Our mill lot 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 was designed by the Olmsted Brothers in the 1880s. Our mill is located just up from the spot the Olmsteds’ located their nursery while developing the park.

Down the hill from our mill 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 tree nursery for URI, the Urban Resources Inititative, a terrific non-profit group that is responsible for all the tree planting in New Haven.

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, which have since been reforested.

Connecticut has a large 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, 67%. We’re #1 for people living among trees.

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