Historic Mills of Connecticut

Companies Associated w/Complex

• Farmington River Power Co. 1890-1916
• Stanley Works 1916-present

Use (Historic)

• Other: Power generation

Largest Documented Workforce

n/a

Historic Narrative

The Stanley Works bought the Farmington River Power Co. in 1916 to provide electricity for its hardware factories in New Britain. In 1925 Stanley built a new dam and power house, which remain intact with mostly original operating equipment. The Power Construction and Engineering Corp. of Worcester, MA, designed the plant, which still provides between one-half and two-thirds of the electricity for the New Britain factories and offices of the Stanley Works. (Roth) Beneath the pond lies the 1898 Oil City Generating Station: This pioneering generating facility has been totally submerged since 1925, when the dam for Rainbow Hydroelectric Plant backed water up over this site. When the dam for the latter facility was drained in 1976, a photographer recorded substantial remains of the Oil City Plant, including portions of turbines, dam and power house. These remains command interest because of the role played by this plant in experiments with low-head generation and long-distance transmission of electricity. E. C. Terry organized the Farmington River Power Co. in 1890 to supply electricity to Hartford Electric Light Co., generating here and transmitting over 11 miles to Hartford. Equipment was changed frequently in the early years, as the plant served more as laboratory than generating facility. In 1893, for instance, Hartford Electric Light paid for installation of a 3-phase, 133-cycle alternating current system based on H. F. Weber's system in Lauffen, Germany. The extant equipment, installed in 1898, includes two 60-cycle Westinghouse generators and two McCormick and Rodney Hunt turbines. (Roth)

Number of Existing Buildings

One (1) block.

Dates of Construction

1925

Architect

Power Construction and Engineering Corp., Worcester, MA

Builder

n/a

Building Type

• Powerhouse

Architectural Description

The concrete dam is 53' high and 400' long. The brick, flat-roofed power house (102' x 74') contains two General Electric alternating current generators, each powered by an S. Morgan Smith turbine. Each turbine, operating under head of 59', generates a maximum of 6,680 horsepower. (Roth)

Exterior Material(s)

n/a

Structural System(s)

n/a

Roof Form

n/a

Roof Material

n/a

Power Source

• Hydro-Electric

Condition

n/a

Condition Notes

n/a

Specific Location

One 119.82 acre parcel at Rainbow Dam off Rainbow Road

Adjacent To

• Water (for Power)

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

• 19/137/14 / Link →

Acreage

119.82

Use (Present)

• Industrial

Form Completed By

n/a

Date

n/a

Bibliography

1. Roth, Matthew, et al, Connecticut: An Inventory of Historic Engineering and Industrial Sites (Washington DC: SIA, 1981).