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Explore the History of
Connecticut's Rich Mining Heritage
View the Wonder of Connecticut's Varied Geology as
Represented by Our
Diverse Mineral Collection
Don't Miss CAMA's NEWLY EXPANDED Connecticut Museum of Mining and
Mineral Science!
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Underground Mining Exhibit
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Few people know that
Connecticut's rich natural resources were not limited to our lakes,
rivers, forests and shorelines. Connecticut's complex geologic past
provided our forefathers with a substantial mineral legacy. Significant
iron ore deposits, copper ore, garnets, marble, limestone, basalt and
brownstone all provide or have provided for profitable mining
operations in our state at one time or another. While the state's iron
and copper industry was long ago eclipsed by the discovery
of much larger deposits as young America expanded westward, significant
limestone/marble and basaltic traprock operations continue in the state
to this day.
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Early Mine Lamps
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The Museum of Mining
is actually
located in the midst of a former ironmaking operation. Just
south
of CAMA's Mining Museum, the remnants of a great iron furnace (Kent
Furnace)
have been preserved by the State as part of the Sloane-Stanley Museum.
Just
north of the the Mining Museum, the early marble quarry that provided
the
furnace with the necessary flux to smelt iron ore can still be seen.
At
one time in our past, all of the forested hills surrounding CAMA were
literally
clear cut to feed the furnace's voracious appetite for charcoal,
another
key ingredient necessary to smelting iron ore. Nearby steams were
dammed
to provide the water power necessary to run blowers feeding compressed
air
to the furnace. Ghosts of the rail siding and foundations of the
ironworker's homes can still be made out in the surrounding
forest.
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Blacklight Exhibit
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In addition to the collection of artifacts
relating to the iron mining industry, the Mining Museum has collections
of noteworthy minerals from throughout the state. Exceptional
examples of locally collected amorphous, semi-crystalline, and
crystalline minerals provide the viewer with a good idea of what the
state has to offer. Displays also inform the viewer about the state's
resources of decorative building stone such as
brownstone and marble.
Did you know that at one time, the state of Connecticut had more than
200 brickmaking companies. As a result of past glaciation
periods,
many clay deposits dot the state and many of these were exploited to
make
bricks. The history of brickmaking in the state is explored in a
special
section of the museum.
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Rockdrilling Exhibit
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Native Americans made use of
Connecticut's local geologic treasures long before European settlers
set foot in this area. A special exhibit shows how the native
population made use of locally found quartz, quartzite, soapstone and
clay to provide hunting and food preparation tools necessary for their
survival.
Spend some time at the Mining Museum and explore the many facets of
geology, mineralogy and archaeology as they relate to our State. During
your visit
to CAMA, be sure to put aside time to visit and have some fun while you
learn.
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