furniture from the urban forest

Our Mill

Our mill yard is on the eastern slope of New Haven’s historic East Rock park—a 425-acre park with gorgeous topography and winding carriage trails that were designed by the Olmsted Brothers in the 1880s. Our mill is located just above the location where the Olmsteds planted their nursery while developing the park.

Down the hill from our mill yard is the building that still houses the old belt driven woodworking equipment that the city used 100 years ago to turn city trees into fences, tables, flooring and foot bridges. At City Bench we’ve made an old idea new again—right next to where it was first done. And just down the hill from the old wood shop is the current tree nursery for URI, the Urban Resources Inititative, a terrific non-profit group that is responsible for all the tree planting that occurs in New Haven.

Connecticut is home to a great diversity of tree species and an abundance of hardwoods. It also has the highest percentage of tree cover in urban and community areas of all 50 states, with 67%. We’re #1 for people living among trees.

You’ll notice a large shingled barn in the background of most of our slab photos. That is the historic Sheep Barn, built in 1902, after Hartford gave New Haven four sheep. Those four sheep became a large flock that grazed the fields formerly covering East Rock. You can see the sheep and the barn in the below photo taken in 1915.

Browse through our slabs and furniture and be in touch if you have any questions. We’d love to hear from you.

Some of the mill’s former employees

The mill location: About a quarter mile north of the Soldiers and Sailors monument

Mike and Chief

Operating our Wood-Mizer LT40 sawmill

A snowy day at the mill

Phone
203-733-8363

Email
info@city-bench.com

Mill

180 Park Rd
Hamden, CT
06517
Visits by appointment

Shop73 Maple Ave
Higganum, CT
06441
Visits by appointment

Our Mill

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