Episode 195: Old Newgate Prison & Copper Mine

by Holly WhiteJuly 17, 2018

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In 1705 a group of colonists in Simsbury, Connecticut founded a copper mine, which the Connecticut General Assembly purchased and turned into a prison in 1773.

How did an old copper mine function as a prison?

Morgan Bengel, a Museum Assistant at the Old Newgate Prison and Copper Mine, a Connecticut State Historic Site, helps us investigate both the history of early American mining and the history of early American prisons by taking us on a tour of the Old Newgate Prison and Copper Mine in East Granby, Connecticut.

About the Show

Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.

It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.

Each episode features a conversation with a historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.

Ben Franklin’s World is a production of the Omohundro Institute.

Episode Summary

Morgan Bengel , a Museum Assistant at the Old Newgate Prison and Copper Mine Connecticut State Historic Site, offers us a look at both the history of early American mining and the history of early American prisons by taking us on a tour of the Old Newgate Prison and Copper Mine in East Granby, Connecticut.

During our exploration, Morgan reveals the history of the founding and operation of the Simsbury, Connecticut copper mine; Why the colony of Connecticut purchased the old Simsbury Copper Mine and turned its tunnels into a prison; And, details about the daily lives and experiences of those who served time in the Old Newgate Prison between 1773 and 1827.

What You’ll Discover

History of the Old Newgate Prison and Copper Mine
Copper deposits in colonial Connecticut
Establishing a copper mine in colonial America
18th-century mining techniques
Miners of the Simsbury Copper Mines
Transition of Simsbury Copper Mines into the Newgate Prison
Establishment of colonial jails
Crime in colonial Connecticut
Why turn a mine into a prison
Prison cells and living conditions at Newgate
Daily life for Newgate prisoners
Connecticut and Newgate as a revolutionary prison
Comparing prison with debtors’ prison
What happened to prisoners after release
How to tour the Old Newgate Prison and Copper Mine historic site

Links to People, Places, and Publications

Sponsor Links

Omohundro Institute
Susan Sleeper-Smith, Indigenous Prosperity and American Conquest (Listener-Only 40-Percent Discount Code 01BFW)

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Time Warp Question

In your opinion, what might have happened if Connecticut had not transformed the Simsbury Copper Mine into a prison? Would the history of crime and punishment in Connecticut have evolved differently? Would there have been any impact on early Americans’ attitudes toward crime and punishment elsewhere in the young United States? 