Huge Crowd Flocks to East Granby for Old New-Gate Prison Open House [PHOTOS]

EAST GRANBY, CT — Hundreds of visitors from all across Connecticut and western Massachusetts braved the rain and wind to drop in at one of the state's oldest tourist attractions Saturday.

Old New-Gate Prison, a registered national historic landmark, was the first state detention facility in the United States, as well as America’s first chartered copper mine. It closed to the public in 2009 and restoration efforts have since been taking place.

A wildly successful open house left visitors clamoring for a permanent re-opening.

"We had over 1,500 people tour New-Gate prison and the Viets Tavern today despite the raining weather," Sharon Oliva of the East Granby Historical Society wrote on Facebook.

Saturday's event featured various demonstrations, a video presentation of the still off-limits mine, historical interpreters and tours of the majority of the prison grounds. The long-vacant Viets Tavern across the street was also open.

“This collaboration among state officials, East Granby Historical Society, members of the old Friends of Newgate group, local businesses and a large number of community volunteers has been an exciting undertaking which I hope will lead to New-Gate’s re-opening in the near future,” State Rep. Tami Zawistowski said.

Photo credits: Tim Jensen