Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Connecticut Meriden Talcott Basalt Lava Pillows

Talcott Basalt Lava Pillows

Hidden behind a Target are pillows of cooled lava that formed at the bottom of a deep lake in the Mesozoic Era.

Meriden, Connecticut

Added By
John Meszaros
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Lava pillows visible in the rock cut.   Johnmeszaros / Atlas Obscura User
The rock cut behind Target.   Johnmeszaros / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Another view of the rock cut.   Johnmeszaros / Atlas Obscura User
Bubble-like lava pillows.   Johnmeszaros / Atlas Obscura User
  missingfilm / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Another view of the lava pillows.   Johnmeszaros / Atlas Obscura User
“Target is committed to preserving [the] natural habitat.”   Anna Minster / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Most people visit Target for home goods and clothing. But shoppers at this store are also treated to a glimpse of the Earth's ancient past—if they know where to look.

In the early Mesozoic Era, the Connecticut Valley of central New England was volcanically active. Flows of lava rose up through fissures in the earth, spreading in massive molten seas across the land. 

Sometimes lava erupted in the deep waters of the numerous lakes and braided rivers that filled the ancient valley. The outer skin of this lava quickly cooled upon contact with water, but molten rock would continue to bulge it out from the inside, creating bubble-like “pillows” that eventually hardened into a dark, grainy stone called basalt.

Basalt pillows can be found in many places throughout the Connecticut Valley. One of the best and most accessible places to see them is the large, long rock-cut behind the Target store in Meriden, Connecticut. 

The pillows here are distinct and well-preserved. In some places, silt and sediment from the prehistoric lakebed pushed up between them, probably churned by billows of steam caused by the lava heating the water. The upper portion of the basalt formation is smoother, with fewer pillows. It is thought that at this level the lava had displaced enough water to create a long, open tunnel through which molten rock freely flowed. 

Related Tags

Rocks Walls Geology Geological Oddities Stores

Know Before You Go

To see the basalt outcrop park in the Target parking lot and walk around to the back of the building. The pillow formations are more distinct on the southern end of the rock cut. The outcropping is a partially fenced-off conservation area, so please observe from the parking lot. Anyone desiring to get a closer look should ask permission from the Facility Operations Manager at the Target store.

Community Contributors

Added By

Johnmeszaros

Edited By

Collector of Experiences, missingfilm, Anna Minster, Calvin the Courageous

  • Collector of Experiences
  • missingfilm
  • Anna Minster
  • Calvin the Courageous

Published

August 1, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • Great Day Trips to Discover the Geology of Connect by Greg McHone
  • https://www.mindat.org/loc-123540.html
Talcott Basalt Lava Pillows
474 Chamberlain Hwy
Meriden, Connecticut, 06451
United States
41.553195, -72.815913
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Castle Craig

Meriden, Connecticut

miles away

Traffic Control Tower

Meriden, Connecticut

miles away

Snedeker House

Southington, Connecticut

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Meriden

Meriden

Connecticut

Places 3

Nearby Places

Castle Craig

Meriden, Connecticut

miles away

Traffic Control Tower

Meriden, Connecticut

miles away

Snedeker House

Southington, Connecticut

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Meriden

Meriden

Connecticut

Places 3

Related Places

  • Teufelsmauer (The Devil’s Wall).

    Blankenburg (Harz), Germany

    Teufelsmauer (The Devil's Wall)

    A strange rock formation with numerous legends trying to explain it.

  • Colorful sandstone cliff just west of the Colorock Quarry.

    Moapa Valley, Nevada

    Buffington Pockets

    The rocks exposed at Valley of Fire State Park also occur in a much less known but equally spectacular area a few miles to the southwest.

  • Fluorescent Andersonite from Utah.

    Tempe, Arizona

    Miners Rock Shop

    A family-owned store specializing in minerals, geodes, gemstones, and more.

  • Grampian, Pennsylvania

    Bilger's Rocks

    Rocky outcrops containing overhangs, caves, fissures, clefts, and alcoves that invite exploration and scrambling.

  • Mexican Hat

    Mexican Hat, Utah

    Mexican Hat

    This balancing rock is one of Utah's most unusual geological formations.

  • Mortana, Australia

    Murphy’s Haystacks

    These oddly shaped pink granite formations got their name after being mistaken for massive piles of hay.

  • Edmaier’s Secret

    Big Water, Utah

    Edmaier's Secret

    This hidden gem in Arizona is truly worth the rugged journey.

  • Mina de Mármol

    Cuatrociénegas, Mexico

    Mina de Mármol

    A former travertine mine traces the geological history of this unique desert filled with crystalline blue pools.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.