Meriden is a city in
New Haven CountyNew Haven County is located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. In 2000, the population was 824,008. Two of the state's largest cities, New Haven and Waterbury, are part of New Haven County....
,
ConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and New York to the west and south ....
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 59,653.
History
Meriden was originally part of
WallingfordWallingford is a city 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...
. It was granted a separate meetinghouse in 1727, became a
townThe New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. An institution that does not have a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in that they were originally set up so that all...
in 1806, and incorporated as a city in 1867. It was named for the town of
MeridenMeriden is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, West Midlands, England. It is located between Solihull and the city of Coventry, and is approximately 10 km from Birmingham International Airport....
,
West MidlandsThe West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire...
, England.
The oldest house in town still standing, built by Solomon Goffe in 1711, is now a museum, the
Solomon Goffe HouseThe Solomon Goffe House is located on North Colony Street in Meriden, Connecticut. It was built in 1711, and is the oldest remaining building in the city of Meriden. It is a traditional Connecticut Saltbox house consisting of a wooden frame with a long, pitched roof that slopes down to the back...
.
In the 1800s, Meriden earned the nickname “Silver City,” due to the large number of cutlery and related products which were manufactured here by companies such as
International Silver and
Meriden Cutlery.
Charles Parker and his younger brother, opened their first manufacturing factory in Meriden in 1832, with a capital outlay of $70.00. Over the years they manufactured a wide variety of products‚ from steam engines, train wheels and printing presses to piano stools. During the
American Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
Parker's Meriden Machine Company was under Union contract to produce 10,000
repeating rifleA repeating rifle is a single barreled rifle containing multiple rounds of ammunition. These rounds are loaded from a magazine by means of a manual or automatic mechanism, and the action that reloads the rifle also typically recocks the firing action...
s and 15,000
Springfield rifleThe term Springfield Rifle may refer to any one of several types of small arms produced by the Springfield Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts, for the United States armed forces....
s. Parker began producing his own shotgun, referred to as “The Gun of 1866”. In 1868, Charles and his sons, Wilbur, Charles and Dexter started the Parker Brothers Gun Company, which continued as an independent company until 1934 when it was purchased by the Remington Arms Company.
The Hanging Hills'
Hubbard ParkHubbard Park, located in the Hanging Hills of Connecticut, is a wooded, mountainous park located just north of downtown urban Meriden, Connecticut. It comprises approximately of carefully kept woodlands, streams, dramatic cliff faces, flower gardens, and the James Barry bandshell and picnic...
was financed by Walter Hubbard, local entrepreneur and president of the Bradley & Hubbard Manufacturing Company. Hubbard elicited the assistance of notable landscape architect
Frederick Law OlmstedFrederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, landscape designer and father of American landscape architecture, famous for designing many well-known urban parks, including Central Park and Prospect Park in New York City...
in drawing up the design.
Edwin Howard Armstrong, a network radio pioneer who invented FM radio, used West Peak for the location of one of the first FM radio broadcasts in 1939. His original tall radio mast still stands on the peak. Currently West Peak is home to six FM broadcast stations, including WPKT, WWYZ, WKSS, WDRC-FM, WPHH and WHCN.
In 1900,
Castle CraigCastle Craig, located on East Peak in the Hanging Hills, is constructed of traprock and is in height and has a base in circumference . A metal interior stairway is used to get up to the observation area on top...
was dedicated in Hubbard Park.
The
Curtis Memorial LibraryThe Curtis Memorial Library is the main public library of the city of Meriden, Connecticut. The library opened in 1903 and is located on East Main Street. It was designed by architect Richard Williams in the Classical Revival style....
opened in 1903.
Meriden is known as the home of the first steamed cheeseburger, at Ted's at 1044 Broad Street, which remains a popular local favorite to this day, and it is hard to find a seat at mealtimes- especially lunch. Within the last few years, Ted's has been sold to who is now the 2nd owner.
The
Franciscan Sisters of the EucharistThe Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist is a Roman Catholic religious congregation for women. The mother house is in Meriden, Connecticut in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford....
have their mother house in Meriden as do the
Franciscan Brothers of the EucharistThe Franciscan Brothers of the Eucharist is a Roman Catholic, Franciscan religious order for men.The religious order was founded in 2002 as a complement to the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. The mother house of the order is in Meriden, Connecticut in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of...
.
Geography
According to the
United States Census BureauThe 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. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 24.1
square mileThe square mile is an imperial and US unit of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one statute mile.
s (62.5 km²), of which, 23.8 square miles (61.5 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km²) of it (1.66%) is water.
Meriden is a showcase for a number of prominent peaks of the
Metacomet RidgeThe Metacomet Ridge, Metacomet Ridge Mountains, or Metacomet Range of southern New England, United States, is a narrow and steep fault-block mountain ridge known for its extensive cliff faces, scenic vistas, microclimate ecosystems, and communities of plants considered rare or endangered...
, a mountainous traprock ridgeline that stretches from
Long Island SoundLong Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean and various rivers in the United States that lies between the coast of Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound...
to nearly the
VermontThe State of Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd by land area, , and 45th by total area. It has a population of 621,270, making it the second least-populated state...
border. Notable peaks in Meriden include the
Hanging HillsThe Hanging Hills of south central Connecticut, USA are a range of mountainous traprock ridges overlooking the city of Meriden and the Quinnipiac River Valley below. They are a sub-range of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north...
(
West PeakWest Peak, , of the Hanging Hills, is the highest traprock peak in the state of Connecticut. The peak hangs above the city of Meriden below and is characterized by its vertical cliffs and sweeping views of southern Connecticut, Long Island Sound, and the Berkshires to the west...
,
East PeakEast Peak, , is a prominent traprock peak in the Hanging Hills of Meriden, Connecticut. Rugged and scenic, the peak rises steeply above the city of Meriden below and is characterized by its vertical cliffs and sweeping views of southern Connecticut and Long Island Sound...
,
South MountainSouth Mountain, , is a prominent traprock peak in the Hanging Hills of Meriden, Connecticut. Rugged and scenic, the peak rises steeply above the city of Meriden below and is characterized by its vertical cliffs and sweeping views of southern Connecticut and Long Island Sound.Most of South Mountain...
, and
Cathole MountainCathole Mountain, , is the lowest peak in the traprock Hanging Hills of Meriden, Connecticut. The rugged southern ledges of the mountain rise steeply above the city of Meriden...
);
Lamentation MountainLamentation Mountain, or Mount Lamentation, , is a traprock mountain located north of Meriden, Connecticut. It is part of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north through the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts to the Vermont...
,
Chauncey PeakChauncey Peak, , is a traprock mountain located 2 miles northeast of the center of Meriden, Connecticut. It is part of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north through the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts to the Vermont border...
, and
Besek MountainBesek Mountain also known as Black Mountain, est. , is a traprock mountain ridge located southeast of Meriden, Connecticut. It is part of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north through the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts...
.
Castle CraigCastle Craig, located on East Peak in the Hanging Hills, is constructed of traprock and is in height and has a base in circumference . A metal interior stairway is used to get up to the observation area on top...
, a city landmark for over a century, was constructed among the Hanging Hills in
Hubbard ParkHubbard Park, located in the Hanging Hills of Connecticut, is a wooded, mountainous park located just north of downtown urban Meriden, Connecticut. It comprises approximately of carefully kept woodlands, streams, dramatic cliff faces, flower gardens, and the James Barry bandshell and picnic...
.
The
Quinnipiac RiverThe Quinnipiac River is a river in the New England region of the United States, located entirely in the state of Connecticut.It rises in west central Connecticut from Dead Wood Swamp west of the city of New Britain...
cuts through the southwest quadrant of the city, which is known to area residents as "South Meriden". Here, the river cuts through two hills for almost a mile, resulting in a gorge full of exposed
sandstoneSandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any color, but the most common colors are tan, brown, yellow,...
and
brownstoneBrownstone is a brown Triassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also understood to be a terraced house clad in this material.-Brownstone dwellings:...
cliffs. Harbor Brook (originally named Pilgrim Harbor Brook) cuts through the town from the north east to the south west (passing underneath downtown Meriden in a culvert) before emptying into Hanover Pond (part of the Quinnipiac River) in South Meriden.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "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.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 58,244 people, 22,951 households, and 14,964 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 2,452.8 people per square mile (946.9/km²). There were 24,631 housing units at an average density of 1,037.3/sq mi (400.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.2% White, 6.4% Black or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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...
, 0.4% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 8.6% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.4% of the population.
There were 22,951 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,237, and the median income for a family was $52,788. Males had a median income of $39,633 versus $10,268 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $20,597. About 17.5% of families and 20.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 23.8% of those age 65 or over.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005 |
| Party |
Active Voters |
Inactive Voters |
Total Voters |
Percentage
|
Democratic The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world. In the U.S...
|
9,225 |
524 |
9,749 |
30.15%
|
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
|
4,275 |
213 |
4,488 |
13.88%
|
Unaffiliated |
16,927 |
1,147 |
18,074 |
55.90%
|
Minor Parties |
19 |
2 |
21 |
0.06% |
| Total |
30,446 |
1,886 |
32,332 |
100% |
Transportation
Historical
population of
Meridenhttp://www.sots.state.ct.us/RegisterManual/regman.htm |
| 1810 |
1,249 |
| 1820 |
1,309 |
| 1830 |
1,708 |
| 1840 |
1,880 |
| 1850 |
3,559 |
| 1860 |
7,426 |
| 1870 |
10,495 |
| 1880 |
18,340 |
| 1890 |
25,423 |
| 1900 |
28,659 |
| 1910 |
32,066 |
| 1920 |
34,764 |
| 1930 |
38,481 |
| 1940 |
39,494 |
| 1950 |
44,088 |
| 1960 |
51,850 |
| 1970 |
55,959 |
| 1980 |
57,118, |
| 1990 |
59,479 |
| 2000 |
58,244 |
| 2002 |
58,675
(est.)http://www.census.gov/popest/archives/2000s/vintage_2002/SUB-EST2002/SUB-EST2002-04-09.pdf |
Railroad
The city of Meriden is connected to the cities of
New HavenNew Haven is the second-largest municipality in Connecticut, after Bridgeport and just ahead of Hartford, with a core population of about 124,000 people. "New Haven" may also refer to the wider Greater New Haven area, which has nearly 600,000 inhabitants in the immediate area...
,
HartfordHartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located in Hartford County on the Connecticut River, north of the center of the state, south of Springfield, Massachusetts. Its 2006 population of 124,512 ranks Hartford as the state's second-largest city, after Bridgeport. New...
, and
SpringfieldSpringfield is the largest city on the Connecticut River and the county seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States.In the 2000 census, the city population was 154,082. It is the third largest city in Massachusetts and fourth largest in New England...
,
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...
by regional rail service provided by
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
, which runs north-to-south through the center of the city. This rail line opened in 1839, and operated for many years under the
New York, New Haven and Hartford RailroadThe New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968. Commonly referred to as the New Haven, the railroad served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
. The city was also serviced by the Middletown, Meriden and Waterbury Railroad, which provided both freight and passenger service to
WaterburyWaterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford...
and
MiddletownMiddletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
from 1888 until its abandonment in 1924.
Currently, Amtrak runs 16 trains through the Meriden station on most weekdays, but these are not widely used for commuting. However, the success of the state's subsidized commuter rail line, Shoreline East, has spurred the state to open a
New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail LineThe New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line is a proposed commuter rail line running from New Haven, Connecticut to Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts, United States. Current passenger rail access along this corridor is provided through Amtrak 's limited service...
in 2011. Funds from the state will pay for a new station in Meriden, and city officials are hoping to capitalize on the commuters that will use the station and create a
transit villageA transit village is a planned development around a transportation hub, such as a train station, with the intent to make it convenient for village dwellers to get to/from work or run errands and travel via a public transportation network....
in the city. They hope this will spur revitalization of the downtown area.
In the Quinnipiac River Gorge in South Meriden, 1.3 miles of the original MW&CR Railroad right of way has been converted into a recreational
linear trailA rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
as the
Meriden Linear TrailThe Meriden Linear Trail is a rail trail that follows the original route of the Meriden, Waterbury, and Connecticut River Railroad through Meriden. Currently, the trail follows of the former railroad right-of-way through the Quinnipiac River Gorge, starting at Red Bridge and ending near the...
. Open to the public in December 2006, the formal dedication occurred on November 3, 2007.
Highway
The city of Meriden is located on
Interstate 91Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north-south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
, which provides access to
HartfordHartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located in Hartford County on the Connecticut River, north of the center of the state, south of Springfield, Massachusetts. Its 2006 population of 124,512 ranks Hartford as the state's second-largest city, after Bridgeport. New...
,
SpringfieldSpringfield is the largest city on the Connecticut River and the county seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States.In the 2000 census, the city population was 154,082. It is the third largest city in Massachusetts and fourth largest in New England...
,
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...
, and
New HavenNew Haven is the second-largest municipality in Connecticut, after Bridgeport and just ahead of Hartford, with a core population of about 124,000 people. "New Haven" may also refer to the wider Greater New Haven area, which has nearly 600,000 inhabitants in the immediate area...
.
Interstate 691Interstate 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...
provides access to
Interstate 84Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an intersection 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 sequential...
and points west such as
WaterburyWaterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford...
. The
Wilbur Cross ParkwayThe Wilbur Cross Parkway is a limited access road in Connecticut, comprising the portion of Route 15 between Milford and Meriden. It is named after the former governor of the state, Wilbur Lucius Cross...
, which provides access to points south such as
WallingfordWallingford is a city 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...
,
New HavenNew Haven is the second-largest municipality in Connecticut, after Bridgeport and just ahead of Hartford, with a core population of about 124,000 people. "New Haven" may also refer to the wider Greater New Haven area, which has nearly 600,000 inhabitants in the immediate area...
, and
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
becomes the
Berlin TurnpikeThe Berlin Turnpike is a 4-lane/6-lane divided arterial road carrying U.S. Route 5 and Route 15 through the towns of Berlin, Newington, and Wethersfield, Connecticut, United States. The road begins at the Meriden-Berlin town line. The official length of the Berlin Turnpike is 11.02 miles but the...
on the northern end of Meriden.
Schools
- Public Elementary (K-5):
- John Barry
- Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author and printer, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, soldier, and diplomat...
- Nathan Hale
Nathan Hale was a soldier for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Widely considered America's first spy, he volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission, but was captured by the British...
- Hanover
- Thomas Hooker
Thomas Hooker was a prominent Puritan religious and colonial leader, who founded the Colony of Connecticut after dissenting with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts. He was known as a great speaker and a leader of universal Christian suffrage...
- Casimir Pulaski
- Israel Putnam
Israel Putnam was an American army general who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War...
- Roger Sherman
Roger Sherman was an early American lawyer and politician. He served as the first mayor of New Haven, Connecticut, and served on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence, and was also a representative and senator in the new republic.He was the only person to sign all four...
- Public Middle (6-8)
- Public High (9-12)
- Francis T. Maloney
Francis Thomas Maloney was a U.S. Representative from Connecticut from 1933 to 1935 and a U.S. Senator from Connecticut from 1935 to 1945. He was a Democrat. One of the two public high schools in Meriden, Connecticut is named for Maloney....
- Orville H. Platt
Orville Hitchcock Platt was a United States Senator from Connecticut. Born in Washington, Connecticut, he attended the common schools and graduated from The Gunnery in Washington. He studied law in Litchfield, and was admitted to the bar in 1850, commencing practice in Towanda, Pennsylvania...
- Magnet Middle
- Thomas A. Edison, run by ACES of North Haven
- State Technical High
- Private Schools
- St. Mary School (K-8) (closed after the 2006-2007 school year due to lack of enrollment)
- St. Stanislaus School (K-8)
- St. Joseph School (K-8)
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid 13th centuries...
(K-8)
Points of interest
- Castle Craig
Castle Craig, located on East Peak in the Hanging Hills, is constructed of traprock and is in height and has a base in circumference . A metal interior stairway is used to get up to the observation area on top...
- Curtis Memorial Library
The Curtis Memorial Library is the main public library of the city of Meriden, Connecticut. The library opened in 1903 and is located on East Main Street. It was designed by architect Richard Williams in the Classical Revival style....
- Hanging Hills
The Hanging Hills of south central Connecticut, USA are a range of mountainous traprock ridges overlooking the city of Meriden and the Quinnipiac River Valley below. They are a sub-range of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north...
- Hubbard Park
Hubbard Park, located in the Hanging Hills of Connecticut, is a wooded, mountainous park located just north of downtown urban Meriden, Connecticut. It comprises approximately of carefully kept woodlands, streams, dramatic cliff faces, flower gardens, and the James Barry bandshell and picnic...
- Moses Andrew Homestead
- Old Traffic Tower
- Solomon Goffe House
The Solomon Goffe House is located on North Colony Street in Meriden, Connecticut. It was built in 1711, and is the oldest remaining building in the city of Meriden. It is a traditional Connecticut Saltbox house consisting of a wooden frame with a long, pitched roof that slopes down to the back...
- Meriden Linear Trail
The Meriden Linear Trail is a rail trail that follows the original route of the Meriden, Waterbury, and Connecticut River Railroad through Meriden. Currently, the trail follows of the former railroad right-of-way through the Quinnipiac River Gorge, starting at Red Bridge and ending near the...
- Red Bridge
- Meriden Square Mall
- Hunter Golf Course
Meriden in popular culture
Meriden was the location chosen for the filming of the 1989
Robert De NiroRobert Mario De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director, and producer.De Niro is well-known for his method acting and portrayals of conflicted, troubled characters and for his enduring collaboration with director Martin Scorsese...
film
JacknifeJacknife is a 1989 American film directed by David Jones and starring Robert De Niro and Ed Harris. The film focuses on a small, serious story, with emphasis on characterization and the complex tension between people in a close relationship...
. Many Meriden landmarks can be seen in the film, and many Meriden residents boast of encountering De Niro during the filming.
Dan Petriw's investigative special for
Channel 8Channel 8, as a television channel, may refer to*MediaCorp Channel 8, Singapore*TVB8*Channel 8 Australia, a now defunct erotic TV channel*News Channel 8, a regional cable television network serving Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, and Suburban Maryland...
News about the "tail pipe golf ball" craze of the 1990s was filmed at Fantozzi's
OldsmobileOldsmobile was a brand of automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
Dealership on Broad Street. Several commuters and car dealers in Meriden had reported that tail pipes on their new and used vehicles were randomly being stuffed with golf balls, thereby causing major damage to their exhaust systems. Petriw assisted the Meriden Police Department in the capture of the suspects by placing hidden cameras in the
Meriden-Australia:*Meriden School, an Anglican school for girls in Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia-United Kingdom:*Meriden, Hertfordshire, England*Meriden, West Midlands, England**The Meriden Gap, named after the above village...
City commuter parking lot as well in several locations at Fantozzi's
OldsmobileOldsmobile was a brand of automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
dealership. The juveniles were tried and sentenced by the Hon. Judge Jared Steinberg at the
Meriden-Australia:*Meriden School, an Anglican school for girls in Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia-United Kingdom:*Meriden, Hertfordshire, England*Meriden, West Midlands, England**The Meriden Gap, named after the above village...
Superior CourtIn common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
.
Meriden's
Ted's Steamed Cheeseburger RestaurantTed's Restaurant in Meriden, Connecticut is a hamburger restaurant that is known for their steamed cheeseburger. Steamed cheeseburgers are a regional food particular to a very few establishments in Meriden, Connecticut where it was invented in the early 1900's...
was featured in the documentary
Hamburger America.
The 2006 movie
The QuietThe Quiet is a 2005 drama and thriller film directed by Jamie Babbit, and starring Elisha Cuthbert and Camilla Belle. It focuses on a deaf teenage girl, Dot who goes to live with her godparents after her father dies, in which she slowly learns the disturbing secrets of the family, primarily...
was based here.
Tomie dePaolaThomas Anthony "Tomie A." dePaola , U.S. author and illustrator of over 200 children's books, including Caldecott Honor book Strega Nona and Newbery Honor Book 26 Fairmount Avenue. - Biography :...
's
26 Fairmount Avenue26 Fairmount Avenue is a 1999 children's novel by Tomie dePaola that won a Newbery Honor.-Plot:The book deals with the early life of Tomie dePaola. He has just moved to a new house in Connecticut and the 1938 hurricane has just hit...
is based on the author's Meriden childhood.
Many towns in the western
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were named for Meriden, Connecticut including
MeridenMeriden is a city in Cherokee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 184 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Meriden is located at ....
,
IowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of...
,
MeridenMeriden is a city in Jefferson County, Kansas, United States. The population was 706 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Meriden is located at ....
,
KansasKansas is a state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa tribe, who inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind," although this was...
,
MeridenMeriden is an unincorporated crossroads in Laramie County, Wyoming, United States. It is part of the Cheyenne, Wyoming Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located about 45 miles northeast of Cheyenne.The community was named after Meriden, Connecticut....
,
WyomingWyoming is a state in the Western United States. The majority of the state is dominated by the mountain ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountain West, while the easternmost section of the state includes part of a high elevation prairie region known as the High Plains. While the tenth largest...
, and
Meriden TownshipMeriden Township is a township in Steele County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 631 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.2 square miles , of which, 36.1 square miles of it is land and 0.1 square...
,
MinnesotaMinnesota is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. The twelfth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.2 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the...
.
Notable natives
- John Joseph "Jack" Barry
John Joseph "Jack" Barry was an American shortstop, second baseman, and manager in Major League Baseball, and later a renowned college baseball coach. From through , Barry played for the Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox...
(1887 - 1961) Baseball player and manager in Major League Baseball, later a renowned college baseball coach; born in Meriden.
- Gary Burr
Gary Burr, born in Meriden, Connecticut, is an American musician and songwriter and producer, mostly known for his stable of hits recorded by country music performers. Burr began his career as a member of the group Pure Prairie League from 1982 to 1985, taking over after Vince Gill departed the group...
, a 2005 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- Tomie dePaola
Thomas Anthony "Tomie A." dePaola , U.S. author and illustrator of over 200 children's books, including Caldecott Honor book Strega Nona and Newbery Honor Book 26 Fairmount Avenue. - Biography :...
(b. 1934) Author and illustrator of children's picture books, including the Strega Nona and Meet the Barkers series.
- Rob Hyman
Robert Andrew "Rob" Hyman is an American singer, songwriter, keyboard player, accordion player, producer, arranger and recording studio owner, best known for being a founding member of the rock band The Hooters.-Early life:Hyman started taking piano lessons at the age of four and grew up playing...
(b. 1950) Lead singer and keyboard player for the rock band The HootersThe Hooters are an American rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By combining a mix of rock and roll, ska and folk music, The Hooters first gained major commercial success in the United States in the mid 1980s due to heavy radio and MTV airplay of several songs including "Day By Day," "And We...
.
- Frank Kowalski
Frank Kowalski was a United States Representative from Connecticut. He was born in Meriden, Connecticut, where he attended the grade and high schools. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1930, Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1937, and studied international relations at...
(1907-1974) was a United States Representative from Connecticut.
- William Lyman
William Worcester Lyman was an American inventor from Meriden, Connecticut. He is credited with inventing the first rotating wheel can opener.William Lyman was born in 1821 in Middlefield, Connecticut...
(fl. 1870s) Inventor credited with inventing the modern can opener.
- Mary McGarry Morris
Mary McGarry Morris is an American novelist, short story author and playwright. In 1991, Michiko Kakutani of The New York Times described Mary McGarry Morris as "one of the most skillful new writers at work in America today" ; The Washington Post has described her as a "superb storyteller" ; and...
(b. 1943) - National Book AwardThe National Book Awards are among the most eminent literary prizes in the United States. Started in 1950, the awards are presented annually to American authors for literature published in the prior year, as well as lifetime achievement awards including the "Medal of Distinguished Contribution to...
and PEN/Faulkner finalist and best-selling author of Songs in Ordinary TimeSongs in Ordinary Time is the 1995 novel by Mary McGarry Morris, and was chosen as an Oprah's Book Club selection in June 1997.-Plot introduction:...
, Vanished, A Dangerous Woman, Fiona Range, A Hole in the Universe, and The Lost Mother
- George P. Murdock (1897–1985) Cultural anthropologist, he initiated the cross-cultural survey, as an instrument of sociological and anthropological generalization.
- Rosa Ponselle
Rosa Ponselle , was an American operatic soprano. She sang mainly at the New York Metropolitan Opera and is generally considered by music critics to have been one of the greatest sopranos of the past 100 years....
(1897-1981) Soprano, later artistic director of the Baltimore Civic Opera.
- Warren Sattler
Warren Sattler is an American artist and cartoonist, who contributed work to many popular publications from the early-1960s through the 1990s....
(b. 1934), Cartoonist and illustrator with a long career in comic strips, comic books, and other media.
- Gary Waslewski
Gary Lee Waslewski was a Major League Baseball player who played as a pitcher from 1967-1972. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos, and the Oakland Athletics....
Major league pitcher from 1960-1972, Pittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions, in addition to the distinction of playing in the first modern World Series. The Pirates are also often...
(1960-64) Boston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since , the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. The "Red Sox" name originates from the iconic uniform feature....
(1964-69), also St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball...
, Montreal ExposThe Montreal Expos is the name of a Major League Baseball team that was located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until the end of the 2004 season, when the team was moved to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Nationals....
, New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division...
, Oakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the Oakland Coliseum....
.
- Frank Wuterich
Frank Wuterich is a Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and is alleged to have participated, on November 19, 2005, in a war crime in Haditha, Iraq, where the Marines are accused of having killed 24 civilians after a Marine had died in an insurgent attack...
(1980-) U.S. Marine accused of war crimes in Haditha, Iraq.
- John Carpenter (game show contestant)
John Carpenter became the first millionaire on the United States version of the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on November 19, 1999. He held the record for the largest single win in United States game show history, until it was broken by Rahim Oberholtzer who won $1.12 million on another...
(b.1967-) First person to win a million dollars on U.S. Edition of the show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a television quiz show which offers very large cash prizes for correctly answering 12 or 15 consecutive multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty. The format is owned and licensed by the Japanese production company Sony Pictures Television International....
External links