Rocky Hill Connecticut Foundry Company

If you find yourself driving down Meadow Road in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, there’s not much left to catch your eye. The area, once a bustling hub of industry, has quieted down to little more than a stretch of road with a few remnants of its past. But one sight still stands out: three towering concrete silos, the last visible relics of what was once the Connecticut Foundry. It is rumored the silos were used to store cement during the construction of the I-91 when it was built in the early 1960s.

These silos, weathered but steadfast, are all that remain of a 10-acre property that was once home to a sprawling industrial site. The Connecticut Foundry, which officially closed its doors in 1983, was demolished nearly 30 years later, its decline documented in pieces. Based on old photographs and archived Google Street View images, the foundry was gradually taken apart over the course of 2012. By the summer of that year, only a few structures lingered before the land was cleared entirely, leaving behind little more than concrete foundations and the silos that now loom over the empty landscape.  

The property itself stretched all the way to the Connecticut River docks. Back in its prime, it featured a slew of industrial buildings—an annealing room, sand shed, boiler room, cleaning and molding facilities, a pattern shop, and of course, the foundry itself. There was even a massive 50,000-gallon steel water tower on the site, a hallmark of the facility’s scale and resources. But those structures are long gone, erased by time and demolition crews.  

Interestingly, the site’s history isn’t well-documented in local media. Records of its operations or even the fire incidents that reportedly occurred there seem to have faded into obscurity. What is clear, however, is that the property sat in limbo for decades after its closure, deteriorating and becoming a quiet shadow of its former self until it was finally removed from the landscape.  

For urban explorers or those with a fascination for abandoned places, the silos might still hold some allure. Their towering presence offers a stark contrast to the otherwise unremarkable surroundings. However, any dreams of climbing to the top are dashed by the fact that the stairs have been deliberately cut off, leaving them inaccessible without serious equipment. Whatever secrets they hold remain out of reach, both physically and figuratively.  

Connecticut Foundry Map Survey

The story of the Connecticut Foundry is just one chapter in the area’s broader industrial history. Meadow Road and its neighboring streets were once packed with facilities that fueled the local economy. Just down the road, the American Oil Company operated a large site with eight massive gasoline and oil tanks. Further along Dividend Road, another oil facility—originally the Crown Petroleum Corporation, now CITGO—stored kerosene, fuel oil, and gasoline.  

Nearby, on Belamose Avenue, stood the Hartford Rayon Corporation, a towering complex that specialized in the production of rayon threads. Like the foundry, it had its own steel water tower, a 60,000-gallon structure that drew water from the Connecticut River and Dividend Pond to support its operations.  

Today, much of this industrial legacy has faded away, replaced by modern developments or left as empty lots. But the silos on Meadow Road remain, silent witnesses to a time when this area was alive with industry, labor, and the hum of machinery. They may not seem like much to the casual passerby, but for those who take a moment to look closer, they tell a story of rise, decline, and the enduring marks left by human enterprise.  

Perhaps one day, even these last remnants will disappear, and the land will be repurposed once again. But for now, the silos stand tall, a quiet monument to an era in Rocky Hill’s history.

Rocky Hill, Connecticut, holds a rich history that dates back to its settlement by Europeans in 1650. Nestled along the Connecticut River, it quickly became a hub for industry, with its natural resources providing the perfect foundation for early mill operations. One of the town’s first major industrial landmarks was built in 1667, when Reverend Gershom Bulkeley, minister of the First Congregational Church in nearby Wethersfield, constructed a grist mill at the eastern waterfall on Dividend Brook. Today, that site is known as Dividend Brook Waterfall, where the remains of those old mills can still be seen, a quiet reminder of the town’s early beginnings.  

As the years passed, more gristmills sprang up along Dividend Brook and the Connecticut River, taking advantage of the flowing water to power their operations. These mills became the lifeblood of the community, grinding grain and supporting the agricultural economy that sustained early settlers.  

Rocky Hill’s industrial evolution took a significant leap forward in 1854, when William Sage Butler and Robert Sugden Jr. established the town’s first foundry. This came just a decade after Rocky Hill was officially incorporated as a town in 1843. The foundry marked a turning point, ushering in a new era of manufacturing and shaping the town’s identity as an industrial center.  

From waterfalls powering gristmills to the iron and steel of the foundries, Rocky Hill’s history is deeply tied to its natural resources and the ingenuity of its early settlers. While much of the town’s industrial past has faded, landmarks like Dividend Brook Waterfall and the lingering presence of old foundations provide a glimpse into a time when Rocky Hill was a thriving hub of production and innovation.

Before the Connecticut Foundry became a cornerstone of Rocky Hill’s industrial history, its property had already seen a colorful rotation of businesses. The land on Meadow Road, near the banks of the Connecticut River, was home to enterprises that reflected the changing needs of the 19th century.  

It all began with a small general store operated by C.H. Yeager, but by 1835, the site shifted into manufacturing. A small shop was built to produce horse carriages, a booming industry at the time. However, the business closed within a decade in 1845. Four years later, in 1849, the property reopened as the Rocky Hill Manufacturing Co., specializing in cast iron goods. But like its predecessor, this venture was short-lived and closed in 1853.  

Over the following years, the building served several purposes, including as a carpenter’s shop and even a facility for making vinegar and champagne cider. Its final use before a major fire in 1876 was as a boarding house for railroad workers. The fire destroyed the structure, leaving the land vacant until 1881, when a public subscription allowed for the construction of a massive foundry building.  

The foundry’s early years were marked by a series of new owners and changing industries. Heart & Company was the first to move in, manufacturing hatchets and cast iron goods. However, financial troubles led to foreclosure, and the Webster Mortgage Co. took over the property. In 1884, Pierce Hardware Co. moved in, only to be succeeded in 1889 by Champion Manufacturing Co., which produced goods there for the next 18 years—the longest tenure of any company at the site up to that point.  

Disaster struck again on December 24, 1918, when a fire consumed the foundry and its main building. But the property’s industrial legacy didn’t end there. The following year, in 1919, the Connecticut Foundry Co. was established by A.O. Knudsen, Arthur Enquist, and Ernest Spencer. With $47,000 in capital, they constructed a new two-story building on the site of the former Foster-Merriam casting plant. This marked the beginning of a new era for the property.  

  

From 1919 to 1983, the Connecticut Foundry was a vital part of Rocky Hill’s economy, producing a wide variety of cast iron goods. The foundry churned out items like bookends, oil burners, piston-ring moldings, lawn mower parts, decorative plaques, doorstops, cooking equipment, and gun parts. Some of its products even became household names, with well-known companies like Remington Rand, GE, Smith Corona, Silent Glow, Stately, and Dictaphone among its customers.  

The foundry relied heavily on raw materials, receiving an estimated 100 to 150 train carloads of pig iron each year—a testament to its scale of production. Its location near the Connecticut River and rail lines made it an ideal hub for transporting goods and materials.  

However, the foundry’s success was not without challenges. In its final years, tensions with workers ultimately led to its closure. The union representatives of the Lady Garments Worker’s Union of Boston picketed and reportedly harassed employees, even resorting to acts of arson against workers’ homes and cars. In response, the company hired replacement workers to mitigate production losses but struggled to recover from the disruption. Productivity never returned to previous levels, and on March 30, 1983, the Connecticut Foundry ceased operations for good.  

The Connecticut Foundry’s impact on Rocky Hill endures even after its closure. Some of its products, like cast iron tools and equipment, can still be found on eBay or displayed at the Rocky Hill Historical Society’s Academy Hall Museum. These artifacts offer a tangible connection to a time when the foundry was a bustling center of industry.  

The Connecticut Foundry wasn’t just a business—it was a survivor. Over its long history, the foundry burned down twice, first in 1865 and again in 1918. Each time, it was rebuilt, a testament to the value of its operations and the quality of its products. While many other foundries and mills in the area succumbed to similar disasters and were never restored, the Connecticut Foundry rose from the ashes, driven by its profitability and the demand for its cast iron goods.

By the 1970s, however, the foundry faced a different kind of challenge: labor unrest. This was a turbulent time for workplaces across the United States, as the labor movement reached its peak. Strikes, sit-ins, and work stoppages swept through multiple industries, fueled by growing frustrations over wages, working conditions, and corporate practices. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1970 alone saw 5,716 strikes involving over 3 million workers.

The Rocky Hill Foundry was no exception to this wave of unrest. Throughout the 1970s and into the early 1980s, labor disputes became a regular occurrence. By 1983, however, tensions had escalated beyond control. Violent clashes erupted, with reports of strikers harassing employees and even setting workers' homes and cars on fire. Facing mounting pressure and declining productivity, the owners made the difficult decision to shutter the foundry for good. On March 30, 1983, the Connecticut Foundry, once a cornerstone of Rocky Hill’s economy, closed its doors forever.

After the foundry closed, its property sat idle for decades, a stark reminder of Rocky Hill’s industrial decline. In 2003, Riverfront Future Partners acquired the 10-acre site with ambitious plans to transform it into a vibrant mixed-use development. The vision included 78 apartments, an 8,000-square-foot commercial building, a marina, a public park, a river walk, and even a 1,000-square-foot multi-purpose room for community events. The project promised to breathe new life into the area, revitalizing the Rocky Hill waterfront and connecting it to neighboring South Glastonbury.

But nearly two decades later, that vision remains unfulfilled. Despite the demolition of the foundry in 2012, the property still sits undeveloped. The concrete foundation of the old foundry juts out from the ground like a scar, a reminder of the site’s industrial past and the stalled future that was promised.

Even the historic Rocky Hill train station, renovated as part of the redevelopment plan, has fallen victim to the stalled project. Originally intended to house a restaurant, the station now faces conversion into two residential units, a far cry from the bustling community hub once envisioned.

The foundry’s story mirrors that of many industrial sites across America—once vital to their communities, then left behind as economic priorities shifted, labor unrest blossomed, and industries faded. The site’s redevelopment was meant to pave the way for a new chapter, offering housing, recreation, and economic opportunities. But as of November 2024, the property remains frozen in time, its potential unrealized.

For now, the future of the foundry site remains uncertain. Will it finally be transformed, fulfilling the promises of economic revitalization and community growth? Or will it remain a relic of the past, a silent witness to the rise and fall of Rocky Hill’s industrial era? Only time will tell.

What is clear, however, is that the foundry’s legacy still lingers—not just in the memories of its workers or the products it once made, but in the physical and economic landscape it shaped. Whether it becomes a thriving development or continues to sit idle, the Connecticut Foundry will always be an indelible part of Rocky Hill’s history.

Sources:

1. Herron, R. C. (2019). Rocky Hill. United States: Arcadia Publishing. p.87.

2. Herron, R. (2021). Hidden History of Rocky Hill. United States: History Press. p.18-23

3. McWilliams, K. (2019, February 22). Developer says Rocky Hill Foundry project is slowly moving forward. Hartford Courant.

4. Gambini, H. (2024, May 15). New plans on track for historic Rocky Hill train station to become residential units.  Hartford Business Journal. 

5. Wenzel, J. (2011, September 27). Foundry to be Demolished. Patch.

6. (1950) Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Rocky Hill, Hartford County, Connecticut. Sanborn Map Company, Aug. [Map] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn01170_002/

7. (1950) Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Rocky Hill, Hartford County, Connecticut. Sanborn Map Company, Aug. [Map] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn01170_002/

8. Public Documents of the State of Connecticut. (1921). United States: order of the General Assembly.

10. Iron Age. (1919). United States: Chilton Company. (pg.1339).

11. The Iron Age. (1919). United States: Chilton Company. (pg. 732).

12. The Public Response to the Secretary of Transportation's Rail Services Report, Rail Service in the Midwest and Northeast Region: Report of the Rail Services Planning Office to the United States Railway Association. (1974). United States: Interstate Commerce Commission. (pg.61). 

13. (n.a.). (1998, November 1e). Foundry Site Familiar with Change. Hartford Courant.

14. (2012, January 1). Permit approved for demolition of Connecticut Foundry property. Minuteman Press.

15. (n.a.). The Connecticut Foundry Rocky Hill, CT 1919-1983. Doorstops.