Roasting Furnace Chimney 6-16-2013

While exploring the historic Mine Hill Preserve in Roxbury, Connecticut, on a clear June afternoon, I stepped directly inside the base of an abandoned 19th-century roasting furnace. Looking straight up from the dark interior toward the round chimney opening revealed an awesome, unique perspective of the surrounding woods above.

The rugged stonework of the chimney walls curves upward in a natural circular frame that draws your eyes straight toward the opening. Through the round aperture, delicate bare tree branches reach into a vibrant blue sky, highlighting the rough textures and weathered craftsmanship of the historic granite masonry against the natural daylight.