The Mimi Findlay Award for Young Preservationists is named for former Trustee and chair of Preservation Connecticut. In 2025, this award was presented to Morgan Bengel.
In 2016, Morgan Bengel came to Connecticut to pursue her master’s degree in public history at Central Connecticut State University. It was here that she quickly fell in love with New England’s history and architecture. While pursuing her degree, Morgan worked at the New Britain Museum of American Art where she helped students use art to understand concepts such as engineering and architecture.
In an internship at the State Historic Preservation Office she archived documents and learned about plans to re-open the Old New Gate Prison and Copper Mine in East Granby, which had been closed for a nine-year stabilization and Restoration project. That inspired the capstone project for her degree, a redesign of the prison’s outdoor exhibit labels. After receiving her degree, Morgan was hired in January 2018 as the Site manager at New-Gate. There, she coordinated work to prepare the site for its opening in July.
In six months’ time she oversaw Building maintenance, infrastructure improvements, and exhibit preparation. In addition, she facilitated community conversations and presentations to recruit volunteers and raise awareness of the site.
Since the opening, Morgan has initiated an evaluation of the property’s copper mine and worked with biologists from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to protect endangered bats that live in the mine—balancing the not-always compatible needs of historic site preservation, public access, and wildlife conservation. She has overseen the creation of a digital LiDAR scan to document the mine’s tunnel networks, started a geotechnical report which will monitor rock and timber movement throughout the mine, and begun the process of restoring the historic Viets Tavern, an 18th-century tavern across the road from the prison.
Working with seasonal staff, volunteers, and interns on a variety of projects, Morgan through her work has awakened visitors to the rich history of Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine and are to be admired and celebrated as a victory for our state’s cultural heritage. Her hard work and dedication demonstrate her promise as a rising professional in her field.