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Interpretive Signs Unveiled at Historic Mine Hill Iron-Making Complex
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Nine new self-guiding interpretive signs at the Mine Hill Preserve -- a 19th century iron-making complex now on the National Register of Historic Places were created and installed this past summer. Placed in three groupings near the remnants of the roasting ovens and blast furnace used to process the iron ore, the signs tell the story of the rise and fall of the industrial venture. The signs weave together renderings of what Mine Hill looked like during its heyday from 1865 to 1872; a step-by-step description of how the iron was mined and processed from ore to steel; a detailed explanation of how the blast furnace worked; and a diagram of the labyrinth of tunnels that lie beneath Mine Hill.
The signs also explain how granite quarries have prospered at the site for nearly two centuries and how the light gray Roxbury stone was prized for building churches, bridges and fine homes from New York City to New Britain. In addition, the signs paint a vivid picture of Chalybes, the "boom town" at the base of Mine Hill that was once home to more than a dozen buildings, a Shepaug Valley Railroad station and hundreds of immigrant workers. All of the signs are peppered with fascinating facts and "legends."
The conceptualization, execution and installation of the signs were a collaborative effort of several Roxbury residents. Billy Steers, an artist, author and history buff, took the lead in gathering information about the iron-making venture. He consulted numerous books and papers already written on the subject, interviewed local historians and mining experts, and spent considerable time at the site doing his own analysis. He then drew a series of pen-and-ink drawings that envision in great detail what the operation looked like and how it worked.
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Dariel Curren, a professional writer who serves as Vice President on the Trust's Board of Directors, volunteered to distill Mr. Steers' research into the narrative for the signs. Carole Mackay, a graphic designer, then pulled together the drawings, text, historic photos and other elements into attractive layouts. The drawings, photos and some of the text were also integrated into an educational brochure that is now available to the public.
Installation of the signs was spearheaded by Roxbury resident Trip Venturella as his Eagle Scout project. The 17-year-old junior at Shepaug Valley High School organized two work days in early May at the site where close to 40 Roxbury residents, as well as fellow members of Boy Scout Troop 65, volunteered their time to help clear invasive plants from the area and prepare the site for installation of the signs. Mr. Venturella also dug holes for pressure-treated posts and mounted the signs.
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The manufacture of the signs, which measure 3-feet by 4-feet, was funded by a Connecticut Community Foundation grant. The signs are made of a heavy-duty laminate that is guaranteed to withstand the elements for at least 20 years.
A visit to Mine Hill offers a glance into our industrial past in a setting of breathtaking natural beauty with four miles of hiking trails at the nature preserve. The blue loop trail begins at the industrial site, climbs up the Donkey Trail past a reservoir, two mine tunnels and a series of grated air shafts, which now serve as entryways to several bat hibernacula. The trail continues past massive granite cliffs, eventually descending back to the Shepaug River valley, past an abandoned quarry and back to the furnace complex.
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