Brownstone quarry site is a model of adaptive re-use

摘要

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Charleston, SC, was restored using Brownstone that was quarried in Portland, CT, once home to one of the largest stone quarries in the Northeast. While some quantities of Brownstone are still available today, the long-abandoned main quarry site has been repurposed as the Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park, which takes advantage of old mining activity to create a one-of-a-kind adventure for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Quarrying on the site began in 1690 by James Stanclift, who contracted with the town of Middletown, CT, to build stonework in exchange for a deed of land. Commercial quarrying started nearly a century later, when the Brainerd Quarry Company began operations in 1783. During the peak of the Brownstone era, more than 1,500 workers were employed by the quarries, and stone was shipped from the quarries for eight months out of the year. Stone from the quarries was used in a number of landmark buildings in Chicago, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, New Haven and Hartford. In fact, many classic residential structures in Manhattan and Brooklyn have come to be known as "Brownstones," named after the material used to construct them.