The Gilbert & Bennett Wire Mill

Granite Church | January 19, 2024

The Gilbert & Bennett Wire Mill is located in historic Georgetown, Connecticut. The Wire Mill and the adjacent Granite Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as contributing buildings to the Georgetown Historic District. The Town of Redding took ownership of the 44-acre Wire Field property in 2020.

Weaving Building

Did you know that the Gilbert & Bennett manufacturing plant began as a cottage industry, weaving animal hair from cows and horses? This is the Weaving Building, built in 1919. What do you think it could be used for next? There are so many possibilities, but we first need to make sure we save it and the other historic buildings before they fall down!

Check out the Wire Mill Committee’s recommendations for a five-year plan here.

1914 and 1919 Buildings

The 1914 and 1919 Buildings are a part of the historic Gilbert & Bennett Wire Mill. Both have their construction year in brick on the façade, but they’re falling into disrepair. We would love to see the recommended repairs happen so the whole town can enjoy this historic site once more. Couldn’t you just picture looking out 1914’s stunning round window?

Blue Building

This is the Blue Building (AKA the Machine Shop), a historic structure in the Gilbert & Bennett Wire Mill. It is currently being rented out to the National Park Service as a machine shop that supports Weir Farm National Historical Park in Ridgefield. How can we keep the history of the wire mill as a “maker space” alive?

Sawtooth Building

This is the Sawtooth Building, an iconic part of the legendary Gilbert & Bennett Wire Mill. It’s right next to the river, which has the potential to become a beautiful outdoor community space! It’s worth investing in saving the wire mill’s structures to ensure a beautiful future for Georgetown.

Post Office

This is the old post office, part of the historic Gilbert & Bennett Wire Mill. Here it is featured in the Saturday Evening Post in 1947 and beneath it, a photo of the building today. In a town so rich with history, we owe it to ourselves to invest in restoring this and the other wire mill buildings to support a vibrant Georgetown.

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about our town’s historic site and that you have a chance to look at the Wire Mill Committee’s recommendations.

Check out the Wire Mill Committee’s recommendations for a five-year plan here.