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The official theme song for my channel, “City of Steam”, was originally composed by my friend, Jesse Walsh! Check out the full song here on his YouTube channel: [ Ссылка ]
Deep within the woods of New Britain, Connecticut sits the decrepit, forlorn ruins of a once beautiful 19th century home, previously owned by a prominent family. This home, today known simply as the Old Stanley Mansion Ruins, was once owned by the influential Stanley family of Connecticut. While the first member of the Stanley family to move to New Britain was John Stanley, back in 1644, arguably the most prominent family member in the growing city was Frederick T. Stanley. During the 19th century, Frederick T. Stanley would establish New Britain as a pivotal industrial center for the manufacturing of hardware; he co-founded Stanley Bolt Manufactory in 1843 and the Stanley Works in 1852. These factories were successful, shaping New Britain into a national leader in hardware manufacturing, leading to its well-known nicknames of “The Hardware City” and “Hard-Hittin’ New Britain”. It was also during this time period when the now-abandoned Old Stanley Mansion was constructed, although we do not know the specific date it was built—only that it dates to the 1800s. Furthermore, it is not known exactly who owned the house; this was one of many homes owned by the Stanley family. Sadly, the house was destroyed by a devastating fire in 1940, leaving behind only the ruins seen today, surrounded by dense forest. Today, the ruins of the mansion sit at the crossroads of two public parks, A. W. Stanley Park and Stanley Quarter Park. These abandoned ruins are rich in history and stand as a testament to the Stanley family’s influence and importance in New Britain.
While not many specific details are known about the Old Stanley Mansion Ruins itself, it was fascinating to learn about the Stanley family that once owned it, and how their influence shaped New Britain into the city we know today. While I cannot confirm this, I believe that the ruins are located in A. W. Stanley Park (although they are also directly across the street from Stanley Quarter Park), which was once property owned by the park’s namesake, Alix W. Stanley, who ceded it to the City of New Britain in 1928. While the ruins were a bit tricky to locate at first, I parked at Stanley Quarter Park and made the trek up the hill to the ruins, taking a snow-covered path until I reached them. The ruins were fascinating, and surprisingly quite intact; the walls, fireplace, chimney, and other components were left behind, and I could still make out the intricate architectural details left behind. Primarily made of stone and cement, the ruins are quite large as well, and you can even venture inside them to get a close look. For those who love exploring historic, abandoned ruins, I could not recommend this spot enough! It’s open to the public and absolutely worth a visit if you find yourself in the area. One of the most well-preserved ruins I have visited thus far, standing as an ode to the Stanley family’s prominence! If you guys liked this video, make sure to stay tuned for more exploration videos all across New England and beyond!
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00:00 J-MASS Intro
00:41 Introduction to the Old Stanley Mansion Ruins
02:57 Exterior of the Ruins
06:53 Interior of the Ruins
12:36 Final Walkthrough
15:14 Outro
17:38 Very Original Skit
