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Wethersfield, Connecticut

Wethersfield is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States.[2] It is located immediately south of Hartford along the Connecticut River. The town is part of the Capitol Planning Region. The population was 27,298 at the time of the 2020 census.[3]

Wethersfield
Town of Wethersfield
Joseph Webb and Isaac Stevens houses
Motto: 
Ye Most Auncient Towne in Connecticut[1]
Coordinates: 41°42′51″N 72°39′09″W / 41.71417°N 72.65250°W / 41.71417; -72.65250
Country United States
U.S. state Connecticut
CountyHartford
RegionCapitol Region
SettledOctober 1634
IncorporatedFebruary 21, 1637
Named forWethersfield, Essex
Government
 • TypeCouncil-manager
 • Town managerGary A. Evans
Town council
Area
 • Total13.1 sq mi (34.0 km2)
 • Land12.3 sq mi (31.9 km2)
 • Water0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2)
Elevation
43 ft (13 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total27,298
 • Density2,100/sq mi (800/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code
06109
Area code(s)860/959
FIPS code09-84900
GNIS feature ID212042[2]
Interstates
U.S. Highways
State Routes
Websitewethersfieldct.gov

Many records from colonial times spell the name "Weathersfield" and "Wythersfield", while Native Americans called it Pyquag.[4] "Watertown" is a variant name.[2]

The neighborhood known as Old Wethersfield is the state's largest historic district, spanning 2 sq mi (5.2 km2) and containing 1,100 buildings, dating to the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The town is primarily served by Interstate 91.

History edit

Founded in 1634 by a Puritan settlement party of "10 Men", including John Oldham, Robert Seeley, Thomas Topping, and Nathaniel Foote, Wethersfield is arguably the oldest town in Connecticut,[5][6] depending on the interpretation of when a remote settlement qualifies as a "town". Along with Windsor and Hartford, Wethersfield is represented by one of the three grapevines on the Flag of Connecticut, signifying the state's three oldest English settlements.[7][8] The town was named by colonists for Wethersfield, a village in the English county of Essex.[9] The town was previously called "Watertown", named after Watertown, Massachusetts, until February 21, 1637, when it was incorporated as a town along with Windsor and Hartford. The town established the Old Wethersfield Village Cemetery as its first burying ground on Hungry Hill in 1638.

During the Pequot War, on April 23, 1637, Wangunk Chief Sequin, who had lived with the colonists in Wethersfield but had been forced out after a few years, attacked Wethersfield with Pequot help.[10] They killed six men and three women, a number of cattle and horses, and took two young girls captive. They were daughters of Abraham Swain or William Swaine (sources vary), and were later ransomed by Dutch traders.[11]

Four witch trials and three executions for witchcraft occurred in the town in the 17th century. Mary Johnson was convicted of witchcraft and executed in 1648, Joan and John Carrington in 1651.[12] In 1669, landowner Katherine Harrison was convicted, and although her conviction was reversed, she was banished and her property seized by her neighbors.[13][14]

From 1716 to 1718, the Collegiate School was briefly located in Wethersfield; it moved to New Haven and developed over the decades as Yale University.[15][16]

 
The Wethersfield elm, pictured in 1917, was the largest in New England at 27 ft (8.2 m) in circumference.[16]

Silas Deane, envoy to France during the American Revolutionary War, lived in the town. His house is now preserved and operated as part of the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum. In May 1781, at the Webb House on Main Street, General George Washington and French Lt. Gen. Rochambeau planned the Siege of Yorktown, which culminated in the surrender of Britain and independence of the colonies.

The Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department was chartered by the Connecticut Legislature on May 12, 1803, making it the first formally chartered fire department in the state. It is one of the oldest chartered volunteer fire department in continuous existence in the United States.[17]

Wethersfield was "for a century at least, the centre of the onion trade in New England", during the late 1700s and early to middle 1800s.[18] "Outsiders dubbed the Connecticut village 'Oniontown,' with a crosshatch of affection and derision, for this was home of the world-famous Wethersfield red onion."[19]

In addition, the town was home to William G. Comstock, a well-known 19th-century gardening expert and author of the era's most prominent gardening book, Order of Spring Work. In 1820, Comstock founded what would become Comstock, Ferre & Company,[20][21] America's oldest continuously operating seed company. It pioneered the commercial sale of sealed packets of seeds, as he had learned from the Amish. Other nationally prominent seed companies in and around the town developed from this agricultural past.[19][22]

A meteorite fell on Wethersfield on November 8, 1982. It was the second meteorite to fall in the town in the span of 11 years, as the first crashed on 8 April 1971. It crashed through the roof of a house without injuring the occupants, as had been the case with the first meteorite as well.[23] The 1971 meteorite was sold to the Smithsonian, and the 1982 meteorite was taken up as part of a collection at the Yale Peabody Museum.[24][25]

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18203,825
18403,824
18502,523−34.0%
18602,7057.2%
18702,693−0.4%
18802,173−19.3%
18902,2714.5%
19002,63716.1%
19103,14819.4%
19204,34237.9%
19307,51273.0%
19409,64428.4%
195012,53330.0%
196020,56164.1%
197026,66229.7%
198026,013−2.4%
199025,651−1.4%
200026,2712.4%
201026,6681.5%
202027,2982.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[26]

As of the 2000 census,[27] there were 26,268 people, 11,214 households, and 7,412 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,119.9 inhabitants per square mile (818.5/km2). There were 11,454 housing units at an average density of 924.3 per square mile (356.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 93.19% White, 2.09% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.58% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.82% from other races, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.19% of the population.

There were 11,214 households, out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.89.

The town population was distributed with 20.1% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $53,289, and the median income for a family was $68,154. (These figures had risen to $66,044 and $86,432 respectively as of a 2007 estimate.)[28] Males had a median income of $43,998 versus $37,443 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,930. About 2.4% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy edit

Top employers edit

Top employers in Wethersfield according to the town's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report[29]

# Employer # of Employees
1 State of Connecticut 810
2 Town of Wethersfield 753
3 Hartford Healthcare At Home 117
4 HomeGoods 108
5 Patient Care, Inc. 107
6 Qualidigm 101
7 DSG Yankee 79
8 Hooters 78
9 Corpus Christi School 55
10 Denny's 50

The Connecticut Department of Correction and the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles have their headquarters in Wethersfield.[30][31]

Due to its proximity to the state capital at Hartford, Wethersfield is the site of several State of Connecticut agencies:

  • The Department of Motor Vehicles office and testing location at 60 State Street.
  • The Department of Labor is headquartered at 200 Folly Brook Boulevard.
  • The Department of Correction is headquartered at 24 Wolcott Hill Road.
  • The Superior Court Operations Unit is located at 225 Spring Street.
  • The Court Support Services Division is located at 936 Silas Deane Highway.

The Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce has over 150 member institutions[32] and hosts community events throughout the year.[33]

Arts and culture edit

Landmarks and historic district edit

Three buildings in Wethersfield are designated as historic landmarks by the National Register of Historic Places:

In 1970, Old Wethersfield, the district bounded by Hartford, the railroad tracks, I-91 and Rocky Hill, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is the largest historic district in Connecticut, with two square miles containing 1,100 buildings, many dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries.[19]

Other points of interest edit

 
Wethersfield Cove
  • Old Wethersfield Village Cemetery
  • Broad Street Green
  • Roger Butler House
  • Captain James Francis House
  • Great Meadows[34]
  • Heritage Way – a "linear park" and multi-use path that connects Wethersfield's open areas and recreation facilities[35]
  • Hurlbut-Dunham House
  • Keeney Memorial Culture Center[36] – home of the Wethersfield Museum and Visitor Center
  • Millwoods Park/Pond
  • Wethersfield Cove
  • Wethersfield Historical Society[37]
  • Wethersfield Skate Park
  • John Chester Willard Pool
  • Wintergreen Woods – 100 acres (0.40 km2) forest with vernal pools and walking trails
  • Wethersfield High School (Connecticut)
  • Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center[38]
  • 9/11 Memorial Sports Center

Music edit

The historic First Church of Christ, Wethersfield, is the home of the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival USA,.[39]

The Wethersfield Historical Society sponsors free outdoor concerts throughout the summer.[40]

Community events edit

Community Events
Event Time of Year Location Organizer
Cove Park Fireworks[33] Early June Cove Park Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce
Wethersfield Farmers Market[41] Summer Thursdays 220 Hartford Avenue Wethersfield EDIC & Tourism Commission
Wethersfield Cornfest[33] Mid-September Broad Street Green Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce
Scarecrows Along Main Street[33] Early Fall Main Street Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce
Cove Side Carnival[42] Mid-October Cove Park Keane Foundation
Holidays on Main[33] Early December Broad Street Green Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce

Sports edit

Running edit

The Old Wethersfield 5K & 10K is an annual road race that takes place in the Old Wethersfield section of town. Both races begin and end at Cove Park on Hartford Avenue.[43] The event is put on by the Hartford Marathon Foundation and typically takes place at the end of August. The 2017 edition of the 10K is the state championship race for the USATF Connecticut Grand Prix Series[44] as well as the final event of the HMF 10K Challenge Series.[45]

Education edit

The Wethersfield public school system encompasses Wethersfield High School, Silas Deane Middle School, and five elementary schools: Highcrest School, Charles Wright School, Emerson-Williams School, Alfred W. Hanmer School, and Samuel B. Webb School.

In addition to traditional public schools, Wethersfield also offers parochial and magnet school choices. The CREC Discovery Academy is a Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade magnet school designed with a focus on STEM education. The Corpus Christi School is a Catholic school of approximately 400 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade. It was one of only fifty private schools named as a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Secretary of Education, in the category of "Exemplary High Performing."[46]

Government edit

Federal edit

Congressional Representatives[47][48]
Representative Chamber Party
Richard Blumenthal Senate Dem
Chris Murphy Senate Dem
John Larson House of Representatives Dem

State edit

General Assembly Representatives[48]
Representative Chamber District Party
John Fonfara Senate 1st Dem
Matthew Lesser Senate 9th Dem
Amy Morrin Bello House of Representatives 28th Dem
Kerry Wood House of Representatives 29th Dem

Municipal edit

Town Council Representatives [49]
Representative Position Party
Michael L. Rell Mayor Rep
Thomas Mazzarella Deputy Mayor Rep
Tyler Flanigan Council-member Rep
Patrick Pentalow Council-member Rep
Ryan Biggs Council-member Dem
Dan O'Connor Council-member Rep
Kevin Hill Council-member Dem
Matthew Forrest Council-member Dem
Mary Pelletier Council-member Rep

Infrastructure and services edit

Transportation edit

Bus edit

Greater Hartford's major system of public transportation is currently Connecticut Transit (CT Transit), a Connecticut Department of Transportation-owned bus service operating routes throughout the New Haven, Stamford, Hartford and other metro areas. Wethersfield is served by route numbers 43, 47, 53, 55, 61, and 91.[50]

Roads edit

Major roads include:

Rail edit

Hartford station is the nearest rail station. Wethersfield was once connected to Hartford by streetcar [51][52] and by passenger service on the Valley Railroad. Its tracks still provide a route for sporadic freight trains between Hartford and Old Saybrook.

Police edit

The Wethersfield Police Department is headquartered at 250 Silas Deane Highway. In addition to normal police service, the department maintains a Marine Patrol Unit, a Special Response Dive Team, a Special Response Tactics Team, a DARE youth drug awareness program, and a Police Explorer program.[53]

Fire services edit

The town has three volunteer fire stations.[54] The year 2003 marked the formal 200th Anniversary of the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department. Wethersfield has the oldest volunteer fire company in Connecticut, and in New England.

Postal services edit

The United States Postal Service operates the Wethersfield Post Office at 67 Beaver Rd. The Town zip code is 06109.[55] The Wethersfield Post Office is a fully trained United States Passport acceptance facility.[56]

Notable people edit

In popular culture edit

Wethersfield was the setting for the children's novel The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare, as well as the setting of the one-act play The Valiant by Holworthy Hall and Robert Middlemas. https://www.thebooktrail.com/book-trails/the-witch-of-blackbird-pond/

Actor-turned-author Thomas Tryon used his native Wethersfield as the setting for his action/romance novels The Wings of the Morning and In the Fire of Spring, as well as a mystery/horror novel The Other and a film of the same name.

The short film Disneyland Dream features the Barstow family from Wethersfield, including footage of their neighborhood.

In the biography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley, Malcolm X recounts a car accident in which he is rear ended at a stop light while traveling through Wethersfield.

The novel Parrot and Olivier in America by two-time Booker Prize-winning Australian author Peter Carey was largely set in the town of Wethersfield. The novel touches on some hallmarks of its history including the predominance of onion farming and the old state prison.

References edit

  1. ^ Official Web Site of the Town of Wethersfield
  2. ^ a b c "Wethersfield". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  3. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Wethersfield town, Hartford County, Connecticut". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  4. ^ Connecticut Towns in the Order of their Establishment[permanent dead link], Secretary of the State of Connecticut. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  5. ^ Clark, George Larkin (1914). A History of Connecticut: Its People and Institutions. G.P.Putnam's Sons.
  6. ^ Town Profile: Wethersfield. The Connecticut Economic Digest, Connecticut Department of Labor, January 2004
  7. ^ Virtual Tour of the Connecticut Supreme Court Courtroom. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  8. ^ Historically Speaking: Stonington-born woman helped create flag, The Bulletin'' (Norwich), August 27, 2008
  9. ^ The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly. Connecticut Magazine Company. 1903. p. 335.
  10. ^ DeForest, John. History of the Indians of Connecticut from the Earliest Known Period to 1850.
  11. ^ Konstantin, Phil (2002). This Day in North American Indian History. Da Capo Press, pp. 99-100.
  12. ^ List of New England witchcraft cases
  13. ^ . Archived from the original on December 25, 2005. Retrieved November 30, 2005.
  14. ^ Brief summary of Katherine Harrison case[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ Kingsley, William Lathrop (1879). Yale College: A Sketch of Its History. Vol. 1. H. Holt. pp. 29, 47.
  16. ^ a b Johnson, Clifton (1917). New England; A Human Interest Geographical Reader. Macmillan. pp. 163, 186.
  17. ^ Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Dept
  18. ^ "A Great Trade Vanished. How Connecticut's Onion Monopoly Was Lost", New York Times, June 2, 1889
  19. ^ a b c "Wethersfield, CT, and Onions", Yankee Magazine, August 1993
  20. ^ Connecticut seed company Comstock, Ferre & Co. returns to its roots, Boston Globe, October 16, 2011
  21. ^ . Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  22. ^ Wethersfield: The Cradle of American Seed Companies[permanent dead link], Wethersfield Historical Society, January 23, 2012
  23. ^ Robert E. Tomasson (November 10, 1982). "Meteorite Crashes into House in Connecticut". New York Times. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  24. ^ The Wethersfield Meteorite, Yale Peabody Museum. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  25. ^ The Wethersfield Meteorites[permanent dead link], Wethersfield Historical Society, October 24, 2011
  26. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  27. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  28. ^ American FactFinder. Factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  29. ^ "Town of Wethersfield Comprehensive Annual Financial Report For the Fiscal Year July 1, 2020- June 30, 2021" (PDF). Town of West Hartford. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  30. ^ Contact Us. Connecticut Department of Correction, 24 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  31. ^ Contact Information. Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, 60 State Street, Wethersfield, CT 06161. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  32. ^ "WCC Member List". Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  33. ^ a b c d e "WCC Events Calendar". Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  34. ^ Great Meadows Conservation Trust, Wethersfield, Rocky Hill and Glastonbury CT
  35. ^ Introduction to Heritage Way June 28, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, Wethersfield CT
  36. ^ Keeney Memorial Culture Center[permanent dead link], Wethersfield CT
  37. ^ Wethersfield Historical Society[permanent dead link], Wethersfield CT
  38. ^ Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center[permanent dead link], Wethersfield CT
  39. ^ Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival 2016-03-13 at the Wayback Machine, First Church of Christ, Wethersfield
  40. ^ "Home". wethersfieldhistory.org.
  41. ^ "Wethersfield Farmers Market". Wethersfield Farmers Market. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  42. ^ "Cove Side Carnival". Keane Foundation. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  43. ^ "Old Wethersfield 5K". Old Wethersfield 5K & 10K. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  44. ^ "Old Wethersfield 10K selected to be the USATF-CT 10K championship". USATF Connecticut. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  45. ^ "HMF 10K Challenge". HMF Challenge Series. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  46. ^ Corpus Christi School, Wethersfield CT
  47. ^ "Connecticut Senators". United States Senate. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  48. ^ a b "Representative Districts by Town". CT General Assembly. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  49. ^ "Wethersfield Town Council Contact Information". Town of Wethersfield. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  50. ^ Routes & Schedules, Connecticut Transit. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  51. ^ A Revolution in Horse Power, ConnecticutHistory.org. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
  52. ^ They Even Survived Rocks on the Track[permanent dead link], Wethersfield Historical Society, August 23, 2012
  53. ^ "WPD". Wethersfield Division of Police. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  54. ^ "Department History". Wethersfield Fire Department. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  55. ^ Location Details. United States Postal Service, 67 Beaver Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  56. ^ "US Passport Acceptance Facilities". U.S. State Department. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  57. ^ Foote, Abram W. (1907). Foote Family, Comprising the Genealogy and History of Nathaniel Foote of Wethersfield, Conn., and his Descendants. Marble City Press.
  58. ^ Nathaniel Foote, New England Families. Retrieved December 22, 2013.

External links edit

wethersfield, connecticut, wethersfield, town, located, hartford, county, connecticut, united, states, located, immediately, south, hartford, along, connecticut, river, town, part, capitol, planning, region, population, time, 2020, census, wethersfieldtowntown. Wethersfield is a town located in Hartford County Connecticut United States 2 It is located immediately south of Hartford along the Connecticut River The town is part of the Capitol Planning Region The population was 27 298 at the time of the 2020 census 3 WethersfieldTownTown of WethersfieldJoseph Webb and Isaac Stevens housesSealMotto Ye Most Auncient Towne in Connecticut 1 Hartford County and Connecticut Capitol Planning Region and ConnecticutShow WethersfieldShow ConnecticutShow the United StatesCoordinates 41 42 51 N 72 39 09 W 41 71417 N 72 65250 W 41 71417 72 65250Country United StatesU S state ConnecticutCountyHartfordRegionCapitol RegionSettledOctober 1634IncorporatedFebruary 21 1637Named forWethersfield EssexGovernment TypeCouncil manager Town managerGary A Evans Town council Mayor Michael L Rell R Deputy Mayor Thomas Mazzarella R Ryan C Biggs D Ken Lesser D Matthew Forrest D Kevin Hill D Daniel O Connor R Mary Pelletier R Patrick Pentalow R Area Total13 1 sq mi 34 0 km2 Land12 3 sq mi 31 9 km2 Water0 8 sq mi 2 1 km2 Elevation43 ft 13 m Population 2020 Total27 298 Density2 100 sq mi 800 km2 Time zoneUTC 5 Eastern Summer DST UTC 4 Eastern ZIP Code06109Area code s 860 959FIPS code09 84900GNIS feature ID212042 2 InterstatesU S HighwaysState RoutesWebsitewethersfieldct wbr govMany records from colonial times spell the name Weathersfield and Wythersfield while Native Americans called it Pyquag 4 Watertown is a variant name 2 The neighborhood known as Old Wethersfield is the state s largest historic district spanning 2 sq mi 5 2 km2 and containing 1 100 buildings dating to the 17th 18th and 19th centuries The town is primarily served by Interstate 91 Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 3 Economy 3 1 Top employers 4 Arts and culture 4 1 Landmarks and historic district 4 2 Other points of interest 4 3 Music 4 4 Community events 5 Sports 5 1 Running 6 Education 7 Government 7 1 Federal 7 2 State 7 3 Municipal 8 Infrastructure and services 8 1 Transportation 8 1 1 Bus 8 1 2 Roads 8 1 3 Rail 8 2 Police 8 3 Fire services 8 4 Postal services 9 Notable people 10 In popular culture 11 References 12 External linksHistory editFounded in 1634 by a Puritan settlement party of 10 Men including John Oldham Robert Seeley Thomas Topping and Nathaniel Foote Wethersfield is arguably the oldest town in Connecticut 5 6 depending on the interpretation of when a remote settlement qualifies as a town Along with Windsor and Hartford Wethersfield is represented by one of the three grapevines on the Flag of Connecticut signifying the state s three oldest English settlements 7 8 The town was named by colonists for Wethersfield a village in the English county of Essex 9 The town was previously called Watertown named after Watertown Massachusetts until February 21 1637 when it was incorporated as a town along with Windsor and Hartford The town established the Old Wethersfield Village Cemetery as its first burying ground on Hungry Hill in 1638 During the Pequot War on April 23 1637 Wangunk Chief Sequin who had lived with the colonists in Wethersfield but had been forced out after a few years attacked Wethersfield with Pequot help 10 They killed six men and three women a number of cattle and horses and took two young girls captive They were daughters of Abraham Swain or William Swaine sources vary and were later ransomed by Dutch traders 11 Four witch trials and three executions for witchcraft occurred in the town in the 17th century Mary Johnson was convicted of witchcraft and executed in 1648 Joan and John Carrington in 1651 12 In 1669 landowner Katherine Harrison was convicted and although her conviction was reversed she was banished and her property seized by her neighbors 13 14 From 1716 to 1718 the Collegiate School was briefly located in Wethersfield it moved to New Haven and developed over the decades as Yale University 15 16 nbsp The Wethersfield elm pictured in 1917 was the largest in New England at 27 ft 8 2 m in circumference 16 Silas Deane envoy to France during the American Revolutionary War lived in the town His house is now preserved and operated as part of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum In May 1781 at the Webb House on Main Street General George Washington and French Lt Gen Rochambeau planned the Siege of Yorktown which culminated in the surrender of Britain and independence of the colonies The Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department was chartered by the Connecticut Legislature on May 12 1803 making it the first formally chartered fire department in the state It is one of the oldest chartered volunteer fire department in continuous existence in the United States 17 Wethersfield was for a century at least the centre of the onion trade in New England during the late 1700s and early to middle 1800s 18 Outsiders dubbed the Connecticut village Oniontown with a crosshatch of affection and derision for this was home of the world famous Wethersfield red onion 19 In addition the town was home to William G Comstock a well known 19th century gardening expert and author of the era s most prominent gardening book Order of Spring Work In 1820 Comstock founded what would become Comstock Ferre amp Company 20 21 America s oldest continuously operating seed company It pioneered the commercial sale of sealed packets of seeds as he had learned from the Amish Other nationally prominent seed companies in and around the town developed from this agricultural past 19 22 A meteorite fell on Wethersfield on November 8 1982 It was the second meteorite to fall in the town in the span of 11 years as the first crashed on 8 April 1971 It crashed through the roof of a house without injuring the occupants as had been the case with the first meteorite as well 23 The 1971 meteorite was sold to the Smithsonian and the 1982 meteorite was taken up as part of a collection at the Yale Peabody Museum 24 25 Demographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 18203 825 18403 824 18502 523 34 0 18602 7057 2 18702 693 0 4 18802 173 19 3 18902 2714 5 19002 63716 1 19103 14819 4 19204 34237 9 19307 51273 0 19409 64428 4 195012 53330 0 196020 56164 1 197026 66229 7 198026 013 2 4 199025 651 1 4 200026 2712 4 201026 6681 5 202027 2982 4 U S Decennial Census 26 See also List of Connecticut locations by per capita income As of the 2000 census 27 there were 26 268 people 11 214 households and 7 412 families residing in the town The population density was 2 119 9 inhabitants per square mile 818 5 km2 There were 11 454 housing units at an average density of 924 3 per square mile 356 9 km2 The racial makeup of the town was 93 19 White 2 09 Black or African American 0 08 Native American 1 58 Asian 0 02 Pacific Islander 1 82 from other races and 1 22 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4 19 of the population There were 11 214 households out of which 25 2 had children under the age of 18 living with them 53 9 were married couples living together 9 6 had a female householder with no husband present and 33 9 were non families 30 2 of all households were made up of individuals and 15 9 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 31 and the average family size was 2 89 The town population was distributed with 20 1 under the age of 18 4 8 from 18 to 24 26 6 from 25 to 44 25 1 from 45 to 64 and 23 5 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 44 years For every 100 females there were 86 6 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 82 4 males The median income for a household in the town was 53 289 and the median income for a family was 68 154 These figures had risen to 66 044 and 86 432 respectively as of a 2007 estimate 28 Males had a median income of 43 998 versus 37 443 for females The per capita income for the town was 28 930 About 2 4 of families and 4 4 of the population were below the poverty line including 3 8 of those under age 18 and 5 5 of those age 65 or over Economy editTop employers edit Top employers in Wethersfield according to the town s 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report 29 Employer of Employees1 State of Connecticut 8102 Town of Wethersfield 7533 Hartford Healthcare At Home 1174 HomeGoods 1085 Patient Care Inc 1076 Qualidigm 1017 DSG Yankee 798 Hooters 789 Corpus Christi School 5510 Denny s 50The Connecticut Department of Correction and the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles have their headquarters in Wethersfield 30 31 Due to its proximity to the state capital at Hartford Wethersfield is the site of several State of Connecticut agencies The Department of Motor Vehicles office and testing location at 60 State Street The Department of Labor is headquartered at 200 Folly Brook Boulevard The Department of Correction is headquartered at 24 Wolcott Hill Road The Superior Court Operations Unit is located at 225 Spring Street The Court Support Services Division is located at 936 Silas Deane Highway The Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce has over 150 member institutions 32 and hosts community events throughout the year 33 Arts and culture editLandmarks and historic district edit Three buildings in Wethersfield are designated as historic landmarks by the National Register of Historic Places Buttolph Williams House 249 Broad St added December 24 1968 Joseph Webb House 211 Main St added November 15 1966 Silas Deane House 203 Main St added November 6 1970 In 1970 Old Wethersfield the district bounded by Hartford the railroad tracks I 91 and Rocky Hill was added to the National Register of Historic Places This is the largest historic district in Connecticut with two square miles containing 1 100 buildings many dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries 19 Other points of interest edit nbsp Wethersfield CoveOld Wethersfield Village Cemetery Broad Street Green Roger Butler House Captain James Francis House Great Meadows 34 Heritage Way a linear park and multi use path that connects Wethersfield s open areas and recreation facilities 35 Hurlbut Dunham House Keeney Memorial Culture Center 36 home of the Wethersfield Museum and Visitor Center Millwoods Park Pond Wethersfield Cove Wethersfield Historical Society 37 Wethersfield Skate Park John Chester Willard Pool Wintergreen Woods 100 acres 0 40 km2 forest with vernal pools and walking trails Wethersfield High School Connecticut Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center 38 9 11 Memorial Sports CenterMusic edit The historic First Church of Christ Wethersfield is the home of the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival USA 39 The Wethersfield Historical Society sponsors free outdoor concerts throughout the summer 40 Community events edit Community Events Event Time of Year Location OrganizerCove Park Fireworks 33 Early June Cove Park Wethersfield Chamber of CommerceWethersfield Farmers Market 41 Summer Thursdays 220 Hartford Avenue Wethersfield EDIC amp Tourism CommissionWethersfield Cornfest 33 Mid September Broad Street Green Wethersfield Chamber of CommerceScarecrows Along Main Street 33 Early Fall Main Street Wethersfield Chamber of CommerceCove Side Carnival 42 Mid October Cove Park Keane FoundationHolidays on Main 33 Early December Broad Street Green Wethersfield Chamber of CommerceSports editRunning edit The Old Wethersfield 5K amp 10K is an annual road race that takes place in the Old Wethersfield section of town Both races begin and end at Cove Park on Hartford Avenue 43 The event is put on by the Hartford Marathon Foundation and typically takes place at the end of August The 2017 edition of the 10K is the state championship race for the USATF Connecticut Grand Prix Series 44 as well as the final event of the HMF 10K Challenge Series 45 Education editThe Wethersfield public school system encompasses Wethersfield High School Silas Deane Middle School and five elementary schools Highcrest School Charles Wright School Emerson Williams School Alfred W Hanmer School and Samuel B Webb School In addition to traditional public schools Wethersfield also offers parochial and magnet school choices The CREC Discovery Academy is a Pre Kindergarten through 5th grade magnet school designed with a focus on STEM education The Corpus Christi School is a Catholic school of approximately 400 students from Pre Kindergarten through 8th grade It was one of only fifty private schools named as a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School by the U S Secretary of Education in the category of Exemplary High Performing 46 Government editFederal edit Congressional Representatives 47 48 Representative Chamber PartyRichard Blumenthal Senate DemChris Murphy Senate DemJohn Larson House of Representatives DemState edit General Assembly Representatives 48 Representative Chamber District PartyJohn Fonfara Senate 1st DemMatthew Lesser Senate 9th DemAmy Morrin Bello House of Representatives 28th DemKerry Wood House of Representatives 29th DemMunicipal edit Town Council Representatives 49 Representative Position PartyMichael L Rell Mayor RepThomas Mazzarella Deputy Mayor RepTyler Flanigan Council member RepPatrick Pentalow Council member RepRyan Biggs Council member DemDan O Connor Council member RepKevin Hill Council member DemMatthew Forrest Council member DemMary Pelletier Council member RepInfrastructure and services editTransportation edit Bus edit Greater Hartford s major system of public transportation is currently Connecticut Transit CT Transit a Connecticut Department of Transportation owned bus service operating routes throughout the New Haven Stamford Hartford and other metro areas Wethersfield is served by route numbers 43 47 53 55 61 and 91 50 Roads edit Major roads include Main Street in Old Wethersfield Connecticut Route 287 Prospect st Connecticut Route 175 Wells Road Connecticut Route 99 Silas Deane Highway Connecticut Route 15 and U S Route 5 Berlin Turnpike and Wilbur Cross Highway Connecticut Route 3 Maple Street and Putnam Bridge Interstate 91 Exits 25 26 Rail edit Hartford station is the nearest rail station Wethersfield was once connected to Hartford by streetcar 51 52 and by passenger service on the Valley Railroad Its tracks still provide a route for sporadic freight trains between Hartford and Old Saybrook Police edit The Wethersfield Police Department is headquartered at 250 Silas Deane Highway In addition to normal police service the department maintains a Marine Patrol Unit a Special Response Dive Team a Special Response Tactics Team a DARE youth drug awareness program and a Police Explorer program 53 Fire services edit The town has three volunteer fire stations 54 The year 2003 marked the formal 200th Anniversary of the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department Wethersfield has the oldest volunteer fire company in Connecticut and in New England Postal services edit The United States Postal Service operates the Wethersfield Post Office at 67 Beaver Rd The Town zip code is 06109 55 The Wethersfield Post Office is a fully trained United States Passport acceptance facility 56 Notable people editCharles McLean Andrews 1863 1943 historian William Watson Andrews 1810 1897 clergyman Steven Anzovin 1954 2005 American non fiction author Dick Bertel born 1931 American media personality and broadcast executive Elizabeth Canning 1734 1773 English maid notoriously exiled for perjury Kenneth F Cramer 1894 1954 U S Army Major General and Chief of the National Guard Bureau James Curtiss 1803 1859 Mayor of Chicago Silas Deane 1737 1789 first American diplomat John Deming c 1615 1705 a founder of Wethersfield and an original patentee of Connecticut Colony Tony DiCicco 1948 2017 coach United States women s national soccer team Bruce Edwards 1954 2004 Tom Watson s caddy of almost 30 years Nathaniel Foote 57 58 1592 1644 an original settler Thomas Ian Griffith born 1962 actor Betsey Johnson born 1942 fashion designer Mark Linn Baker born 1954 actor and director Colin McDonald born 1984 professional hockey player John Mehegan 1916 1984 jazz pianist William J Miller 1899 1950 Congressman from Connecticut Stephen Mix Mitchell 1743 1835 United States Senator and Connecticut Chief Justice Chris Murphy born 1973 United States Senator Tyler Murphy Former quarterback for the University of Florida Gators starting quarterback for the Boston College Eagles John Oldham 1592 1636 an original settler John Pinone born 1961 basketball player and coach Jane Elizabeth Robbins 1860 1946 physician and social worker Annabella Sciorra born 1960 actress Elizabeth Scott 1708 1776 poet hymnwriter Robert Seeley 1602 1668 an original settler Christopher Shinn born 1975 playwright Karen Smyers born 1961 world champion triathlete David Spicer 1946 2017 organist and choirmaster Charles Stillman 1810 1875 founder of Brownsville Texas Richard Treat or Trott 1584 1669 an original settler of Wethersfield and a Patentee of the Royal Charter of Connecticut Tom Tryon 1926 1991 actor and novelist Sophie Tucker 1887 1966 comedian and singer interred in Emanuel Cemetery Levi Warner 1831 1911 Congressman from Connecticut Elmer Watson 1831 1911 Connecticut State Senate majority leader Thomas Welles 1590 1660 Governor of Connecticut Colony Benjamin Lee Whorf 1897 1941 linguist Elisha Williams 1694 1755 minister legislator and judge Benjamin Wright 1770 1842 chief engineer of the Erie Canal Charles Wright 1811 1885 botanical explorer and collector Emily Wright born 1980 songwriter producer and engineer Dana Terrace born 1991 cartoonist animator writer director producer and voice actressIn popular culture editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed June 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Wethersfield was the setting for the children s novel The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare as well as the setting of the one act play The Valiant by Holworthy Hall and Robert Middlemas https www thebooktrail com book trails the witch of blackbird pond Actor turned author Thomas Tryon used his native Wethersfield as the setting for his action romance novels The Wings of the Morning and In the Fire of Spring as well as a mystery horror novel The Other and a film of the same name The short film Disneyland Dream features the Barstow family from Wethersfield including footage of their neighborhood In the biography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley Malcolm X recounts a car accident in which he is rear ended at a stop light while traveling through Wethersfield The novel Parrot and Olivier in America by two time Booker Prize winning Australian author Peter Carey was largely set in the town of Wethersfield The novel touches on some hallmarks of its history including the predominance of onion farming and the old state prison References edit Official Web Site of the Town of Wethersfield a b c Wethersfield Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Census Geography Profile Wethersfield town Hartford County Connecticut United States Census Bureau Retrieved December 23 2021 Connecticut Towns in the Order of their Establishment permanent dead link Secretary of the State of Connecticut Retrieved December 8 2013 Clark George Larkin 1914 A History of Connecticut Its People and Institutions G P Putnam s Sons Town Profile Wethersfield The Connecticut Economic Digest Connecticut Department of Labor January 2004 Virtual Tour of the Connecticut Supreme Court Courtroom Retrieved December 22 2013 Historically Speaking Stonington born woman helped create flag The Bulletin Norwich August 27 2008 The Connecticut Magazine An Illustrated Monthly Connecticut Magazine Company 1903 p 335 DeForest John History of the Indians of Connecticut from the Earliest Known Period to 1850 Konstantin Phil 2002 This Day in North American Indian History Da Capo Press pp 99 100 List of New England witchcraft cases Another list of New England witchcraft cases Archived from the original on December 25 2005 Retrieved November 30 2005 Brief summary of Katherine Harrison case permanent dead link Kingsley William Lathrop 1879 Yale College A Sketch of Its History Vol 1 H Holt pp 29 47 a b Johnson Clifton 1917 New England A Human Interest Geographical Reader Macmillan pp 163 186 Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Dept A Great Trade Vanished How Connecticut s Onion Monopoly Was Lost New York Times June 2 1889 a b c Wethersfield CT and Onions Yankee Magazine August 1993 Connecticut seed company Comstock Ferre amp Co returns to its roots Boston Globe October 16 2011 Comstock Ferre amp Co Archived from the original on January 15 2013 Retrieved November 9 2012 Wethersfield The Cradle of American Seed Companies permanent dead link Wethersfield Historical Society January 23 2012 Robert E Tomasson November 10 1982 Meteorite Crashes into House in Connecticut New York Times Retrieved January 8 2023 The Wethersfield Meteorite Yale Peabody Museum Retrieved August 21 2013 The Wethersfield Meteorites permanent dead link Wethersfield Historical Society October 24 2011 Census of Population and Housing Census gov Retrieved June 4 2015 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 31 2008 American FactFinder Factfinder census gov Retrieved August 21 2013 Town of Wethersfield Comprehensive Annual Financial Report For the Fiscal Year July 1 2020 June 30 2021 PDF Town of West Hartford Retrieved January 28 2023 Contact Us Connecticut Department of Correction 24 Wolcott Hill Road Wethersfield CT 06109 Retrieved December 8 2013 Contact Information Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles 60 State Street Wethersfield CT 06161 Retrieved December 8 2013 WCC Member List Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce Retrieved July 25 2017 a b c d e WCC Events Calendar Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce Retrieved July 25 2017 Great Meadows Conservation Trust Wethersfield Rocky Hill and Glastonbury CT Introduction to Heritage Way Archived June 28 2006 at the Wayback Machine Wethersfield CT Keeney Memorial Culture Center permanent dead link Wethersfield CT Wethersfield Historical Society permanent dead link Wethersfield CT Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center permanent dead link Wethersfield CT Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival Archived 2016 03 13 at the Wayback Machine First Church of Christ Wethersfield Home wethersfieldhistory org Wethersfield Farmers Market Wethersfield Farmers Market Retrieved July 25 2017 Cove Side Carnival Keane Foundation Retrieved July 25 2017 Old Wethersfield 5K Old Wethersfield 5K amp 10K Retrieved July 25 2017 Old Wethersfield 10K selected to be the USATF CT 10K championship USATF Connecticut Retrieved July 25 2017 HMF 10K Challenge HMF Challenge Series Retrieved July 25 2017 Corpus Christi School Wethersfield CT Connecticut Senators United States Senate Retrieved July 25 2017 a b Representative Districts by Town CT General Assembly Retrieved February 14 2021 Wethersfield Town Council Contact Information Town of Wethersfield Retrieved February 14 2021 Routes amp Schedules Connecticut Transit Retrieved December 8 2013 A Revolution in Horse Power ConnecticutHistory org Retrieved December 16 2013 They Even Survived Rocks on the Track permanent dead link Wethersfield Historical Society August 23 2012 WPD Wethersfield Division of Police Retrieved July 24 2017 Department History Wethersfield Fire Department Retrieved August 2 2016 Location Details United States Postal Service 67 Beaver Road Wethersfield CT 06109 Retrieved December 8 2013 US Passport Acceptance Facilities U S State Department Retrieved July 25 2017 Foote Abram W 1907 Foote Family Comprising the Genealogy and History of Nathaniel Foote of Wethersfield Conn and his Descendants Marble City Press Nathaniel Foote New England Families Retrieved December 22 2013 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wethersfield Connecticut nbsp Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article Wethersfield Official website Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce permanent dead link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wethersfield Connecticut amp oldid 1187395302, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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