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Groton, Connecticut

Groton /ˈɡrɒtən/ is a town in New London County, Connecticut located on the Thames River. It is the home of General Dynamics Electric Boat, which is the major contractor for submarine work for the United States Navy. The Naval Submarine Base New London is located in Groton, and the pharmaceutical company Pfizer is also a major employer. Avery Point in Groton is home to a regional campus of the University of Connecticut. The population was 38,411 at the 2020 census.[2]

Town of Groton
USS Nautilus (SSN-571) moored in Groton at the Submarine Force Museum
Nickname: 
The Submarine Capital of the World
Coordinates: 41°20′55″N 72°04′39″W / 41.3485°N 72.0775°W / 41.3485; -72.0775Coordinates: 41°20′55″N 72°04′39″W / 41.3485°N 72.0775°W / 41.3485; -72.0775
CountryUnited States
StateConnecticut
CountyNew London
Metropolitan areaNew London
Incorporated1705
Government
 • TypeCouncil-manager
 • Town CouncilJuan Melendez (D), Mayor[1]
Portia Bordelon (D)
Aundré Bumgardner (D)
Melinda Cassiere (D)
Rachel Franco (D)
Bruce Jones (D)
David McBride (D)
Juliette Parker (D)
Scott Westervelt (R)
 • Town ManagerJohn Burt
 • Town meeting moderatorJill Rusk (D)
 • State RepresentativeJoe De La Cruz (D)
Christine Conley (D)
 • State SenatorHeather Somers (R)
Area
 • Total45.3 sq mi (117.3 km2)
 • Land31.0 sq mi (80.4 km2)
 • Water14.2 sq mi (36.9 km2)
Population
 • Total38,411
 • Density850/sq mi (330/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
06340
FIPS code09-34250
GNIS feature ID0213437
Websitewww.groton-ct.gov

History

 
Groton Monument and Fort Griswold, a sketch by John Warner Barber for his Historical Collections of Connecticut (1836)

Groton was established in 1705 when it separated from New London, Connecticut. The town was named after Groton, Suffolk in England.[3] A hundred years before it was established, the Niantic people settled in the area between the Thames River and Pawcatuck River, but they eventually settled in Westerly, Rhode Island. The newcomers to the land were the Pequots, a branch of the Mohawk people who moved eastward into the Connecticut River Valley.

The summer of 1614 was the first time that the Pequots encountered white settlers. They started trading furs for the settlers' goods, such as steel knives, needles, and boots. In 1633, the Dutch bought land from them and opened a fur trading post. Meanwhile, the English bought land for settlement from the local tribes. The Dutch had unintentionally killed the Pequots' chief, and this prompted revenge by the Pequot tribe, and this escalated into the Pequot War (1636–1638). On the night of May 26, 1637, the Colonial forces arrived outside the Pequot village near the Mystic River. The palisade surrounding the village had only two exits, and their leader Colonel John Mason gave the order to set the village on fire and block off the exits. Those who tried climbing over the palisade were shot; anyone who succeeded in getting over was killed by the Narragansett forces.[4]

The land was poor for farming, but access to the region's waterways left room for commerce and trade, and Groton became a town of oceangoing settlers. Most of the community began to build ships, and soon traders made their way to Massachusetts Bay Colony and Plymouth Colony to trade for food, tools, weapons, and clothing. John Leeds was the earliest shipbuilder, coming as a sea captain from Kent, England. He built a 20-ton brigantine, a two-masted sailing ship with square-rigged sails on the foremast and fore-and-aft sails on the mainmast. Thomas Starr built a 67-ton square-sterned vessel, and Thomas Latham launched a 100-ton brig on the Groton bank with mast standing and fully rigged. The sturdy ships built in Groton engaged in highly profitable trade with the islands of the Caribbean.

American Revolution

On September 6, 1781, the Battle of Groton Heights was fought between a combined force of state troops and local militia led by William Ledyard and numerous British forces led by Benedict Arnold. No one at Fort Griswold had expected an attack, especially after six years of false alarms. At sunrise, a force of 1,700 British regulars landed on both sides of the mouth of the Thames River. The fleet had sailed from Long Island the evening before, and only a sudden shift in the wind prevented a surprise attack during the night; it was 9 a.m. the next day before the transports could come ashore to land the troops.

Across the Thames River in New London, Benedict Arnold was leading an 800-man detachment which destroyed stockpiles of goods and naval stores. His men set fire to a ship containing gunpowder which created an uncontrollable fire that destroyed most of New London. Meanwhile, a British force of 800 men moved toward Fort Griswold in Groton, which was garrisoned by 164 militia and local men. The British sent a flag of surrender to Fort Griswold, but Colonel William Ledyard refused and returned it. The British then attacked, initiating the Battle of Groton Heights. After an initial repulse, the British succeeded in entering the fort and overpowering the small garrison inside. Ledyard realized that his men were overpowered and surrendered to the British—who proceeded to kill Ledyard with his own sword and continue firing on the American garrison. Jonathan Rathbun described the surrender this way:

The wretch who murdered him [Ledyard], exclaimed, as he came near, "Who commands this fort?" Ledyard handsomely replied, "I did, but you do now," at the same moment handing him his sword, which the unfeeling villain buried in his breast! Oh, the hellish spite and madness of a man that will murder a reasonable and noble-hearted officer, in the act of submitting and surrendering![5]

A memorial for the battle was erected in 1830 for the 85 Patriot soldiers who were killed at the fort. Fort Griswold is the only intact memorial in town left from the Revolutionary War. The 135-foot-tall (41 m) monument has become the town's symbol and is now featured on the Groton town seal.

Early 19th century

 
Monument erected in 1830 commemorates the American troops massacred by the British following the surrender of Fort Griswold in the Battle of Groton Heights during the American Revolution.

Shortly after the Revolutionary War, Groton started to re-establish its commercial activities. Shipbuilders began to build again; Victory was launched in 1784, Success was launched in 1785, and five sloops were built in 1787, along with the 164-ton Nancy. Shipbuilders along the Mystic River were the busiest. These ships went on trips to Florida, and the resulting profits made Mystic the most thriving part of the town.

Between 1784 and 1800, 32 vessels were built in Groton. 28 more were built from 1800 to 1807, when business came to a sudden stop with the Embargo Act. In June 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain. Most of the United States' small navy was landlocked in the Thames River. This frightened the people in Groton for fear that there would be a repeat of the Groton Heights massacre of 1781, and many residents fled inland for safety. Those that did not flee demanded protection and militia. These residents built a fort on a hill of rock that held one cannon and maintained constant guard. The fort was named Fort Rachel, after a woman that lived nearby. The British never attacked but created a blockade that ruined Groton's trade.

Some men from Mystic lured a British barge to Groton Long Point on August 12, 1814, the day after the British attacked Stonington, gaining themselves 2,600 dollars in prize money. The men in Mystic captured a sloop, the cargo of which they later sold for 6,000 dollars. Seventeen Mystic men also tried out a new weapon called the spar torpedo to rid themselves of the British blockade. They brought the torpedo from New York; it was 30 feet (9 m) long, 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter, and had a 12-foot (4 m) crossbar at one end. The men failed to sink HMS Ramillies. On their first attempt, the torpedo went into the water; on the second attempt, the explosive caught on Ramillies' cable and exploded. All the men made it safely to the shore while being fired at by the British ship and the American sentries at Eastern Point.

Groton received word that the war was over on February 21, 1815. The land-locked frigates left the Thames in April, leaving Groton to resume its marine pursuits.

After the War of 1812, whaling became a very important part of Groton's economy, but most of the expeditions were still for seal skins. Before 1820, sealers went to Antarctica, where their ships would drop them off. They would kill the seals and then prepare the skins for some weeks, until their ship returned for them. By 1830, whaling had become Mystic's main business. By 1846, Groton became one of the world's prime whaling ports. Whaling was difficult and dangerous, but boys would go out to sea to make their fortune, nonetheless, in the hope that some of them would eventually come to command a vessel.

In 1865, Ebenezer Morgan made one of the most profitable voyages. He sold his cargo for $150,000. Three years later, he raised the first American flag on Alaskan territory, and there he collected 45,000 seal skins. When he retired, it was said that his estate totaled up to $1 million.

William H. Allen, another son of Groton, spent 25 years commanding a whale ship. Old sailors said that "whales rose to the surface and waited to be harpooned." When he retired, he spent 12 years working as a selectman.

Late 19th century

In 1849, the discovery of gold in California created a demand for speed that resulted in the creation of the clipper ship, a fast sailing ship with multiple masts and a square rig. The most important vessel built at the Mystic River Shipyard was the clipper ship Andrew Jackson. In 1859, it sailed from New York City to San Francisco in a record time of 89 days and 4 hours. Both clippers and sailing packets were built in the shipyards of the Mystic River at that time. The Mystic shipyards started building ships with a greater cargo capacity after the Civil War.

Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy during the Civil War, wanted three experimental ironclad steamers to be built in private shipyards and used against the Confederacy's wooden fleet. A company in Groton was chosen to build a bomb-proof steamer designed by C.S. Bushnell of New Haven. 100 men were hired, and a big shed was built so that construction could continue rain or shine. The ship was ready for launching in 130 days. There were many skeptics who believed that the ship would sink or corrode once it hit the salt water, and there were very few who thought that it might float. Thousands came to watch Galena's launch on Valentine's Day 1862. Reporters commented that she floated like a duck. When it came time for Galena to enter battle, she was pierced 13 times. Thirteen of the crew members were killed and 11 were wounded from flying metal fragments. During the Civil War, 56 steamships were built for government service in shipyards on both sides of the Mystic River.

After the war, there were dozens of excess war steamships and, after 1870, shipbuilding moved up to Noank within the Groton town limits. One of the largest shipyards was Palmer Shipyard, established in Noank in 1827. A marine railway built in Groton in 1860 allowed them to pull vessels out of the water for repairs, which brought in a lot of business and money. The shipyard was running up to 1913 when one of the Palmer brothers died, but during World War I the shipyard was used again. Iron ships began to be demanded, and their construction attracted workers to Groton. Housing was beginning to run short, so Groton Realty had to hurry to build hotels and cottages. The ships which brought the workers in turn also brought more business to the Realty.

The Naval Submarine Base New London was founded in Groton in 1872 as the New London Navy Yard. Submarines were first based there in 1915, and in 1916 it was officially renamed a submarine base.

Groton used to include what is now the town of Ledyard, which separated from Groton in 1836. The original center of Groton is still known as Center Groton at the present-day intersection of Route 184 and Route 117, now in the north-central part of town, due to the departure of Ledyard to the north. Groton Center was the location of the town's first school, church, tavern, and stagecoach shop.

20th century

 
Thames Street (c. 1901)

In the 20th century, the shipbuilding industry moved from the Mystic River to the Thames River. Electric Boat is the town's largest employer. However, until 1931, submarines designed by Electric Boat were subcontracted to other shipyards, primarily Fore River Shipbuilding in Quincy, Massachusetts. Electric Boat commenced industrial operations in Groton with the establishment of the New London Ship and Engine Company (NELSECO) as a subsidiary in 1911. NELSECO was the primary engine manufacturer for Electric Boat-designed submarines 1911–1925. In 1931, USS Cuttlefish was laid down as the first submarine built in Groton. During World War II, Electric Boat completed submarines every two weeks.

In 1954, Electric Boat launched USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine. Presently, Nautilus is decommissioned and open for visitors, permanently berthed at the U.S. Navy Submarine Force Library and Museum. Groton is sometimes referred to as the "Submarine Capital of the World," due to the long-standing history of submarines in the town, and the fact that Groton has one of the largest submarine bases in the world. The National World War II Submarine Memorial East is located in Groton, including parts of USS Flasher.[6]

The Groton and Stonington Street Railway was a trolley line that was created in 1904 to serve the Groton area. The trolley was dismantled and replaced by buses in 1928.[7]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 45.3 square miles (117.3 km2), of which 31.0 square miles (80.4 km2) is land and 14.2 square miles (36.9 km2), or 31.47%, is water.[8]

Principal communities

 
The Griswold at Eastern Point, 1906

Other minor communities and geographic features are Bluff Point, Eastern Point, Esker Point, Jupiter Point, Mumford Cove, and West Pleasant Valley.

Climate

Groton has a humid continental climate (Dfb).

Climate data for New London (Groton) 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1957–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 69
(21)
67
(19)
78
(26)
88
(31)
91
(33)
95
(35)
101
(38)
99
(37)
93
(34)
87
(31)
79
(26)
69
(21)
101
(38)
Average high °F (°C) 38.8
(3.8)
40.8
(4.9)
47.3
(8.5)
56.9
(13.8)
66.4
(19.1)
75.2
(24.0)
80.8
(27.1)
79.8
(26.6)
73.6
(23.1)
63.3
(17.4)
53.2
(11.8)
44.1
(6.7)
60.0
(15.6)
Daily mean °F (°C) 31.3
(−0.4)
32.9
(0.5)
39.5
(4.2)
48.9
(9.4)
58.1
(14.5)
67.3
(19.6)
73.4
(23.0)
72.5
(22.5)
65.8
(18.8)
55.2
(12.9)
45.5
(7.5)
36.8
(2.7)
52.3
(11.3)
Average low °F (°C) 23.8
(−4.6)
24.9
(−3.9)
31.6
(−0.2)
40.9
(4.9)
49.9
(9.9)
59.3
(15.2)
65.9
(18.8)
65.1
(18.4)
58.0
(14.4)
47.1
(8.4)
37.9
(3.3)
29.5
(−1.4)
44.5
(6.9)
Record low °F (°C) −14
(−26)
−12
(−24)
0
(−18)
14
(−10)
30
(−1)
38
(3)
47
(8)
41
(5)
29
(−2)
22
(−6)
8
(−13)
−10
(−23)
−14
(−26)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.91
(99)
3.42
(87)
4.92
(125)
4.40
(112)
3.67
(93)
3.93
(100)
3.42
(87)
4.19
(106)
4.29
(109)
4.42
(112)
3.75
(95)
4.59
(117)
48.91
(1,242)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 5.8
(15)
8.3
(21)
3.9
(9.9)
0.8
(2.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.5
(1.3)
5.2
(13)
24.5
(62)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 11.4 9.7 11.5 11.6 11.9 9.5 9.7 9.3 10.2 10.4 10.0 12.4 127.6
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 3.1 2.7 1.7 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 1.9 9.9
Source: NOAA[9][10]


Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
18004,302
18104,4513.5%
18204,6644.8%
18304,8053.0%
18402,953−38.5%
18503,83329.8%
18604,45016.1%
18705,12415.1%
18805,1280.1%
18905,5398.0%
19005,9627.6%
19106,4958.9%
19209,22742.1%
193010,72216.2%
194010,9101.8%
195021,896100.7%
196029,93736.7%
197038,24427.7%
198041,0627.4%
199045,1449.9%
200039,907−11.6%
201040,1150.5%
202038,411−4.2%
Population 1756–2000[11]
2010 population[12]

As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 39,907 people, 15,473 households, and 9,980 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,275.2 inhabitants per square mile (492.4/km2). There were 16,817 housing units at an average density of 537.4 per square mile (207.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 83.61% White, 6.95% Black or African American, 0.83% Native American, 3.33% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 1.66% from other races, and 3.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.01% of the population.

There were 15,473 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 29.2% of all households 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 2.41 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 24.8% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $46,154, and the median income for a family was $51,402. Males had a median income of $36,204 versus $30,255 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,995. About 4.9% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 25, 2005[14]
Party Active voters Inactive voters Total voters Percentage
Democratic 4,908 207 5,115 25.92%
Republican 3,922 224 4,146 21.01%
Unaffiliated 9,856 595 10,451 52.97%
Minor parties 17 1 18 0.09%
Total 18,703 1,027 19,730 100%

Government

The Town of Groton has a Town Council consisting of 9 members, along with a Representative Town Meeting. The Town has a Town Council/Town Manager form of Government. The current Mayor is Juan Melendez. The current Town Manager is John Burt.

Industry

 
Fleet submarines under construction in World War II. Photo by Charles Fenno Jacobs.

There are two major companies in Groton: General Dynamics Electric Boat and Pfizer. The Electric Boat plant on the eastern shore of the Thames River employs 10,500 people in the community. Pfizer is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, and the company maintains a 137-acre (0.55 km2) research and development facility in Groton.

Top employers

According to the Town's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[15] the top employers are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Naval Submarine Base New London 10,150
2 General Dynamics Electric Boat 8,277
3 Pfizer 3,400
4 Town of Groton 947
5 1109th Aviation Classification and Repair Depot 466
6 City of Groton 266
7 Mystic Marriott 211
8 PCC Structurals 190
9 Pequot Health Center 169
10 Zachry Engineering 122

Education

There are many schools in the Groton area.

Public schools

Groton Public Schools is the local school district serving Groton, operating elementary, middle and high school locations.

Independent high schools

Higher education

Transportation

Groton is served by Southeast Area Transit District, the local area bus service district. Through SEAT, there are connections to neighboring New London, CT and Norwich, CT. Despite there being a freight rail line running through Groton off of the Northeast Corridor, there is no passenger rail service serving Groton at this time. The nearest passenger rail station is across the Thames River in New London, CT, being served by Amtrak and the CT DOT's Shoreline East commuter service.

Air travel is provided by Groton-New London Airport, a state-owned public-use airport in the southeast section of Groton. Since 2004, Groton-New London has not had scheduled passenger service, but has intermittently offered charter services with small local airlines. The nearest airports providing scheduled passenger service are Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport in Rhode Island, and Bradley International Airport in Hartford.

Notable people

Points of interest

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ (PDF). Groton, CT. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Census - Geography Profile: Groton town, New London County, Connecticut". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  3. ^ The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly. Connecticut Magazine Company. 1903. p. 332.
  4. ^ Vowell2008
  5. ^ Rathbun, p. 28
  6. ^ . California Center for Military History. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  7. ^ Kimball, Carol W. Historic Glimpses: Recollections of Days Past in the Mystic River Valley. Mystic, Connecticut: Flat Hammock Press, 2005.
  8. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Groton town, New London County, Connecticut". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  9. ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  10. ^ "Station: Groton, CT". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  11. ^ Office of the Secretary of the State 2005-09-13 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Groton town, New London County, Connecticut". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  13. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  14. ^ (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-09-23. Retrieved 2006-10-02.
  15. ^ . Retrieved 2011-05-30.
  • Rathbun, Jonathan; Avery, Rufus; Hempstead, Stephen; Herttell, Thomas (1971). Narrative of Jonathan Rathbun: With the Narratives of Rufus Avery and Stephen Hempstead, Including the Narrative of Thomas Herttell. New York: Arno Press. ISBN 978-0-405-01217-4. OCLC 138565.

External links

  • Town of Groton official website

groton, connecticut, this, article, about, town, groton, city, groton, located, within, town, groton, city, connecticut, groton, town, london, county, connecticut, located, thames, river, home, general, dynamics, electric, boat, which, major, contractor, subma. This article is about the Town of Groton For the City of Groton located within the town see Groton city Connecticut Groton ˈ ɡ r ɒ t en is a town in New London County Connecticut located on the Thames River It is the home of General Dynamics Electric Boat which is the major contractor for submarine work for the United States Navy The Naval Submarine Base New London is located in Groton and the pharmaceutical company Pfizer is also a major employer Avery Point in Groton is home to a regional campus of the University of Connecticut The population was 38 411 at the 2020 census 2 Town of GrotonTownUSS Nautilus SSN 571 moored in Groton at the Submarine Force MuseumFlagSealNickname The Submarine Capital of the WorldLocation within New London County ConnecticutCoordinates 41 20 55 N 72 04 39 W 41 3485 N 72 0775 W 41 3485 72 0775 Coordinates 41 20 55 N 72 04 39 W 41 3485 N 72 0775 W 41 3485 72 0775CountryUnited StatesStateConnecticutCountyNew LondonMetropolitan areaNew LondonIncorporated1705Government TypeCouncil manager Town CouncilJuan Melendez D Mayor 1 Portia Bordelon D Aundre Bumgardner D Melinda Cassiere D Rachel Franco D Bruce Jones D David McBride D Juliette Parker D Scott Westervelt R Town ManagerJohn Burt Town meeting moderatorJill Rusk D State RepresentativeJoe De La Cruz D Christine Conley D State SenatorHeather Somers R Area Total45 3 sq mi 117 3 km2 Land31 0 sq mi 80 4 km2 Water14 2 sq mi 36 9 km2 Population 2020 2 Total38 411 Density850 sq mi 330 km2 Time zoneUTC 5 Eastern Summer DST UTC 4 Eastern ZIP code06340FIPS code09 34250GNIS feature ID0213437Websitewww wbr groton ct wbr gov Contents 1 History 1 1 American Revolution 1 2 Early 19th century 1 3 Late 19th century 1 4 20th century 2 Geography 2 1 Principal communities 2 2 Climate 3 Demographics 4 Government 5 Industry 5 1 Top employers 6 Education 6 1 Public schools 6 1 1 Independent high schools 6 2 Higher education 7 Transportation 8 Notable people 9 Points of interest 10 Gallery 11 See also 12 References 13 External linksHistory Edit Groton Monument and Fort Griswold a sketch by John Warner Barber for his Historical Collections of Connecticut 1836 Groton was established in 1705 when it separated from New London Connecticut The town was named after Groton Suffolk in England 3 A hundred years before it was established the Niantic people settled in the area between the Thames River and Pawcatuck River but they eventually settled in Westerly Rhode Island The newcomers to the land were the Pequots a branch of the Mohawk people who moved eastward into the Connecticut River Valley The summer of 1614 was the first time that the Pequots encountered white settlers They started trading furs for the settlers goods such as steel knives needles and boots In 1633 the Dutch bought land from them and opened a fur trading post Meanwhile the English bought land for settlement from the local tribes The Dutch had unintentionally killed the Pequots chief and this prompted revenge by the Pequot tribe and this escalated into the Pequot War 1636 1638 On the night of May 26 1637 the Colonial forces arrived outside the Pequot village near the Mystic River The palisade surrounding the village had only two exits and their leader Colonel John Mason gave the order to set the village on fire and block off the exits Those who tried climbing over the palisade were shot anyone who succeeded in getting over was killed by the Narragansett forces 4 The land was poor for farming but access to the region s waterways left room for commerce and trade and Groton became a town of oceangoing settlers Most of the community began to build ships and soon traders made their way to Massachusetts Bay Colony and Plymouth Colony to trade for food tools weapons and clothing John Leeds was the earliest shipbuilder coming as a sea captain from Kent England He built a 20 ton brigantine a two masted sailing ship with square rigged sails on the foremast and fore and aft sails on the mainmast Thomas Starr built a 67 ton square sterned vessel and Thomas Latham launched a 100 ton brig on the Groton bank with mast standing and fully rigged The sturdy ships built in Groton engaged in highly profitable trade with the islands of the Caribbean American Revolution Edit On September 6 1781 the Battle of Groton Heights was fought between a combined force of state troops and local militia led by William Ledyard and numerous British forces led by Benedict Arnold No one at Fort Griswold had expected an attack especially after six years of false alarms At sunrise a force of 1 700 British regulars landed on both sides of the mouth of the Thames River The fleet had sailed from Long Island the evening before and only a sudden shift in the wind prevented a surprise attack during the night it was 9 a m the next day before the transports could come ashore to land the troops Across the Thames River in New London Benedict Arnold was leading an 800 man detachment which destroyed stockpiles of goods and naval stores His men set fire to a ship containing gunpowder which created an uncontrollable fire that destroyed most of New London Meanwhile a British force of 800 men moved toward Fort Griswold in Groton which was garrisoned by 164 militia and local men The British sent a flag of surrender to Fort Griswold but Colonel William Ledyard refused and returned it The British then attacked initiating the Battle of Groton Heights After an initial repulse the British succeeded in entering the fort and overpowering the small garrison inside Ledyard realized that his men were overpowered and surrendered to the British who proceeded to kill Ledyard with his own sword and continue firing on the American garrison Jonathan Rathbun described the surrender this way The wretch who murdered him Ledyard exclaimed as he came near Who commands this fort Ledyard handsomely replied I did but you do now at the same moment handing him his sword which the unfeeling villain buried in his breast Oh the hellish spite and madness of a man that will murder a reasonable and noble hearted officer in the act of submitting and surrendering 5 A memorial for the battle was erected in 1830 for the 85 Patriot soldiers who were killed at the fort Fort Griswold is the only intact memorial in town left from the Revolutionary War The 135 foot tall 41 m monument has become the town s symbol and is now featured on the Groton town seal Early 19th century Edit Monument erected in 1830 commemorates the American troops massacred by the British following the surrender of Fort Griswold in the Battle of Groton Heights during the American Revolution Shortly after the Revolutionary War Groton started to re establish its commercial activities Shipbuilders began to build again Victory was launched in 1784 Success was launched in 1785 and five sloops were built in 1787 along with the 164 ton Nancy Shipbuilders along the Mystic River were the busiest These ships went on trips to Florida and the resulting profits made Mystic the most thriving part of the town Between 1784 and 1800 32 vessels were built in Groton 28 more were built from 1800 to 1807 when business came to a sudden stop with the Embargo Act In June 1812 the United States declared war on Great Britain Most of the United States small navy was landlocked in the Thames River This frightened the people in Groton for fear that there would be a repeat of the Groton Heights massacre of 1781 and many residents fled inland for safety Those that did not flee demanded protection and militia These residents built a fort on a hill of rock that held one cannon and maintained constant guard The fort was named Fort Rachel after a woman that lived nearby The British never attacked but created a blockade that ruined Groton s trade Some men from Mystic lured a British barge to Groton Long Point on August 12 1814 the day after the British attacked Stonington gaining themselves 2 600 dollars in prize money The men in Mystic captured a sloop the cargo of which they later sold for 6 000 dollars Seventeen Mystic men also tried out a new weapon called the spar torpedo to rid themselves of the British blockade They brought the torpedo from New York it was 30 feet 9 m long 7 inches 18 cm in diameter and had a 12 foot 4 m crossbar at one end The men failed to sink HMS Ramillies On their first attempt the torpedo went into the water on the second attempt the explosive caught on Ramillies cable and exploded All the men made it safely to the shore while being fired at by the British ship and the American sentries at Eastern Point Groton received word that the war was over on February 21 1815 The land locked frigates left the Thames in April leaving Groton to resume its marine pursuits After the War of 1812 whaling became a very important part of Groton s economy but most of the expeditions were still for seal skins Before 1820 sealers went to Antarctica where their ships would drop them off They would kill the seals and then prepare the skins for some weeks until their ship returned for them By 1830 whaling had become Mystic s main business By 1846 Groton became one of the world s prime whaling ports Whaling was difficult and dangerous but boys would go out to sea to make their fortune nonetheless in the hope that some of them would eventually come to command a vessel In 1865 Ebenezer Morgan made one of the most profitable voyages He sold his cargo for 150 000 Three years later he raised the first American flag on Alaskan territory and there he collected 45 000 seal skins When he retired it was said that his estate totaled up to 1 million William H Allen another son of Groton spent 25 years commanding a whale ship Old sailors said that whales rose to the surface and waited to be harpooned When he retired he spent 12 years working as a selectman Late 19th century Edit In 1849 the discovery of gold in California created a demand for speed that resulted in the creation of the clipper ship a fast sailing ship with multiple masts and a square rig The most important vessel built at the Mystic River Shipyard was the clipper ship Andrew Jackson In 1859 it sailed from New York City to San Francisco in a record time of 89 days and 4 hours Both clippers and sailing packets were built in the shipyards of the Mystic River at that time The Mystic shipyards started building ships with a greater cargo capacity after the Civil War Gideon Welles Secretary of the Navy during the Civil War wanted three experimental ironclad steamers to be built in private shipyards and used against the Confederacy s wooden fleet A company in Groton was chosen to build a bomb proof steamer designed by C S Bushnell of New Haven 100 men were hired and a big shed was built so that construction could continue rain or shine The ship was ready for launching in 130 days There were many skeptics who believed that the ship would sink or corrode once it hit the salt water and there were very few who thought that it might float Thousands came to watch Galena s launch on Valentine s Day 1862 Reporters commented that she floated like a duck When it came time for Galena to enter battle she was pierced 13 times Thirteen of the crew members were killed and 11 were wounded from flying metal fragments During the Civil War 56 steamships were built for government service in shipyards on both sides of the Mystic River After the war there were dozens of excess war steamships and after 1870 shipbuilding moved up to Noank within the Groton town limits One of the largest shipyards was Palmer Shipyard established in Noank in 1827 A marine railway built in Groton in 1860 allowed them to pull vessels out of the water for repairs which brought in a lot of business and money The shipyard was running up to 1913 when one of the Palmer brothers died but during World War I the shipyard was used again Iron ships began to be demanded and their construction attracted workers to Groton Housing was beginning to run short so Groton Realty had to hurry to build hotels and cottages The ships which brought the workers in turn also brought more business to the Realty The Naval Submarine Base New London was founded in Groton in 1872 as the New London Navy Yard Submarines were first based there in 1915 and in 1916 it was officially renamed a submarine base Groton used to include what is now the town of Ledyard which separated from Groton in 1836 The original center of Groton is still known as Center Groton at the present day intersection of Route 184 and Route 117 now in the north central part of town due to the departure of Ledyard to the north Groton Center was the location of the town s first school church tavern and stagecoach shop 20th century Edit Thames Street c 1901 In the 20th century the shipbuilding industry moved from the Mystic River to the Thames River Electric Boat is the town s largest employer However until 1931 submarines designed by Electric Boat were subcontracted to other shipyards primarily Fore River Shipbuilding in Quincy Massachusetts Electric Boat commenced industrial operations in Groton with the establishment of the New London Ship and Engine Company NELSECO as a subsidiary in 1911 NELSECO was the primary engine manufacturer for Electric Boat designed submarines 1911 1925 In 1931 USS Cuttlefish was laid down as the first submarine built in Groton During World War II Electric Boat completed submarines every two weeks In 1954 Electric Boat launched USS Nautilus the world s first nuclear powered submarine Presently Nautilus is decommissioned and open for visitors permanently berthed at the U S Navy Submarine Force Library and Museum Groton is sometimes referred to as the Submarine Capital of the World due to the long standing history of submarines in the town and the fact that Groton has one of the largest submarine bases in the world The National World War II Submarine Memorial East is located in Groton including parts of USS Flasher 6 The Groton and Stonington Street Railway was a trolley line that was created in 1904 to serve the Groton area The trolley was dismantled and replaced by buses in 1928 7 Geography EditAccording to the United States Census Bureau the town has a total area of 45 3 square miles 117 3 km2 of which 31 0 square miles 80 4 km2 is land and 14 2 square miles 36 9 km2 or 31 47 is water 8 Principal communities Edit The Griswold at Eastern Point 1906 Burnett s Corner historic district located along Packer Road south of Route 184 Center Groton City of Groton located along the Thames River Groton Heights or Groton Bank historic district in the northern part of the city area Groton Long Point Long Hill Mystic 06355 primarily in the neighboring town of Stonington but a small portion West Mystic is in Groton Noank Old Mystic Poquonock Bridge Fort Hill Submarine Base area Census designation Conning Towers Nautilus Park Other minor communities and geographic features are Bluff Point Eastern Point Esker Point Jupiter Point Mumford Cove and West Pleasant Valley Climate EditGroton has a humid continental climate Dfb Climate data for New London Groton 1991 2020 normals extremes 1957 presentMonth Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high F C 69 21 67 19 78 26 88 31 91 33 95 35 101 38 99 37 93 34 87 31 79 26 69 21 101 38 Average high F C 38 8 3 8 40 8 4 9 47 3 8 5 56 9 13 8 66 4 19 1 75 2 24 0 80 8 27 1 79 8 26 6 73 6 23 1 63 3 17 4 53 2 11 8 44 1 6 7 60 0 15 6 Daily mean F C 31 3 0 4 32 9 0 5 39 5 4 2 48 9 9 4 58 1 14 5 67 3 19 6 73 4 23 0 72 5 22 5 65 8 18 8 55 2 12 9 45 5 7 5 36 8 2 7 52 3 11 3 Average low F C 23 8 4 6 24 9 3 9 31 6 0 2 40 9 4 9 49 9 9 9 59 3 15 2 65 9 18 8 65 1 18 4 58 0 14 4 47 1 8 4 37 9 3 3 29 5 1 4 44 5 6 9 Record low F C 14 26 12 24 0 18 14 10 30 1 38 3 47 8 41 5 29 2 22 6 8 13 10 23 14 26 Average precipitation inches mm 3 91 99 3 42 87 4 92 125 4 40 112 3 67 93 3 93 100 3 42 87 4 19 106 4 29 109 4 42 112 3 75 95 4 59 117 48 91 1 242 Average snowfall inches cm 5 8 15 8 3 21 3 9 9 9 0 8 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 3 5 2 13 24 5 62 Average precipitation days 0 01 in 11 4 9 7 11 5 11 6 11 9 9 5 9 7 9 3 10 2 10 4 10 0 12 4 127 6Average snowy days 0 1 in 3 1 2 7 1 7 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 9 9 9Source NOAA 9 10 Demographics EditSee also List of Connecticut locations by per capita income Historical populationCensus Pop 18004 302 18104 4513 5 18204 6644 8 18304 8053 0 18402 953 38 5 18503 83329 8 18604 45016 1 18705 12415 1 18805 1280 1 18905 5398 0 19005 9627 6 19106 4958 9 19209 22742 1 193010 72216 2 194010 9101 8 195021 896100 7 196029 93736 7 197038 24427 7 198041 0627 4 199045 1449 9 200039 907 11 6 201040 1150 5 202038 411 4 2 Population 1756 2000 11 2010 population 12 As of the census 13 of 2000 there were 39 907 people 15 473 households and 9 980 families residing in the town The population density was 1 275 2 inhabitants per square mile 492 4 km2 There were 16 817 housing units at an average density of 537 4 per square mile 207 5 km2 The racial makeup of the town was 83 61 White 6 95 Black or African American 0 83 Native American 3 33 Asian 0 17 Pacific Islander 1 66 from other races and 3 45 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5 01 of the population There were 15 473 households out of which 33 4 had children under the age of 18 living with them 50 5 were married couples living together 10 5 had a female householder with no husband present and 35 5 were non families 29 2 of all households 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 41 and the average family size was 2 99 In the town the age distribution of the population shows 24 8 under the age of 18 11 8 from 18 to 24 33 0 from 25 to 44 18 3 from 45 to 64 and 12 1 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 32 years For every 100 females there were 104 7 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 105 5 males The median income for a household in the town was 46 154 and the median income for a family was 51 402 Males had a median income of 36 204 versus 30 255 for females The per capita income for the town was 23 995 About 4 9 of families and 6 1 of the population were below the poverty line including 8 0 of those under age 18 and 6 1 of those age 65 or over Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 25 2005 14 Party Active voters Inactive voters Total voters PercentageDemocratic 4 908 207 5 115 25 92 Republican 3 922 224 4 146 21 01 Unaffiliated 9 856 595 10 451 52 97 Minor parties 17 1 18 0 09 Total 18 703 1 027 19 730 100 Government EditThe Town of Groton has a Town Council consisting of 9 members along with a Representative Town Meeting The Town has a Town Council Town Manager form of Government The current Mayor is Juan Melendez The current Town Manager is John Burt Industry Edit Fleet submarines under construction in World War II Photo by Charles Fenno Jacobs There are two major companies in Groton General Dynamics Electric Boat and Pfizer The Electric Boat plant on the eastern shore of the Thames River employs 10 500 people in the community Pfizer is one of the world s largest pharmaceutical companies and the company maintains a 137 acre 0 55 km2 research and development facility in Groton Top employers Edit According to the Town s 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 15 the top employers are Employer of Employees1 Naval Submarine Base New London 10 1502 General Dynamics Electric Boat 8 2773 Pfizer 3 4004 Town of Groton 9475 1109th Aviation Classification and Repair Depot 4666 City of Groton 2667 Mystic Marriott 2118 PCC Structurals 1909 Pequot Health Center 16910 Zachry Engineering 122Education EditThere are many schools in the Groton area Public schools Edit Groton Public Schools is the local school district serving Groton operating elementary middle and high school locations Independent high schools Edit Marine Science Magnet High School E T Grasso Southeastern Technical High School a technical school which serves Groton and surrounding communitiesHigher education Edit Avery Point campus of the University of ConnecticutTransportation EditGroton is served by Southeast Area Transit District the local area bus service district Through SEAT there are connections to neighboring New London CT and Norwich CT Despite there being a freight rail line running through Groton off of the Northeast Corridor there is no passenger rail service serving Groton at this time The nearest passenger rail station is across the Thames River in New London CT being served by Amtrak and the CT DOT s Shoreline East commuter service Air travel is provided by Groton New London Airport a state owned public use airport in the southeast section of Groton Since 2004 Groton New London has not had scheduled passenger service but has intermittently offered charter services with small local airlines The nearest airports providing scheduled passenger service are Rhode Island T F Green International Airport in Rhode Island and Bradley International Airport in Hartford Notable people EditRobert G Albion 1896 1983 influential maritime historian who died in Groton Brian Anderson born 1976 professional skateboarder James Avery 1620 1700 captain of the New London militia company during King Philip s War Waightstill Avery 1741 1821 North Carolina politician soldier in the American Revolutionary War participant in a duel with Andrew Jackson James Cook Ayer 1818 1878 patent medicine businessman and industrialist Anna Warner Bailey 1758 1851 popular revolutionary hero Ambrose Burfoot born 1946 marathoner who grew up in Groton Latham A Burrows former State Senator Lorenzo Burrows former US Congressman Dave Campo NFL coach and a graduate of Fitch Senior High School Nathan Daboll 1780 1863 politician judge textbook author and almanac publisher Silas Deane 1737 1789 delegate to the Continental Congress and the United States first foreign diplomat born in Groton Jesse Hahn born 1989 Oakland Athletics Pitcher and a graduate of Fitch Senior High School George Hall Arena Football League player 2008 graduate of Fitch Senior High School Matt Harvey born 1989 New York Mets Pitcher graduate of Fitch Senior High School John J Kelley 1930 2011 winner of the 1957 Boston Marathon member of two U S Olympic marathon teams Husband E Kimmel 1882 1968 U S Navy admiral and commander of the Pacific Fleet at the time of attack on Pearl Harbor died in Groton John Ledyard 1751 1789 international explorer born in Groton William Ledyard 1738 1781 commander of Fort Griswold and killed in the attack on it Fran Mainella National Park Service Director 2001 2006 graduate of Fitch Senior High School Paul Menhart former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher graduate of Fitch Senior High School Lou Palazzi 1921 2007 NFL player and umpire born in Groton Thomas Rogers 1792 1856 builder of innovative locomotives born in Groton Samuel Seabury 1729 1796 first American Episcopal bishop born in Groton Elijah F Smith 8th mayor of Rochester New York Tookoolito 1838 1876 famous Inuit guide to Arctic explorers lived in Groton and is buried there in the Starr Burying Ground Cassin Young 1894 1942 U S Navy officer awarded the Medal of HonorPoints of interest EditBranford House and Alexey von Schlippe Gallery of Art Fort Griswold Groton Monument one of the oldest obelisks in the United States Gungywamp archaeological site New London Ledge Light Pequot Fort Jabez Smith House U S Navy Submarine Force Library and Museum including USS Nautilus Edward Yeomans HouseGallery Edit From the Ocean House Groton c 1860 by Charles DeWolf Brownell The shot furnace at Fort Griswold The Groton part of downtown Mystic Morgan Point Light is located in Noank in southeastern Groton See also Edit Connecticut portalReferences Edit Town Council PDF Groton CT Archived from the original PDF on 16 October 2020 Retrieved 28 May 2018 a b Census Geography Profile Groton town New London County Connecticut United States Census Bureau Retrieved December 16 2021 The Connecticut Magazine An Illustrated Monthly Connecticut Magazine Company 1903 p 332 Vowell2008 Rathbun p 28 National World War II Submarine Memorial East California Center for Military History Archived from the original on 27 September 2011 Retrieved 29 October 2011 Kimball Carol W Historic Glimpses Recollections of Days Past in the Mystic River Valley Mystic Connecticut Flat Hammock Press 2005 Geographic Identifiers 2010 Demographic Profile Data G001 Groton town New London County Connecticut United States Census Bureau Retrieved October 25 2012 NowData NOAA Online Weather Data National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved June 2 2021 Station Groton CT U S Climate Normals 2020 U S Monthly Climate Normals 1991 2020 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved June 2 2021 Office of the Secretary of the State Archived 2005 09 13 at the Wayback Machine Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics 2010 Demographic Profile Data DP 1 Groton town New London County Connecticut United States Census Bureau Retrieved October 25 2012 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved 2008 01 31 Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 25 2005 PDF Connecticut Secretary of State Archived from the original PDF on 2006 09 23 Retrieved 2006 10 02 Town of Groton CAFR Retrieved 2011 05 30 Rathbun Jonathan Avery Rufus Hempstead Stephen Herttell Thomas 1971 Narrative of Jonathan Rathbun With the Narratives of Rufus Avery and Stephen Hempstead Including the Narrative of Thomas Herttell New York Arno Press ISBN 978 0 405 01217 4 OCLC 138565 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Groton town Connecticut Wikisource has original text related to this article Groton Town of Groton official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Groton Connecticut amp oldid 1123072631, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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