the power for the machines in the mills came from colonial New England. The potential energy that could be obtained from running water was based on the steepness and slope of the creek beds and the amount of water available.

Iron production was one of the many industries that used hydropower, and the park takes its name from the former location of the iron furnaces. The furnace was of particular value during the revolutionary war, when it was embedded with iron ore, a raw material urgently needed by the continental armies. Iron was obtained by processing iron ores in blast furnaces, but iron could be processed in a variety of other ways, such as by using coal, oil or even natural gas.

Time has changed, and this has also changed the demand for and use of hydropower, not only in the US, but also in other parts of the world.

In the 1830s, there was a water mill on the site, but with each year the ownership of the land changed. In 1909, the owner, William Pike, decided to sell it to the town of Killingly for a city park.

Nine years later, in 1918, it was sold to Killingsville and then to the state of Connecticut, which added more land to the park we have today.

Although researchers are still finding the remains of an oven in operation near the creek, many of the early features have been lost in the landscape created by the present park. Today, the natural features of the park, such as the watermill and the old mill, are complemented by a variety of other features such as a stream, a pond and a small creek bed.

One of the best and shortest hiking trails in Connecticut is a case in point, and it will be worth the effort to look over the rocky outcrops. The path slopes slightly and leads for about 1.5 miles before rising steeply at the end, about half a mile. Hikers can go to the picnic area at Furnace Brook and see the dark blue flames from the trees.

A rich mix of deciduous and coniferous trees surrounds the wetlands in the lowlands and gives them a special mix of bright colors in autumn. The view from 200 feet above the valley has been described as breathtaking and includes Half Hill Pond, also known as Upper Ross Pond.