DEP: Beckley Furnace Industrial Monument
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Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
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Park Location
Route 44
North Canaan
(Directions)

Park Contact Information
Beckley Furnace Industrial Monument
 c/o Burr Pond State Park
 385 Burr Mountain Road
Torrington, CT 06790
(860) 482-1817


 
{Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility}
ACCESSIBILITY
This park offers:
{Symbol for Handicapped Accessibility} Parking

HOURS:
The monument grounds are open year-round from 8 am to sunset.

PETS:
Pets on a leash are permitted.

STATE PARKS CONTACT INFORMATION:
Email:
Telephone:
(860) 424-3200
(866) 287-2757
(Toll Free in CT)
Fax:
(860) 424-4070

{Beckley Iron Furnace} Beckley Furnace Industrial Monument
North Canaan
The Beckley Iron Furnace once produced iron for the manufacture of railroad car wheels.  It is Connecticut's best preserved example of a technology that has long since vanished. The structure is part of the National Register of Historic Places.
Activities Facilities Directions Map History
Activities
{Interpretation} Historical Interpretation {Picnicking} Picnicking
{historical Tour} Historical Tours {Pond Fishing} Pond Fishing
{Beckley Iron Furnace}
Beckley Furnace Industrial Monument, East Canaan
Facilities
None
Directions
Lower Road off Route 44 in the East Canaan section of the Town of North Canaan
Fees
 
There are no parking fees at Beckley Furnace Industrial Monument.
More Information
Map
A map is not available for this park.
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History
Iron making had been a local industry that for 150 years shaped the formation of America. The Beckley blast furnace was built in 1847 and ceased operation in 1919. It produced iron primarily for the manufacture of railroad car wheels that gained a world wide reputation for their excellence and durability. The Furnace was a part of an industry that shaped both the cultural and ecological future of the entire region. The recently refurbished structure stands as the best preserved example of technology that has long since vanished.
Join members of the Friends of Beckley Furnace each Saturday morning from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. from May through mid-October for a personal tour of the Furnace. Learn how iron was made by walking in the footsteps of the iron makers. Stand in the hearth where temperatures reached nearly 3,000 degrees. Visit the only remaining turbine used to power a blast furnace.
The Beckley Furnace Industrial Monument is featured in a publication by Ed Kirby entitled Echoes of Iron in Connecticut’s Northwest Corner (Including a Guide to the Iron Heritage Trail). The publication is for sale and may be purchased at the DEP Bookstore or from the Sharon Historical Society.
For more information on the furnace, contact Ed Kirby at (860) 364-5147 or Ron Jones at (860) 435-9183 or write:
27 Woodcrest Lane
P.O. Box 1942
Lakeville, CT 06039 

Other Nearby State Recreation Areas Include:
Campbell Falls State Park Reserve
Location: North of Norfolk off Route 272
Activities:  Picnicking, Hiking
Charge: None
Haystack Mountain State Park
Location: 1 mile north Norfolk on Route 272
Activities: Hiking, Observation Tower
Charge: None

Related Links
Connecticut Tourism Information
Fishing Information
Friends of Beckley Furnace
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