Portland in Lower Connecticut River Valley Region, Connecticut — The American Northeast (New England)

Brownstone Arch

Photographed by Michael Herrick, February 16, 2023

1. Brownstone Arch Marker

Inscription.
The Holt Brothers and Redding Iron Works of California manufactured and shipped logging arches, throughout the United States in the late 1800's. Pulled by teams of oxen, arches were used in Portland to transfer cut brownstone from the quarries. The arch was donated to the Town in 1914 by a local quarry company. The arch was kept outdoors, and the wood rotted. In 1969 it was rebuilt, and again the wood decayed over time.

In 1999, Eddie and Joseph Chiabrero and William P. Long, of Portland, rebuilt the arch in their workshop on Cotton Hill Road, using their mill to saw the white oak lumber. Square washers were hand crafted and forging was done, bending and fitting iron to its original shape. Wood bolts and countless hours of labor were donated to the Town by the three gentlemen. Hillside Welding Company of Middletown donated all the iron. The arch was renovated by the Chiabrero Brothers and William Long for the Town to treasure for years to come. Restoration was completed in 2002.

Donated By: The Portland Exchange Club

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1914.

Location. 41° 34.534′ N,

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72° 38.309′ W. Marker is in Portland in Lower Connecticut River Valley Region, Connecticut. It is on Main Street north of Freestone Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Portland CT 06480, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Connecticut River Valley

and on the Connecticut Shoreline.

It is also in the American Northeast,

in New England,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Middlesex County

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Portland (here, next to this marker); Portland’s Arch (a few steps from this marker); Portland Brownstone (approx. 0.3 miles away); Settling Middletown (approx. 0.9 miles away); Founders Rock (approx. 0.9 miles away); Commodore Thomas Macdonough (approx. 0.9 miles away); St. John Church (approx. one

Photographed by Michael Herrick, February 16, 2023

2. Brownstone Arch Marker

mile away); deKoven House Community Center (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portland.

Brownstone Arch image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Michael Herrick, February 16, 2023

3. Brownstone Arch

Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 18, 2023, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 280 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 18, 2023, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.