How an American Industry Grew but Then Left Big Problems

The former Gilbert and Bennett Company in Georgetown, Connecticut is the epitome of the story of the early American industrial development cycle – starting with home-based operations, followed by the opening of a large manufacturing complex, broader international markets, fierce competition, and (after nearly 200 years) bankruptcy and site abandonment. Today, its vacant site is an industrial wasteland in the middle of leafy mid-Fairfield County. You won’t believe which product the company invented during the Civil War years that we still use to this very day. Join Georgetown historical expert Brent Colley for the fascinating story behind this iconic operation.