Cheshire, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Cheshire is a town
in New Haven County, Connecticut
, United States
. The population was 28,543 at the 2000 census. The center of population
of Connecticut is located in Cheshire. In 2009 Cheshire was ranked 72 in Money Magazine's
100 Best Places to Live.Likewise, in 2011 Cheshire was ranked 73 in Money Magazine's
100 Best Places to Live.
and known locally as "Northfarms". In 1780, Cheshire separated from Wallingford to become its own town, and remained a small but prosperous agrarian society
until the 1950s.
In the post-war period, Cheshire began to urbanize as residents of New Haven began moving outwards from the urban core. Several industrial plants also located themselves in one of the town's many planned industrial park
s. Despite significant residential development, Cheshire has remained a highly agricultural town that has found an economic niche in producing bedding plants for local and national consumers. The town's slogan is "The Bedding Plant Capital of Connecticut".
Connecticut's 2nd worst air disaster took place over Cheshire on January 18, 1946, when an Eastern Airlines DC-3 crashed in town. The crash occurred near Wolf Hill Road and Copper Valley Court, on land that was occupied by a country club. All seventeen people aboard the aircraft lost their lives.
in "Cheshire Lights of Hope", a fundraiser for multiple sclerosis
and a tribute to the Petit family. The Petits were victims of the highly publicized July 23, 2007, home invasion
, during which mother Jennifer and daughters Hayley and Michaela Petit were murdered, leaving behind sole survivor Dr. William Petit. Founded by local couple, Don and Jenifer Walsh, the event raised over $100,000 for Hayley's Hope and Michaela's Miracle Memorial funds. The murder and the aftermath was featured in a segment that aired on the NBC-TV newsmagazine show Dateline NBC
on October 5, 2010. The segment was titled "The Family on Sorghum Mill Drive". In 2010, Steven Hayes was convicted of the murders and other crimes during the home invasion and was sentenced to death; his accomplice Joshua Komisarjevsky was convicted of the murders and other crimes in October 2011, and currently awaits sentencing.
, the town has a total area of 33.4 square miles (86.5 km²), of which, 32.9 square miles (85.2 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (1.50%) is water.
Cheshire is situated in the midst of several major cities of Connecticut. It lies 14 miles (21 km) north of New Haven
, twenty-five miles south of the capital Hartford
, thirty miles northeast of Bridgeport
, and Waterbury
is adjacent to Cheshire. Cheshire shares borders with Southington
on the north and northeast, Meriden
on the northeast, Wallingford
on the east, Hamden
on the south, Bethany
for a short distance on the southwest, Prospect
on the west, Waterbury on the northwest, and Wolcott
on the northwest.
of 2000, there were 28,543 people, 9,349 households, and 7,254 families residing in the town. The population density
was 867.4 people per square mile (334.9/km²). There were 9,588 housing units at an average density of 291.4 per square mile (112.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.40% White, 4.67% African American, 0.22% Native American, 2.63% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.91% from other races
, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.84% of the population. The largest ethnic groups in the town are Italian Americans and Irish Americans.
There were 9,349 households out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.5% were married couples
living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 113.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.4 males.
As of 2000 census, the median income for a household in the town was $80,466, and the median income for a family was $90,774. As of 2007, these figures had risen to $100,835 and $113,587 respectively. In 2000, males had a median income of $60,078 versus $38,471 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $33,903. About 1.6% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Cheshire's voters have split tickets frequently in recent statewide elections. In 2004, President Bush won a narrow plurality over John Kerry. Bush had lost the town in his 2000 bid. In 2006 Cheshire voters gave strong support to Republican Governor M. Jodi Rell
, independent U.S. Senate candidate Joe Lieberman
and local Democratic House candidate Chris Murphy
who defeated incumbent Nancy Johnson. In the 2008 Presidential election, the town's voters supported Democrat Barack Obama
with 8,177 votes over Republican John McCain
with 6,839 votes.
Cheshire voted for Republican majorities to its Board of Selectmen every election from 1915 to 1971, and then to its Town Council every year from 1973 to 2001, when voters elected a Democratic majority (6-3) for the first time. In 2003, a Republican majority (5-4) was elected. A Democratic majority (5-4) was elected in 2005, then reelected (5-4) in 2007. In the 2009 local elections, Cheshire voters ousted the Democratic majority on the Town Council and elected 8 Republicans and 1 Democrat (though due to local minority representation rules, only 7 Republicans were seated).
and one public middle school, Dodd Middle School
.
There are four public elementary schools: Chapman, Doolittle, Highland, and Norton Elementary. Cheshire is also home to one public kindergarten, Darcey School.
There are also several private and alternative schools in the town, including Cheshire Academy
(originally The Episcopal Academy of Connecticut), which was founded in Cheshire in 1794 and currently educates students in the Middle School (grades 7–8) and the Upper School (grades 9-12/Post-Graduate Year). St. Bridgets is a Catholic school in Cheshire for grades preschool to 8th grade. Humiston is an alternative high school in Cheshire.
The Legion of Christ
, a Roman Catholic congregation
, run a novitiate
and college of humanities on a 200 acre (0.809372 km²), complex on Oak Avenue. About 160 seminarians undergo two to four years of training for the priesthood there, including religious formation and classical humanities.
skirts the northern edge of the town. Interstate 84
passes through the northwest part of the town. The main north-south artery is Route 10, a difficult passage that is busy, sometimes congested, and includes many stoplights. There are two east-west routes: Route 42
and Route 68/Route 70. Route 10 is by far the busiest road in Cheshire, with the worst Route 10 traffic occurring between Routes 68/70 and Route 42 every weekday during the morning commute, evening commute, and after the high school gets out at 2 pm. West Main Street and Main Street, Route 68/70 between Route 10 and Waterbury Road, is the next busiest road in town. The intersection of Route 10 and Route 68/70 is the busiest intersection in town. The second busiest intersection is the Cheshire High School and Route 10 intersection right before school starts and right after school ends.
The J line of Connecticut Transit New Haven
which runs from Waterbury to New Haven travels through Cheshire on Routes 70 and 10. A commuter express bus also runs from the commuter lot near Interstate 84 to Hartford.
Farmington Canal
, a popular non-motorized recreational trail, goes through Cheshire. The Hitchcock-Phillips House, a historic home, is located in town.
Roaring Brook Falls along the Quinnipiac Trail
in the southwest corner of town is Connecticut's tallest single drop waterfall, and is owned by the Cheshire Land Trust.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in New Haven County, Connecticut
New Haven County, Connecticut
New Haven County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2010 Census, the county population is 862,477 making it the third most populated county in Connecticut. There are 1,340 people per square mile...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 28,543 at the 2000 census. The center of population
Center of population
In demographics, the center of population of a region is a geographical point that describes a centerpoint of the region's population...
of Connecticut is located in Cheshire. In 2009 Cheshire was ranked 72 in Money Magazine's
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
100 Best Places to Live.Likewise, in 2011 Cheshire was ranked 73 in Money Magazine's
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
100 Best Places to Live.
History
When Cheshire was originally settled in 1694 by Europeans, it was part of the town of WallingfordWallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 43,026 at the 2000 census.- History :Wallingford was established on October 10, 1667, when the Connecticut General Assembly authorized the "making of a village on the east river" to 38 planters and freemen...
and known locally as "Northfarms". In 1780, Cheshire separated from Wallingford to become its own town, and remained a small but prosperous agrarian society
Agrarian society
An agrarian society is a society that depends on agriculture as its primary means for support and sustenance. The society acknowledges other means of livelihood and work habits but stresses the importance of agriculture and farming, and was the most common form of socio-economic oganization for...
until the 1950s.
In the post-war period, Cheshire began to urbanize as residents of New Haven began moving outwards from the urban core. Several industrial plants also located themselves in one of the town's many planned industrial park
Industrial park
An industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development...
s. Despite significant residential development, Cheshire has remained a highly agricultural town that has found an economic niche in producing bedding plants for local and national consumers. The town's slogan is "The Bedding Plant Capital of Connecticut".
Connecticut's 2nd worst air disaster took place over Cheshire on January 18, 1946, when an Eastern Airlines DC-3 crashed in town. The crash occurred near Wolf Hill Road and Copper Valley Court, on land that was occupied by a country club. All seventeen people aboard the aircraft lost their lives.
Home invasion case
On January 6, 2008, over 130,000 luminary candles were lit in front of thousands of homes and along streets across Cheshire and Southington, ConnecticutSouthington, Connecticut
Southington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of Connecticut's 1st congressional district. It is situated about 20 miles southwest of Hartford, about 80 miles northeast of New York City, 105 miles southwest of Boston and 77 miles west of Providence...
in "Cheshire Lights of Hope", a fundraiser for multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
and a tribute to the Petit family. The Petits were victims of the highly publicized July 23, 2007, home invasion
Home invasion
Home invasion is the act of illegally burgling or entering a private and occupied dwelling for the purpose of committing a crime Home invasion is the act of illegally burgling or entering a private and occupied dwelling for the purpose of committing a crime Home invasion is the act of illegally...
, during which mother Jennifer and daughters Hayley and Michaela Petit were murdered, leaving behind sole survivor Dr. William Petit. Founded by local couple, Don and Jenifer Walsh, the event raised over $100,000 for Hayley's Hope and Michaela's Miracle Memorial funds. The murder and the aftermath was featured in a segment that aired on the NBC-TV newsmagazine show Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC. It previously was NBC's flagship news magazine, but now focuses on true crime stories. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST and after football season on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.-History:Dateline is historically notable for...
on October 5, 2010. The segment was titled "The Family on Sorghum Mill Drive". In 2010, Steven Hayes was convicted of the murders and other crimes during the home invasion and was sentenced to death; his accomplice Joshua Komisarjevsky was convicted of the murders and other crimes in October 2011, and currently awaits sentencing.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 33.4 square miles (86.5 km²), of which, 32.9 square miles (85.2 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (1.50%) is water.
Cheshire is situated in the midst of several major cities of Connecticut. It lies 14 miles (21 km) north of New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, twenty-five miles south of the capital Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, thirty miles northeast of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, and Waterbury
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
is adjacent to Cheshire. Cheshire shares borders with Southington
Southington, Connecticut
Southington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of Connecticut's 1st congressional district. It is situated about 20 miles southwest of Hartford, about 80 miles northeast of New York City, 105 miles southwest of Boston and 77 miles west of Providence...
on the north and northeast, Meriden
Meriden, Connecticut
Meriden is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 59,653.-History:...
on the northeast, Wallingford
Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 43,026 at the 2000 census.- History :Wallingford was established on October 10, 1667, when the Connecticut General Assembly authorized the "making of a village on the east river" to 38 planters and freemen...
on the east, Hamden
Hamden, Connecticut
Hamden is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town's nickname is "The Land of the Sleeping Giant." Hamden is home to Quinnipiac University. The population was 58,180 according to the Census Bureau's 2005 estimates...
on the south, Bethany
Bethany, Connecticut
Bethany is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,040 at the 2000 census. Bethany was first settled in 1717 but it was not until May 1832 that Bethany separated from Woodbridge to become incorporated as a town. This slightly remote, sparsely populated,...
for a short distance on the southwest, Prospect
Prospect, Connecticut
Prospect is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,707 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water...
on the west, Waterbury on the northwest, and Wolcott
Wolcott, Connecticut
Wolcott is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 15,215 at the 2000 census.Wolcott was founded in 1796 and was originally named Farmingbury...
on the northwest.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 28,543 people, 9,349 households, and 7,254 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 867.4 people per square mile (334.9/km²). There were 9,588 housing units at an average density of 291.4 per square mile (112.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.40% White, 4.67% African American, 0.22% Native American, 2.63% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.91% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.84% of the population. The largest ethnic groups in the town are Italian Americans and Irish Americans.
There were 9,349 households out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 113.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.4 males.
As of 2000 census, the median income for a household in the town was $80,466, and the median income for a family was $90,774. As of 2007, these figures had risen to $100,835 and $113,587 respectively. In 2000, males had a median income of $60,078 versus $38,471 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $33,903. About 1.6% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Cheshire's voters have split tickets frequently in recent statewide elections. In 2004, President Bush won a narrow plurality over John Kerry. Bush had lost the town in his 2000 bid. In 2006 Cheshire voters gave strong support to Republican Governor M. Jodi Rell
M. Jodi Rell
Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
, independent U.S. Senate candidate Joe Lieberman
Joe Lieberman
Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
and local Democratic House candidate Chris Murphy
Chris Murphy (politician)
Christopher Scott "Chris" Murphy is the U. S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.Murphy previously served in the Connecticut House of Representatives and the Connecticut Senate....
who defeated incumbent Nancy Johnson. In the 2008 Presidential election, the town's voters supported Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
with 8,177 votes over Republican John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
with 6,839 votes.
Cheshire voted for Republican majorities to its Board of Selectmen every election from 1915 to 1971, and then to its Town Council every year from 1973 to 2001, when voters elected a Democratic majority (6-3) for the first time. In 2003, a Republican majority (5-4) was elected. A Democratic majority (5-4) was elected in 2005, then reelected (5-4) in 2007. In the 2009 local elections, Cheshire voters ousted the Democratic majority on the Town Council and elected 8 Republicans and 1 Democrat (though due to local minority representation rules, only 7 Republicans were seated).
Education
Cheshire is home to one public high school, Cheshire High SchoolCheshire High School
Cheshire High School is located on Route 10 across from Bartlem Park in Cheshire, Connecticut. It is 15 miles north of New Haven and south of Hartford...
and one public middle school, Dodd Middle School
Dodd Middle School
Dodd Middle School is a public school in Cheshire, Connecticut. It hosts grades 7 and 8 and has about 800 students.The schools sports teams are:**Fall-*Cross Country *Volleyball*Field hockey*Soccer**Winter-...
.
There are four public elementary schools: Chapman, Doolittle, Highland, and Norton Elementary. Cheshire is also home to one public kindergarten, Darcey School.
There are also several private and alternative schools in the town, including Cheshire Academy
Cheshire Academy
Cheshire Academy is a college preparatory school located in Cheshire, Connecticut. Founded in 1794 as the Episcopal Academy of Connecticut, it was the tenth private academy founded in the United States....
(originally The Episcopal Academy of Connecticut), which was founded in Cheshire in 1794 and currently educates students in the Middle School (grades 7–8) and the Upper School (grades 9-12/Post-Graduate Year). St. Bridgets is a Catholic school in Cheshire for grades preschool to 8th grade. Humiston is an alternative high school in Cheshire.
The Legion of Christ
Legion of Christ
The Legion of Christ is a Roman Catholic congregation of pontifical right, made up of priests and seminarians studying for the priesthood. It was founded in Mexico in 1941, by Fr. Marcial Maciel, who directed the congregation as its General Superior until January 2005...
, a Roman Catholic congregation
Religious institute
In the Roman Catholic Church, a religious institute is "a society in which members, according to proper law, pronounce public vows, either perpetual or temporary which are to be renewed, however, when the period of time has elapsed, and lead a life of brothers or sisters in common".-Distinctions...
, run a novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
and college of humanities on a 200 acre (0.809372 km²), complex on Oak Avenue. About 160 seminarians undergo two to four years of training for the priesthood there, including religious formation and classical humanities.
Culture and notable features
Cheshire is home to two large state prison facilities located in the northern section of town. The largest of these facilities is the Cheshire Correctional Institution, which opened in 1910. In 1982, the Manson Youth Institution opened adjacent to the CCI. These prisons explain the skewed male/female ratios. The larger of these prisons is located across the street from Chapman Elementary School, separated by Route 10.Transportation
Transportation within Cheshire is largely by car. Interstate 691Interstate 691
Interstate 691 is a portion of the Interstate Highway System in Connecticut beginning at Interstate 91 in Meriden and ending at Interstate 84 near the Cheshire-Southington town line. It is in length, including of the exit ramp to the merge with westbound I-84.I-691 is also known as the Henry D...
skirts the northern edge of the town. Interstate 84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
passes through the northwest part of the town. The main north-south artery is Route 10, a difficult passage that is busy, sometimes congested, and includes many stoplights. There are two east-west routes: Route 42
Connecticut Route 42
Route 42 is an east–west state highway in Connecticut running for from Route 67 in Oxford to Route 10 in Cheshire.- Route description:...
and Route 68/Route 70. Route 10 is by far the busiest road in Cheshire, with the worst Route 10 traffic occurring between Routes 68/70 and Route 42 every weekday during the morning commute, evening commute, and after the high school gets out at 2 pm. West Main Street and Main Street, Route 68/70 between Route 10 and Waterbury Road, is the next busiest road in town. The intersection of Route 10 and Route 68/70 is the busiest intersection in town. The second busiest intersection is the Cheshire High School and Route 10 intersection right before school starts and right after school ends.
The J line of Connecticut Transit New Haven
Connecticut Transit New Haven
Connecticut Transit New Haven is the second largest division of Connecticut Transit, providing service on 24 routes in 19 towns within the Greater New Haven and Lower Naugatuck River Valley areas, with connections to other CT Transit routes in Waterbury and Meriden, as well as connections to...
which runs from Waterbury to New Haven travels through Cheshire on Routes 70 and 10. A commuter express bus also runs from the commuter lot near Interstate 84 to Hartford.
Points of interest
The Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum, located in the northern section of Cheshire, holds a large collection of memorabilia, novelties and ephemera such as lunch boxes and Pez dispensers bearing the likenesses of characters from television, cartoons and comics.Farmington Canal
Farmington Canal
The Farmington Canal, also known as the New Haven and Northampton Canal, was a major private canal built in the early 19th century to provide water transportation from New Haven into the interior of Connecticut, Massachusetts and beyond. Its Massachusetts segment was known as the Hampshire and...
, a popular non-motorized recreational trail, goes through Cheshire. The Hitchcock-Phillips House, a historic home, is located in town.
Roaring Brook Falls along the Quinnipiac Trail
Quinnipiac Trail
The Quinnipiac Trail is a Blue-Blazed hiking trail in New Haven County, Connecticut. It is the product of the evolution and growth of the first trail designated in Connecticut's Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail system, with its light-blue rectangular vertical painted blazes .-The route:From its...
in the southwest corner of town is Connecticut's tallest single drop waterfall, and is owned by the Cheshire Land Trust.
National Register of Historic Places
- Cheshire Historic District — Roughly bounded by Main Street, Highland Avenue, Wallingford Road, South Main, Cornwall, and Spring streets (added September 29, 1986)
- Farmington Canal Lock (Lock 12)Farmington CanalThe Farmington Canal, also known as the New Haven and Northampton Canal, was a major private canal built in the early 19th century to provide water transportation from New Haven into the interior of Connecticut, Massachusetts and beyond. Its Massachusetts segment was known as the Hampshire and...
— 487 N. Brooksvale Road (added March 16, 1973) - First Congregational Church of CheshireFirst Congregational Church of CheshireFirst Congregational Church of Cheshire is a historic church at 111 Church Drive in Cheshire, Connecticut. It was designed by David Hoadley and built in 1827. It features a shallow oval dome....
— 111 Church Drive (added March 16, 1973) - Marion Historic DistrictMarion Historic District (Cheshire and Southington, Connecticut)The Marion Historic District is a historic district in the Marion section of Southington in Hartford County, Connecticut. The district also includes two houses on the Cheshire side of the town line between Southington and the town of Cheshire in New Haven County. The historic district was listed...
(added December 21, 1988)
Notable people, past and present
- Syed Mansoor AlamMansoor AlamSyed Mansoor Alam is the founder and current director of The Enough Foundation, and its sister group, Enough Advocacy, a student-led nonprofit organization based out of Cheshire, Connecticut...
, director, The Enough Foundation and Enough Advocacy - Amos Bronson AlcottAmos Bronson AlcottAmos Bronson Alcott was an American teacher, writer, philosopher, and reformer. As an educator, Alcott pioneered new ways of interacting with young students, focusing on a conversational style, and avoided traditional punishment. He hoped to perfect the human spirit and, to that end, advocated a...
(1799–1888), schoolmaster - Amos DoolittleAmos DoolittleAmos Doolittle was an American engraver and silversmith, known as "The Revere of Connecticut."A self-taught artist from Cheshire, CT, Doolittle became an expert in copper engraving and specialized in scenes of the American Revolutionary war...
(1754–1832), engraver of Battle of Concord scenes - Brad AusmusBrad AusmusBradley David "Brad" Ausmus is a former All Star catcher in Major League Baseball, and currently a special assistant for the San Diego Padres....
, professional baseball player - Henry Washington BenhamHenry Washington BenhamHenry Washington Benham was an American soldier and civil engineer who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War....
(1813–1884), Union armyUnion ArmyThe Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
general - Chris Berman, ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
sportscaster - Jay BontatibusJay BontatibusJay Bontatibus is an American actor.He was born and raised in Cheshire, Connecticut.-Television credits:These include:*The Young and the Restless as Tony Viscardi,*General Hospital as Andy Capelli,...
, actor - John ChamberlainJohn ChamberlainJohn Angus Chamberlain is an American sculptor.Born in Rochester, Indiana, John Chamberlain spent much of his youth in Chicago. After serving in the navy from 1943 to 1946, he attended the Art Institute of Chicago and Black Mountain College...
, (1903–1995), journalist - Samuel A. FootSamuel A. FootSamuel Augustus Foot was the 28th Governor of Connecticut as well as a United States Representative and Senator. Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, he graduated from Yale College in 1797, and attended the Litchfield Law School...
(1780–1846), politician - Seabury FordSeabury FordSeabury Ford was a Whig politician from Ohio. He served as the 20th Governor of Ohio and the last Whig to do so....
(1801–1855), politician - James J. GrecoJames J. GrecoJames Joseph Greco is an American businessman and entrepreneur. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the restaurant group Le Duff America, a bakery café chain headquartered in Burlington, Vermont; Dallas, Texas; and Toronto, Canada.-Early Years and Personal Life:Greco was born in...
, businessman - Sunil GulatiSunil GulatiSunil Gulati is the current president of the United States Soccer Federation and special advisor to The Kraft Group and the Kraft family...
, President of the United States Soccer Federation - Peter HitchcockPeter HitchcockPeter Hitchcock was an attorney, teacher, farmer, soldier, legislator, and jurist. His judicial career included 28 years service on the Ohio Supreme Court, 21 years of them as Chief Justice...
(1781–1854) judge - John HolmstromJohn HolmstromJohn Holmstrom is an American underground cartoonist and writer. He is best known for illustrating the covers of the Ramones albums Rocket to Russia and Road to Ruin, as well as his characters Bosko and Joe .As the founding editor of Punk Magazine at the age of 21 in late 1975, Holmstrom's work...
, cartoonist, writer. - John Frederick KensettJohn Frederick KensettJohn Frederick Kensett was an American artist and engraver. He attended school at Cheshire Academy, and studied engraving with his immigrant father, Thomas Kensett, and later with his uncle, Alfred Dagget...
(1816–1872), artist - Brian LeetchBrian LeetchBrian Joseph Leetch is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 18 National Hockey League seasons with the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins. He is generally considered one of the top defensemen in NHL history, being particularly noted for his...
, International Hockey Hall of Fame inductee - Legs McNeilLegs McNeilRoderick Edward "Legs" McNeil is a writer and rock music historian. He is the co-founder and a writer for Punk Magazine; he is also a former senior editor at Spin Magazine, and the founder and editor of Nerve magazine .- Punk Magazine:At the age of 18, McNeil gathered with two high school...
, journalist, rock music historian - J.P. Morgan, businessman
- Chris MurphyChris Murphy (politician)Christopher Scott "Chris" Murphy is the U. S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.Murphy previously served in the Connecticut House of Representatives and the Connecticut Senate....
, politician - Anjul NigamAnjul NigamAnjul Nigam is an established character actor.Nigam was born in Kanpur, India. He is a graduate of Cheshire High School and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, and is known for his recurring role as "Dr. Raj, the Psych Doc" on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy...
, actor - Ron PalilloRon PalilloRonald Gabriel "Ron" Palillo is an American television and film actor, perhaps best known for his role as high school student Arnold Dingfelder Horshack on the ABC sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, which aired from 1975 to 1979....
, actor - Paul PasqualoniPaul PasqualoniPaul Pasqualoni is the current head coach of the University of Connecticut football team. On January 13, 2011, Pasqualoni was named to lead the Huskies, two weeks after former coach Randy Edsall left for the University of Maryland....
, athletic coach - Lonnie QuinnLonnie QuinnLonnie William Quinn was born on August 9, 1963, in Cheshire, Connecticut and is the chief weathercaster on WCBS-TV in New York City. Quinn also serves as weather anchor for weekday edition of The Early Show and weather anchor for The Saturday Early Show.-Career:Ten-time Emmy Award recipient,...
, meteorologist - Edward TufteEdward TufteEdward Rolf Tufte is an American statistician and professor emeritus of political science, statistics, and computer science at Yale University. He is noted for his writings on information design and as a pioneer in the field of data visualization....
, professor - Justin TussingJustin TussingJustin Tussing is an American writer. Tussing was a graduate of the University of Iowa's Writer's Workshop, where he held a Teaching/Writing Fellowship. He later became a Fellow at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts...
, novelist - Vijay VaitheeswaranVijay VaitheeswaranVijay V. Vaitheeswaran is an award winning Correspondent for The Economist, covering energy and healthcare.Vaitheeswaran was born in Madras, India and grew up in Cheshire, Connecticut. He graduated from MIT with a degree in mechanical engineering. He started working at The Economist as an intern...
, journalist - James Van Der BeekJames Van Der BeekJames William Van Der Beek, Jr. is an American television, film, and stage actor, known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery in The WB series Dawson's Creek...
, actor
External links
- Town of Cheshire official Web site
- Cheshire Public Library – The Library has a Cheshire/Connecticut history section and will answer genealogical and historical questions about Cheshire and environs.
- First Congregational Church – Host of the Annual Strawberry Festival and "mother church" to other congregations in the area and along the Eastern Seaboard. The church steeple is an official symbol of the town, as it is depicted on the town seal.
- Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum
- Saint Peter's Church
- Money Magazine 2011