Along the Blackberry River in northwestern Connecticut, there is a Connecticut Industrial Monument known as the Beckley Blast Furnace. Built in 1847, the blast furnace produced pig iron, primarily for the manufacture of railroad car wheels that were known for their excellence and durability. The furnace closed in 1919 and stands today as the best preserved example of a technology that has long since vanished. A dam was built that helped power the furnace, resulting in the falls pictured above.