OLD NEWGATE PRISON

East Granby, CT - This prison was originally one of the first copper mines in New England, established in 1707. It turned out to be not profitable and the worked stopped in 1742. In 1773, the underground tunnels were used by the Colony of Connecticut as a prison for British prisoners-of-war and Tories (colonist who supported English rule). After the Revolutionary War, the site continued to be used as a prison until 1827, incarcerating a total of over 800 prisoners.

Information from the Old NewGate Prison brochure