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Redding, Connecticut

Redding is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,765 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Western Connecticut Planning Region.

Early settlement and establishment
At the time colonials began receiving grants for land within the boundaries of present-day Redding, Native American trails crossed through portions of the area, including the Berkshire Path running north–south.

In 1639, Roger Ludlow (also referenced as Roger Ludlowe in many accounts) purchased land from local Native Americans to establish Fairfield, and in 1668 Fairfield purchased another tract of land then called Northfield, which comprised land that is now part of Redding.

For settlement purposes, Fairfield authorities divided the newly available land into parcels dubbed "long lots" at the time, which north–south measured no more than a third of a mile wide but extended east–west as long as 15 miles. Immediately north of the long lots was a similar-sized parcel of land known as The Oblong.

There are varying accounts as to the first colonial landholder in the Redding area; multiple citations suggest a Fairfield man named Richard Osborn obtained land there in 1671, while differing on how many acres he secured. Nathan Gold, a Fairfield man who would serve as deputy governor of Connecticut from 1708 to 1723, received a land grant for 800 acres in 1681.

The first colonials to settle in the area of present-day Redding lived near a Native American village led by Chickens Warrups (also referenced as Chicken Warrups or Sam Mohawk in some accounts), whose name is included on multiple land deeds secured by settlers throughout the area.

According to Fairfield County and state records from the time Redding was formed, the original name of the town was Reading, after the town in Berkshire, England. Probably more accurately, however, town history attributes the name to John Read, an early major landholder who was a prominent lawyer in Boston as well as a former Congregationalist preacher who converted to Anglicanism. Read helped in demarcating the boundaries of the town and in getting it recognized as a parish of Fairfield in 1729. In 1767, soon after incorporation, the name was changed to its current spelling of Redding to better reflect its pronunciation.

In 1809, Congress granted Redding its first U.S. Post Office, which made official in 1844 the spelling of the town's name.

Revolutionary War and Continental Army encampment
In the years preceding the Declaration of Independence, tensions escalated in Redding between Tory loyalists and larger numbers of those supporting the resolutions of the Continental Congress, with some Tories fleeing to escape retribution. Some 100 Redding men volunteered to serve under Captain Zalmon Read in a company of the new 5th Connecticut Regiment, which participated in the siege of Quebec's Fort Saint-Jean during the autumn of 1775 before the volunteers' terms of service expired in late November.

In 1777, the Continental Congress created a new Continental Army with enlistments lasting three years. The 5th Connecticut Regiment was reformed, enlisting some men from Redding, and assigned to guard military stores in Danbury, Connecticut. Getting word of the depot, the British dispatched a force of some 2,000 soldiers to destroy the stores, landing April 26 at present-day Westport and undertaking a 23-mile march north. The column halted on Redding Ridge for a two-hour respite, with many residents having fled to a wooded, rocky area dubbed the Devil's Den. The British column resumed its march to Danbury where soldiers destroyed the supplies, then skirmished Continental Army and militia forces in Ridgefield while on the return march south.

For the winter of 1778–1779, General George Washington decided to split the Continental Army into three divisions encircling New York City, where British General Sir Henry Clinton had taken up winter quarters. Major General Israel Putnam chose Redding as the winter encampment quarters for some 3,000 regulars and militia under his command, at the site of the present-day Putnam Memorial State Park and nearby areas. The Redding encampment allowed Putnam's soldiers to guard the replenished supply depot in Danbury and support any operations along Long Island Sound and the Hudson River Valley. Some of the men were veterans of the winter encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania the previous winter. Soldiers at the Redding camp endured supply shortages, cold temperatures and significant snow, with some historians dubbing the encampment "Connecticut's Valley Forge."

Establishment of rail service
Construction began in 1850 on the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad, which linked those two cities following a 23-mile route along the Norwalk River valley that passed through Redding. Regular steam-engine service commenced March 1, 1852; Leading to the establishment of the Redding station in West Redding, the Sanford station in Topstone, and the Georgetown station, which was originally built in Wilton, But later rebuilt in Redding.

Mining
In 1876, after A.N. Fillow began extracting mica in the Branchville section of Redding, two Yale University mineralogists noted the presence of previously undiscovered minerals lodged in pegmatite there and furnished funds to expand the operation. Historians say the mine produced between seven and nine minerals until then unknown, including one that was named reddingite. Over time, the mine would produce quantities of quartz, feldspar, mica, beryl, spodumene and columbite.

Another unique geological feature is the bedrock close to the train station. It is composed of nearly pure and massive garnet.

Gilbert & Bennett factory
In 1834, Gilbert & Bennett Co. purchased the site of a former comb mill alongside the Norwalk River in the Georgetown section of Redding, and began producing wire mesh cloth for varying uses, in time to include sieves and window screens. In 1863, Gilbert & Bennett built a facility at the site for drawing metal wire. During World War I, the U.S. military adapted the company's products for camouflage netting, gas masks and trench liners; and during World War II, for signal corps uses.

A private equity group purchased the company in 1985, and began relocating operations elsewhere. In 1987, the Gilbert & Bennett site was included as part of the Georgetown Historic District listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

In a 1987 nomination document for the National Register of Historic Places, proponents cited Gilbert & Bennett as an "anachronism" in the history of U.S. industry and labor.

"Peaceful, tree-lined residential streets converge on a functioning industrial complex; well-preserved historic houses stand cheek-by-jowl with modern factories; the deteriorated slum neighborhoods associated with modern industry do not exist," the nomination states. "The elite of Georgetown, almost exclusively people associated with Gilbert and Bennett, lived in the midst of their workers. The predictable ethnic neighborhoods did exist in Georgetown, outside the district for the most part, but their employees were apparently encouraged to occupy, or build houses next to the mansions of the managers and officers."

In 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designated the factory pond and surrounding land a federal Superfund site to spur the remediation of pollution there. Multiple developers have since attempted to finance the construction of a village development at the Gilbert & Bennett site, to include a mix of residential and commercial buildings.

On the National Register of Historic Places

 * Aaron Barlow House
 * Daniel and Esther Bartlett House
 * Georgetown Historic District
 * Putnam Memorial State Park
 * Redding Center Historic District
 * Umpawaug District School

On the Connecticut Historic Resource Inventory
The Connecticut Historic Resource Inventory lists 230 structures in Redding, the oldest built in 1710 by early settler Moses Knapp. The Town of Redding lists another 285 structures that are believed to have been built before 1901 that are not listed in the Connecticut Historic Resource Inventory, the oldest built in 1711 by John Read.

Disasters
Redding has experienced several disasters, including the 2020 pandemic of the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus, with Connecticut declaring on March 10, 2020, a public health emergency and federal agencies subsequently approving Connecticut for disaster assistance. Through June 30, the state of Connecticut listed 69 Redding residents as having contracted COVID-19 or probably so, with eight town residents having died of complications from coronavirus. Statewide, schools closed and businesses furloughed workers after the closure of work sites deemed "non-essential" with the state allowing a phased resumption of business activities starting May 20. More than 700 Redding residents filed initial claims for unemployment compensation between March 15 and June 29, with unemployment peaking in mid-April when 434 residents were receiving benefits.

Most other disasters were the result of severe weather events including Hurricane Sandy with tropical storm-force winds when it reached Connecticut October 29, 2012, toppling trees throughout the town and cutting power to 98 percent of homes and businesses.

Sandy was the third storm to cause extensive electrical outages and property damage in Redding and Connecticut within the space of just over 14 months, along with Hurricane Irene in August 2011 and the so-called "Halloween nor'easter" in late October that year. The nor'easter dropped extensive snow onto trees that still had foliage, resulting in an increased number of snapped branches and trunks that damaged property and power lines, with some areas not seeing electricity restored for 11 days.

In 1995, police arrested and a jury subsequently convicted Geoffrey K. Ferguson on charges he shot and killed tenants Scott D. Auerbach and David J. Froehlich, as well as three other men named David A. Gartrell, Sean E. Hiltunen, and Jason M. Trusewicz, at a house in Georgetown.

Beginning October 15, 1955, heavy rains caused flooding along the Norwalk River and other Connecticut waterways. The flood of 1955 resulted in a dam failing at the Gilbert and Bennett factory and the inundation of the Georgetown neighborhood, amid other damage to property and infrastructure.

A 1938 hurricane known as "the Long Island Express" destroyed crops in Redding, but western Connecticut was spared the brunt of the storm that was the most destructive in New England recorded history.

The Great Blizzard of 1888 (also known as the Great White Hurricane of 1888) buried Redding under significant snow in March that year, with one resident recollecting horses and cows "stood to their middles" in snow.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, Redding has a total area of 32.1 sqmi, of which 31.5 sqmi is land and 0.6 sqmi, or 1.75%, is water. Redding borders Bethel, Danbury, Easton, Newtown, Ridgefield, Wilton and Weston.

Redding has nine primary sections: Redding Center, Redding Ridge, Poverty Hollow, Sunset Hill, Lonetown, West Redding, Branchville, West Redding River Delta, and Georgetown, the last of which is situated at the junction of Redding, Ridgefield, Weston and Wilton. Many of these sections have various subdistricts, such as Little Boston in Branchville, Redding Glen in Redding Ridge, and Umpawaug in West Redding.

Climate
The town is in a humid continental climate zone (Köppen climate classification: Dfa), with cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers and four distinct seasons. The United States Department of Agriculture places Redding in plant hardiness zone 6b. Summer high temperatures average in the lower 80s Fahrenheit (upper 20s Celsius), with lows averaging in the lower 60s F (upper 10s C).

Topography
Redding's topography is dominated by three ridges, running north to south, with intervening valleys featuring steep slopes and rocky ledges in some sections. The highest elevation is about 830 feet above sea level, on Sunset Hill in the northeast part of the town; and the low elevation is about 290 feet above sea level at the Saugatuck Reservoir along the southern border.

Four streams flow south through Redding toward Long Island Sound: the Aspetuck River, the Little River, the Norwalk River and the Saugatuck River.

The Saugatuck River flows through the Saugatuck Reservoir, Redding's largest body of water which stretches south into Weston. The reservoir was created in 1938 through the flooding of a portion of the Saugatuck River Valley.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 9,158 people, 3,470 households, and 2,593 families residing in the town. Redding has the third lowest population density in Fairfield County at 285.3 people per square mile (110.2/km2). Between 2000 and 2010, Redding's population increased 10.7%.

There were 3,811 housing units as of 2010, up 23.5% from a decade earlier, for an average density of 118.7 units per square mile (45.8/km2).

The racial makeup of the town as of 2010 was 94.90% White, 0.70% African American, 0.10% Native American, 2.20% Asian, 2.10% from other races or from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.60% of the population.

Of 3,470 households, 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. Individuals comprised 21.3% of all households, and 12.1% 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 3.07.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 3.2% from 18 to 24, 16.3% from 25 to 44, 36.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

The median income for a household in 2000 was $104,137, and the median income for a family was $109,250. In 2009, the median family income rose to $141,609. Males had a median income of $77,882 versus $52,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $50,687. About 1.2% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

Attractions and landmarks

 * Collis P. Huntington State Park with trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding
 * Devil's Den Preserve, with trails and views of the Saugatuck Reservoir
 * Highstead, an arboretum that cultivates plants in their natural setting, rather than for display
 * Ives Trail, hiking trail that traverses part of Redding
 * Lonetown Farm Museum, headquarters of the Redding Historical Society
 * New Pond Farm, a working farm founded by actress Carmen Mathews that offers camps for children, including disadvantaged youth
 * Mark Twain Library, endowed by Redding's most famous resident of 1908–1910
 * Putnam Memorial State Park, site of "Connecticut's Valley Forge" during the American Revolutionary War
 * John Cambria Homestead, one of the many historical houses built around the time of the American Revolutionary War

Literature
Mark Twain: A Biography was authored by West Redding resident Albert Bigelow Paine after interviews with Samuel Clemens at his Stormfield residence, along with subsequent books on Clemens' life.

My Brother Sam Is Dead, authored by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier and named a Newbery Honor Book in 1975, was set in Redding during the Revolutionary War.

Secrets of Redding Glen, a children's book written and illustrated by Jo Polseno, chronicles the natural cycle of wildlife along a section of the Saugatuck River.

Movies filmed at least in part in Redding

 * A Georgetown Story (2005–2008) – filmed in Georgetown.
 * The Last House on the Left (1972) – directorial debut of Wes Craven
 * Old Dogs (2007–2008) – filmed in Redding Community Center, Putnam Park
 * Other People's Money (1991) – filmed in Georgetown
 * Rachel, Rachel (1968) – filmed in Georgetown, directorial debut of Paul Newman
 * Reckless (1995) – filmed in Georgetown
 * Revolutionary Road
 * The Stepford Wives (1975)
 * Valley of the Dolls (1967) – filmed in Redding Center

Visual arts
Multiple works by the sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington are on display in Redding, including "Mother Bear and Cubs" and "Sculpture of Wolves" at the entrance to Collis P. Huntington State Park; "General Israel Putnam" at the entrance to Putnam Memorial State Park; "Fighting Stallions" at Redding Elementary School; "A Tribute to the Workhorse" at John Read Middle School; and a smaller version of "The Torch Bearers" at the Mark Twain Library, the original on display in Madrid, Spain.

In its collections, catalogs and archives, the Smithsonian Institution lists at least eight artistic works depicting Redding or located there: Huntington's "Fighting Stallions," "Israel Putnam," "Mother Bear and Cubs" and "Sculpture of Wolves"; the paintings "Landscape, Redding Centre" and "Redding Centre, Conn." by Oronzio Maldarelli; the painting "Rainstorm - Cider Mill at Redding, Connecticut" by George Harvey; and the photo print "Burlingame Garden", photographer not listed.

Redding Ridge artist Dennis Luzak designed a block of commemorative stamps titled "International Youth Year" and issued October 7, 1985, by the U.S. Postal Service. West Redding artist Fred Otnes designed five stamps issued April 22, 2008, depicting journalists.

Mark Twain Library holds an annual art show as a fundraiser, which draws artists from throughout the Northeast to exhibit works, and displays varying works of art and historic objects throughout the year. In 2008, the library received on loan the Gary Lee Price sculpture "Ever the Twain Shall Meet," depicting Twain in the company of Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher, two fictional characters he created.

Performing arts
The composer Charles Ives titled the second movement of his "Three Places in New England (Orchestral Set No. 1)" as "Putnam's Camp, Redding Connecticut." The composition is renowned for Ives attempt to produce an auditory experience akin to that experienced by a child at a parade, borrowing elements of several patriotic songs including "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and employing orchestral techniques to approximate the parade experience, for instance the sound of a band approaching while playing a song even as another recedes into the distance playing a different tune.

Composer Paul Avgerinos won the 2016 Grammy Award for best new age artist for his album "Grace".

Redding sponsors free "Concerts on the Green" Sundays from June to August, which draw varied music acts from throughout the area.

Economy
Redding Lifecare, which in 2001 opened a retirement community called Meadow Ridge, was Redding's largest private-sector employer as of 2013 with 325 workers; and the largest property holder as ranked by property taxes paid, according to data published by the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC). As of 2013, the town's next largest organizational taxpayers were Northeast Utilities subsidiary Connecticut Light & Power, which in 2015 became known as Eversource Energy; the Redding Country Club; and Aquarion Water Co.

In 2013, 260 organizations in Redding employed 1,678 people, according to the most recent data posted by CERC. Retail sales tax revenue totaled $75.3 million from 433 entities that reported receipts, according to the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services.

Public schools
Joel Barlow High School, opened in 1959 and expanded in 1971, serves both Redding and Easton and is designated Regional School District 09 by the state of Connecticut. John Read Middle School, opened in 1966 and expanded in 1999, educates Redding students from fifth through eighth grade and was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2012, among 269 schools nationally that year to receive the designation. Redding Elementary School, opened in 1948 and expanded in 1957, educates students from pre-kindergarten to fourth grade.

Mark Twain Library
Samuel Clemens (known by his pen name Mark Twain), who lived in Redding from 1908 until his death in 1910, contributed the first books for what would become the Mark Twain Library. The Mark Twain Library Association has retained some 200 of the original 3,000 volumes Clemens donated, along with other artifacts he owned.

Government
Redding has an open town meeting form of government. A three-person, popularly elected board of selectmen performs day-to-day administration of the town, with executive authority vested in the first selectman. Legislative authority is vested in the Town Meeting. All town residents aged 18 and over who own property worth at least $1,000 can participate in the Town Meeting, which is held on an asneeded basis.

Municipal elections are held every odd-numbered year. In addition to the board of selectmen, other elected town positions include the town clerk, treasurer, tax collector, constables, and members of various boards. In 2013, Democrat Julia Pemberton was elected first selectman, replacing Republican Natalie Ketcham who did not run for reelection after holding the position since 1999.

Redding is part of Connecticut's 4th congressional district and is currently represented by Democratic U.S. Representative Jim Himes.

The town is included in Connecticut's 26th Senatorial District, held by State Senator Will Haskell, a Democrat. Portions of Redding are in Connecticut's 135th Assembly District, held by State Representative Anne Hughes, a Democrat; and Connecticut's 2nd Assembly District, held by State Representative Raghib Allie-Brennan, a Democrat.

Federally, Redding is the only town in Fairfield County to have voted against Republican George W. Bush in 2004 after voting for him in 2000.

Notable people
In part due to its relative proximity to New York City, many famous people have lived in Redding.

Actors and directors who have resided in Redding include Hope Lange, Barry Levinson, Jessica Tandy and her spouse Hume Cronyn, and Christopher Walken.

Artists who have lived in Redding include Dan Beard, whose illustrations appeared in books authored by Mark Twain; Anna Hyatt Huntington, who lived on the property that today is Collis P. Huntington State Park; and photographer Edward Steichen, who purchased a farm that he called Umpawaug. living there until his death in 1973. Steichen's property became Topstone Park, open seasonally to this day.

Athletes who have lived in Redding include Charlie Morton, a pitcher for the Atlanta Braves; and Brooklee Han, a figure skater who represented Australia in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Authors who have lived in Redding include Joel Barlow, a poet and diplomat, born in town; Samuel Clemens, who in 1908 moved into a mansion dubbed Stormfield that was built on land located on present-day Mark Twain Lane and lived there until his death in 1910; Howard Fast; Lawrence Kudlow, author and host of the "Kudlow and Company" television program; Dick Morris, political consultant and author; Flannery O'Connor (who wrote her novel Wise Blood while a boarder at the home of fellow writer Robert Fitzgerald);, futurist Alvin Toffler and economist Stuart Chase, who lived in Redding from 1930 and served on the town's planning commission from 1956 until his death in 1985.

Businesspeople who have lived in Redding include Alfred Winslow Jones, credited by some as "the father" of the hedge fund industry.

Composers, musicians and singers who have lived in Redding include Leonard Bernstein, Daryl Hall, Jascha Heifetz, Charles Ives, Meat Loaf, Andy Powell and Mary Travers.

Transportation
Metro-North Railroad's Danbury Branch has a station at West Redding. The Danbury Branch provides commuter rail service between Danbury, to South Norwalk, Stamford, and Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Housatonic Area Regional Transit provides local bus service.

title: Redding, Connecticut


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Sherman, Connecticut

Sherman is the northernmost and least populous town of Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,527 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Western Connecticut Planning Region. The town was formed in 1802 from the northern part of New Fairfield. It is named for Roger Sherman, the only person who signed all four founding documents of the United States of America. He also had a cobblers shop in the north end of town which has been reconstructed behind the Northrup House in the center of town.

The Appalachian Trail goes through the northern end of Sherman. Part of Squantz Pond is in the town.

Sherman is a popular weekend retreat for New York City residents, with about a third of its residents weekenders. The town is located 62 mi northeast of New York City, making it part of the New York metropolitan area.

Sherman has one area on the National Register of Historic Places: the Sherman Historic District, bounded roughly by the intersection of Old Greenswood Road and Route 37, northeast past the intersection of Route 37 East and Route 39 North and Sawmill Road. The district was added to the National Register on August 31, 1991.

Sherman is the only town in Fairfield County in the 860 area code; the remainder of the county is served by the area code 203/area code 475 overlay.

History
The land which is now called Sherman was formerly occupied primarily by native people of Algonquian lineage.

In 1724, colonial settlers from Fairfield, Connecticut, received approval from the General Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut to establish a new township. According to one account, they negotiated with Chief Squantz of the Schaghticoke tribe. Alternatively, it is told that they did not negotiate with Chief Squantz because he moved to the north end of Squantz Pond land area and refused to "sell" the township of New Fairfield. They returned in the spring of 1725, but found that Chief Squantz had died during the winter. His four sons and heirs refused to sign the deeds. It was not until four years later that the white men called "The Proprietors" finally got the drawn marks of several other native people who may not have had authority to sell the land. They "purchased" a 31,000-acre tract of land that is now New Fairfield and Sherman, for 65 pounds sterling, the equivalent of about 300 dollars, on April 24, 1729. The deed was recorded on May 9, 1729, and is now deposited in the archives of the State Capitol in Hartford, Connecticut.

Education
There is one public school in Sherman, the Sherman School. Its enrollment is about 325 students from pre-school to grade 8. There is no high school in Sherman; students instead are given a choice of five high schools that Sherman will pay for them to attend (New Milford High School, New Fairfield High School, Henry Abbot Tech, Shepaug Valley High School, and Nonnewaug High School).

Notable people

 * Mikhail Baryshnikov (born 1948), lived in Sherman for a time with his family
 * Blackleach Burritt (1744–1794), clergyman in the American Revolution
 * Martha Clarke (born 1944), American director and choreographer
 * Vinnie Colaiuta (born 1956), drummer, owned a home in town for a short time
 * Malcolm Cowley (1898–1989), 20th century literary critic, lived in a converted barn for many years
 * Eleanor Fitzgerald (1877–1955), anarchist editor and theatre professional, lived in Sherman for many years
 * Jerry Foley, TV director and producer has a home in Sherman, where he lives with his wife Ann-Marie and son Quinn
 * Arshile Gorky (1904–1948), abstract expressionist painter, lived in Sherman on Spring Lake Road. He is buried in North Cemetery in town
 * Daryl Hall (born 1946), musician lives in Sherman
 * Bob Iger (born 1951), CEO of Disney, has a home in Sherman
 * Durward Kirby (1911–2000), co-star of Candid Camera and Garry Moore Show had a home on Lake Mauweehoo in Sherman from 1951 to 2001
 * Howard Schatz (born 1940), American photographer and ophthalmologist
 * Jeffrey Toobin (born 1960), American lawyer, author and legal analyst for CNN
 * Diane von Furstenberg (born 1946), fashion designer has a house in the area
 * Scott Wise and his wife, Elizabeth Parkinson, choreographers and dancers, live in Sherman
 * George Wunder (1912–1987), artist for 26 years on Terry and the Pirates
 * Rob Zombie (born 1965), musician and film director lives in Sherman

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 23.4 sqmi, of which 21.8 sqmi is land and 1.6 sqmi, or 6.68%, is water. Sherman is bordered by New Fairfield to the south, New Milford to the east, Kent to the north, and by Pawling, New York to the west.

Naromiyocknowhusunkatankshunk Brook
Sherman is the location of Naromiyocknowhusunkatankshunk Brook (29 letters), in the north end of town near the New Milford border. The name of indigenous origin means "water flowing from the hills". The Naromi Land Trust in Sherman derived its name from the brook.

In some deeds it is called Deep Brook. For some time the brook was officially known at the state level as Morrissey Brook, but an official name change was put into Public Act 01-194, "An Act Concerning Certain Real Property Transactions," which was approved July 11, 2001. The 29-letter name was noted in an 1882 book, History of the Towns of New Milford and Bridgewater, 1703–1882, by Samuel Orcutt. The state department of transportation has also created a customized road sign for the longer name.

Candlewood Lake
Candlewood Lake stretches from Danbury in the south, north to Sherman at a park named Veterans' Field. The lake is the largest in Connecticut. It is artificial, created for the Rocky River hydro electric power plant in New Milford on the Housatonic River. The water is pumped through a large pipe into the lake.

Squantz Pond
Sherman bounds the north end of Squantz Pond, which was a natural pond that was expanded with the creation of Candlewood Lake.

Sherman Center
The town center is listed as the Sherman Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places. It was designated in 1991 for its historic architecture including several houses, the town hall, school, and manufacturing facilities.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, the population was 3,581 people, including 3,469 white, 35 Asian, 15 black, 1 Native American, 16 other, and 45 of two or more races. 76 of these people identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The income per capita is $55,920, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $118,750.

There were 1,388 households, 460 of which contained children under 18.

Government
Sherman tends to lean Republican in presidential elections. Lyndon B. Johnson won the town by 13 points in his presidential victory in 1964. In 2008, Barack Obama managed to edge John McCain by just under four points.

In popular culture
Sherman is the location where a presidential candidate becomes possessed by the Devil (and/or sells his soul) in the novel "The Hell Candidate" by Graham Masterton (writing under the name "Thomas Luke") (Pocket Books 1980; currently out-of-print).

Another Graham Masterton novel, "Spirit" (Dorchester Publishing Co. 2001, copyright 1995), is a ghost story set in Sherman in the 1940s and 1950s.

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

title: Sherman, Connecticut


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Weston, Connecticut

Weston is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,354 at the 2020 census and had the highest median income in the state of Connecticut. The town is part of the Western Connecticut Planning Region. The town is served by Route 57 and Route 53, both of which run through the town center. About 19% of the town's workforce commutes to New York City, about 45 mi to the southwest.

In 2017, SafeWise ranked Weston the safest town in Connecticut and the 6th safest town in the country.

Weston is the closest Connecticut town to New York City without a train station. Aside from a handful of stores that form the town's center, Weston has little commercial development and residential development is limited by two-acre zoning. Most of Devil's Den Preserve, a 1746 acre nature reserve, which gets 40,000 visits a year, is located in the town.

History
In the 17th century, Weston's first English settlers were mostly farmers living in the town of Fairfield, Connecticut, the boundaries of which extended to Weston until the late 18th century. The Norfield Parish was created in the area now occupied by the towns of Weston and Easton. In 1787, the area was formally incorporated as the Town of Weston. It is believed to be named after Weston-super-Mare, which was a small fishing village surrounded by countryside farmland, which many of the early British farming settlers originated from. In 1845, the Town of Easton was split off from Weston.

A meteor exploded above the town on December 14, 1807. Six pieces, totaling 28 lb, were recovered and examined by scientists, who issued a report. This experience provided information that expanded the contemporary thinking about meteors for many.

Despite rocky soil, farmers in town grew apples, onions, and potatoes. Grist, cider, lumber, and fulling mills were built. The town had nine manufacturers by 1850, but two decades later only the Bradley Edge Tool Company still thrived. That factory burned down in 1911.

Unlike other nearby towns, Weston never had a railroad built through it, which stifled the development of non-agricultural businesses. Between the Civil War and the Great Depression, the town's population dropped from approximately 1,000 to a low of 670, by 1930. Artists, writers, and actors from New York became attracted to the community in the 1930s and began settling in it. Construction of the Merritt Parkway, which arrived to the south of Weston in 1938, resulted in further population growth.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 20.7 sqmi, of which 19.8 sqmi is land and 0.9 sqmi, or 4.39%, is water.

The Saugatuck River begins to the north in Redding. It flows through the town and ends in Long Island Sound in neighboring Westport.

Weston is bordered by Westport to the south, Wilton to the west, Redding to the north, Easton to the east, and Fairfield to the southeast.

Principal communities

 * Georgetown (part)
 * Lyons Plains
 * Weston Center (Norfield Historic District)
 * Aspetuck

Other minor communities and geographic areas are Devil's Den, Norfield, Upper Parish, and Valley Forge.

Demographics
As of the 2010 census, there were 10,025 people, 3,289 households, and 2,811 families residing in the town. The population density was 506.0 PD/sqmi. There were 3,629 housing units at an average density of 178.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 95.75% White, 0.88% African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.94% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.05% of the population.

There were 3,289 households, out of which 49.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.4% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.1% were non-families. 11.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31% under the age of 18, 4% from 18 to 24, 31% from 25 to 49, 23% from 50 to 64, and 11% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.

, the median income for a household in the town was $219,868. Males had a median income of $168,472 versus $103,345 for females. The per capita income for the town was $95,534. About 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line.

In 2019, The National Council for Home Safety and Security ranked Weston the 4th safest town in the state of Connecticut. The National Council for Home Safety and Security ranked the safest towns and cities in Connecticut based on the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics and population sizes.

Government
Like many other New England towns, the government of Weston consists of the Town Meeting, and elective and appointive boards. First among the elective boards is the Board of Selectmen. Samantha Nestor is the First Selectwoman. By charter, the First Selectman is the Chief Executive and Administrative Officer of the town. The town's legislative powers are divided between the Board of Selectmen and the Town Meeting. Among other elective boards are the Board of Education, the Board of Finance, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Board of Police Commissioners.

On August 19, 2021, Martin Mohabeer became the first African-American to become a member of the Board of Selectmen when the Board voted to appoint him to fill a vacant seat. His subsequent election to a new two year term in November 2021 marked the first time an African-American was elected in Weston.

In the 2008 presidential election, Weston residents voted for Democrat Barack Obama with 62.21%. Republican John McCain received 37.33%. In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton carried Weston over Republican Donald Trump.

Budget and taxes
For the fiscal year of 2023-2024, the Town of Weston’s net budget is about $80-million. About 73% of the town’s budget is spent on the Weston Public Schools. Weston raises taxes on the basis of property value. With real estate assessed at 70% of market value, the mill rate evolved as follows:

To make the mill rates comparable, the asterisked numbers are adjusted to account for the real estate revaluation of 2018-2019. The revaluation decreased the grand list by 6.3 percent. The numbers for 2013-2014 and prior years are also adjusted for revaluations in 2014 and 2009, respectively.

Town Center
Commercial development in Weston is limited to the Town Center area located at the intersection of Weston Road and Norfield Road. The Town Center contains a grocery store, community bank, liquor store, casual restaurant, dry cleaner, realtor, gas station, pharmacy and a post office.

On the National Register of Historic Places

 * Bradley Edge Tool Company Historic District – Roughly, Lyons Plains Road, north and south of the junction with White Birch Road (added December 22, 1995)
 * Kettle Creek Historic District – Roughly, Weston and Old Weston Roads, north of Broad Street (added December 22, 1995)
 * Norfield Historic District – Roughly, at the junction of Weston and Norfield Rds. northeast to Hedgerow Common (added August 31, 1991)

Education
There are four public schools in the Weston Public Schools district, all located on School Road:
 * Weston High School (WHS) – grades 9–12, with about 800 students. Most Weston High School (WHS) seniors go on to attend selective colleges and universities. Recently the high school underwent a significant building expansion, which included construction of a new science department and playing fields. The high school auditorium was also updated in 2008.
 * Weston Middle School (WMS) – grades 6–8, with about 600 students.
 * Weston Intermediate School (WIS) – grades 3–5, with about 600 students. The school opened in September 2005 as the town's newest school.
 * Hurlbutt Elementary School (HES) – pre-kindergarten-grade 2, with about 600 students

In June 2012, 24/7 Wall St. ranked Weston as the second wealthiest school district in the United States.

In 2013 and 2014, U.S. News & World Report ranked Weston High School as the third best high school in Connecticut and the 240th best high school in the United States.

Weston High School was awarded the gold medal for its high level of student performance. The methodology of ranking this honor is based on student performance on standardized tests as well as participation in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. AP programs are offered across a variety of subject matters, with sixty percent of WHS students participating.

In August 2015, Newsweek ranked Weston High School number 47 for America's Top High Schools in the country, public and private.

In August 2015, Weston High School was ranked the best in the state and 47th best in the country according to a survey conducted by Newsweek magazine. Each year, the magazine ranks the top 500 high schools in the country based on which institutions do the best job of preparing students for college. According to the study, Weston High School has a 97.2% college enrollment rate, a 100% graduation rate, an AP/IB/Dual Enrollment Composite of 73, a weighted SAT/ACT score composite of 69.4, a student retention rate of 91.7% and a counselor-to-student ratio of 1:156. In addition, the average SAT score at Weston High School is 1784, the average ACT score is 26.6, and the average AP test score is 3.87. [

In April 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked Weston High School second best high school in the state and 169th best high school in the country out of 17,245 high schools ranked. In addition, Weston High School was also ranked 65th in STEM High Schools with a town graduation rate of 100%. U.S. News gave Weston a scorecard of 99.02% out of a possible 100. The Best High Schools rankings identify the country's top-performing public high schools. The goal is to provide a clear, unbiased picture of how well public schools serve all of their students—from the highest to lowest achieving—in preparing them to demonstrate proficiency in basic skills as well as readiness for college-level work.

The Connecticut State Department of Education has ranked the Weston schools in District Reference Group A (formerly the Educational Reference Group A), the nine most affluent and low-need-for-extra-assistance districts among the 162 school districts in Connecticut.

Several pre-schools in town are run by various churches, including Emmanuel Nursery School and Norfield Nursery School.

Parks
The landscape of Weston is characterized by open spaces. Almost one quarter of the town is permanently devoted to open space use, including:
 * Devil's Den Preserve, with a wide variety of flora and fauna, and with a 20 mi trail system that connects with the extended 70 mi Saugatuck Valley Trails System;
 * Bisceglie Park, with baseball fields, a swimming hole, a two-mile (3 km) jogging trail and fitness stations, along the west branch of the Saugatuck River;
 * Morehouse Farm Park, with eight, partially overlapping ball fields;
 * Sixteen preserves of the Aspetuck Land Trust, for a total of 645 acre, scattered all around town;
 * Katherine Ordway Preserve, with 62 acre of woodland, three miles (5 km) of trails and an arboretum;
 * Keene Park, with 6 acre, with a small playground and park is along the each branch of the Saugatuck River;
 * Lachat Town Farm
 * Open land around the Saugatuck Reservoir, with trails and opportunities for fishing.

Notable people

 * Lucie Arnaz (born 1951), actress, daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz
 * George Balanchine (1904–1983), choreographer and influential figure in ballet
 * Paul Cadmus (1904–1999), painter
 * Liz Cho (born 1970), television anchor
 * Frank Converse (born 1938), actor
 * John Curran (1953–2013), financial journalist
 * Rodney Dangerfield (1921–2004), comedian
 * Bette Davis (1908–1989), actress
 * Kyle Dunnigan (born 1971), comedian and actor
 * José Feliciano (born 1945), singer and songwriter
 * Daniel Gerroll actor, Chariots of Fire
 * Michel Gill (born 1960), actor, Pres. Walker, House of Cards, Mr. Robot (Golden Globe/ensemble), writer, producer
 * Seth Grahame-Smith (born 1976), author, screenwriter, film and television producer and director, grew up in town
 * Patti Hansen (born 1956), model, actress and wife of Keith Richards
 * John Marshall Harlan II (1899–1971), Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, summered in Weston, buried in Weston's Emmanuel churchyard
 * Kellie Nalbandian (born 1993),contestant on Survivor season 45
 * Jayne Atkinson (born 1959), Emmy-winning actor (ensemble, "24"), writer, producer (Hidden Meadow)
 * Mariette Hartley (born 1940), actress, native of Weston
 * Paige Starr Daly (born 1993), historic preservationist and artist featured on HGTV
 * Fred Hellerman (1927-2016), singer and songwriter, founding member of The Weavers. Hellerman died on September 1, 2016, at his home in Weston
 * Evan Hunter (1926–2005), author who wrote under the pen name "Ed McBain"
 * Erica Jong (born 1942), author
 * Patricia Kalember actor, thirtysomething and Sisters
 * Eartha Kitt (1927–2008), entertainer, moved to town in 2002
 * Lawrence Langner (1890–1962), playwright, author, and producer. Lived on what is now called Langner Lane
 * Eva Le Gallienne (1899–1991), actress
 * Billy Mann (born 1968), songwriter, record producer
 * Stanley Matthews, former Wimbledon Boys' Champion and son of Sir Stanley Matthews
 * Paul Michael Levesque (born 1969), "Triple H", wrestler, World Wrestling Entertainment
 * Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962), actress, lived on Fanton Hill in 1955 after completing the Seven Year Itch
 * Brent Musburger (born 1939), sportscaster
 * James Naughton (born 1945), actor
 * Sachi Parker (born 1956), actress, daughter of Shirley Maclaine, frequent visitor of Weston
 * Jacob Pitts (born 1979), actor
 * Christopher Plummer (1929–2021), actor
 * Paul Rand (1914–1996), graphic designer
 * Robert Redford (born 1936), actor, had a home in town
 * Fritz Reiner (1888–1963), conductor of the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, and other notable orchestras. Lived on Davis Hill beginning in 1938
 * Jamey Richard (born 1984), pro football player
 * Keith Richards (born 1943), musician, member of The Rolling Stones
 * Angelo and Ettore Rossetti, Guinness World Record holders in racket sports
 * John Seigenthaler, Jr. (born 1955), former NBC News weekend anchor
 * Donna Summer (1948-2012), singer, had a home in town on Crystal Lake
 * James Thurber (1894–1961), writer
 * Willard Thorp Harry Truman‘s Assistant Secretary of State, among other roles
 * Mike Vranos (born 1961), hedge fund manager and philanthropist
 * Christopher Walken actor, lives in city

title: Weston, Connecticut


text:
Wilton, Connecticut

Wilton is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 18,503. The town is part of the Western Connecticut Planning Region.

Officially recognized as a parish in 1726, Wilton today is a residential community with open lands, historic architecture such as the Round House, and many colonial homes. Many residents commute to nearby cities such as Stamford or New York City.

Wilton is home to many global corporations such as ASML, Breitling SA, Cannondale Bicycle Corporation, Melissa & Doug, and formerly Deloitte. It is also home to AIG Financial Products, whose collapse played a pivotal role in the financial crisis of 2007–2008.

The transformation from a small farming town to a suburban residential community has been carefully controlled by zoning, efforts to preserve the town's colonial landmarks, and the reservation of almost 1,000 acres (4 km$2$) of open space for active and passive recreational use. The Cannondale Historic District, in north-central Wilton, retains its historic character and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

Colonial days
The first written records of the areas that are now Wilton date back to 1640, when Roger Ludlow and his friends purchased land from the Indians between the Norwalk and Saugatuck Rivers and "a day's walk into the country." This land was called Norwalk.

The first settlers, called the Proprietors, arrived in Norwalk in 1651 and owned 50,000 acres (200 km$2$) in common. On the outskirts of Norwalk's settled area, the Proprietors were allowed private ownership of land in a common planting field, but cattle, sheep, and hogs were grazed in a communal pasture area. The outer limit of this pasture approximates Wilton's present southern boundary.

By the end of the 17th century, the Norwalk Proprietors began to sell off the northern lands for settlement. The first non-Indian settlements in what is now Wilton were in the fertile lands of the Norwalk River valley, and on the ridges of Belden Hill, Chestnut Hill, and Ridgefield Road. In order to till the lands, the settlers had to clear the forests and remove hundreds of glacial rocks, which became the stone boundary walls that are treasured today.

The families who bought land in Wilton did not have their own church and were required to attend service in Norwalk each Sunday. When demand for Wilton lands increased in the early 18th century, the Proprietors realized that the land would be worth more if Wilton settlers did not have to make such a long trek each week.

By 1725 there were forty families living in Wilton who wanted their own Congregational church and were allowed by Norwalk to hire a minister (Robert Sturgeon, who also became the town's first schoolmaster), open schools and build roads. Therefore, in 1726, with the approval of both the Proprietors and the Wilton settlers, a petition to the General Court in Hartford created Wilton Parish, "a village enjoying parish privileges" but still part of the town of Norwalk. A copy of the petition is framed and on display in the Town Hall. (See also: Benjamin Hickox)

The Wilton Parish, organized as an ecclesiastical society, dealt with many problems of a secular nature as well. It dealt with such things as communal flocks, pounds for animals, and the regulation of the trades and taverns. The state of the roads was a constant source of comment in the society meeting, as was the inevitable subject of taxation. Although the village parish did not have the right to send a representative to the state legislature, it did have complete charge of both local education and military training. The first minister, Mr. Robert Sturgeon, was also Wilton's first schoolmaster.

As soon as the first meetinghouse was built in 1726, Wilton had a "center" of town, although other areas such as Belden Hill, Drum Hill, Pimpewaug and Chestnut Hill had already been settled by self-sufficient farmers. By 1738 the first meetinghouse had become too small, and a second was built on the corner of Sharp Hill Road. Less than sixty years later, this second meeting house had fallen into such disrepair that a third church was built in 1790 on Ridgefield Road where it still stands as the oldest church building in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Revolutionary War
During the Revolutionary War, more than 300 men from Wilton served in some military unit. Among them was an African American named Cato Treadwell (1762–1849), who served three years in the 2nd Brigade of the Connecticut Line. In 1777, British forces passed through Wilton after raiding nearby Danbury. Several homes were burned along Ridgefield, Belden, Danbury, and Dudley roads, but the town remained intact. About 52 Revolutionary veteran graves are still identifiable in Wilton cemeteries.

19th century
In 1802, despite Norwalk's objections, the people of Wilton sought and were granted separate Town government status by an act of the Connecticut General Assembly and became a political entity independent from Norwalk. The town chose the traditional New England Town Meeting-Selectmen form of government, which has been retained to this day.

In the 19th century, education became the responsibility of the school societies of nine separate school districts in Wilton. In addition, many Wilton children and those of well-to-do families of Norwalk and Stamford attended five private schools and academies in Wilton.

Wilton's population grew slowly from 1,728 in 1810 to 2,208 in 1860. Most of the land was farmland used for dairy herds, horses, or marketable crops. Farmers found their yield from the rocky soil to be very low at the same time that midwestern produce, made readily available by the railroads, began to compete with homegrown products, home industry expanded.

Industries such as shoemaking, shirt making, carriage building, and distilleries were common. Mills of various types were built along the streams and the Gilbert and Bennett Manufacturing Co. began producing wire sieves in 1834.

Civil War
Before the Civil War, the anti-slavery movement was strong in town. Wilton served as one of the stops on the Underground Railroad, a loosely organized escape route to Canada for runaway slaves, primarily at the house of William Wakeman, "an earnest abolitionist and undergrounder for many years." The Civil War itself had little impact on Wilton, although local businesses profited from wartime spending.

Industrial age
The coming of the railroad in 1852 brought few advantages to a community of home industry and farming, but offered easy access to bountiful western lands.

After the Civil War, Wilton's population declined as cities grew, industrialization increased, the market for home products dropped, and farms were abandoned. Its population declined by some 30% between 1860 and 1900. By 1900, the census showed only 1,598 people living in Wilton.

This depopulation enabled many 18th- and 19th-century homes to escape demolition and suburban development. Beginning in the 1910s, abandoned farms were discovered by New Yorkers for summer homes and in the 1930s, there were noticeable stresses at Town Meetings between the "old-timers" and the "new people." The community was changing from agricultural to one of commuters. By 1935, the last two of Wilton's nine schoolhouses—Belden Hill and Hurlbutt Street—had closed. The original nine school districts are consolidated into the Center school in Wilton Center. Originating in its colonial origins, Wilton had developed in a rather haphazard, individualistic way: a house here and a store there. Shortly after World War II, a new phenomenon brought a new look to Wilton's landscape: the builder subdivision.

Light industry began moving into town. To plan for orderly growth, town zoning was adopted. With the growth in population and businesses came the corresponding need for new schools, new roads, executive offices, and more support services. The period of greatest growth was from 1950 to 1970, when the population grew from 4,558 to 13,572.

Dry to damp
Wilton was classified as a "dry" town until 1993, when the local ordinance was altered to permit the sale of alcoholic beverages in restaurants. The town was then referred to as "damp." On November 5, 2009, a referendum proposal was passed to allow liquor stores. The town Board enacted an ordinance to allow liquor stores to sell alcoholic beverages in 2010 and since then, several stores have since opened, including Ancona's.

Wilton deaths on September 11, 2001
On September 11, 2001, four town residents died in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center: Edward T. Fergus Jr., 40; Peter Christian Fry, 36; John Iskyan, 41; and Edward P. York, 45. Wilton High School graduate John Henwood, 35, also died in the attack.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 27.4 sqmi, of which 27.0 sqmi is land and 0.4 sqmi, or 1.50%, is water, including the South Norwalk Reservoir. Wilton is bordered by Ridgefield to the northwest, Norwalk to the south, New Canaan to the southwest, Westport to the southeast, and Weston and Redding to the northeast. It is also bordered on the west by the hamlet of Vista in Lewisboro, Westchester County, New York.

Housing and land use

Wilton has about 500 surviving 18th- and 19th-century homes. In 2005, Marilyn Gould, the director of the Wilton Historical Society said: "People aren't taking down historic houses but the more modest homes that were built in the '50s and '60s.... What that's doing is changing the affordability of the town and the demographic of the town. Wilton used to have a wide demographic of people who worked with their hands—artisans, builders, mechanics. Now it's management and upper management."

Between 1999 and 2005, the town's voters endorsed spending $23 million through municipal bonds to preserve land.

South Norwalk Electric and Water (SNEW) has a reservoir on the western side of town with about 350 acre of land, along with another 25 acre adjacent in New Canaan. In the fall, hunters with bows and arrows—no more than 10 at a time—are allowed to hunt deer on the Wilton property, in order to keep down the number of deer in the area.

Wilton town center contains several local restaurants, boutiques, retail stores .These stores were added around 2000 next to the old Wilton Center, which consists of the Wilton Library, the Wilton Post Office, the Old Post Office Square, and the Village Market. In the southern part of town, US 7 contains a business district.

Recent nature access developments in town include the expansion of the Norwalk River Valley Trail, a multi-use trail designed to run between Norwalk and Danbury.

Neighborhoods
The southwest corner of town includes part of the Silvermine neighborhood (which also extends into New Canaan and Norwalk). Georgetown, which is primarily within the town but also extends into Redding and partly into Weston, is in the northeast corner of town. Other neighborhoods in town are South Wilton, Wilton Center, Gilbert Corners, Cannondale, and North Wilton.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,633 people, 5,923 households, and 4,874 families residing in Wilton. The population density was 654.3 PD/sqmi. There were 6,113 housing units at an average density of 226.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 95.55% White, 0.60% African American, 0.09% Native American, 2.69% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population.

There were 5,923 households, out of which 46.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.4% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. Of all households 15.3% 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 2.91 and the average family size was 3.25.

The age distribution is 31.5% under the age of 18, 2.8% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $197,428, and the median income for a family was $217,415. Males had a median income of $190,000 versus $71,611 for females. The per capita income for the town was $65,806. About 1.3% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

Events

 * Relay for Life
 * Wilton Singers Holiday Feast - traditional holiday performance, usually first weekend in December, featuring the Wilton Singers and the Wilton High School Madrigal Singers.
 * Jazz in the Garden takes place at Weir Farm every September.
 * Wilton Rocks for Food is an annual concert by Wilton-based musicians who send all the proceeds to the Wilton Food Pantry and the Connecticut Food bank.
 * Wilton Farmers' Market is an outdoor farmers' market held at the Wilton Historical Society on Wednesdays from June through October.
 * Wilton's annual Street Fair & Sidewalk Sale is an outdoor sales event in the town center that occurs in the summer.

Listings on the National Register of Historic Places

 * Cannondale Historic District
 * David Lambert House
 * Georgetown Historic District
 * Hurlbutt Street School
 * Marvin Tavern
 * Sloan-Raymond-Fitch House
 * Weir Farm National Historic Site
 * Wilton Center Historic District

Parks and recreation
The Wilton Parks and Recreation Department offers a number of programs for all ages including pre-school programs, senior programs youth soccer and basketball. There are also many walking paths including part of the Norwalk River Valley Trail. Merwin Meadows is a picnic area for families with a pond, playground and athletic field.

Government and politics
Once a Republican bastion, Wilton has become increasingly Democratic in recent years. In 2008, Wilton voted for Barack Obama, who became the first Democratic candidate for U.S. President to carry the town since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. The town flipped back in 2012, voting for Mitt Romney, a former governor of neighboring Massachusetts. In 2016, voters in Wilton delivered a 22-point margin of victory to Hillary Clinton, the best performance for a Democratic presidential nominee in the town since Johnson in 1964. In 2019 and 2021, Republicans won the majority of local offices. In 2020, the town gave a 33-point margin to Joe Biden.

Wilton is a part of the 26th Senate District. Represented by Ceci Maher. Wilton is also a part of the 42nd House District, currently represented by Keith B. Denning.

Since 2015, Wilton has been led by First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice, a Republican serving her second four-year term. Her term expires on November 30, 2023.

Public schools
A total of about 3,750 students attend the town's four public schools: two elementary schools, Miller-Driscoll School (Grades Pre-K–2) and Cider Mill School (3–5); one middle school, Middlebrook School (6–8); and one high school, Wilton High School, which has accelerated classes for gifted students, music and visual arts courses, and a resource center. The language laboratory teaches six languages: French, German, Spanish, Latin, classical Greek, and American Sign Language.

The elementary schools have class sizes typically ranging from 18 to 22 and a 19-to-1 student/teacher ratio.

Middlebrook has interdisciplinary instruction teams in languages and science, mathematics, social studies, computers, art, and gifted student instruction. Class sizes range from 20 to 25 with a student/teacher ratio of 13-to-1.

Private schools
There are five private schools in the town:

 * Connecticut Friends School, a Quaker preschool
 * Our Lady of Fatima, a Catholic school, preschool through eighth grade
 * Seven Acres Montessori School, preschool through eighth grade
 * The Goddard School, a preschool.
 * Zion’s Hill Preschool, a play-based learning preschool with programs for 2 - 5 year olds. https://www.ZHPP.org

Media
The Wilton Bulletin is a weekly newspaper published by Hearst Connecticut Media and formerly published by Hersam Acorn Newspapers. GOOD Morning Wilton is an online daily news website. Virgin Mobile Live, a 24-hour online radio service licensed by Virgin Radio, is based in Wilton. There is also the weekly Wilton Villager newspaper.

Highways
The town's main north-south roadways are U.S. Route 7 and Route 33. State highways Route 53 and Route 106 also run through the town. The nearby Merritt Parkway (Route 15) serves the town via the Route 33 exit (Exit 41, signed for Wilton/Westport) and the Route 7 exits (Exits 39B & 40B, signed for Danbury).

Railroad
The town has two railroad stations: Wilton near the town center and Cannondale. Both are served by Metro-North Railroad's Danbury Branch, which provides direct commuter train service south to Norwalk (15 minutes), Stamford (25 minutes), and New York City's Grand Central Terminal (90 minutes); and north to Danbury (33 minutes), New Haven, and Boston.

Wilton was previously served by a station called South Wilton (1852–1971) and Kent Road (1976–1994) and by the Georgetown station from 1852–1970.

Buses
The town is served by the 7 Link bus route of the Norwalk Transit District that runs between Norwalk and Danbury along the Route 7 corridor. A commuter shuttle bus during rush hours is also available between South Wilton and the South Norwalk railroad station on the New Haven Line.

Notable people

 * Theodore Bikel (1924–2015), actor, long-time resident
 * Jeremy Black, actor
 * Linda Blair, actress
 * Chance Browne, cartoonist of syndicated comic strip Hi and Lois
 * Dik Browne (1917–1989), cartoonist, creator of Hägar the Horrible and Hi and Lois
 * Dave Brubeck, prominent jazz musician
 * David Canary (1938–2015), actor, All My Children and Bonanza
 * Paul Dano, actor, 2002 graduate of Wilton High School
 * Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, richest person in Connecticut, resident in late 20th century
 * Matt Davies, Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist
 * George Devol, inventor, engineer and manager, founder of first industrial robotics company Unimation.
 * Abby Elliott, actress/comedian, daughter of Chris Elliott
 * Chris Elliott, actor/comedian
 * Ace Frehley, guitarist for Kiss, lived in Wilton from 1979–1986
 * Charles Grodin (1935–2021), actor
 * Johnny Gruelle, artist who created Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy
 * June Havoc, actress, who also renovated buildings to create the Cannon Crossing center of small shops. Her sister Gypsy Rose Lee frequently visited her
 * Daryl Hawk, documentary photographer, explorer
 * Sterling Hayden, actor
 * Henry Hazlitt, economics columnist, author, Wilton resident c. 1960s-1980s
 * Patty Hearst, known as Patricia Hearst-Shaw, heiress, kidnapping victim, and actress
 * Lydia Hearst-Shaw, supermodel and heiress
 * Russell Hoban, writer; Lillian Hoban, writer and illustrator; and their daughter Phoebe Hoban, journalist and biographer
 * Richard C. Hottelet, broadcast journalist and commentator, last of the Murrow's Boys
 * Ira Levin, writer, lived in Wilton in the 1960s and wrote in a March 27, 2007, letter to the New York Times that he based the fictional town of Stepford from his 1972 novel The Stepford Wives on Wilton
 * Kristine Lilly, US Olympic Soccer Team, holds the world record for most professional soccer match appearances in history
 * Katherine Maher, executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation
 * Jay Manuel, America's Next Top Model director of photo shoots
 * Joe Pantoliano, actor
 * Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire, writers and illustrators of children's books
 * Aldo Parisot, cellist
 * Dean Parisot, film and television director
 * Sarah Phillips, fashion designer
 * Steve Phillips, former NY Mets General Manager and former ESPN baseball analyst
 * Charles E. Pont, artist and Baptist minister, lived here from 1958 until his death in 1971
 * Jane Powell and Dickie Moore, actress and former child actor
 * Randy Rasmussen, former left guard of the New York Jets for 15 years (1967–1981), started in Super Bowl III
 * Vicki Sue Robinson, actress and singer
 * John Scofield, grew up in Wilton, jazz guitarist
 * Frank Sesno, journalist and professor
 * Zachary Cole Smith, frontman of DIIV, went to elementary and middle school growing up in the town
 * Donald B. Verrilli Jr., U.S. solicitor general from 2011 to 2016, graduated Wilton High School in 1975
 * Christopher Walken, actor
 * Marcy Walker, actress, lived in Wilton during the early 2000s
 * Emily Weiss, founder of Glossier
 * Cathie Wood, founder of ARK Investment Management

title: Wilton, Connecticut


text:
Avon, Connecticut

Avon is a town in the Farmington Valley region of the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 18,932.

History
At the end of the last Ice Age, c. 12,400 years BP of the Younger Dryas, nomadic peoples built a campsite adjacent to the river that would become known as the Farmington River. They were apparently the first people to populate the region that would become known as southern New England, including the region that would become Avon. Over the Paleoindian period the site was revisted multiple times by other nomadic peoples until it gradually became buried by sediment from the river's occasional flooding. In the winter of 2019, the campsite remains were excavated in Avon, along with stone tools and artifacts constructed from materials in neighboring regions.

Avon was settled by Europeans in 1645 and was originally a part of neighboring Farmington. In 1750, the parish of Northington was established in the northern part of Farmington, to support a Congregational church more accessible to the local population. Its first pastor was Ebenezer Booge, a graduate of Yale Divinity School who arrived in 1751. The Farmington Canal's opening in 1828 brought new business to the village, which sat where the canal intersected the Talcott Mountain Turnpike linking Hartford to Albany, New York. Hopes of industrial and commercial growth spurred Avon to incorporate. In 1830, the Connecticut General Assembly incorporated Northington as the town of Avon, after County Avon in England. Such expansion never came and, in the 1900s, the rural town became a suburban enclave.

In the 1960s Avon rejected the proposal for Interstate 291 coming through the southern edge of the town and successfully denied the expressway going through the town.

Avon Mountain traffic accidents
The section of Talcott Mountain, known as Avon Mountain, between Avon and West Hartford, is known for the climb of U.S. Route 44, and the most direct path to Hartford from much of the Farmington Valley and Litchfield County. One of the worst traffic accidents in Connecticut history occurred at the intersection of Route 44 and Route 10 at the foot of Avon Mountain.

On July 29, 2005, the driver of a dump truck lost control of his brakes and swerved to avoid traffic waiting in his lane at the stoplight. On the eastbound side of the road, the truck then collided with rush hour traffic waiting at the light. Four people, including the driver of the truck, died in the crash. Another driver involved in the accident died in 2008 from complications directly as a result of the crash. Former Governor M. Jodi Rell proposed safety improvements for this road in the aftermath of the accident.

In September 2007, the driver of another truck lost control. The truck, traveling westbound on U.S. Route 44 at Route 10, crashed into the Nassau Furniture building at about 11 am, taking out a column that supports the roof of the building. No major injuries resulted from the crash.

The accidents prompted the State of Connecticut to modify Route 44 through the addition of a runaway truck ramp just above the Avon Old Farms Inn and the straightening and widening of the road on the western slope of the mountain. The accidents and the reconstruction of the road have been heavily covered by local media, including the Hartford Courant.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 23.5 sqmi, of which 23.1 sqmi is land and 0.4 sqmi is water.

The East side of Avon is flanked by Talcott Mountain, part of the Metacomet Ridge, a mountainous trap rock ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound to near the Vermont border. Talcott Mountain is a popular outdoor recreation resource notable for its towering western cliff faces. The 51 mi Metacomet Trail traverses the Talcott Mountain ridge.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census, Avon had a population of 18,932. The racial composition of the population was 82.3% White, 13.1% Asian, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Black or African American, 0.7% from other races and 1.6% from two or more races.

As of the census of 2000, there were 15,832 people, 6,192 households, and 4,483 families residing in the town. The population density was 684.8 PD/sqmi. There were 6,480 housing units at an average density of 280.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 94.93% White, 0.98% African American, 0.05% Native American, 2.96% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.57% of the population.

There were 6,192 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. Of all households, 23.5% were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.

In 2022, the median household income was $146,153 and the per capita income for the town was $89,357. About 0.9% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.

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

Public library
The Avon Free Public Library can be traced back to 1791 when Rev. Rufus Hawley started collecting money from residents to purchase books for a community library. In 1798, Samuel Bishop, a prominent citizen, began offering library services within his home with a collection of 111 titles.

The library is a member of Library Connection, Inc., the cooperative regional automated circulation and online catalog database system, CONNECT, to which 33 libraries belong. Through this system, over 4 million volumes are available through interlibrary loan, the statewide reciprocal borrowing arrangement which encompasses over 160 libraries.

Notable locations and organizations

 * Avon Congregational Church built in 1819 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
 * The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail runs through town.
 * Fermata Arts Foundation, a cultural center promoting ties with post-soviet countries

Properties owned by Avon Historical Society

 * Derrin House – 18th-century farmhouse
 * Living Museum – former schoolhouse
 * Pine Grove School House – former schoolhouse

Politics
Once predominantly Republican, Avon has shifted to be friendlier to Democrats in recent elections. In 2008, Avon voters gave Democrat Barack Obama the majority of the vote. After flipping back red for Mitt Romney in 2012, town voters gave a majority to Hillary Clinton in 2016. In 2020, Democrat Joe Biden won Avon by more than 20 points. These recent shifts mirrored a national trend of suburban voters shifting leftward.

Public schools
The Avon Public Schools district contains one high school (Avon High School), one middle school (Avon Middle School) for grades 7–8, an intermediate school (Thompson Brook School) for grades 5–6, and two elementary schools (Roaring Brook School and Pine Grove School).

Private schools
In addition, the Avon Old Farms School, a private, all-boys boarding school, is also located in Avon on Old Farms Rd.

Notable people

 * Joseph Wright Alsop IV, politician and insurance executive; father of Joseph Alsop V
 * Craig Burley, former soccer player and commentator for ESPN and BT Sports
 * Will Friedle, actor
 * Mike Golic, radio announcer for ESPN
 * Madison Kennedy, swimmer
 * Jessica Lundy, actor
 * Kia McNeill, professional soccer player
 * Joel Quenneville, former NHL player and coach of the Chicago Blackhawks
 * Karl Ravech, Host of Baseball Tonight
 * Stuart Scott, ESPN reporter who covered the NBA and other sports
 * Trey Wingo, ESPN

title: Avon, Connecticut


text:
Berlin, Connecticut

Berlin is a town in the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,175 at the 2020 census. It was incorporated in 1785. The geographic center of Connecticut is located in the town. Berlin is residential and industrial, and is served by the Amtrak station of the same name. Berlin also has two hamlets: Kensington and East Berlin.

Town seal
The greatest boom to Berlin industry resulted from the decision of the Patterson brothers to start their business on West Street (now called Lower Lane). For twenty years until 1760, they kept their work in the family selling their wares from a basket. When demand increased they took apprentices into the shop and engaged peddlers to travel throughout the colonies selling the shiny, useful articles (the seal of the Town of Berlin shows such a "Yankee peddler" in eighteenth-century dress with a basket under his arm, a pack on his back full of tinware). As others learned the trade, they soon set up shop and hired apprentices. There were so many that the noise of the whitesmiths and their hammering could be heard in every part of town.

History
The town took parts away from Wethersfield (Now Rocky Hill and Newington), Middletown (Now Cromwell), Wallingford (Now Meriden) and Farmington (Now Southington and New Britain). Berlin was one of the birthplaces of interchangeable parts manufacturing and of the industrial revolution in the United States, in the workshop of Simeon North. The town was formerly known as Kensington.

In 1659, Sergeant Richard Beckley purchased 300 acres from Chief Tarramuggus, built a home for his family and became the first settler in what was to become Berlin. Other families slowly followed, and in 1686, Captain Richard Seymour led a group of families from Farmington to begin the first settlement on Christian Lane.

By 1705, the first ecclesiastical society was recognized and the area renamed the Great Swamp Society. The first meetinghouse and cemetery were established a few years later, and the first school house built in 1717.

1722 brought reorganization to the Society. Parts of the towns of Farmington, Wethersfield and Middletown were added to increase the land area, and the name changed to Kensington. In 1772, the Society was divided into an eastern half, called Worthington, and the western section, which retained the name of Kensington. 1785 brought incorporation of the town, which was then called Berlin. New Britain remained a part of Berlin until 1850.

Around 1740, Edward and William Pattison, two brothers from Ireland, emigrated to Berlin and set up the first tinware business in the colonies. Wares in baskets were pedaled from house to house, then, as surplus accumulated, by mule and wagon, traveling all over America and to Canada. This was the birth of "The Yankee Peddler".

During the years from 1700 to 1750, farms, mills, and blacksmiths sprang up through the Great Swamp. Most residents of this area were skilled in one or more of these trades, which were recognized and allowed by the British government. A blacksmith was crucial for daily living needs such as nails, tools, hinges, latches, hooks, cranes, cooking utensils, and parts for wagons, wheels and sleds. Small ironworks sprang up near local waterpower.

In addition to tinware, ammunition was made from the local lead mines during the Revolutionary War. East Berlin Milling Co. produced cotton and woolen yarn which was spun into clothing and blankets. Simeon North, manufacturer of pistols, became the first official pistol maker for the United States Government when he developed a system of interchangeable parts for pistols. In the 1800s, business of all sorts thrived in Berlin. Makers of wagons, tableware, hats, clocks, books, combs, woolen clothes and blankets, cabinet and coffin makers, sleighs, muffs, and suits, were all local industries. Berlin was on the direct route from New Haven to Hartford, with taverns and inns, which were regular stagecoach stops for fresh horses, meals and sleeping accommodations.

Two meetinghouses had been built, one in Kensington Parish, still in use today as the Kensington Congregational Church. The Worthington Meetinghouse was in continuous use as a church, town hall, school and town offices until 1974.

Berlin was proud to have one of the 75 official post offices designated by Benjamin Franklin, first Postmaster General. A historic marker showing that the next post office was in Hartford, 11 miles away, is still located on Worthington Ridge.

By the late 1700s, a village library had been started, and the town boasted of five school districts. In the mid 1800s, the Worthington Academy was built, which ultimately housed 125 students from neighboring states. The Berlin Railroad Depot opened as a way station on the New York, New Haven and Hartford line. Today, this train station is one of the last places in the U.S. that sells tickets to anywhere in the U.S. or Canada.

The mid 1800s brought competition from mass-produced products, forcing the peddlers out of business. It also brought the establishment of the brick making industry locally, which eventually produced 90,000 bricks daily until the 1960s.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 69.9 km2, of which 68.2 km2 is land and 1.7 km2, or 2.45%, is water. The geographic center of Connecticut is located in Berlin.

The west side of Berlin is flanked by the Metacomet Ridge, a mountainous trap rock ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound to nearly the Vermont border. Notable mountains of the Metacomet ridge in Berlin include the Hanging Hills, Lamentation Mountain, Short Mountain, and Ragged Mountain. The 51 mi Metacomet Trail and the 50 mi Mattabesett Trail traverse the ridge.

Demographics
As of the 2010 census Berlin had a population of 19,866. The racial makeup of the population was 94.9% white, 0.7% black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.6% from some other race and 1.0% from two or more races. 3.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,215 people, 6,792 households, and 5,155 families residing in the town. The population density was 688.6 PD/sqmi. There were 6,955 housing units at an average density of 262.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.03% White, 0.36% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.47% of the population.

There were 6,792 households, out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $68,068, and the median income for a family was $76,756. Males had a median income of $49,714 versus $34,832 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,744. About 1.4% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Top employers
According to Berlin's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,  the top employers in the city are:

Transportation
Berlin is bisected by a north-south arterial road, U.S. 5 and an expressway, Connecticut State Route 9. Connecticut State Route 372 is a local east-west road serving the town.

Berlin is located on the New Haven–Springfield Line with daily passenger service to points north and south and to New York City via a connection in New Haven. In the Kensington neighborhood on Berlin's west side is Berlin station by the CT Rail's Hartford Line trains and by Amtrak's Hartford Line, Northeast Regional, and Valley Flyer.

Notable people

 * Joe Clifford (born 1970), author and editor
 * Luann de Lesseps (born 1965), cast member on The Real Housewives of New York City
 * Sam McKinniss (born 1985), abstract and figurative postmodern painter; born in Minnesota, raised in Berlin from when he was a one-year-old
 * Simeon North (1765–1852), manufacturing pioneer; adopted milling/manufacturing with interchangeable parts
 * Joseph Pierce (1842-1916), Union Army corporal who was born in China and fought in the Civil War
 * Ryan Preece (born 1990), NASCAR driver
 * Austin Stowell (born 1984), actor known for films Dolphin Tale, Whiplash, and Bridge of Spies
 * Emma Hart Willard (1787–1870), pioneer in women's education

Education
There are three elementary schools, Mary E. Griswold School, Emma Hart Willard School, and Richard D. Hubbard School, as well as Catherine M. McGee Middle School, and Berlin High School. Besides these, there is one private education school in Berlin; Saint Paul School (Founded 1958).

The town's public library is the Berlin-Peck Memorial Library located at the Arthur B. Powers complex, the library contains an adjoining community center with publicly available meeting rooms, a gym area and a game room. Adult education classes are held here as well as meetings for civic and student groups.

Pronunciation
Although taken from the name of the Prussian capital, Berlin, which receives the stress in its pronunciation on the second syllable, the name of the town in Connecticut has always received the stress in its pronunciation on the first syllable, in keeping with the recessive accent usual in the pronunciation of English. Notwithstanding this history, a contemporary legend claims that the emphasis was changed during the First World War to differentiate the little town from the German city.

title: Berlin, Connecticut


text:
Bloomfield, Connecticut

Bloomfield is a suburb of Hartford in the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, United States. The town's population was 21,535 at the 2020 census, Bloomfield's highest ever decennial census count. Bloomfield is best known as the headquarters of healthcare services company Cigna.

History
Originally land of the Poquonock Native Americans, the area was first settled in 1660 as part of Windsor, organized as the Parish of Wintonbury in 1736. Wintonbury comes from three names from neighboring towns Windsor, Farmington, and Simsbury. It was finally incorporated as the town of Bloomfield by the Connecticut General Assembly on May 28, 1835. Initially, the town's local economy was agriculturally based, mostly in shade tobacco, remaining as such until it developed as a postwar suburb of Hartford starting in the 1950s. Today, Bloomfield's local character varies. While the town's southern and eastern fringes are more densely populated and developed, the northern and western sections maintain a more rural feel with meadows, woods, and some remaining farmland.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 68.0 km2, of which 67.6 km2 is land and 0.4 sqkm, or 0.63%, is water.

Bloomfield is bordered by Windsor to the northeast, East Granby to the north, Simsbury and Avon to the west, and West Hartford and Hartford to the south.

The northern border of Bloomfield is formed by the Farmington River. The west side of the town is flanked by Talcott Mountain, part of the Metacomet Ridge, a mountainous trap rock ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound to nearly the Vermont border. Notable features of the Metacomet Ridge in Bloomfield include Penwood State Park and the Tariffville Gorge of the Farmington River, on the borders of East Granby, Simsbury, and Bloomfield. The 51 mi Metacomet Trail traverses the ridge.

Transportation
The major east–west throughway in Bloomfield is Route 218, which starts at the Simsbury Road/Hall Boulevard split at the West Hartford line and inches north toward Cottage Grove Road before heading eastbound. Bloomfield also has two major north–south highways: Blue Hills Avenue (Route 187) and Bloomfield/Tunxis Avenues (Route 189). These highways merge when approaching the Windsor line but before returning to Bloomfield.

Eleven bus routes in Connecticut Transit's Hartford Division serve Bloomfield: 36, 46, 50, 52, 54, 56, 72, 74, 76, 92, and 153.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2010, there were 20,486 people, 8,554 households, and 5,343 families residing in the town. The population density was 753.0 PD/sqmi. There were 8,195 housing units at an average density of 315.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 35.7% White, 57.5% African American, 0.03% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.70% from other races, and 3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.6% of the population.

There were 8,554 households, out of which 19.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.4% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.9 years. For every 122 females there were 100 males. For every 130 females age 18 and over, there were 100 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $73,519, and the median income for a family was $84,735.

As of the census of 2000. Males had a median income of $42,860 versus $36,778 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,843.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, About 5.8% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics
Bloomfield has a Town council government. The Town Council elects a Chair, who is designated as Mayor, two weeks after the election. Mayor Danielle Wong began her first term as Mayor in November 2022.

Bloomfield is reliably Democratic in presidential elections, having last voted Republican in 1956.

Top employers
According to Bloomfield's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the town are:

Schools
Bloomfield is home to three secondary schools: the public Bloomfield High School, the inter-district Global Experience Magnet School (serving grades 6–12), and the Metropolitan Learning Center, a CREC school serving grades 6–12.

Bloomfield Public Schools (Connecticut) also has:
 * Pre-K3–K The Wintonbury Early Childhood Magnet School
 * K–2 Laurel Elementary
 * 3–4 Metacomet Elementary
 * 5–6 Carmen Arace Intermediate
 * 7–8 Carmen Arace Middle School

Sports
Bloomfield-based amateur soccer team 3rd Eye FC play in the United Premier Soccer League Division 1 New England Conference.

Notable people

 * Clarence H. Adams (1905–1987), commissioner of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and president of the Boston Celtics
 * George Ansbro (1915–2011), radio announcer
 * LeRoy Bailey Jr. (born 1946), pastor and author
 * Edward C. Banfield, political scientist
 * James G. Batterson (1823–1901), founder of Travelers Insurance Company
 * Julia Brace (1807–1884), deaf/blind woman of 19th Century
 * Lawrence Clay-Bey (born 1965), professional heavyweight boxer, born in town
 * Marcus Cooper (born 1990), cornerback for Chicago Bears
 * Joe D'Ambrosio (born 1953), sports broadcaster and play-by-play announcer
 * Edgar Eno, state assemblyman for Wisconsin
 * Oliver Filley (1806–1881), mayor of St. Louis from 1858 to 1861
 * Dwight Freeney, NFL All-Pro defensive end for Indianapolis Colts, attended Bloomfield High School
 * Bobby Gibson, educator and member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
 * Edward H. Gillette (1840–1918), congressman for Iowa, born in town
 * Jessica Hecht (born 1965), actress
 * Jaimoe, drummer for Allman Brothers Band
 * K.C. Jones (1932–2020), NBA Hall of Fame basketball player
 * Charles Kaman (1919–2011), aeronautical engineer, businessman, inventor and philanthropist
 * Ellie Kanner, film and television director and former casting director
 * Joža Karas (1926–2008), musician and teacher who made public music composed by inmates of Theresienstadt concentration camp during World War II
 * Noella Marcellino (born 1951), Benedictine nun who earned doctorate in microbiology from University of Connecticut
 * Richard P. McBrien (1936-2015), Catholic theologian and author of landmark work 'Catholicism'.
 * Lewis Rome (1933–2015), state senator representing Bloomfield (1971–1979); long-time resident
 * Anika Noni Rose (born 1972), singer and actress, born in town
 * Nykesha Sales (born 1976), WNBA basketball player, born in town
 * Franz Schurmann (1926–2010), sociologist and historian
 * Johann Smith (born 1987), soccer player
 * Joseph M. Suggs Jr. (born 1940), politician, Bloomfield mayor, and Connecticut State Treasurer (1993–1995)
 * James Thorpe (1915–2009), Princeton University professor and academic; lived his later years and died in town
 * David Ushery (born 1967), television news anchor
 * Douglas Wimbish (born 1956), bass player

On the National Register of Historic Places

 * Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (Cigna) Headquarters
 * Capt. Oliver Filley House
 * Francis Gillette House
 * Old Farm Schoolhouse
 * Southwest District School

Places of interest

 * The New England Muscle Bicycle Museum, with 120 bicycles from the 1960s and 1970s, is open by appointment
 * The First Cathedral, the largest non-denominational church in New England

title: Bloomfield, Connecticut


text:
Blue Hills, Connecticut

Blue Hills is a community in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, encompassing the northwestern corner of the city of Hartford and the southeastern corner of the town of Bloomfield. The Bloomfield portion is listed by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP), with a population of 2,762 at the 2020 census.

Blue Hills is home to many schools and homes. Including the portion in Hartford, it has roughly 10,000 residents, and has several schools and one university located there. Its main thoroughfares are Granby Street, Blue Hills Avenue (Route 187), Plainfield Street, Bloomfield Avenue (Route 189) and Albany Avenue (US 44). Connecticut Transit operates several bus routes through the neighborhood, such as the 50, 52 and 54, which run on Blue Hills Avenue, the 56 and 58, which run up on Albany Avenue and Bloomfield Avenue, the 74, which runs through Westbrook Village on its way to Copaco Shopping Center via Granby Street, and the 76, which runs on Cornwall Street towards Bowles Park.

Blue Hills has a majority of West Indian and African American residents. Educational institutions include Annie Fisher ES, Mountain Laurel School (Annie Fisher School Annex), Sarah J. Rawson ES, Mark Twain ES, Martin Luther King, Jr. ES, Weaver HS, Watkinson School, and the University of Hartford.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP portion of Blue Hills has a total area of 3.0 km2, all land.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,020 people, 1,008 households, and 782 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,643.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,044 housing units at an average density of 913.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 9.80% White, 83.11% black, 0.40% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.49% from other races, and 3.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.07% of the population.

In 2000, 23.9% of Blue Hills residents identified as being of Jamaican heritage. This was the highest percentage of Jamaican Americans of any place in the country.

There were 1,008 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 28.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,859, and the median income for a family was $52,361. Males had a median income of $36,842 versus $30,972 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $21,618. About 3.9% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
The main north-south roads are Granby Street and Blue Hills Avenue (Route 187). The main east-west road is Cottage Grove Road (Route 218). The 46, 50, 52, 54, 56, 74, 76, and 92 bus routes from Connecticut Transit serve the area. There have been plans for the local railroad, the Griffin Line (which is used by freight), to be made into commuter rail. Interstate highways 91 and 291 link Blue Hills to New Haven, Hartford, Springfield, Massachusetts, and points east of the Connecticut River.

Education
Blue Hills is home to Annie Fisher School, Mark Twain School, Weaver High School, Watkinson School, and the University of Hartford

Religion
Blue Hills is home to The First Cathedral, New England's largest Protestant church.

title: Blue Hills, Connecticut