South Windsor is a town in
Hartford CountyHartford County is located in the north central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of 2000 the population was 857,183. The population estimate for 2005 was 877,393....
,
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...
. The population was 24,412 at the 2000 census.
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 town has a total area of 28.7
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 (74.2 km²), of which, 28.0 square miles (72.4 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of it (2.44%) is water.
History
In 1659,
Thomas BurnhamThomas Burnham was born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. A lawyer and landowner, he arrived in the American Colonies in 1637, and lived most of his adult live in Connecticut. He was among the earliest puritan settlers in Connecticut, living in Podunk and finally settling in Hartford,...
(1617 - 1688) purchased the tract of land now covered by the towns of South Windsor and East Hartford from Tantinomo, Chief sachem of the Podunk Indians. Burnham lived on the land and later willed it to his nine children. Beginning in the middle of the 17th Century, a few of the settlers of
WindsorWindsor is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, and was the first English settlement in the state. It lies on the northern border of Connecticut's capital, Hartford. The population was estimated at 28,778 in 2005....
,
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 ....
, began using land on the east bank of the
Connecticut RiverThe Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, flowing south from the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire, along the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, through western Massachusetts and central Connecticut into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It has a...
for grazing and farming purposes. By 1700, a number of families had made their homes in this area, now known as South Windsor. In 1768, the residents of the area were allowed to incorporate as the separate town of
East WindsorEast Windsor is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,818 at the 2000 census.The town has five villages: Broad Brook, Melrose, Scantic, Warehouse Point and Windsorville.-Points of interest:...
, though the area was informally referred to as East Windsor before this time, which then included all of East Windsor, South Windsor and
EllingtonEllington is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. Ellington was incorporated in May, 1786, from East Windsor. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 12,921...
. Known for its agriculture and ship building, the town supplied more than 200 volunteers during the
American RevolutionThe American Revolution is the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America at first rejected the governance of the Parliament of Great Britain, and later the British monarchy itself, to become the sovereign United States of...
. In 1786, Ellington became an independent town. South Windsor itself was incorporated as a town in 1845.
TobaccoTobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as an organic pesticide, and in the form of nicotine tartrate it is used in some medicines. In consumption it most commonly appears in the forms of smoking, chewing, snuffing, or...
was a major crop grown in South Windsor since its founding. However, the town has industrialized and commercialized more over time.
(Old) Main Street, located near the Connecticut River and running North to South from the border of East Hartford to that of East Windsor, is the center of the town's historical district. Wood Memorial Library, Ellsworth School, and the nation's oldest continually operating Post Office are located on the street. Minister Timothy Edwards is buried in a cemetery located on Main Street and the town's middle school is named for him. In 1698, Edwards became the first minister for the settlers on the east side of the river and his church was built on Main Street (in present day South Windsor). His son, theologian Jonathan Edwards, was born in South Windsor (at the time still part of Windsor).
Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant was general-in-chief of the Union Army from 1864 to 1869 during the American Civil War and the 18th President of the United States from 1869 to 1877....
stayed at a home on the street.
The town has become less and less agricultural/rural since 1950. This former farming community has been transformed into a suburban town with industrial and commercial districts. The town's population more than tripled between 1950 and 2000. In the early 1990s, residents mobilized against a proposed nuclear waste dump located near the East Windsor town line. They were successful in their drive to keep the town nuclear-free.
Currently, the town is at a crossroads trying to reconcile the town's rural history and character with exploding residential and now even commercial development.
On the National Register of Historic Places
- East Windsor Hill Historic District — Roughly bounded by the Scantic River, John Fitch Boulevard, Sullivan Avenue, and the Connecticut River (added June 30, 1986)
- Elmore Houses — 78 and 87 Long Hill Road (added September 23, 1985)
- Windsor Farms Historic District — Roughly bounded by Strong Road, U.S. Route 5, Interstate 291, and the Connecticut River (added May 11, 1986)
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 24,412 people, 8,905 households, and 6,767 families residing in the town. 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 873.1 people per square mile (337.1/km²). There were 9,071 housing units at an average density of 324.4/sq mi (125.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.50% White, 2.95% African American, 0.18% Native American, 3.71% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.66% 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 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.27% of the population.
There were 8,905 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% 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, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $73,990, and the median income for a family was $82,807. Males had a median income of $55,703 versus $38,665 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 town was $30,966. About 1.5% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Children attending the public school systems in South Windsor begin at the elementary school level (Kindergarten through Grade 5) at one of five elementary schools: Eli Terry, Orchard Hill, Philip R. Smith, Pleasant Valley and Wapping. Students then graduate to Timothy Edwards Middle School, for grades 6-8. They also have the choice to go to a magnet school,
Two RiversTwo Rivers may refer to:In the United States*Two Rivers, Alaska*Two Rivers, California, former name of Dos Rios, California*Two Rivers Township, Morrison County, Minnesota*Two Rivers, Wisconsin*Two Rivers , Wisconsin...
in East Hartford. They then finish up their schooling at
South Windsor High SchoolSouth Windsor High School is located in South Windsor, Connecticut. It currently has grades 9-12 with approximately 1,700 students. It is the only high school in South Windsor but it also admits students from Hartford through the Open Choice Program...
. Over 140 students in the 2004, 2005, and 2006 classes have been admitted to the
University of ConnecticutThe University of Connecticut is the State of Connecticut's land-grant university. It was founded in 1881 and serves more than 28,000 students on its six campuses, including nearly 8,000 graduate students in multiple programs....
in Storrs, CT.
Economy and Commercial Development
South Windsor has recently seen an increase in commercial development, a major shift from the town's industrial and agricultural origins. At the same time, the town has seen an over-reliance on residential property taxes to fund the town's budget and services. Many argue that commercial development is necessary. However, some disagree and favor open space, preservation, and regulations limiting commercial as well as further residential developments.
Single and multi-family residential development has lately been discouraged by the town in favor of senior housing complexes, whose residents require fewer town services and do not add children to the school system.
Yet the town borders
ManchesterManchester is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 54,740.- History :...
, which is home to the
Shoppes at Buckland Hills and other stores part of a huge commercial area that serves the entire state. South Windsor had in the past received significant traffic but no taxes from these stores. Thus the town approved
Evergreen Walk, a 1.2 million square foot non-enclosed retail development, with some 60 outlets. In recent years, the Buckland commercial zone bordering Manchester has been greatly developed and the town now receives significant taxes from the retail sector.
Development continues on Buckland Road, with former tobacco fields and barns giving way to various retail and office projects. The town also plans to develop the I-291 Gateway Zone, located at the southern end of John Fitch Boulevard (U.S. Route 5). Other areas of development include Rye Street and the construction of an
Aldi', short for "ALbrecht DIscount", is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany. The chain is made up of two separate groups, ALDI Nord and ALDI Süd , which operate independently from each other within specific market boundaries...
distribution center.
Side Notes
Famous People Born In South Windsor Include:
Brett Burnham (Minor League Baseball player), Gary Burnham (Minor League Baseball player), Chris Clark (NHL hockey player), Harry F. Farnham (politician - 1879),
Oliver WolcottOliver Wolcott was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and also the Articles of Confederation as a representative of Connecticut....
(Signer of the Declaration of Independence),
John FitchJohn Fitch was an American inventor, clockmaker, and bronzesmith who built the first recorded steam powered ship in the United States. He also invented the first recorded working model of a steam railway locomotive...
(inventor - 1743), Jonathan Edwards (theologian - 1703)
Well-Known Residents (Past & Present) Include:
Will FriedleWilliam Alan "Will" Friedle is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his comedic roles, most notably the underachieving elder brother Eric Matthews on the long-running TV sitcom Boy Meets World from 1993 to 2000...
(Television Star),
Major Michael DonnellyMichael Donnelly was a United States Air Force major and veteran of the first Gulf War. Medically retired in 1996 following a diagnosis of Lou Gehrig's Disease, he became a leading activist for sufferers of Gulf War Syndrome...
(Gulf War Veteran, Activist), Timothy Edwards (Minister, Father of Jonathan Edwards),
Houman YounessiHouman Younessi is an Australian American educator, practitioner, consultant and investigator in computer science, information systems, decision science, business, and systems and software engineering...
(Scientist),
Jeff PorcaroJeff Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history...
,
Steve PorcaroSteven Maxwell "Steve" Porcaro is an American keyboardist and composer, who was an original member of the rock/pop band, Toto....
, and
Mike PorcaroMike Porcaro is best noted as the bass player in the Grammy Award winning band, Toto....
(members of rock band
TotoToto was an American rock band founded in 1977 by some of the most popular and experienced session musicians of the era. The band enjoyed great commercial success in the 1980s, beginning with the band's self-titled debut, released during 1978...
),
Chris ClarkChris Clark is a professional ice hockey right winger and is current team captain for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League.-College career:...
(NHL Player),
Marcus CambyMarcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA...
(NBA Player),
John BuccigrossJohn Buccigross , is currently an anchor for ESPN, a job he has held since 1996. He is also an NHL columnist for ESPN.com.-Biography:...
(ESPN Analyst)
External links