1. Satan’s Kingdom, New Hartford

Awesome.

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From This Website:

“In the eastern part of this town there is a rough and mountainous district, formerly designated Satan’s Kingdom, and the few inhabitants who lived here were in a measure shut out from the rest of mankind. An inhabitant of the town invited one of his neighbors, who lived within the limits of this district, to go and hear Mr. Marsh, the first minister who was settled in the town. He was prevailed upon to go to church in the forenoon. In the course of his prayer, Mr. Marsh, among other things, prayed that Satan’s kingdom might be destroyed. It appears that the inhabitant of this district, took the expression in a literal and tangible sense, having probably never heard the expression used but in reference to the district wherin he resided. Being asked to go to meeting in the afternoon, he refused, stating that Mr. Marsh had insulted him; “for blast him,” said he, “when he prayed for the destruction of Satan’s kingdom, he very well knew all my interests lay there.”

satan2.jpg

From “Weird New England”:

“Descriptions from the eighteenth century tell of the sort of people who were attracted to its forbidding wilds: ‘Indians, Negroes, and renegade whites’ claimed the area as their home turf, from which they would venture out to rob,steal, and otherwise terrorize the law-abiding local citizens. Legends say that Satan himself once claimed the area as his own, until the angel Gabriel decided the area was too idyllic and cleared out the dark lord and his band of demons.”

These days Satan’s Kingdom is a tranquil and scenic recreation area – huge business tubing down the Farmington River. Satan’s Kingdom Road itself is horribly rutted and sketchy however, as my hike along it via the Tunxis trail taught me.

UPDATE: I’ve noticed the roadsign has been stolen (early summer 2008).

UPDATE TO THE UPDATE!!: Okay, so if you’re the town manager and you are sick and tired of replacing the “Satan’s Kingdom” road sign that gets continually stolen by teenage stoners, what can you do? I figure you have a few choices…

A) Bolt it stronger, cement it, etc – expensive and not guaranteed
B) Forget about it – Dangerous to those who live on the road (re: EMS) and confusing to Tunxis Trail hikers
C) Deliberately misspell the name of the road to dissuade thievery.

And the answer is…

satan.jpg
C) Deliberately misspell the name of the road to dissuade theivery.
(September 13, 2008)

…………………………………………………….

Back to CTMQ’s Satan in CT main page
blog about it
Boston Globe article

20 responses to “1. Satan’s Kingdom, New Hartford”

  1. Steve says:

    I’ve stopped updating this page. They did put a new sign with correct spelling and then I noticed it was stolen again in the summer of 2009, but then was back up in the Fall.

    I’m sure the cycle will continue.

  2. Dick Zitkus says:

    I am searching for the shelter rock in the Satans Kingdom area of New Hartford. Can anyone help me locate this area ? Send to my E-Mail address

  3. Steve says:

    Maybe someone can find this sometime and help you out. I have no idea… But there is a little trail called the Shelter 4 Loop off of Satan’s Kingdom Road near the River:

    http://www.ctmuseumquest.com/?page_id=1859

  4. Emily says:

    Where in New Hartford is the shelter or Satan’s kingdom? i’m so confused. someone email me about it please.

  5. Shirley Sutton says:

    Shelter Rock – Table Rock is about 1/2 mile from Tipping Rock on the Tipping Rock Trail (a Tunxis B/Y spur).

    According to The Connecticut Guide, 1935:

    The blue-marked Tunxis Trail enters New Hartford west of the Nepaug Reservoir, and 1 1/2 miles north of R. 4 (now Rt. 202) passes Tipping Rock, a glacial boulder, easily moved (no longer!) although 28 feet in circumference and weighing about 12 tons. From this point there are good views to the south and east. About 1/2 mile farther is Table Rock, 35 feet long and resting on a broad leg; a dozen people can find shelter under it. The Trail crosses the Farmington River by the highway bridge, R. 101, (now Rt. 44) above the Gorge, and works along the hills above the East Branch, with good views of the Compensating Reservoir.

    The village of Satan’s Kingdom was down river from the bridge at Rt. 44 and housed the founders of the Lighthouse Village in Barkhamsted before its creation.

    I’m interested in finding the soapstone outcropping and the rockshelter in Satan’s Kingdom that are closer to the river than Table Rock. Any info?

  6. Steve says:

    they forbid wild negroes?

  7. Guy says:

    Less head please

  8. Bud Crawford says:

    This is the Devils lie!
    He would like us to believe that there is a sign and a town dedicated to him, but it’s simply not true!
    God has a Kingdom and Satan has a kingdom. Both are only similar in spirit as they are of a spiritual design!
    The spiritual Kingdom of God emanates from an address (Heaven), while Satan’s Kingdom is here on the earth! He and his angels transmit evil to the minds of mankind while true Christians seek out the Kingdom of God and live in his Kingdom “If” they find it!
    Few realize that it’s there! Where? There! Where? Here! All around us everywhere for our protection against evil forces!
    What to know more? Email me! buddo19ATptdDOTnet

  9. Steve says:

    Dear Bud.

    if you are being serious, you are an idiot and I can’t stand people like you. Go Away.

  10. Samantha Black says:

    Got to love it! Only in Connecticut or Mass. will you more than likely see a sign like this. My boyfriend wanted to take a picture of me in front of this sign this past weekend but we didn’t have time to go to the park. Thanks for the pictures and all the comments, it is a fun page!

  11. Russell Dunn says:

    What a fantastic website you have created! Your roving mind is obviously attracted to unusual natural and historic sites. It’s a real pleasure to follow you on your ventures.

    My wife and I are guidebook writers in NYS. I have written five waterfall guidebooks, two history-oriented hiking guidebooks, two kayaking guidebooks, and an adventure book about the Great Sacandaga Lake (in the southern Adirondacks).

    I am currently working on a book of Remarkable Rocks, similar to what you have done in one of your sections.

    I felt compelled to write to congratulate you on bringing to life some of Connecticut’s most interesting and appealing places to visit.

    Russell Dunn

  12. Sarah K says:

    Is the Shelter Rock any relation to the Indian Council Caves? (I believe the ICC are located on the Satans Kingdom property)

    Love the pictures and history!

    Sarah (Torrington, CT)

  13. Steve says:

    Sarah – I don’t think so. Shelter Rock is south of Route 44 where as the ICC’s are north of it along the Tunxis Trail.

  14. Tray says:

    I love the humor that you establish here. I was drawn to your website because my geological research led me to believe that there are mettalic resources in this district i.e.(gold). Please keep up the good work, but also, in order to further your goal, you should do the research and report the mineral wealth. I will be visiting soon, and will possibly help you in this endeavor.
    Thanks,
    Tray

  15. God's controversy with New England - Hot Dogma! says:

    [...] New England has for many years now been the most godless (least godded?) region in the United States, which is ironic for a place that produced Cotton Mather, Jonathan Edwards, the Great Awakening, Joseph Smith AND Brigham Young, Mary Baker Eddy, and the Knights of Columbus, among others. Hahhhvahd and Yale, you’ll recall, were both founded to train members of the clergy, and how many other places would name a state park Satan’s Kingdom? [...]

  16. Coni Dubois says:

    You can view the research I’ve done with the connection to the Chagum’s at Satan’s Kingdom and of the Barkhamsted lighthouse Village: http://conidubois.wordpress.com/2012/09/13/june-25-1875-winsted-herald-sketches-of-satans-kingdom/

  17. ed meltdown says:

    WADDUP YOU FUCKIN HATERZ I SURF DEM RAPIDS LIKE ITS MAH JOB NIGGAS I OWN THE RIVER BITCH

  18. Beth says:

    Being from a town containing a street named Beelzebub has given me an appreciation for the darker side of New England. Puritans had such twisted minds, didn’t they?

  19. Cowboy says:

    I am told I may be able to take a truck 4 wheeling in this park? Is this true? I cant seem to find ANYPLACE in CT to go off road. I am from FLA. Any help? Prefer something legal, but…

  20. Mark says:

    In this article he compares the history of the embarrassing road name of
    “Satans kingdom” to all Blacks, Indians,
    and “renegade whites”. What a brain washing
    Foolish article!! So I guess Blacks and Indians are the problem

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