About Simsbury
The town of Simsbury is located near Talcott Mountain and the Farmington River, in the northern part of the state, along the border with Massachusetts. Originally known as the Windsor plantation at Massacoe, the territory was incorporated as Simsbury in 1670. In 1705, the Copper Hill mine was opened on the west side of the mountain. Later, the mine was rebuilt as Old New Gate Prison, which became a part of the town of East Grandby and operated from 1773 to 1827. It was the first Connecticut prison ever. Now the former prison serves as a tourist attraction. Also, the town was known for the nation’s first steel-making enterprise which was opened in 1728. In 1836, the first safety fuse company was founded here, and later it became an aerospace and defense firm, which is working till nowadays.