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CTMQ > Everything Else > Geography > Satan’s Kingdom, New Hartford

Satan’s Kingdom, New Hartford

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Satan’s Kingdom, New Hartford

Awesome.

I always take pleasure in speaking with people who drive past or hear about Satan’s Kingdom for the first time. They are flabbergasted such a place exists. And that there’s a giant sign and state recreation area named Satan’s Kingdom.

I suppose it is a bit startling and I can’t pretend it didn’t jump out at me when I first learned of it. (I should note that there are other Satan’s Kingdom in Vermont and Massachusetts, which probably only bolsters certain Americans’ thoughts about us heathen liberals in New England.)

Of course, the place name is very old and the reasons for it are – as they always are – borne not of actual Satanic activity, but rather of untillable soil (Vermont) and/or difficult navigation for white settlers back in the day (Connecticut and Massachusetts).

A somewhat funny anecdote, 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.

From the book 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 – and does a huge business tubing down the Farmington River. Across from the park’s lot, Satan’s Kingdom Road itself is horribly rutted, but there are houses on it. The Tunxis Trail walks the road and then crosses the Farmington River via route 44.

The road sign is constantly stolen for obvious reasons. I try to note its presence and security efforts every time I drive past. I imagine it’s quite a headache for the town manager to deal with this situation.

Once, in 2008, I noticed that they became sick and tired of replacing the “Satan’s Kingdom” road sign and settled on a rather hilarious solution:

Yes, I can only assume they deliberately misspelled the name of the road to dissuade thievery. The sign was stolen again within weeks.

This page gets some of the most interesting comments on this entire site. Religious nuts, racists, kids, history buffs… Everyone loves Satan’s Kingdom!

All things Satan in Connecticut

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Comments

  1. 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.

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

  5. 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?

  8. 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

  10. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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

  16. 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?

  17. 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…

  18. 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

  19. Tray, years ago there was a silver mine at the intersection of East Hill Rd.and, Rt.44,In Canton.Canton is a few miles east of Satins Kingdom.

  21. Awful that this lace is called as more beautiful
    I would not atrocinate tourism there. May be this is the whole problem
    But something more profound maybe the era when anyone was accused to be a witch was burned. It is very harmful name witn a curse past
    It is awckward that role wants to preserved ugliness and wickedness.

  22. Awful that this place is called defiant and dreadful name as more beautiful it is
    I would not patrocinate tourism there. May be this is the whole purpose isolates the state or the area. However, there is more profound historical reasons thus when anyone was accused to be a witch was burned. It is very harmful name witn a curse past with a present connotation of a sickness spirit to preserved ugliness and wickedness and to open all the pandora .ailments through the Earth.

  23. May be the area was designated just for narcissists people. Thus the name it is for Inflammatory memories of sickness spirits to preserved ugliness and wickedness and to open all the pandora .ailments through the region and the Earth.

  24. Neena – take a deep breath. Slow down. No need to post 3 unintelligible comments here.

    Please know that there is no such thing as Satan.

    You can come to New Hartford, CT. You’ll be fine, I promise.

  26. I found my way through Satan’s Kingdom almost twenty years ago. Across from the park by the river was a small roadside diner called the “Pit Stop”. As I sat at the counter, my curiosity overcame me and I asked the waitress “I have a question, but I am afraid to ask it because I am afraid someone will drop plates and the place will go silent, but why is this place called Satan’s Kingdom”. Sure enough, the cook in the back dropped a load of dishes and the place went silent. She looked at me confused and then said, “I don’t know”. This answer scared me even more. How could you work without asking. Anyway, a trucker leaned over and explained that back in the colonial days, the Albany Pike ran through there and the residents would rob and sometimes kill the travelers. It had an old reputation from days long ago. It was still pretty cool to see a giant state park sign with “Satan’s Kingdom” emblazoned in yellow letters on a brown background. True story.

  27. The story goes: In the middle of the 18 hundred. Gold was discovered in Satan Kingdom in New Hartford. At the time the railroad was being constructed in the Naugatuck River valley. The railroad workers left the railroad job to search for the gold. I was told there wasn’t much gold to be found. Does anyone have information of the gold being discovered in Satan Kingdom in the 18 hundreds.

  28. My family owned Satan’s Kingdom Farm in the 50 and 60s across the river from the park and backing up to the dam. It is now a subdivision.

  29. I’m a New Hartford resident and i can tell you all the web pages are wrong about the reason why this area is called Satan’s Kingdom and there is a reason for it. New Hartford had a not so good past at points and is trying to rewrite their history books!

    Yes the area was hard to live in and yes the area was prone to flooding (and still is), that’s why no one wanted to live there. The reason why it got the name “Satan’s Kingdom” was because the original settlers of New Hartford did not want anyone to associate with the natives that they had pushed out of their territory. Anyone whos was caught associating with the natives was shunned from the community and forced to live in harsh lands to the east of town. After several years the name Satan’s Kingdom had become associated with the area because of the people who were forced to live there.

    If you really want to find a piece of New Hartford history that’s not in the history books or even talked about, go find Puddletown rd/Farmington river trpk. There is an old bounty hunter farm from back when there was slavery, the lot has been sold a few times since then and I believe its now in the hands of MDC as the have water pipes going threw the ground there.

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