The Pitkin Glassworks Ruin is a historic industrial archaeological site at the junction of Parker and Putnam Streets in

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

, Connecticut. It contains the remains of one of the oldest glass factories in New England, established in 1783. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1979.

History

The Pitkin Glass Factory was established when the area was still considered part of

East Hartford East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,045 at the 2020 census. The town is located on the east bank of the Connecticut River, directly across from Hartford, Connecticut. It is home to aerospac ...

, and was known at the time as the East Hartford Glass Works. William and Elisha Pitkin had supplied gunpowder to the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

at a financial loss, and petitioned the state in 1783 for an exclusive right to manufacture glass as compensation for their losses. The state granted them a 25-year monopoly, to begin once manufacturing began. The factory went into operation a few years later, and soon ran into financial difficulties. Several lotteries were held to raise additional funds, but the endeavour finally closed its doors in 1830. The factory produced items mostly made of green glass, including

demijohns A carboy, also known as a demijohn or a lady jeanne, is a rigid container with a typical capacity of . Carboys are primarily used for transporting liquids, often water or chemicals. They are also used for in-home fermentation of beverages, ...

for trade with the West Indies, as well as all manner of utilitarian containers, from inkwells to pitchers and bowls. It is unclear whether or not they manufactured window glass.

Later history

The ruins of the structure of the factory are located on what was once the Pitkin Farm, and what is currently the corner of Putnam and Parker Streets. Between the two streets is a grassy plot of land with a sign that identifies it as the former site of the Pitkin Tavern. The site includes remnants of the factory's stone walls, as well as other archaeological remains. The ruined remains of the factory were deed by the Pitkin family to the

Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States' efforts towards independence. A non-profit group, they promote ...

(DAR) in 1928. The DAR, citing increasing maintenance costs, suggested selling the property for development in 1977. In response to this threat, a committee of citizens formed to save it. They include members of the DAR and the Manchester Historical Society.http://www.manchesterhistory.org/MHS3_Pitkin_Glass.html Manchester Historical Society: Pitkin Glassworks Several archaeological digs have taken place on the site, including one done by students at Central Connecticut State University. Displays of artifacts and the history of the site are located in the Old Manchester Museum on Cedar Street.

References

External links

Pitkin Glass Works web site
{{Connecticut National Register of Historic Places in Hartford County, Connecticut Manchester, Connecticut Protected areas of Hartford County, Connecticut Ruins in the United States Archaeological sites in Connecticut Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut American Revolution on the National Register of Historic Places Defunct glassmaking companies

History

Later history

See also

References

External links