Pitkin Glassworks Ruins

After sacrificing financially by supplying gunpowder to the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, the Connecticut General Assembly in 1783 granted the Pitkin Family the exclusive right -- for twenty-five years -- to produce glass in the greater Hartford area. (Some sources tie the factory's genesis to Captain Richard Pitkin, others note its ties to William Pitkin and his cousin Elisha, both of whom led the project to construct the structure.) The Assembly had high regard for Pitkins as his family had helped build, protect, and grow the Hartford area east of the river since William Pitkin arrived in 1659. Indeed, by 1840, the Pitkins owned 57 of the 90 structures in Manchester and many more in towns nearby, notably East Hartford. The factory initially operated under the name "East Hartford Glass Factory" (Manchester's incorporation as a separate town occurred in 1823.) and consistently drew praise for its work. The factory survived until 1830, but its glass can still be found today, sometimes going for more than $20,000 at auctions. 

William, the first Pitkin to settle in Connecticut in 1659, came as an agent for the King, serving as the Attorney General for the colony. Though he expected to stay temporarily, he decided to remain in the American colonies. He took a position as a schoolmaster. By the time of his death in 1694, he stood as the largest landholder in Hartford, east of the river (East Hartford did not separate from Hartford until 1783). His son, also named William, followed in his father's footsteps by representing Hartford in the Colonial Assembly. The third William Pitkin, grandson of the first, moved up the political ladder, first as colony lieutenant governor and then governor from 1766 - 1769. 

The Pitkins routinely participated in the local militia and political activism. The second William led a committee in 1704, intent on constructing a fort on his father's property suitable for the entire town to use as protection during Native American attacks. Meanwhile, the third William made a name for himself (while serving as Lt. Governor) when he became one of the first men in Connecticut to resist the Stamp Act in 1765. By the time of the Revolutionary War, many fourth- and fifth-generation Pitkins volunteered to fight against the British; many of them served as officers during the famous battles of Concord and Lexington that effectively started the war. 

In addition to its military and political success, the Pitkin family owned an abundant amount of land, four dams, and several four mills. William number three's brother Col. Joseph, owned mills that produced bar iron and silting iron, which the British forbade by 1750. Those same mills later provided powder used by colonial troops during the Revolutionary War. For six years, the Pitkins provided gunpowder to the Connecticut milia as part of their service during the Revolutionary War. Additionally, evidence supports that Dorothy Pitkin cooked meals for the soldiers (possibly for those associated with the battles of Lexington and Concord, as well as French Troops stationed in the area before heading to Yorktown). 

The Pitkin family lost a considerable amount of money producing gunpowder for the revolutionary cause. As a result, the Connecticut General Assembly allowed the Pitkin family to start a glassworking company monopoly, assuring that no competition would exist for nearly a quarter of a century. The factory officially operated from 1783 until 1830. Though many theories exist, the reason for its closure ultimately remains a mystery. Still, the family kept the building and property until the 1920s when the Daughters of the American Revolution took ownership of the property.  

In 1977, a plan to sell the property to a commercial operation got scrapped. Instead, Pitkin Glass Works Inc. emerged to raise funds and maintain the property, notably stabilizing the imposing stone ruins. In the 1980s, Central Connecticut State University students engaged in an archaeological dig and discovered some of the factory's glass. Since then, many archaeological endeavors by students, ranging from middle school to college, have accomplished the same feat.  

The Assembly also granted the Pitkin family permission to create a snuff-tobacco enterprise that also would function as a monopoly. Meanwhile, generations of Pitkins that followed obtained patents to make felt hats and American-made watches. The family also invested in manufacturing companies that produced silverware, clocks, cloth, hats, anchors, screws, guns, buttons, and soda fountains. The allowances to own abundant land, serve as officers in the military, and form monopolies speak to the tremendous power and influence of the Pitkin family; the stone ruins are monuments to the family legacy as much as they are to the one, single factory. 

Note: As noted in the introduction, some sources attribute ownership of the glass factory to Captain Richard Pitkin, while others tie the factory to William Pitkin, his cousin Elisha, and possibly Samuel, all fifth-generation Pitkins. Regardless, the factory's chief historical significance lies in its ties to the family and their influence in the eastern Hartford area. 

Kanehl, Bob. "Your Manchester: Pitkin Glassworks ruins are evidence of Manchester's past economic royalty." Journal Inquirer (Manchester, CT). February 8, 2019. https://www.journalinquirer.com/living/your-manchester-pitkin-glassworks-ruins-are-evidence-of-manchester-s-past-economic-royalty/article_9f7474fc-2bcd-11e9-bec9-a73e5d7b0f71.html.

Manchester Historical Society. "Places to Visit: Pitkin Glass Works, Located at the intersection of Parker and Putnam Streets in the Manchester Green area." manchesterhistory.org. Accessed December 22, 2020. http://www.manchesterhistory.org/MHS3_Pitkin_Glass.html

The Museum of Connecticut Glass. "The Pitkin Glassworks 1783-1830." glassmuseum.org. Accessed December 22, 2020. https://www.glassmuseum.org/glassworks2.htm

"The Pitkins." Manchester Evening Herald (Manchester, CT). June 28, 1967. Reprinted for digital use by the Manchester Historical Society, 2020. http://www.manchesterhistory.org/reprints/MHS3_ThePitkins.html.