Zawistowski Teams with Historians to Show Off Old New-Gate Restoration

EAST GRANBY—State Rep. Tami Zawistowski is partnering with history buffs and state officials to show off the work that’s been done at Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine.

“Old New-Gate Prison Open House Day” will be held Saturday, Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Zawistowski encourages residents throughout the region to attend the free event.

The treasured tourist attraction has been closed since 2009, and during the last two years sections of the historic site were the focus of painstaking restoration. Work on the guard house – which presented a significant safety issue – is now complete, but the state doesn’t have money to staff it. That means New-Gate will remain closed until the necessary resources are available

“A lot of work has gone into this project, and residents and fans of regional history have been so patient throughout the process,” said Zawistowski, who also serves Suffield and part of Windsor. “I’m thrilled that state officials were willing to work with me, our local historical society and many others from East Granby and Granby to create this one-day program to reintroduce everyone to this North Central Connecticut jewel.”

The prison, a registered national historic landmark, was the first state detention facility in the United States, as well as America’s first chartered copper mine. Re-opening New-Gate offers potential to create rippling economic effects in the form of more traffic for local businesses.

Zawistowski will be joined at the rain-or-shine event by state Rep. Bill Simanski (R-62) and Sen. John Kissel (R-7) The event will include prison yard tours, presentations and displays by the State Historic Preservation Office, the Connecticut Historical Society and others, video tours of the mine (closed due to hibernating bats), historical interpreter interactions and refreshments.