About
A large, rusted spherical pressure vessel set in the woods behind an old, closed down schoolhouse built to store liquefied gas or other materials under high pressure.
A "Horton Sphere" (or Hortonsphere) is a relic from Connecticut's industrial past, looking something like a vintage lunar lander from the golden age of science fiction.
The sphere sits in a fenced off lot (with some breaches in the fencing) behind the defunct Laurel Hill School along with two other crumbled structures. It stands as a local landmark that once held various substances for industrial use. Research tells of other Horace Horton spheres similar to this 37.5' giant in Milford CT and Danbury CT, however those have been swallowed up by time.
"Horton Sphere" is a trademarked name for spherical pressure vessels, invented by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company after its founder, Horace Ebenezer Horton (1843-1912).
Know Before You Go
The Horton Sphere in Norwich is landmarked by an empty old brick schoolhouse called Laurel Hill School, on the corner of Laurel Hill Ave. and Crown St. (where Garfield Ave. terminates) and is surrounded by a chain link fence. If you're not crazy about the idea of breaching the fence, the sphere can also be seen from Crown St., looking through the fence.
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Published
March 5, 2026
