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Sprague, Connecticut

Sprague is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The town was named after William Sprague III, who laid out the industrial section. The population was 2,967 at the 2020 census. Sprague includes three villages: Baltic, Hanover, and Versailles.

History
The town of Sprague was incorporated in 1861, formed from portions of the towns of Lisbon and Franklin. A few years earlier, in 1856, former Rhode Island Governor and U.S. Senator William Sprague III of Rhode Island had laid out plans to build "the largest mill on the Western Continent" in eastern Connecticut, only to die later that year. His nephews William and Amasa Sprague constructed the Baltic Cotton Mill in what was to become the village of Baltic. The mill village of Baltic sat on the Shetucket River in the southwest corner of the town. The original mill burned down in 1877, but the Baltic Power Company continued to operate a mill on the site until 1967.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 13.8 square miles (35.8 km$2$), of which 13.2 square miles (34.2 km$2$) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km$2$), or 4.41%, is water.

Principal communities

 * Baltic (town center)
 * Hanover
 * Versailles

The town hall is located in Baltic and was constructed in the 1950s.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,971 people, 1,111 households, and 797 families living in the town. The population density was 224.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,164 housing units at an average density of 88.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 95.42% White, 0.71% African American, 0.64% Native American, 1.35% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population.

There were 1,111 households, out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $43,125, and the median income for a family was $57,500. Males had a median income of $40,808 versus $28,616 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,796. About 2.2% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 17.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
The previous industry in town was the Baltic Textile Mill, which burned down in 1999.

Ecotourism and events
Sprague is quickly becoming a destination for eco-tourism, having held their first RiverFest, a celebration of the local Shetucket River. The river and festival attract kayakers, canoe enthusiasts, tubers, and nature lovers. A companion festival, the Three Villages Festival, is held each year in October in Baltic, on the public ball field and surrounding area.

Notable people

 * Leo Connellan (1928–2001), poet laureate of Connecticut (1996-2001), lived his later years and died in town
 * Charles S. Whitman (1868–1947), judge and the 41st Governor of New York, born in town
 * Chase Going Woodhouse (1890–1984), feminist leader, suffragist, educator, U.S. Representative

On the National Register of Historic Places
A historic district and two individual buildings in Sprague are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
 * Ashlawn – 1 Potash Hill Road (added July 4, 1979)
 * Baltic Historic District – Roughly bounded by Fifth Avenue, River, High, Main, West Main, and the Shetucket River (added September 3, 1987)
 * William Park House – 330 Main Street (added March 7, 2007)

title: Sprague, Connecticut


text:
Voluntown, Connecticut

Voluntown is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 2,570 at the 2020 census. Voluntown was part of Windham County from 1726 to 1881, after which it became part of New London County.

The town was named for the English volunteers in the 1675 Indian wars (King Philip's War) who stayed to fight "and went not away". One of the original founders of Voluntown was Lieutenant Thomas Leffingwell, who secured the town's approval in the colonial legislature and surveyed its original layout. Maj. General Benedict Arnold, the infamous Revolutionary War turncoat, was a landholder.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 39.8 sqmi. 38.9 sqmi of it is land and 0.9 sqmi of it (2.14%) is covered by surface water.

Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 2,528 people, 952 households, and 702 families living in the town. The population density was 65.0 PD/sqmi. There were 1,091 housing units at an average density of 28.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.64% White, 0.55% African American, 0.99% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.40% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19%. 13.2% were of English, 12.5% French Canadian, 11.5% Irish, 9.2% American, 8.9% French, 8.0% Polish, 7.6% Italian, 7.3% German and 5.6% Finnish ancestry according to Census 2000.

Of the 952 households 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 19.0% of households were one person and 6.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.05.

The age distribution was 26.5% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.6 males.

The median household income was $56,802 and the median family income was $61,618. Males had a median income of $42,647 versus $27,368 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,707. About 3.0% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education
There is only one school in the school district. Voluntown Elementary School offers grades pre-k through 8th and has offered full-day kindergarten since the 2008–2009 school year. The school also offers a program for three-year-old children. In-town high school students are given the option of attending one of two public schools: Griswold High School or Norwich Free Academy. They are also given the choice of selecting a technical school: Norwich Tech or Ellis Tech. Students can also attend Quinebaug Middle College at Q.V.C.C. in Danielson, CT, and Marine Science Magnet High School in Groton, CT.

Institutions
Voluntown is the home of the Voluntown Peace Trust, successor to the New England Committee for Non-Violent Action, which opposed nuclear weapons testing and the launch of nuclear submarines from nearby Groton during the 1950s and 1960s.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Voluntown, Connecticut


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Waterford, Connecticut

Waterford is a town in New London County, Connecticut. It is named after Waterford, Ireland. The town is part of the Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 19,571 at the 2020 census. The town center is listed as a census-designated place (CDP) and had a population of 3,074 at the 2020 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 115.4 km2, of which 84.9 km2 is land and 30.5 km2, or 26.43%, is water. The town center CDP has a total area of 4.9 km2, all land. Waterford is bordered on the west by the Niantic River.

Principal communities

 * Waterford
 * Graniteville
 * Jordan
 * Millstone
 * Morningside Park
 * Quaker Hill (06375)
 * Bartlett Point, Best View, Thames View

Other minor communities and geographic features are Cohanzie Hill, East Neck, Fog Plain, Gilead, Goshen, Great Neck, Harrisons, Lake's Pond, Logger Hill, Mago Point, Magonk, Mullen Hill, Oswegatchie, Pepperbox Road, Pleasure Beach, Ridgewood Park, Riverside Beach, Spithead, Strand, West Neck, Waterford Village.

Founding
The first people immigrated from England in 1637 and came to the New London and Waterford area (at the time, this land was called West Farms). One of the first people who set sail for this area was John Winthrop Jr. Waterford got its name for its proximity to being in between two rivers. The residents of Waterford resided in wigwams until they dug up plots for 38 houses near the Great Neck area. Winthrop was given several hundred acres of land, including Millstone Point and Alewife Cove. Various dams, mills, and ponds were constructed in these areas. The only expansion of people in the Waterford-New London area were the growth of families and children. Later on, more people immigrated to Waterford, including Welsh, Italian, Russian, Irish, and Scottish.

Waterford separated from New London on October 8, 1801. This happened after several farmers signed a petition to separate them. The first town meeting was held in November 1801 to appoint town officials: tax collectors, town surveyors, fence viewers, and first selectman. Only the first selectman got paid at the time.

19th century
Waterford was a large agricultural town in the 19th century, having mostly sheep farms. Waterford was also widely known for its granite industry that lasted from the late 19th century to the 1930s. Graniteville is a district in Waterford that is named after this industry. The area today known as Crystal Mall was also home to granite quarries. Waterford's granite was used in many construction projects such as roads, the foundation for Fort Sumter, and the Statue of Liberty. Granite was replaced by concrete which slowly shrank the granite industry until the 1930s.

20th century
During the 20th century, sheep farms were replaced by dairy farms. Between 1920 and 1960, there were about 100 dairy farms in Waterford. In addition, there were 10 to 100 head of cattle. Waterford also obtained its town seal in 1946. It was made by Martin Branner who was a cartoonist who also made the famous comic, Winnie Winkle. After World War II, Waterford boomed with development. Many new roads and building were made. Also, Waterford's population increased by 10,000 between 1946 and the present time. In 1957, the first stop light was added in Waterford. In addition, the first retail center was built starting in 1960.

Demographics
The town consists of a wide variety of rural and city living. At the 2010 census, there were 19,517 people in 8,005 households, including 5,335 families, in the town.

The population density was 584.7 PD/sqmi. There were 7,986 housing units at an average density of 243.8 /sqmi.

The racial makeup of the town was 89.4% White, 2.5% African American, 0.5% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.3% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.7% of the population.

There were 8,005 households, 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 28.0% of households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.38, and the average family size was 2.91.

The age distribution was 22.9% under the age of 20, 3.9% from 20 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% 65 or older. The median age was 46.1 years.

The median household income was $73,156 and the median family income was $93,933. The per capita income for the town was $114,645. About 3.1% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Town center
At the 2010 census, there were 2,887 people in 1,327 households, including 732 families, in the Waterford census-designated place, comprising the town center.

The population density was 1,465.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,379 housing units at an average density of 688.6 /sqmi.

The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.8% White, 4.3% African American, 0.8% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.5% of the population.

There were 1,327 households, 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 39.0% of households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.80.

The age distribution was 19.2% under the age of 20, 5.0% from 20 to 24, 4.1% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 23.9% 65 or older. The median age was 46.7 years.

The median household income was $59,886 and the median family income was $69,543. The per capita income for the CDP was $71,509. About 4.6% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 20.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Elementary schools appeared in 1915 when Quaker Hill School was built. Earlier, a lot was set aside for Quaker Hill in 1725 while the town was split into three districts: "Neck and Nehantick quarters," "West," and the "North East." Each district would end up getting split into even more individual districts. Later on, a second schoolhouse was replaced, built in 1858. Cohanzie School was built in 1923. It replaced four schools: Gilead School, "Peter Baker" located on far northern Vauxhall Street, Lakes Pond brick building, and Cohanzie predecessor. Cohanzie was later closed in 2009 by the Town of Waterford. There has been discussions of renovating the remains of the building into a senior home.

Jordan Schoolhouse
1737 is the earliest mention of a schoolhouse in Waterford, known as the Jordan Schoolhouse, located on the Jordan Green. Farmers mainly wanted their children to be taught writing, reading, arithmetic, and religion. The Jordan School also influenced proper manners and obedience. Private lessons were of no need in Waterford, but were set up in the 19th century for those who had enough money to afford it. The Jordan School's last day of teaching was in the year 1979 with a final assembly. The Jordan School is still used but is held as a museum to the public.

Town Meeting
Waterford's local government is structured using a representative town meeting system. There are four elective districts in town, and each one sends one representative to the town meeting per every 550 electors in that area. As of 2021, districts 1, 2, and 4 have 6 representatives, and district 3 has 7, giving the Town Meeting a total of 25 elected members. In 2021, ten Democrats, 1 Unaffiliated, and fourteen Republicans were elected to the body.

As of the 2021 election results, the Representatives of the Waterford Town Meeting are:

Economy
Waterford's economic center is predominantly retail chains, including a variety of mini-malls and the Crystal Mall. There are several family-owned delicatessens and restaurants. Waterford is also home to JayPro Sports, which manufactures sports equipment for baseball, basketball, and tennis, and to Dominion's Millstone Nuclear Power Plant. The plant consists of three reactors, the first built between 1966 and 1970. While Millstone's first reactor is no longer in operation, the remaining two still provide power to a variety of towns in New England.

Top employers
Top employers in Waterford according to the town's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

Attractions

 * Mago Point, Waterford, Connecticut is an area in Waterford that is home to many marine businesses.
 * The Connecticut College Arboretum is a 750 acre arboretum and botanical garden which lies partially within Quaker Hill, a neighborhood of Waterford.
 * The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center is located in Waterford, as is the Intentional Theatre.
 * Waterford Beach
 * Harkness Memorial State Park is a recreational area that provides a picturesque view of Long Island Sound. The park features the former mansion, gardens and grounds of Edward Harkness, who bought the property in 1907. Adjacent to the Harkness Memorial State Park is Camp Harkness for the Handicapped, a summer facility for children and adults with physical and/or mental disabilities. Most of what is now Camp Harkness for the Handicapped was once a golf course.
 * The Waterford Speedbowl is a racetrack that first opened in 1951 by local businessmen and although it has changed ownership several times since, is still in operation today.
 * In 2009, Waterford was the home of the game show Deal or No Deal, which was filmed at Sonalyst Studios.
 * The Seaside Sanatorium continues to be considered prime real estate in Waterford, being a 36 acre shoreline property, located on the original parcel of 11 Magonk Pt. The property was designed by architect Cass Gilbert. The Sanatorium opened in 1934 to treat patients suffering from tuberculosis by using heliotherapy, until 1958 when patients relocated to Uncas on the Thames and it later became a Geriatric Hospital, which opened in 1959–1961. In 1961, the Sanatorium opened to treat people with Developmental Disabilities, staying open until 1996.

Police department
The Waterford Police Department has 47 officers on active duty. "The Waterford Police Department, commanded by Chief Marc Balestracci, also has a Board of Police Commissioners. The rest of the department consists of Lieutenants, Sergeants, Patrol Officers, K-9 Officers, Detectives, Traffic Officer, Evidence/Court Officer, School Resource Officers and civilian Community Service Officers."

Crime
According to 2012 statistics, the crime rate in Waterford is below average compared to most cities in the United States.

Statistics
The murder rate for Waterford is 5.1 per 100,000 with one murder occurring in 2012. 6 robberies occurred as well as 38 assaults. In 2012, 55 burglaries, 451 thefts and 9 auto thefts occurred.

Fire service
The Town of Waterford is protected by a combination volunteer and career fire service, consisting of five fire companies located throughout the town.

Ambulance service
Ambulance service for the town is provided by Waterford Ambulance. The Waterford Ambulance Service (WAS) is a non-profit ambulance service providing emergency medical care to the residents and visitors of the Town of Waterford, Connecticut and surrounding communities with emergency medical services and ambulance transportation in accordance with established Federal and State laws and regulations.

Notable people

 * Veronica Ballestrini, country music singer/songwriter
 * Billy Gardner, baseball player
 * Sara Juli, modern dancer and choreographer
 * Jan Merrill, Olympic Runner, first American woman to run the mile finals.

title: Waterford, Connecticut


text:
Andover, Connecticut

Andover is a rural town in the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, United States, roughly 10 miles east of Hartford. The population was 3,151 at the 2020 census.

History
Andover was incorporated on May 18, 1848, from Hebron and Coventry. The name is a transfer from Andover, Hampshire, England.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 15.7 sqmi, of which 15.5 sqmi is land and 0.2 sqmi  (1.53%) is water. A number of small streams and rivers flow in Andover, among which are the Hop River, Burnap Brook, Skungamaug River, and Straddle Brook. Andover Lake is located in the southeastern corner of town.

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census Andover had a population of 3,304. The racial composition of the population was 95.9% white, 1.1% black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.5% from some other race and 1.2% reporting two or more race. 1.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

At the 2000 census there were 3,036 people, 1,150 households, and 861 families living in the town. The population density was 196.4 PD/sqmi. There were 1,198 housing units at an average density of 77.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.64% White, 0.92% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.69% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.55%.

Of the 1,150 households 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% were non-families. 19.0% of households were one person and 5.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.04.

The age distribution was 27.3% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

The median household income was $92,822, and the median family income was $45,234. Males had a median income of $21,543 versus $18,167 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,273. About 2.3% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Infrastructure
Route 6 runs roughly northwest-southeast through the center of town, connecting Andover to the nearby communities of Windham and Bolton. There is also a library in Andover. Originally opened in 1896, in the Congregational Church Conference House, it was relocated in 1927 to its present location on Long Hill Road.

Points of interest

 * Andover Veterans Monument Park is located on Monument Lane in front of the Museum of Andover History. The Agent Orange Monument in memory of those who died because of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War was unveiled on June 5, 2021, at the Andover Veterans Monument Park.
 * Museum of Andover History is located in the Old Town Hall on Monument Lane. It traces the history of Andover since 1600.

Education
Andover is home to Andover Elementary School for grades K–6 while grades 7–12 go to R.H.A.M. middle and high schools.

title: Andover, Connecticut


text:
Bolton, Connecticut

Bolton is a small suburban town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,858 as of the 2020 census. Bolton was incorporated in October 1720 and is governed by town meeting, with a first selectman and board of selectman as well as other boards serving specific functions. Bolton was named after a town of the same name in England, also located near Manchester.

History

Originally part of the town of Hartford, the area was referred to as Hartford Mountains or Hanover, until incorporation in October 1720. On November 11, 1723, Jonathan Edwards was installed as the pastor of Bolton.

Bolton was known for its high quality schist stone in the 18th century, and many tombstone carvers such as Gershom Bartlett and Jonathan Loomis sourced their stone from Bolton quarries.

Bolton was removed from Hartford County when Tolland County was originally formed on October 13, 1785. The northern half of Bolton was set aside in 1808 to form the town of Vernon. Quarries played a significant role in the area's developing economy, and Bolton Notch became the location of the small community of Quarryville. Prior to the railroad, granite was taken by oxcart to the Connecticut River where it was then shipped to major cities on the East Coast.

The Bolton historical society has been actively purchasing sites throughout the town in their effort to preserve the town's history and rural character. The most recent of these purchases was Rose's Farm, a several hundred-acre site where the Comte de Rochambeau camped with his troops.

Bolton has several restrictive ordinances designed to protect high housing prices for existing homeowners and to restrict new construction. Ordinances protecting existing businesses from competition also exist, such as those limiting the types and number of businesses. There is also a requirement that all new residential lots be no smaller than one acre, further keeping house prices artificially higher than they otherwise would likely be. The town features numerous parks, open spaces and trails.

Interstate 84 was originally planned to cut through the town on its way to Providence, going through Bolton Notch and the Hop River valley. Due to environmental concerns in both Rhode Island and in the Hop River valley, the highway would be cancelled in 1983. The segment that was built beforehand in the northwestern section of town, from CT 85 to US 6/US 44 would be redesignated at Interstate 384.

Bolton today is primarily residential with an economy made up mostly of small businesses. It is part of the Greater Hartford metro and contains many suburban homes, especially in its western side.

Climate
Bolton, like much of Tolland County, straddles the humid continental climate (Dfa) and (Dfb) line.

Education
Bolton High School is a public school with about two to three hundred students. It underwent major renovations and expansion during 2011, including a new outdoor seating area for the cafeteria, a larger and more technologically advanced library, computer labs and media center, and a new science wing and larger administrative offices. Several other improvements were made including parking, bus lanes and the board of education offices being moved to the location.

The school has a student-teacher ratio of about 12:1 and a combined math and reading proficiency level of 92.5%. U.S. News & World Report ranked it #27 in Connecticut and #1030 in the United States, and it earned a Silver Award in 2012.

Bolton High is affiliated with the NCCC athletic conference.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 14.7 sqmi, of which 14.4 sqmi is land and 0.3 sqmi (1.91%) is water. This includes the Bolton Green Historic District and may include land owned or leased by the State of Connecticut and the U.S. federal government. Bolton does not have any unincorporated land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,980 people, 1,915 households, and 1,438 families residing in the town. The town's residents are primarily middle-class, with some working class and upper middle-class families/individuals and small businesses. There are also a few larger commercial entities, notably the Simoniz corporation, specializing in automotive and car wash cleaning supplies.

The population density in 2010 was 346 people per square mile (133.5/km$2$). There were 2,015 housing units in the town, of which 100, or 5.0%, were vacant. 86.7% of the occupied units are owned and 13.3% are rented.

The racial makeup of the town was 95.7% White, 1.1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.2% some other race, and 1.5% two or more races. 3.00% of the population identified as Latino or Hispanic of any race (the US Census Bureau does not consider Latino a race).

The median age in 2010 was 45.4. 49.4% of the population were male and 50.6% female.

For the period 2012–2016, the estimated median household income was $91,087, and the median family income was $118,958. About 3.2% of the population are living below the poverty line.

Notable people

 * Aloysius Ahearn, teacher and member of the Connecticut House of Representatives (1975–1977, 1979–1981)
 * Ralph Earl, artist and portrait painter; died in Bolton in 1801
 * Ron Hainsey, NHL alternate captain and defenseman for the Ottawa Senators and Stanley Cup champion
 * Simeon Olcott, US Senator from New Hampshire; born in Bolton in 1735
 * Julius L. Strong (1828–1872), U.S. Congressman
 * George G. Sumner, politician; Connecticut House of Representative for Bolton; Mayor of Hartford; Lieutenant Governor and Governor of Connecticut; a native of Bolton
 * William Williams, born in Bolton on September 6, 1815

title: Bolton, Connecticut


text:
Columbia, Connecticut

Columbia is a town in the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,272 at the 2020 census. Originally a part of Lebanon, known as the North Society or Lebanon's Crank, Columbia was incorporated in May 1804. The town was named for patriotic reasons after the national symbol "Columbia". Columbia offers pre-kindergarten through eighth grade education in town at Horace W. Porter School, while high school students have a choice of attending four nearby high schools; E. O. Smith High School, Bolton High School (Connecticut), Coventry High School, and Windham Technical High School, part of the Connecticut Technical High School System).

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.0 sqmi, of which 21.4 sqmi is land and 0.6 sqmi  (2.78%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 5,272 people and an estimated 2,161 households in the town. As of 2000, the population density was 232.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,988 housing units at an average density of 93.1 /sqmi. Most recent data shows the racial makeup of the town was 90.1% White, 1.9% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 5.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.4% of the population.

There were 1,864 households, out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.1% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.5% were non-families. Of all households 17.3% were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $70,208, and the median income for a family was $77,665. Males had a median income of $51,250 versus $37,685 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,446. About 1.8% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

On the National Register of Historic Places

 * Columbia Green Historic District

Notable people

 * Anthony Gregorc, psychologist. Currently resides in Columbia
 * Dwight Loomis (1821–1903), US Congressman and Connecticut Supreme Court judge
 * Alfred Wright (1788–1853), physician, Presbyterian missionary to Choctaw Nation, translator, educator and founder of Wheelock Seminary was born in Columbia
 * Eleazar Wheelock (1711-1779), educator, founder of Dartmouth College

title: Columbia, Connecticut


text:
Coventry, Connecticut

Coventry is a town in Tolland County and in the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,235 at the 2020 census. The birthplace of Captain Nathan Hale, Coventry is home to the Nathan Hale Homestead, which is now a museum open to the public. Coventry was incorporated in May 1712.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 38.4 sqmi of which 37.7 sqmi is land and 0.6 sqmi (1.67%) is water.

Principal communities

 * North Coventry
 * South Coventry
 * Coventry Lake

History
Coventry was named in October 1711, the first town in the colonies to be named "Coventry" for Coventry in the West Midlands, United Kingdom.

Settlement and founding
The Middle Post Road, one of the three Boston Post Roads declared in 1671 with the creation of the Colonial post, ran through Coventry. The Post Roads were meant to connect the colony of New York, formerly New Amsterdam, with the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Middle Post Road connected Hartford and Boston, Massachusetts via Coventry and Pomfret, Connecticut, and Mendon and Roxbury, Massachusetts. Chapter 1 DOT History

The first house in Coventry was said to have been built near the shore of Wangumbaug Lake by Nathaniel Rust, a Hartford, Connecticut man, originally from Northampton, Massachusetts. The entire Rust family is said to have made their final move to Coventry from Massachusetts in a group of a dozen families in 1709. Along with Nathaniel Rust, the names of some of the earliest settlers were David Lee, Thomas Root, Samuel Gurley, Ebenezer Searl, Joseph Petty, Benjamin James and Benjamin Carpenter. Four other settlers were also from Northampton and two from Reading.

The land was said to have originally been given to men from Hartford by Joshua, Indian sachem. The Connecticut General Assembly, held in Hartford in 1706, appointed William Pitkin, Joseph Tallcot, William Whiting and Richard Lord, as a committee with full power to lay out the bounds of the town and divisions of the land, to admit inhabitants. A 1711 revision added Nathaniel Rust to the committee and the task of procuring a minister of the gospel. Coventry was formally formed as a town in Hartford County in 1712. The first church was established in October 1714.

Coventry became a town in Windham County on May 12, 1726, then became a town in Tolland County when it was originally formed on October 13, 1785.

St. Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic church in Coventry. The church is part of the Diocese of Norwich, located at 1600 Main Street in town.

To the present
The old center of the town is in South Coventry, near the intersection of Main Street (Route 31) and Stonehouse Road (Route 275). In the 19th century, there was a small industrial center including mills powered by the water from Coventry Lake Brook as it flowed towards the Willimantic River. South Coventry Village, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, also includes several Victorian houses, a museum, the main branch of the public library and the Bidwell Tavern, a bar/restaurant established in 1822. The Bidwell used to keep Coventry's town records in the "vault" area behind the bar, as well as hosting town meetings. A few doors away is the W.L. Wellwood General Store, which under new ownership has been renamed "Coventry Country Store". The general store was originally built in 1787 making it the oldest General Store in America (a past owner claimed to have not found an older store). In all, the area has over 100 historical buildings on the national register.

North Coventry's settlement is less dense, and its housing and businesses are of more recent construction. In the 18th century, this section of the town was largely used for dairy and vegetable farming. As the United States expanded westward, many farming families left the rocky fields of Connecticut for the more fertile land of the Ohio River valley. Most of the farms in North Coventry were abandoned, and the land reclaimed by second-growth forest. In the 1960s and 1970s, tract housing developments were built on some of this land, mainly raised ranch or split-level houses on one acre (4,000 m2) lots. Development slowed from the mid-1970s through the 1990s, but several new developments were constructed in North Coventry after 1990. These tend to feature larger houses on two acre (8,000 m2) lots.

Places of interest

 * Wangumbaug Lake, also known as Coventry Lake, covers 373 acre. The lake is fed by springs, and has one natural outlet, known as Coventry Lake Brook. The brook flows towards South Coventry center and ultimately into the Willimantic River. Patriots Park, located on Wangumbaug Lake, contains a guarded beach, playground, picnic area, lodge facilities, Community Center, and band shell for summer concerts. It is also home of the Coventry Lake Water Ski Team, Coventry Lake Community Rowing (CLCR), Coventry High School Rowing, E.O. Smith HS Rowing, UConn Men and Women's Crew Teams and UConn Sailing Club. The boat launch is run by the State of Connecticut. Occasionally, during the winter months, the lake will freeze over and residents have the opportunity to skate or fish on the ice. A lake island, Underwood Island, is located 100 yards from the coast of the lake.
 * Nathan Hale Homestead, first established around 1740 by Deacon Richard Hale (1717–1802), the present structure has been standing since 1776 and was built to house the combined family of Deacon Hale and his second wife Abigail (Cobb) Adams. The original house, birthplace of Nathan Hale in 1755, is said to have been on the property, just southeast of the 1776 house. The original 450 acre of the Hale farm now make up a large portion of the Nathan Hale State Forest. Today the Hale family home, located on South Street, is a museum open seasonally for tours and education programs. It is also home to a Farmer's market, with food trucks and local small businesses. It is run on Sundays in the summer months of the year. nathan hale homestead
 * The Strong-Porter House Museum, c. 1730, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as the Coventry Historical Society's museum. Five rooms of the house, as well as several outbuildings, including a carpenter shop, carriage sheds, and barn are open to the public.
 * The Brick School House, second construction completed in 1825 after original burned, it is one of the four remaining district schoolhouses in Coventry and was used through 1953.
 * Caprilands Herb Farm, c. 1740 colonial farmstead, home for over 65 years to the late herbalist and author, Adelma Grenier Simmons.
 * Hytone Farm, owned and operated by the Peracchio family since the early 1940s and a fully operational dairy farm since 1960, they raise all their own Holstein cows, currently have 165 young stock and use over 350 acre of corn and grass for silage. Hytone Farm has received many Distinguished Farming awards through their years.
 * Museum of Connecticut Glass is a new museum focusing on glassmaking in the state.

On the National Register of Historic Places

 * Brigham's Tavern – 12 Boston Tpke. (added April 25, 1982)
 * Capron-Phillips House – 1129 Main St. (added May 27, 1982)
 * Captain Nathan Hale Monument – 120 Lake St. (added February 28, 2002)
 * Coventry Glass Factory Historic District – US 44 and N. River Rd. (added September 27, 1987)
 * Elias Sprague House – 2187 South St. (added December 2, 1987)
 * Loomis-Pomeroy House – 1747 Boston Tpk. (added May 26, 1994)
 * Nathan Hale Homestead – 229 South St. (added November 22, 1970)
 * Parker-Hutchinson Farm – Parker Bridge Rd. (added May 29, 1982)
 * South Coventry Historic District – Roughly, Main St. and adjacent streets from Armstrong Rd. to Lake St. and Lake from High St. to Main (added June 6, 1991)
 * Strong-Porter House – 2382 South St. (added February 15, 1988)

Annual events
Memorial Day-Memorial Day Parade – Capt. Nathan Hale is recognized along with members of the Armed Forces
 * CoventryFest – with fireworks, food and live music. Held in early July at Patriot's Park on the lake.
 * June 6 – Captain Hale's Birthday Party – held at the Hale Homestead
 * July – Colonial Encampment and Muster – July—held by the Nathan Hale Ancient Fife & Drums at the Hale Homestead.
 * December – "Old-Fashioned Christmas in Coventry". Main Street first Saturday in December.

Demographics
At the 2010 census, there were 12,435 people, 4,783 households and 3,426 families residing in the town. The population density was 330.0 PD/sqmi. There were 4,783 occupied housing units. 316 vacant housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 94.00% White, 0.90% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.60% of the population.

There were 4,783 households which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.01.

23.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 12.1% from 15 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 33.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.5 years. 50.6% of the population were male and 49.4% were female. 38.4% of the males were over the age of 18. 38.2% of the females were over the age of 18. For every 100 females, there were 102.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.

The median household income was $86,244, and the median family income was $91,931. Males had a median income of $65,572 versus $53,690 for females. The per capita income for the town was $34,524 About 2.4% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 1.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

 * Coventry Grammar School, K – Grade 2
 * G. H. Robertson Intermediate School, Grade 3 – Grade 5
 * Capt. Nathan Hale Middle School, Grade 6 – Grade 8
 * Coventry High School, Grade 9 – Grade 12
 * Coventry Academy, Grade 8 - 12

Notable people

 * George N. Barnard (1819–1902), photographer who joined Mathew Brady in recording the American Civil War
 * Lorenzo Dow (1777–1834), figure in the Second Great Awakening
 * Austin Cornelius Dunham, businessman
 * Elisha W. Edgerton (1815–1904), businessman and member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
 * Nathan Hale (1755–1776), captain in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and official State Hero of Connecticut, was born in town. Empty grave in Nathan Hale Cemetery
 * David Hayes (1931–2013), artist, American Modern Master of painted steel sculptures
 * Benoni Irwin (1840–1896), American portrait painter and summer resident; drowned in Coventry Lake
 * Jesse Root (1736–1822), resident who served in the Continental Congress representing Connecticut from 1778 until 1782 and sat as chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court from 1796 to 1807
 * Adelma Grenier Simmons (1903–1997), author and one of the leading herbal figures in America in the 20th century
 * Allan Sherman (1924–1973), hunter, fisherman, antique home renovator; author of outdoor novellas "Walk Like A Squirrel" and "Wrestling The New England Wild Turkey"
 * Mark Putnam, the first FBI agent to be convicted of murder, in the Susan Smith murder case.

Sister cities

 * Coventry, New York
 * Coventry, Rhode Island
 * Coventry, Vermont

Twin town
Coventry is twinned with Coventry in the United Kingdom.

Climate
This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Coventry has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

title: Coventry, Connecticut


text:
Coventry Lake, Connecticut

Coventry Lake is a village and census-designated place in the town of Coventry in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,990 at the 2010 census. The CDP includes the residential areas around Wangumbaug Lake.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 9.1 km$2$ (3.5 mi2), of which 7.6 km$2$ (2.9 mi2)  is land and 1.5 km$2$ (0.6 mi2)  (16.76%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,914 people, 1,125 households, and 774 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 384.0/km$2$ (994.1/mi2). There were 1,272 housing units at an average density of 167.6/km$2$ (433.9/mi2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.64% White, 0.58% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.65% of the population.

There were 1,125 households, out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 34.1% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $54,233, and the median income for a family was $71,771. Males had a median income of $45,938 versus $36,204 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,968. About 3.4% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

title: Coventry Lake, Connecticut


text:
Crystal Lake, Connecticut

Crystal Lake is a village, census-designated place, and part of the town of Ellington, in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,945 at the 2010 census. The CDP includes an eponymous lake.

Geography
The CDP is home to Crystal Lake, a 187 acre lake that straddles the border between Ellington and Stafford. Most of the lake shore is occupied by private residences, but there is a small public beach called Sandy Beach on the southern side of the lake. The lake has an average depth of 20 ft, a maximum depth of 50 ft and an elevation of 637 ft.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 20.9 km$2$ (8.1 mi2), of which 20.2 km$2$ (7.8 mi2)  is land and 0.7 km$2$ (0.3 mi2)  (3.35%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,459 people, 552 households, and 421 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 72.2/km$2$ (187.1/mi2). There were 634 housing units at an average density of 31.4/km$2$ (81.3/mi2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.67% White, 0.41% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.03% of the population.

There were 552 households, out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $61,897, and the median income for a family was $69,375. Males had a median income of $46,393 versus $36,944 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,645. About 5.6% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

title: Crystal Lake, Connecticut


text:
Ellington, Connecticut

Ellington is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. Ellington was incorporated in May 1786, from East Windsor. The town is part of the Capitol Planning Region. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 16,426.

History
Originally the area in what is now Ellington was named by the natives as “Weexskashuck” which translates to “Great Marsh”. The earliest settlers called the area Great Marsh or Goshen. In 1671, the town of Windsor, purchased the land of East Windsor and Ellington from the Native Americans to recover land loss from the Connecticut-Massachusetts border dispute. Though no one attempted to settle the fertile lands for another 50 years. Samuel Pinney was the first settler in today's Ellington (Pinney Road bears his name in town). In 1733, Ellington was established as a Parish of the town of Windsor. East Windsor then split off from Windsor and held land in what is today's East Windsor, South Windsor and Ellington in May 1768. Ellington split off twenty years later and incorporated itself in May 1786. Mostly known as an agricultural community, the Crystal Lake section of town was for a while a popular summer resort location. Ellington still has a significant amount of property dedicated to agriculture including cattle and corn farming.

Ellington's sole representative to the voting on the adoption of the United States Constitution by Connecticut was Ebenezer Nash. Nash was an anti-federalist and voted against the ratification, which passed 128–40.

Ellington is home to one of America's oldest roadside memorials, remembering a boy killed in a road accident. A stone in the southwest corner of the town marks the site where Samuel Knight was killed "by a cartwheel rolling over his head in the 10th year of his age, Nov 8, 1812". The Christian hymn, "I love to steal awhile away" was written by Phoebe Hinsdale Brown in Ellington based on a personal experience in August 1818.

During the late 19th century and early 20th century, Ellington became the center of a community of Jewish immigrant farmers who were settled there by the philanthropist Baron Maurice de Hirsch's Jewish Colonization Association. They built a synagogue, Congregation Knesseth Israel, that is still standing and in use by an active Modern Orthodox congregation today and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

On January 1, 1967, Ellington made national news when its residents assisted the city fire department in rescuing a pilot whose plane was having engine trouble and was unable to locate a runway in a fog that cut visibility to 200 feet. Under the direction and quick thinking of Resident State Trooper, Lionel Labreche, Connecticut State Police, dozens of people assembled at the town's unlit airstrip, Hyde Field, and illuminated the runway with their headlights, allowing the pilot to land safely.

In 1991, Ellington was proposed as a potential site for a low-level nuclear waste dump. Strong dissent from area residents forced the state to abandon the plan.

As it enters the 21st century, Ellington has had the 6th fastest growth rate of all the towns in Connecticut, and has been experiencing changes in growing from a rural farming town into a suburban community. Exemplative of this change was the displacement of the locally owned Ellington Supermarket by competition from the regional Big Y supermarket chain when a new Big Y was built adjacent to the older supermarket. An independent film entitled The Supermarket, was made about the incident.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.6 sqmi, of which 34.0 sqmi is land and 0.6 sqmi  (1.59%) is water.

Ellington is bordered by the towns of East Windsor, South Windsor, Vernon, Tolland, Willington, Stafford, Somers, and Enfield.

The town has a panhandle extending to the east that extends to the Willimantic River and encompasses Crystal Lake. A large portion of the town's eastern portion is occupied by the Shenipsit State Forest which is bounded on the south by Shenipsit Lake and on the north by Soapstone Mountain.

Neighborhoods

 * Crystal Lake
 * Ellington Center
 * Sadd's Mill
 * Highland Ave
 * Windermere
 * Woodside Acres
 * Mosley Plains
 * Gasek Farms
 * Crystal Ridge

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,921 people, 5,195 households, and 3,470 families residing in the town. Ellington's population increased 20.8% between 2000 and 2010, making one of just four municipalities in Connecticut to achieve a growth rate of at least 20% for that period. The population density was 379.4 PD/sqmi. There were 5,417 housing units at an average density of 159.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.23% White, 0.99% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.29% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.40% of the population.

There were 5,195 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $62,405, and the median income for a family was $77,813. Males had a median income of $47,334 versus $32,460 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,766. About 2.7% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Ellington is a rapidly growing community, and is going through the process of suburbanization, which is related to the phenomenon of urban sprawl.

Top employers in Ellington according to the town's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

Education
Ellington Public Schools belong to the Ellington Public Schools school district. The district has five public schools:

Elementary schools

 * Center School (K–6)
 * Crystal Lake School (K–6)
 * Windermere School (K–6)

Middle school

 * Ellington Middle School, formerly Longview Middle School (7–8)

High school

 * Ellington High School

Roads
Though no Interstate Highways pass through Ellington it is approximately equidistant from both Interstate 84 and Interstate 91, each being approximately a ten- to fifteen-minute drive from most parts of town.

Several Connecticut State Roads run through town:
 * Connecticut Route 30 – (Stafford Rd.) The north–south arterial in the Crystal Lake section of town.
 * Connecticut Route 32 - (River Rd.) Passes north-south through the very eastern edge of town, connects Willington to Stafford. No direct connections to the rest of town (Though CT 140 in Stafford Springs intersects with it)
 * Connecticut Route 83 – (West Rd. & Somers Rd.) The main north–south arterial running through the middle of the town.
 * Connecticut Route 74 – (Wapping Wood Rd. & Windsorville Rd.) On the Southern edge of town, a major road in Ellington's Five corners.
 * Connecticut Route 140 – (Sadds Mill Rd., Maple St., Crystal Lake Rd., & Sandy Beach Rd.) The town's main East/West arterial, running the complete width of town.
 * Connecticut Route 286 – (Pinney St. & Main St.) An arterial running North from Five Corners to the center of town where it turns East and becomes Ellington's Main St.

Rail
Ellington was formerly served by a seven-mile-long rail line built in 1876 running from Vernon to Melrose, that roughly paralleled Pinney St. and Sadds Mill Rd. The rail line became defunct in the middle part of the 20th century. The New England Central Railroad (following the Willimantic River) also briefly clips through the very eastern edge of Ellington, though has no stops.

Airports

 * Ellington Airport – A General aviation airport located adjacent to the town's Industrial park on Route 83. In addition to private aviation, a Flight training school and a helicopter school operate there. Parachuting is a common weekend activity from the airport.
 * Skylark Airpark – A General aviation airport located in the neighboring town of East Windsor.
 * Bradley International Airport – Connecticut's main commercial airport, is located approximately ten miles West of town in Windsor Locks.

Water
Crystal Lake, in the eastern section of town, is used by many for boating.

Notable people

 * John H. Brockway (1801–1870), U.S. Representative
 * Henry Billings Brown (1836–1913), US Supreme Court justice
 * Orlow W. Chapman (1832–1890), politician; Solicitor General of the United States
 * Stephen Jenks (1772–1856), composer of music
 * Mike Massaro, NASCAR on NBC pit reporter and journalist
 * Mike McGuirl (born 1998) - player for Hapoel Haifa in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
 * Frank Mozzicato (born 2003), 7th overall pick of the 2021 MLB draft, signing with the Kansas City Royals
 * Steve Park (born 1967), winner in the NASCAR Cup Series on multiple occasions
 * Henry Weston Smith (1827–1876), Methodist preacher
 * Mike Vranos (born 1961), founder of the hedge fund Ellington Management Company

title: Ellington, Connecticut


text:
Hebron, Connecticut

Hebron is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Capitol Planning Region. The population was 9,098 at the 2020 census. Hebron was incorporated May 26, 1708. In 2010, Hebron was rated #6 in Top Towns in Connecticut with population between 6,500 and 10,000, according to Connecticut Magazine.

The villages of Hebron Center, Gilead and Amston, are located within Hebron. Amston has its own ZIP Code and post office. The remnants of two long since abandoned communities, Grayville and Gay City, are also located in Hebron. The site of the latter is now Gay City State Park.

History
The town of Hebron was settled in 1704, and incorporated on May 26, 1708, within Hartford County from Non-County Area 1 of the Connecticut Colony. The diamond shape of the town seal has its origins in the diamond figure brand, $$\stackrel{\bigwedge}{\vee}$$, required on all horses kept in Hebron by a May 1710 act of the Colonial Assembly.

Hebron became a town in Windham County upon its formation on May 12, 1726. It became a town in Tolland County upon its formation from part of Windham County on October 13, 1785. On October 13, 1803, the town of Marlborough, Hartford County was created from parts of the towns of Colchester (New London County), Glastonbury (Hartford County), and Hebron.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.3 sqmi, of which 36.9 sqmi is land and 0.4 sqmi  (0.97%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,610 people, 2,993 households, and 2,466 families residing in the town. The population density was 233.3 PD/sqmi. There were 3,110 housing units at an average density of 84.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.69% White, 0.58% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.

There were 2,993 households, out of which 45.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.4% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.6% were non-families. 13.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $115,980. Males had a median income of $62,109 versus $52,237 for females. The per capita income for the town was $39,775. About 0.3% of families and 1.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Annual cultural events
A major commercial attraction is the annual Hebron Harvest Fair, which features bingo, fried foods, rides, prizes, arts & crafts, pig races, tractor pulls, prizes for the best pies and the biggest pumpkins. The event occurs every September. This event is not only for the people of Hebron, but also for many tourists visiting the town.

Parks and recreation
Hebron's most popular year-round recreation area is Gay City State Park, Connecticut's fourth-largest state park. There is a 5-mile perimeter trail and an extensive network of cross trails that run throughout the park. All are suitable for woodland hiking and trail biking. Gay City also has a pond in which swimming is available in season, fishing, picnic areas, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

In addition, Hebron has several town parks and ballfields, and the Town Recreation Department has organized sports and other activities throughout the year. The rails-to-trails Airline Trail State Park goes through Hebron, with several access points for walkers, bikers and horseback riders.

Education
The town hosts the regional middle and high school RHAM High School for two adjacent towns, Marlborough and Andover.

Notable people

 * Charles S. Hempstead (1794-1874), served as the first mayor of the city of Galena, Illinois, from 1841-1845.
 * Frank Aresti (born 1967), guitarist, Fates Warning
 * Christopher Larkin (born 1987), actor, singer-songwriter
 * Tom MacArthur (born 1960), congressman
 * Samuel Morey (1762–1843), inventor
 * William A. Palmer (1781–1860), US Senator and Governor of Vermont
 * John Samuel Peters (1772–1858), 26th Governor of Connecticut
 * A.J. Pollock (born 1987), outfielder for the Seattle Mariners
 * Benjamin Trumbull (1735–1820), historian and preacher

title: Hebron, Connecticut


text:
Mansfield, Connecticut

Mansfield is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Capitol Planning Region. The population was 25,892 at the 2020 census.

Pequot and Mohegan people lived in this region for centuries before the arrival of English settler-immigrants in the late 17th century. By 1692, English settlers put down roots in the area that is now Mansfield Center.

Mansfield was incorporated in October 1702, separating from the Town of Windham, in Hartford County. The community was named after Major Moses Mansfield, a part-owner of the town site. When Windham County was formed on May 12, 1726, Mansfield then became part of that county. A century later, at a town meeting on April 3, 1826, selectmen voted to ask the General Assembly to annex Mansfield to Tolland County. That occurred the following year.

The town of Mansfield contains the community of Storrs, which is home to the main campus of the University of Connecticut and the associated Connecticut Repertory Theatre. Villages within the town include Gurleyville and Mansfield Center, Mansfield Hollow, and Atwoodville.

History
English settler-immigrants arrived in the area that is now Mansfield in the late 17th century. The Town of Mansfield was legally incorporated in 1702, and the Storrs family history dates back to that time. Samuel Storrs migrated from Nottinghamshire, England to Massachusetts in 1663, then moving to the area in 1698.

The first silk mill in the United States was constructed in Mansfield and financed by Pilgrim descendant William Fisk. The town, along with neighboring Willimantic, played an important role in the manufacture of thread and other textiles. Though nothing but the foundation remains of the mill, Mansfield has held onto several other historic landmarks. A fully intact gristmill, dating to 1835, the Gurleyville Gristmill is the only one of its kind in Connecticut. Built on the Fenton River, this stone grist mill remains intact with the original equipment. There are tours available May through October. The adjacent miller's house is the birthplace of former Connecticut governor Wilbur L. Cross, (1931 to 1939).More recent yet rare nonetheless, the Mansfield Drive-in, a drive-in movie theater, and Lucky Strike Lanes, a duckpin bowling alley, are among the last of their breed in the nation, with only 41 congress-certified alleys currently (2016), down from 450 in 1963.

The Mansfield Training School and Hospital, situated on more than 1000 acre and encompassing 85 buildings, was operated by the Connecticut Department of Mental Retardation until its closure, after legal challenges, in 1993. Four years later, the former director and a once staunch advocate of the school declared, "The Mansfield Training School is closed: the swamp has finally been drained." Since then, the site has been allowed to deteriorate, though the University of Connecticut has been slowly finding uses for and fixing up many of the buildings. The school, with its eerie overturned wheelchairs and neo-classical hospital, remains a magnet for adventurous locals, the police, and amateur photographers.

Located directly across U.S. Route 44 from the Mansfield Training School is the Donald T. Bergin Correctional Institution, which closed in August 2011. The Level 2 facility housed approximately 1,000 inmates. It served as a pre-release center for inmates who were approaching the end of their sentence or a period of supervised community placement.

Development has increased in recent years, leading to the imposition of a temporary moratorium on new subdivisions, as well as additional land acquisition. Mansfield enjoys a moderate amount of protected open space, notably Mansfield Hollow State Park, eight town parks and preserves, and numerous Joshua's Trust properties, in addition to university holdings. Three large farms operate within Mansfield, including Mountain Dairy, which has been producing and processing milk under the stewardship of one family since 1871. In contrast to many municipalities, Mansfield is actively pursuing a program of smart growth through the construction of a livable downtown.

On the Northeastern edge of town (Mount Hope Village), the playwright, actor and producer Willard Mack owned a large estate (originally built by William Fisk). Mack permitted his other various friends and associates to board and breed their thoroughbreds on his property. One of these, boxing legend Jack Dempsey, made continual use of these facilities until Mack's death in the mid-1930s. During Mack's stewardship of this property, the famous Arabian Stallion "Broomstick", sire of numerous Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown winning thoroughbreds, was also a temporary resident. The property has since been purchased and maintained by private owners.

Infrastructure
U.S. Route 6 passes through the southern part of Mansfield as an isolated stretch of divided highway, part of the planned but never realized interstate between Hartford, Connecticut and Providence, Rhode Island. Construction began midway between Hartford and Providence, far removed from population centers. When opposition arose and complications developed, the project was shelved, with only stranded parts of the highway completed.

Free community wireless Internet access is available at the Mansfield Community Center, the Mansfield Town Hall, the Mansfield Senior Center, and the Mansfield Public Library.

On the National Register of Historic Places

 * Farwell Barn, Horsebarn Hill Rd.
 * Gurleyville Historic District, on Gurleyville and Chaffeeville Rds.
 * Mansfield Center Cemetery, jct. of Storrs and Cemetery Rds.
 * Mansfield Center Historic District, Storrs Rd.
 * Mansfield Hollow Historic District, 86-127 Mansfield Hollow Rd.
 * Mansfield Training School and Hospital, jct. of Route 32 & U.S. Route 44
 * University of Connecticut Historic District-Connecticut Agricultural School, roughly Route 195/Storrs Rd. at North Eagleville Rd.

Notable people

 * Charlie Jane Anders (born 1969), science fiction author and commentator; born in Mansfield
 * Elijah Porter Barrows (1807–1888), clergyman and writer; born in Mansfield
 * William Bonin (1947–1996), serial killer and rapist; lived in Mansfield
 * Wilbur Lucius Cross (1862–1948), well-known literary critic and Governor of Connecticut from 1931 to 1939; born in Mansfield
 * Charles Davis (1789–1863), Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court; born in Mansfield
 * Dorothy Goodwin (1914–2007), Connecticut state representative and advocate for public education; lived in Mansfield
 * Benjamin Hanks (1755–1824), goldsmith, instrument maker, and first maker of bronze cannons and church bells in America; born in Mansfield
 * Rivers Cuomo (1970–present), lead guitarist, lead singer, and frontman of rock band Weezer; lived in Mansfield
 * George S. Moulton (1829–1882), businessman, Connecticut State Representative and State Senator; born in Mansfield
 * Charles Emory Smith (1842–1908), Postmaster General, US Ambassador to Russia and newspaper editor; born in Mansfield
 * Peter Tork (1942–2019), actor and musician, best known as a member of The Monkees; lived and died in Mansfield
 * Annie E. Vinton (1869–1961), postmistress and politician; lived most of her life in the Eagleville district of Mansfield
 * Henry Kirke White Welch (1821-1870), lawyer and politician
 * Lyle Yorks (born 1970), retired midfielder in soccer; born in Mansfield

In the media
For the most part, Mansfield is a safe place. In 2005, Slate named Storrs "America's Best Place to Avoid Death Due to Natural Disaster."

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 45.5 square miles (117.8 km$2$), of which, 44.5 square miles (115.2 km$2$) of it is land and 1.0 square miles (2.7 km$2$) of it (2.26%) is water. Mansfield Hollow Lake rests on the border between Mansfield and Willimantic. Mansfield is sometimes considered a part of Connecticut's Quiet Corner, a colloquial designation for the more rural, northeastern part of the state.

Settlements

 * Atwoodville
 * Bassettsville
 * Celeron Square
 * Conantville
 * Dunhamtown
 * Eagleville
 * Four Corners
 * Freedom Green
 * Gurleyville
 * Holinko-Hunting Lodge
 * Industrial Tract
 * Mansfield Center
 * Mansfield Depot
 * Mansfield Hollow
 * Merrow
 * Mount Hope
 * Perkins Corner
 * Spring Hill
 * Storrs
 * Wormwood Hill

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,720 people, 5,291 households, and 3,121 families residing in the town. Mansfield's population increased 27.5% between 2000 and 2010, making it the second fastest-growing municipality in Connecticut for that period after Oxford. The population density was 466.0 PD/sqmi. There were 5,481 housing units at an average density of 123.3 /sqmi. The ethnic makeup of the town was 83.91% White, 4.87% African American, 0.20% Native American, 7.15% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.88% from other races, and 1.94% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.31% of the population.

There were 5,291 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92.

The age distribution, heavily influenced by UConn, is 13.3% under 18, 44.8% from 18 to 24, 18.9% from 25 to 44, 14.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $48,888, and the median income for a family was $69,661. Males had a median income of $42,154 versus $32,292 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,094. About 4.7% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Elementary and middle school-aged residents attend schools in the Mansfield School District.

All of Mansfield's middle-schoolers attend to Mansfield Middle School, the 2007–2008 Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) School of the Year, and the recently built Mansfield Elementary School.

Both Annie E. Vinton School and Dorothy C. Goodwin school have been rebranded to be separate campuses of Mansfield Elementary School. As of now, they are being used for storage. Southeast Elementary School has been replaced with Mansfield Elementary School.

High school-aged residents attend E.O. Smith High School of the Regional School District 19.

Top employers
Top employers in Mansfield according to the town's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

title: Mansfield, Connecticut


text:
Mansfield Center, Connecticut

Mansfield Center is a village within the town of Mansfield in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The village is the basis of a census-designated place (CDP) of the same name with a population of 947 at the 2010 census. The CDP includes the original settlement of Mansfield, Mansfield Center or Mansfield Village, as well as the village of Mansfield Hollow. Mansfield Hollow State Park is also located within the boundaries of the CDP.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 973 people, 373 households, and 239 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 123.2 /km2. There were 382 housing units at an average density of 48.4 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.19% White, 1.23% African American, 0.21% Native American, 4.01% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 1.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population.

There were 373 households, out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 18.8% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 23.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $53,125, and the median income for a family was $76,194. Males had a median income of $40,625 versus $29,886 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,401. About 2.9% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Historic features
Mansfield Center Cemetery, which contains many 18th-century gravestones, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a fine example of the rich artistic tradition of funerary stone carving in colonial New England.

Historic buildings in Mansfield Center include the Barrows and Burnham Store, a general store built in 1886.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.8 km2, of which 7.9 km2 is land and 0.9 km2  (10.56%) is water.

Notable people

 * Peter Tork, musician and actor with The Monkees
 * Theodore Stowell, early president of Bryant University

title: Mansfield Center, Connecticut


text:
Rockville, Connecticut

Rockville is a census-designated place and a village of the town of Vernon in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The village is part of the Capitol Planning Region. The population was 7,920 at the 2020 census. Incorporated as a city in 1889, it has been consolidated with the town of Vernon since 1965.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.881 sqmi, of which 1.826 sqmi is land and 0.055 sqmi (2.9%) is water.

Early settlement
In 1726, Samuel Grant traded his farm in Bolton for 500 acre in the northern part of Bolton. This included the area which is now known as "Rockville" and for about the next century it was a nameless village. A prominent feature of the area is the Shenipsit Lake, or "The Snip" as it is currently affectionately called by the residents. The Snip feeds the Hockanum River which cascades 254 feet over 1.5 mi. The river was used by the farmers for a grist mill, a saw mill, an oil mill and even a distillery starting c. 1740.

Rock Mill
In 1821, Colonel Francis McLean built the first textile mill in what is now Rockville in partnership with George and Allyn Kellogg and Ralph Talcott, next to a spot known as "the Rock" with capital of $16,000. Francis McLean had partnered previously with some others in the Warburton Mill in Talcottville. "The Rock" was a natural dam of solid stone that made a high falls on the Hockanum River. In what is now the center of Rockville, he dammed up the Hockanum River and built a water-powered mill known as the "Rock Mill", which was possibly also known as the McLean Woolen Factory. By 1823 his mill was in full operation. The new mill was 80 by 30 feet, and its product was blue and blue-mix satinet. In 1826 power looms were introduced.

The mill attracted people to this area and by 1836 the population grew to 440 consisting of 61 families including 89 children under the age of 10.

Name
Mail service was brought once a day by stagecoach from Vernon Center, which was the post office and place for voting for the town. In 1837, according to old records, "an amateurish notice was posted on the Rock Mill announcing a public meeting in the lecture room of the village to decide in a democratic way the most suitable name for the vicinity". In order to have their own post office the town needed a permanent name.

Simon Chapman, who ran a boarding house for mill workers, submitted the name "Rockville" as common expression understood by the surrounding areas was "Going to the Rock". Thus, Rockville became the official name. It was not until 1842, however, that Rockville actually acquired its own post office.
 * The following were some of the recommendations for naming the town.
 * Frankfort – in honor of Francis Mclean builder of the "Rock Mill"
 * Vernon Falls
 * Grantville – in honor of Samuel Grant the first settler
 * Hillborough – because the terrain is so hilly

Rockville Historic District
Most of Rockville has been designated as part of the Rockville Historic District. The district is roughly bounded by Shenipsit Street, Davis Avenue, West Street and South Street was added in 1984 to the National Register of Historic Places. The district includes 842 buildings and one other structure. It includes examples of Greek Revival, Late Victorian, and Classical Revival architecture. The historic district includes 842 buildings and one other structure over 550 acre.

The Kellogg House had been used by the State Department of Children and Families to house troubled youth under a contract with Community Solutions, Inc. This arrangement ended on May 2, 2006 after a long history of documented mismanagement by both agencies. The facility is now used for adult transitional housing.

Elm Street, Park Street, and one block of Prospect Street surround a small town park named Talcott Park. The houses represent a variety of Victorian architectural styles ranging from early nineteenth century Greek Revival through the Gothic Revival and Italianate styles down to the Victorian eclecticism of the 1880s and 1890s. The mill owners usually built their houses in the downtown area.

The surviving buildings grouped around Central Park are a continuing reminder of the wealth brought by the woolen industry and the town's aspirations to be a leading city in the state during the 19th century.

On or about November 1, 2007, the light fixtures that sat beside the library steps were stolen. Both fixtures were made of copper shaped into globes. They weighed over one hundred pounds each and were installed as part of the original construction.

Buildings of architectural or historic interest in Rockville include:
 * St. Bernard Church
 * Memorial Building housing currently the New England Civil War Museum and the Grand Army of the Republic Hall as well as the town offices for Vernon.
 * Old Rockville High School and East School
 * (#10 and #12) Ellington Ave.
 * Francis T. Maxwell House also known as Maxwell Court
 * Rockville National Bank
 * Union Congregational Church
 * Citizen's Block
 * Rockville Methodist Episcopal Church
 * Memorial Building
 * Fitch Block
 * George Maxwell Memorial Library
 * Kellogg House
 * Turn Halle
 * Erhardt Linck's Hall
 * 70 Village Street
 * George Sykes House (first)
 * Hockanum Mill
 * Saxony Mill
 * Springville Mill
 * Florence Mill
 * Henry Huhnken's Saloon
 * New England Yard
 * Castle Sunset
 * The Tower on Fox Hill
 * Baptist Church, since destroyed to make room for a bigger parking lot for Rockville General Hospital.
 * Maple Street School

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 7,474 people, 3,292 households, and 1,681 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,419.9 PD/sqmi. There were 3,682 housing units at an average density of 1,947.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 76.0% White (70.8% non-Hispanic white), 11.7% African American, 0.4% Native American, 3.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.5% from other races, and 4.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.2% of the population.

There were 3,292 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.6% were married couples living together, 19.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.9% were non-families. 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 20, 17.8% from 20 to 29, 19.8% from 30 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $40,451, and the median income for a family was $40,714. Males working year-round and full-time had a median income of $48,159 versus $37,865 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $23,079. About 24.5% of families and 22.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.1% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Jahine Arnold (born 1973), NFL wide receiver
 * Stephen Farrell (1863–1933), world champion sprinter and track coach
 * Stephanie A. Gallagher (born 1972), United States District Judge
 * Alice Belle Garrigus (1858–1949), Evangelist & Founder-Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland & Labrador, Born in Rockville
 * William Churchill Hammond (1860–1949), organist and music educator, born in Rockville.
 * Edward Stevens Henry (1836–1921), U.S. Congressman
 * Morgan Lewis (1906–1968), songwriter and Broadway theatre composer
 * Dwight Loomis (1821–1903), U.S. Congressman
 * Dwight Marcy (1840–1887), Connecticut State Representative
 * Mary Mattingly (born 1979), visual artist
 * Ralph Murphy (1895–1967), film director
 * Stuart J. Murphy (born 1942), children's book author
 * Kenneth North (1930–2010), U.S. Air Force brigadier general
 * Bob Pease (1940–2011), analog integrated circuit design expert and technical author
 * Charles Phelps (1852–1940), lawyer, state legislator, and Connecticut's first attorney general
 * Gene Pitney (1940–2006), internationally known singer/songwriter, member of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, born in Hartford, raised in Rockville
 * Charles Ethan Porter (1847–1923), artist
 * Bill Romanowski (1966–present), NFL linebacker, born in Vernon, graduated from Rockville High School in 1984
 * Antoni Sadlak (1908–1969), U.S. Congressman

title: Rockville, Connecticut


text:
Somers, Connecticut

Somers is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Capitol Planning Region. The population was 10,255 at the 2020 census. The town center is listed by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP). In 2007, Money Magazine listed Somers 53rd on its "100 Best Places to Live", based on "economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, things to do and a real sense of community."

Bordering Massachusetts, Somers is considered part of the city of Springfield NECTA. Somers is 13 mi southeast of Springfield and considered more oriented toward it than the city of Hartford, which lies 22 mi to the southwest.

History
Somers was originally part of the Agawam Plantation in the 17th century. Agawam Plantation became Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1641 and in 1682, the Enfield Parish broke off from the Springfield settlement. In 1689, the first settler, Benjamin Jones, came to Somers in what was then East Enfield about a half mile from the current town center, it was only a summer house and in the winter, he and his family returned to Enfield. In 1711, several more families settled the Somers area to help start a village. The families of Kibbe, Pease, Root, and Megregory were the first to settle the area. The Village was given the name Wallop but was changed to East Enfield shortly after. In the year 1734, East Enfield became a town and was renamed Somers, after John Somers, 1st Baron Somers. In the year 1749, Somers joined the Connecticut Colony.

The Four Town Fair, which is usually held after the third weekend in September, is one of the oldest fairs in the country.

Little Sorrel, the favorite horse of Confederate general Stonewall Jackson, was born at a farm in Somers.

Geography
Somers is at 41.98333°N, -72.45°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.5 sqmi, of which 28.3 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi (0.49%) is water. The town center CDP has a total area of 2.1 sqmi, all land.

The town's highest point, Bald Mountain, at 1121 ft is the highest point along the Connecticut River Valley in Connecticut. The rounded hill summit was recently purchased by the town and can be seen for many miles around.

Neighborhoods

 * Somers Center, location of Somers Historic District
 * Somersville
 * North Somers
 * Hall Hill
 * Gulf Road
 * Billings Rd
 * Woodcrest Village
 * Osborn Place

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,417 people, 2,925 households, and 2,337 families living in the town. The population density was 367.6 PD/sqmi. There were 3,012 housing units at an average density of 106.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 82.97% White, 9.82% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.00% from other races, and 1.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.10% of the population.

There were 2,925 households, out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 154.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 171.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $65,273, and the median income for a family was $71,757. Males had a median income of $49,766 versus $35,329 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,952. About 3.7% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Town center
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,626 people, 628 households, and 457 families living in the town center CDP. The population density was 777.3 PD/sqmi. There were 645 housing units at an average density of 308.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.15% White, 0.18% African American, 0.55% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.05% of the population.

There were 628 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $54,625, and the median income for a family was $64,107. Males had a median income of $45,893 versus $31,736 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,874. About 4.0% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure
Two Connecticut Department of Corrections prisons, Northern Correctional Institution and Osborn Correctional Institution, are in Somers. Northern housed the state's death row for men. Osborn housed the state's execution chamber.

Education
The Town of Somers is served by three schools, all located within the Somers Public School District. Somers Elementary School serves grades Pre-K through 5, Mabelle B. Avery Middle School, named CAS 2024 Middle School of the Year, serves grades 6 through 8, and Somers High School serves grades 9 through 12. The district also houses the town's public library.

Recreation
The Town of Somers maintains several recreation facilities, the largest being the facility on Field Road which features a pavilion, playscape, tennis courts and ball fields. The Shenipsit State Forest along with the Shenipsit Trail is also partially in Somers, along with Soapstone Mountain, the highest point in the state forest. The Scantic River State Park is also partially in Somers. The Northern Connecticut Land Trust also has several properties in town.

Notable people

 * George Abbe (1911–1989), poet and winner of Shelley Memorial Award
 * S. Prestley Blake (1914–2021), long time resident, co-founder of the Friendly's restaurant chain
 * William O. Collins (1809–1881), American Attorney General, Civil War general
 * Christopher Houlihan (born 1987), professional organist
 * Claire Labine (1934–2016), writer and producer
 * Gene Pitney (1940–2006), internationally famous singer/composer, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, was a longtime resident of Somers
 * William Strong (1808–1895), U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States was born in Somers
 * Loren P. Waldo (1802–1881), U.S. Representative
 * Hannah Soar (born 1999), American freestyle skier

title: Somers, Connecticut


text:
South Coventry (CDP), Connecticut

South Coventry is a census-designated place and part of the town of Coventry in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,483 at the 2010 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.3 km$2$ (3.2 mi2), of which 8.3 km$2$ (3.2 mi2)  is land and 0.31% is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,381 people, 555 households, and 341 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 166.1/km$2$ (430.2/mi2). There were 576 housing units at an average density of 69.3/km$2$ (179.4/mi2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.26% White, 0.22% African American, 0.58% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.36% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% of the population.

There were 555 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $44,063, and the median income for a family was $66,853. Males had a median income of $45,000 versus $34,018 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,817. About 5.6% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable person

 * Elisha W. Edgerton, Wisconsin businessman and politician

title: South Coventry (CDP), Connecticut