Suffield, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Suffield is a town in Hartford County
, Connecticut
, United States
. It had once been within the boundaries of Massachusetts
. The town is located in the Connecticut River Valley with the town of Enfield
neighboring to the east. In 1900, 3,521 people lived in Suffield; and in 1910, 3,841. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 13,552. The town center was designated as a census-designated place
known as Suffield Depot in the 2000 census.
Bordering Massachusetts
, Suffield, Connecticut is considered part of the City of Springfield, Massachusetts
NECTA. Suffield is only 8 miles (12.9 km) from the City of Springfield, Massachusetts, and considered more oriented toward it than the City of Hartford, Connecticut
which lies 16 miles (25.7 km) to the south.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 42.9 square miles (111.1 km²), of which 42.2 square miles (109.3 km²) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.9 km² or 1.68%) is water. The town center (Suffield Depot CDP) has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), of which, 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²) of it is land and 0.51% is water.
Suffield is on the west bank of the Connecticut River
, 8 miles (12.9 km) south of the Connecticut River
's largest city, Springfield, Massachusetts
, and 16 miles (25.7 km) north of Connecticut's capital, Hartford, Connecticut
. Two bridges span the river to the town of Enfield
: the Amtrak/Springfield Terminal Railroad Bridge
and the Enfield-Suffield Veterans Bridge
.
The Metacomet Ridge
, a mountainous trap rock
ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound
to nearly the Vermont
border, runs through the center of Suffield from south to north as West Suffield Mountain
. The 51 miles (82.1 km) Metacomet Trail
traverses the ridge.
For a town its size, Suffield has had a remarkable effect on the history of the region and the nation. Its native and adopted sons include Rev. Ebenezer Gay, a renowned Congregational minister; U.S. Postmaster General Gideon Granger
; real estate speculator Oliver Phelps
, once the largest landowner in America; composer Timothy Swan
; architect Henry A. Sykes; sculptor Olin Levi Warner
; Seth Pease, surveyor of the Western Reserve lands in Ohio, most of which were controlled by Suffield financiers and speculators; and Thaddeus Leavitt
, inventor of an early cotton gin
, merchant and patentee of the Western Reserve lands. Thanks to the town's early prominence and wealth, it boasts an astonishing collection of early New England architecture. The Kent family, for whom the town's library is named, originated in Gloucester, Massachusetts
, and boasted relations to many prominent early New England families, including the New England Dwight family
of Northampton, Massachusetts
, the Hooker
family of Hartford, the Dudleys of Guilford, Connecticut
and the Leavitts of Suffield. Descendants of Robert Olds, who arrived from Sherborne
, Dorset
, in 1667, include automotive pioneer Ransom Eli Olds, Copperhead
Ohio politician Edson Baldwin Olds, his great-grandson USAAF
General Robert Olds
, and his son, iconic USAF
fighter pilot Robin Olds
.
Slavery
was not unknown in early New England, where slaves were sold on the town green in New Haven. In Suffield some residents also owned slaves. 'Princess,' a slave belonging to early Suffield settler Lieut. Joshua Leavitt, died November 5, 1732. Ironically, some of Leavitt's descendants became ardent abolitionists, including Joshua Leavitt
and his cousin Roger Hooker Leavitt
, who operated an Underground Railroad
station in Charlemont, Massachusetts
.
One of the earliest graduates of the Yale Medical School was one of Suffield's earliest physicians. Dr. Asaph Leavitt Bissell, born in 1791 at Hanover, New Hampshire
to parents originally from Suffield, attended Dartmouth College
, and later graduated in the second class of the Yale Medical School. Bissell moved to Suffield, where he rode horseback to make house calls on patients. Bissell's saddlebags are today in the collection of the Yale Medical School's Historical Society.
of 2000, there were 13,552 people, 4,660 households, and 3,350 families residing in the town. The population density
was 321.0 people per square mile (124.0/km²). There were 4,853 housing units at an average density of 115.0 per square mile (44.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.67% White, 6.95% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.03% from other races
, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.25% of the population.
There were 4,660 households out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples
living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 116.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $66,698, and the median income for a family was $79,189. Males had a median income of $52,096 versus $35,188 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $28,171. About 1.8% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.
of 2000, there were 1,244 people, 569 households, and 298 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 640.9 people per square mile (247.6/km2). There were 598 housing units at an average density of 308.1 per square mile (119.0/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.26% White, 3.38% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.80% from other races
, and 0.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.25% of the population.
There were 569 households out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples
living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.5% were non-families. 40.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 26.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 81.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $42,043, and the median income for a family was $75,098. Males had a median income of $50,375 versus $32,411 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $25,290. About 4.6% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
http://www.suffield.org/home.aspx, includes Spaulding Elementary School, McAlister Intermediate School, Suffield Middle School, and Suffield High School
.
Suffield is also the home of Suffield Academy
, Connecticut Culinary Institute, and the International College of Hospitality Management
:
Hartford County, Connecticut
Hartford County is a county located in the north central part of the US state of Connecticut. The 2010 Census records show that the county population is at 894,014 making it the second most populated county in Connecticut....
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It had once been within the boundaries of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. 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. As of the 2010...
. The town is located in the Connecticut River Valley with the town of Enfield
Enfield, Connecticut
Enfield is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 45,212 at the 2000 census. It sits on the border with Longmeadow, Massachusetts and East Longmeadow, Massachusetts to the north, Somers to the east, East Windsor and Ellington to the south, and the...
neighboring to the east. In 1900, 3,521 people lived in Suffield; and in 1910, 3,841. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 13,552. The town center was designated as a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
known as Suffield Depot in the 2000 census.
Bordering Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. 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. As of the 2010...
, Suffield, Connecticut is considered part of the City of Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
NECTA. Suffield is only 8 miles (12.9 km) from the City of Springfield, Massachusetts, and considered more oriented toward it than the City of Hartford, Connecticut
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...
which lies 16 miles (25.7 km) to the south.
Geography
United 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 42.9 square miles (111.1 km²), of which 42.2 square miles (109.3 km²) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.9 km² or 1.68%) is water. The town center (Suffield Depot CDP) has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), of which, 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²) of it is land and 0.51% is water.
Suffield is on the west bank of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
, 8 miles (12.9 km) south of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
's largest city, Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, and 16 miles (25.7 km) north of Connecticut's capital, Hartford, Connecticut
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...
. Two bridges span the river to the town of Enfield
Enfield, Connecticut
Enfield is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 45,212 at the 2000 census. It sits on the border with Longmeadow, Massachusetts and East Longmeadow, Massachusetts to the north, Somers to the east, East Windsor and Ellington to the south, and the...
: the Amtrak/Springfield Terminal Railroad Bridge
Amtrak/Springfield Terminal Railroad Bridge
The Amtrak/Springfield Terminal Railroad Bridge, also known as Warehouse Point railroad bridge, is a rail girder bridge with a truss main span crossing over the Connecticut River, connecting the towns of Enfield, Connecticut and Suffield, Connecticut...
and the Enfield-Suffield Veterans Bridge
Enfield-Suffield Veterans Bridge
The Enfield–Suffield Veterans Bridge is a crossing for Route 190 over the Connecticut River, connecting the towns of Enfield, Connecticut and Suffield, Connecticut-External links and references:...
.
The Metacomet Ridge
Metacomet Ridge
The 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 trap rock
Trap rock
Trap rock is a form of igneous rock that tends to form polygonal vertical fractures, most typically hexagonal, but also four to eight sided. The fracture pattern forms when magma of suitable chemical composition intrudes as a sill or extrudes as a thick lava flow, and slowly cools.Because of the...
ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between 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. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
to nearly the Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
border, runs through the center of Suffield from south to north as West Suffield Mountain
West Suffield Mountain
West Suffield Mountain, est. , is a traprock mountain ridge located between the Berkshires and the Connecticut River Valley in north-central Connecticut. It is part of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north through the Connecticut...
. The 51 miles (82.1 km) Metacomet Trail
Metacomet Trail
The Metacomet Trail is a Blue-Blazed hiking trail that traverses the Metacomet Ridge of central Connecticut and is a part of the newly designated New England National Scenic Trail. Despite being easily accessible and close to large population centers, the trail is considered remarkably rugged and...
traverses the ridge.
History
Suffield was originally known as Southfield—which was pronounced Suffield. On May 20, 1674, the committee for settling the town petitioned "that the name of the place may be Suffield, it being the southernmost town that either at present is, or like to be in that Countrey, and neere adjoining to the south border of our Patent in those parts." The petition was granted by the Massachusetts Court on June 3, 1674. Suffield was incorporated as a town in March 1682.For a town its size, Suffield has had a remarkable effect on the history of the region and the nation. Its native and adopted sons include Rev. Ebenezer Gay, a renowned Congregational minister; U.S. Postmaster General Gideon Granger
Gideon Granger
Gideon Granger was an early American politician and lawyer. He was the father of Francis Granger.Born in Suffield, Connecticut, Granger attended and graduated from Yale University and became a lawyer. He was considered a brilliant political essayist...
; real estate speculator Oliver Phelps
Oliver Phelps
Oliver Phelps was born in Poquonock, Connecticut and moved to Suffield, Connecticut, where he apprenticed to a local merchant. He shortly thereafter became a tavern keeper in Granville, Massachusetts. During the Revolution he was Deputy Commissary of the Continental Army and served until the end...
, once the largest landowner in America; composer Timothy Swan
Timothy Swan
Timothy Swan was a composer and hatmaker born in Worcester, Massachusetts. The son of goldsmith William Swan, Swan lived in small towns along the Connecticut River in Connecticut and Massachusetts for most of his life. Swan’s compositional output consisted mostly of psalm and hymn settings,...
; architect Henry A. Sykes; sculptor Olin Levi Warner
Olin Levi Warner
Olin Levi Warner was an American sculptor and artist noted for the striking bas relief portrait medallions and busts he created in the late 19th century....
; Seth Pease, surveyor of the Western Reserve lands in Ohio, most of which were controlled by Suffield financiers and speculators; and Thaddeus Leavitt
Thaddeus Leavitt
Thaddeus Leavitt was a Suffield, Connecticut, merchant who invented an early cotton gin, as well as joining with seven other Connecticut men to purchase most of the three-million-plus acres of the Western Reserve lands in Ohio from the government of Connecticut, land on which some of his family...
, inventor of an early cotton gin
Cotton gin
A cotton gin is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, a job formerly performed painstakingly by hand...
, merchant and patentee of the Western Reserve lands. Thanks to the town's early prominence and wealth, it boasts an astonishing collection of early New England architecture. The Kent family, for whom the town's library is named, originated in Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester is a city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is part of Massachusetts' North Shore. The population was 28,789 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
, and boasted relations to many prominent early New England families, including the New England Dwight family
New England Dwight family
The New England Dwight family had many members who were military leaders, educators, jurists, authors, businessmen and clergymen.Around 1634 John Dwight came with his wife Hannah, daughter Hannah, and sons Timothy Dwight and John Dwight, from Dedham, Essex, England to North America where the town...
of Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
, the Hooker
Thomas Hooker
Thomas Hooker was a prominent Puritan colonial leader, who founded the Colony of Connecticut after dissenting with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts...
family of Hartford, the Dudleys of Guilford, Connecticut
Guilford, Connecticut
Guilford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the coast. The population was 21,398 at the 2000 census...
and the Leavitts of Suffield. Descendants of Robert Olds, who arrived from Sherborne
Sherborne
Sherborne is a market town in northwest Dorset, England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The A30 road, which connects London to Penzance, runs through the town. The population of the town is 9,350 . 27.1% of the population is aged 65 or...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, in 1667, include automotive pioneer Ransom Eli Olds, Copperhead
Copperhead
Copperhead may refer to:Snakes:* Agkistrodon contortrix, a venomous pit viper species found in parts of North America.* Agkistrodon piscivorus, a.k.a. the cottonmouth, another venomous pit viper species found in North America....
Ohio politician Edson Baldwin Olds, his great-grandson USAAF
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
General Robert Olds
Robert Olds
Robert Olds was a general officer in the United States Army Air Forces, theorist of strategic air power, and proponent of an independent United States Air Force. Olds is best known today as the father of Brig. Gen...
, and his son, iconic USAF
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
fighter pilot Robin Olds
Robin Olds
Robin Olds was an American fighter pilot and general officer in the U.S. Air Force. He was a "triple ace", with a combined total of 16 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War. He retired in 1973 as a brigadier general....
.
Slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
was not unknown in early New England, where slaves were sold on the town green in New Haven. In Suffield some residents also owned slaves. 'Princess,' a slave belonging to early Suffield settler Lieut. Joshua Leavitt, died November 5, 1732. Ironically, some of Leavitt's descendants became ardent abolitionists, including Joshua Leavitt
Joshua Leavitt
Rev. Joshua Leavitt was an American Congregationalist minister and former lawyer who became a prominent writer, editor and publisher of abolitionist literature. He was also a spokesman for the Liberty Party and a prominent campaigner for cheap postage...
and his cousin Roger Hooker Leavitt
Roger Hooker Leavitt
Col. Roger Hooker Leavitt was a prominent landowner, early industrialist and Massachusetts politician who with other family members was an ardent abolitionist, using his home in Charlemont, Massachusetts as an Underground Railroad station for slaves escaped from the South...
, who operated an Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
station in Charlemont, Massachusetts
Charlemont, Massachusetts
Charlemont is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,358 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
.
One of the earliest graduates of the Yale Medical School was one of Suffield's earliest physicians. Dr. Asaph Leavitt Bissell, born in 1791 at Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2010 census. CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the sixth best place to live in America in 2011, and the second best in 2007....
to parents originally from Suffield, attended Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, and later graduated in the second class of the Yale Medical School. Bissell moved to Suffield, where he rode horseback to make house calls on patients. Bissell's saddlebags are today in the collection of the Yale Medical School's Historical Society.
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 13,552 people, 4,660 households, and 3,350 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 321.0 people per square mile (124.0/km²). There were 4,853 housing units at an average density of 115.0 per square mile (44.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.67% White, 6.95% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.03% 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 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.25% of the population.
There were 4,660 households out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% 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 28.1% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 116.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $66,698, and the median income for a family was $79,189. Males had a median income of $52,096 versus $35,188 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 $28,171. About 1.8% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 6.2% 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 Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
1,904 | 119 | 2,023 | 24.3% |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The 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 GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
2,323 | 107 | 2,430 | 29.2% |
Unaffiliated | 3,598 | 267 | 3,865 | 46.44% |
Minor Parties | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0% | |
| Total | 7,829 | 494 | 8,323 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||
Town center
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 1,244 people, 569 households, and 298 families residing in the CDP. 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 640.9 people per square mile (247.6/km2). There were 598 housing units at an average density of 308.1 per square mile (119.0/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.26% White, 3.38% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.80% 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 0.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.25% of the population.
There were 569 households out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% 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, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.5% were non-families. 40.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 26.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 81.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $42,043, and the median income for a family was $75,098. Males had a median income of $50,375 versus $32,411 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 CDP was $25,290. About 4.6% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The town's public school system, Suffield Public SchoolsSuffield Public Schools
The Suffield Public Schools system is a school district based in Suffield, Connecticut in the United States of America.It includes A. Ward Spaulding Elementary School, McAlister Intermediate School, Suffield Middle School, and Suffield High School....
http://www.suffield.org/home.aspx, includes Spaulding Elementary School, McAlister Intermediate School, Suffield Middle School, and Suffield High School
Suffield High School
Suffield High School is located in West Suffield, Connecticut, a town in Hartford county that abuts the Massachusetts border.-History:The first Suffield High School building was constructed in 1939. It saw its first graduating class in 1940. A wing was added in 1956 to accommodate student growth...
.
Suffield is also the home of Suffield Academy
Suffield Academy
Suffield Academy is a private coeducational preparatory school located in Suffield, Connecticut, USA. It was founded in 1833. The Headmaster is Charles Cahn III.-Overview:...
, Connecticut Culinary Institute, and the International College of Hospitality Management
List of First Selectmen
| Representative | Party | Years | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roland Dowd | Suffield Community Party | 1996–2000 | Did not seek reelection |
| Robert Skinner | Republican Republican Party (United States) The 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 GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
2000–2002 | Did not seek reelection |
| Elaine Sarsynski | Republican Republican Party (United States) The 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 GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
2002–2006 | Did not seek reelection |
| Scott Lingenfelter | Republican Republican Party (United States) The 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 GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
2006–2010 | Defeated for reelection |
| Thomas Frenaye | Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
2010 – present | Incumbent |
Historic homes and sites
Main Street, a designated historic district with the Green, three churches, Suffield Academy and vintage colonial and Victorian homes, typifies a New England town. Named for the Kent family of Suffield, the Kent Memorial Library is an important research center for source materials, records, and documents from north central Connecticut. A walk along Main Street reveals many examples of 18th and 19th century architecture. The Dr. Alexander King House, on the corner of Kent Avenue, and the Phelps-Hatheway House, a little farther north on Main Street, are museums open to the public from May to October.Historic sites
The town includes 11 historic sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
:
- Alexander King House — 232 S. Main St. (added 1976)
- Babb's BeachBabb's BeachBabb's Beach, also known as Babb's Beach Amusement Park, is located at 435 Babbs Rd. in Suffield, Connecticut. It was constructed in 1898 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006....
— 435 Babb's Rd. (added 2006) - Farmington Canal-New Haven and Northampton Canal — Roughly from Suffield to New Haven (added 1985)
- Gothic Cottage — 1425 Mapleton Ave. (added 1982)
- Hastings Hill Historic District — 987-1308 Hill St., 1242 Spruce St. and 1085-1162 Russell Ave. (added 1979)
- Hatheway House (also known as "Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden") — 55 S. Main St., reflects two architectural styles: the original 1761 building is a typical colonial house, the 1794 north wing is one of the first examples of the Neoclassical style in the Connecticut River Valley (added September 6, 1975)
- Hilltop Farm http://www.fofah.com — 1550-1760 Mapleton Ave. (added 2005)
- John Fuller House — 463 Halladay Ave. (added 1982)
- King's Field House — 827 North St. (added 1982)
- Lewis-Zukowski House — 1095 S. Grand St. (added 1990)
- Suffield Historic District — Runs along North and South Main Streets (added 1979)