Historic Mills of Connecticut

Companies Associated w/Complex

• Gail Borden Condensed Milk 1857-c.1860

Use (Historic)

• Food, Beverage, Tobacco

Largest Documented Workforce

n/a

Historic Narrative

Gail Borden Jr. (1801-1874) devised a technique for condensing liquids, especially milk, which would allow for transportation and storage without spoilage. He patented the process in 1856. He tried to produce condensed milk commercially, and after several failed attempts, he moved into the building on Burr Mountain Road, which had been built by Milo Burr in 1854. By 1859 Borden was processing some 2,000 gallons of milk a day into condensed milk. In 1860, with the help of a financial partner, he relocated the factory to Winsted and added a second in Wassaic, New York, near the railroad. After Borden, John M. Burr used the factory as a woolen mill from 1874 to 1877, when the building burned.

Number of Existing Buildings

n/a

Dates of Construction

1854

Architect

n/a

Builder

n/a

Building Type

• Archaeological site

Architectural Description

A stone foundation, approx. 63 ft by 40 ft together with wheel pit and old turbine are all that remain of the factory.

Exterior Material(s)

n/a

Structural System(s)

n/a

Roof Form

n/a

Roof Material

n/a

Power Source

• Water (Turbine)

Condition

n/a

Condition Notes

n/a

Specific Location

Located within Burr Pond State Park.

Adjacent To

• Water (for Power)

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

n/a

Acreage

n/a

Use (Present)

• Other: Archaeological site

Form Completed By

Renée Tribert

Date

December 2016

Bibliography

1. Schneiderman, 'Borden's Condensed Milk Factory Site, Burr Pond State Park, Torrington CT, A New CT Archaelogical Preserve (2017).