Waterbury is a city in
New Haven CountyNew Haven County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2010 Census, the county population is 862,477 making it the third most populated county in Connecticut. There are 1,340 people per square mile...
,
ConnecticutConnecticut 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...
, on the
Naugatuck RiverThe Naugatuck River Valley refers to the watershed area of the Naugatuck River in the western part of Connecticut. The Naugatuck Valley straddles parts of Litchfield County, New Haven, and Fairfield counties. The Route 8 corridor and Waterbury Branch of the Metro-North railroad line run along the...
, 33 miles (53 km) southwest of
HartfordHartford 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...
and 77 miles (124 km) northeast of
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. As of 2010 Census Bureau estimates, the city had a total population of 110,366 and is the ninth largest city in
New EnglandNew England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, the fifth-largest city in Connecticut and the second largest city in New Haven County.
Throughout the first half of the 20th century Waterbury had large industrial interests and was the leading center in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for the manufacture of brassware (including castings and finishings), as reflected in the nickname the "
BrassBrass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
City" and the city's motto
Quid Aere Perennius? ("What Is More Lasting Than Brass?"), which echoes the Latin of
Horace'sQuintus Horatius Flaccus , known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.-Life:...
Ode 3.30. It was noted for the manufacture of watches and clocks.
The city is located along
Interstate 84Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
and has a
Metro NorthMetro North can refer to either of* Metro-North Railroad, a commuter railroad serving parts of New York and Connecticut in the United States* Dublin Metro#Metro North, a branch of the proposed Dublin Metro, in Dublin, Ireland...
railroad station. It is also home to
Post UniversityPost University is a small university located in Waterbury, Connecticut. Post University was established in 1890. Prior to May 1990, it was known as Post College...
and a regional campus of the
University of ConnecticutThe admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
.
History
The original settlement of Waterbury was in 1674 as a Town Plot section. In 1675
King Philip's WarKing Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
caused it to be vacated but the land was returned to in 1677, this time west of the first settlement. Both sites are now marked. The Algonquin name for the area was "Matetacoke" meaning "place without trees." Thus the settlement was named as "Mattatock" in 1673. The name changed to Waterbury on May 15, 1686, when the settlement was admitted as the 28th
townThe New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in the
ConnecticutConnecticut 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...
colony. It then included all or parts of the later towns of
WatertownWatertown is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 21,661 at the 2000 census. The zip code for Watertown is 06795. It is a suburb of Waterbury. It borders the towns of Woodbury, Middlebury, Litchfield, Plymouth, Bethlehem, and Thomaston.-Founding History:More...
,
PlymouthPlymouth is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England. The population was 11,634 at the 2000 census. The Town of Plymouth includes the villages of Terryville and Pequabuck.-Geography:...
,
WolcottWolcott is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 15,215 at the 2000 census.Wolcott was founded in 1796 and was originally named Farmingbury...
,
ProspectProspect is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,707 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water...
, Naugatuck,
ThomastonThomaston is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,503 at the 2000 census.-History:The town, originally part of Plymouth, Connecticut, and referred to as 'Plymouth Hollow' was first settled in the early 18th century. The town is known for clock making, which...
, and
MiddleburyMiddlebury is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,451 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
. The name Waterbury was chosen because of all the streams flowing into the
Naugatuck RiverThe Naugatuck River is a river in the US state of Connecticut. It carves out the Naugatuck River Valley. The river flows from northwest Connecticut southward into the Housatonic River in Derby, Connecticut. One of the river's main uses is hydropower, which is used to power industrial plants...
. Growth was slow during Waterbury's first hundred years. The lack of arable land discouraged new settlers and the residents suffered through the great flood of 1691 and the great sickness of 1712. After a century, Waterbury's population numbered just 5,000.
Waterbury hit its stride as an industrial power in the early 19th century when it began to make brass, using a technology taken from the British. Not content with exploiting the know-how, these Yankee entrepreneurs lured talented craftsmen from across the sea to set up shop in Waterbury.As the "Brass Capital of the World," the city gained a reputation for the quality and durability of its goods. Waterbury was incorporated as a city in 1853. Waterbury supplied brass and copper used in Boulder Dam in
ColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Waterbury brass was used for many other things in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
such as minting disks for
nickelsThe nickel is a five-cent coin, representing a unit of currency equaling five hundredths of one United States dollar. A later-produced Canadian nickel five-cent coin was also called by the same name....
, but the brass also went into South American coins.
Another famous Waterbury product of the mid-19th century was
Robert H. Ingersoll'sThe Ingersoll Watch Company grew out of a mail order business started in New York City in 1882 by 21-year-old Robert Hawley Ingersoll and his brother Charles Henry. The company initially sold low-cost items such as rubber stamps...
one-dollar pocket watch, five million of which were sold. After this, the clock industry became as important as Waterbury's famed brass industry. Evidence of these two important industries can still be seen in Waterbury, as numerous clocktowers and old brass factories have become landmarks of the city.
At its peak during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, 10,000 people worked at the Scovill Manufacturing Co, later sold to Century Brass. The city's metal manufacturing mills (Scovill Manufacturing, Anaconda American Brass, and
Chase Brass & CopperChase Brass is a leading manufacturer of brass rods in the U.S. Located in Montpelier, Ohio, Chase employs nearly 200 hourly employees who are represented by the United Steelworkers Union Local 7248, and 85 salaried employees....
were the largest) occupied more than 2 million square feet (180,000 m²) and more than 90 buildings.
Notable historic events
- Waterbury's Fr. Michael J. McGivney founded The Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
in New Haven, Connecticut on February 2, 1882. Though the first councils were all in Connecticut, the Order spread throughout the United States in the following years.
- Established in 1894, St. Joseph's Church holds the distinction of being the first Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n worshiping community in Connecticut.
- The first Unico
Unico National is a service organization of Italian Americans established in Waterbury, CT in 1922 to "engage in charitable works, support higher education, and perform patriotic deeds". At that time, the trial of anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti was in the news, and many stories fostered a belief...
Club was founded in Waterbury in 1922. It now has 8,000 members and 150 regional groups. The membership is composed of business and professional people of Italian lineage or those who are married to an Italian-American. The clubs sponsor educational, cultural and civic programs.
- Sacred Heart was the first Catholic High School in Connecticut, September 6, 1922.
- One of the first full-length sound motion pictures was made in the 1920s at the studios of the Bristol Co. at Platts Mills by Professor William Henry Bristol
William Henry Bristol, inventive genius, pioneering manufacturer, educator, and environmentalist, was born in Waterbury, Connecticut on July 5, 1859, the eldest of six children....
, who experimented for years with sound pictures.
- The Waterbury Clock Company produced the Mickey Mouse watch in 1933 under the Ingersoll brand
The Ingersoll Watch Company grew out of a mail order business started in New York City in 1882 by 21-year-old Robert Hawley Ingersoll and his brother Charles Henry. The company initially sold low-cost items such as rubber stamps...
. The watch was so popular that over 11,000 were sold the first day, and it saved the company from bankruptcy.
- W1XBS in Waterbury was one of only four radio stations in the country that began experimental high fidelity broadcasting in 1934. The station broadcast at 1530 kc, and joined the CBS Radio Network on December 1, 1938. They moved to 1590 kc and changed the call letters to WBRY in 1941, in accordance with the North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement
The North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement, usually referred to as NARBA, is a treaty that took effect in March 1941 and set out the bandplan and interference rules for mediumwave AM broadcasting in North America. Although mostly replaced by other agreements in the 1980s, the basic bandplan...
. The station's broadcasting license was cancelled in 1998 to allow New York's WWRLWWRL is a radio station in New York City, broadcasting at 1600 kHz AM owned by Access.1 Communications. Since September 1, 2006, its format has been progressive talk radio...
to be upgraded; at the time it had been known as WQQW.
- Victor Zembruski started his Polish Eagles show on Waterbury radio station WATR in 1934. It is now the oldest continuously broadcast show on American radio.
- The Chase Dispensary, a medical clinic for employees of the Chase Brass & Copper Co., opened one of the first birth control clinics in the country in 1938.
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...
, the city has a total area of 28.9 square miles (74.9 km²), of which, 28.6 square miles (74.0 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.9 km²) of it (1.21%) is water.
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. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 107,271 people, 42,622 households, and 26,894 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...
was 3,754.7 people per square mile (1,449.7/km²). There were 46,827 housing units at an average density of 1,639.0 per square mile (632.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.14% White, 16.31% Black or
African AmericanRace 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...
, 0.42% Native American, 1.51% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 10.91% from
other racesRace 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 3.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21.77% of the population.
Waterbury is probably the most heavily Italian-American large city in Connecticut today. The Italian influence is especially strong in the Town Plot, Brooklyn, and North End neighborhoods. It has been said that 6 in 10 voters in Waterbury are of Italian descent and they often prove to be a decisive voting block in city elections. Additionally, the city is home to thriving French-Canadian,
PortugueseThe Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
,
LebaneseLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
,
LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n, and
AlbanianAlbanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
communities. Waterbury has strong
IrishThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
roots as well, especially in Washington Hill which is home to the city's annual St. Patrick Day's Parade. At the beginning of the 21st century, Waterbury had a growing Orthodox Jewish population.
There were 42,622 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.8% were
married couplesMarriage 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, 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,285, and the median income for a family was $42,300. Males had a median income of $35,486 versus $27,428 for females. The
per capita incomePer 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 city was $17,701. About 12.7% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Waterbury’s economic decline in the 1970s and 1980s resulted in it being ranked as having the worst quality of life of 300 U.S. metropolitan areas by
Money Magazine in 1992. Waterbury was rated as one of the "10 Worst Places to Live in America" in the 1999 Places Rated Almanac. Waterbury was also rated as one of the "Worst Places for Businesses and Careers in America" by
Forbes Magazine in April 2008.
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
| # |
Employer |
# of employees |
| 1 |
City of Waterbury |
3,811 |
| 2 |
Waterbury Hospital |
1,541 |
| 3 |
St. Mary's Hospital Saint Mary's Hospital is an urban hospital located at 56 Franklin St. in Waterbury, Connecticut, USA. Saint Mary's Hospital, is located off of I-84 in Waterbury. It was founded in 1907 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chambéry, and it is designated as a Level II trauma center...
|
1,279 |
| 4 |
State of ConnecticutConnecticut 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...
|
1,225 |
| 5 |
AT&TAT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
|
400 |
| 6 |
Naugatuck Valley Community College Naugatuck Valley Community College is a two-year public college located in Waterbury, Connecticut. It is currently one of the 30 colleges in the Connecticut Community Colleges system. NVCC grants a variety of associates degrees and also has certificate programs.The campus is equipped with...
|
384 |
| 7 |
United States Postal ServiceThe United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
|
270 |
| 8 |
Webster BankWebster Bank is a commercial bank based in Waterbury, Connecticut.- History :Webster was founded in 1935 by Harold Webster Smith. Only 24 years old, Smith borrowed from family and friends to found First Federal Savings of Waterbury, a lending institution providing home loans to Connecticut citizens...
(HQ) |
256 |
| 9 |
Republican-American |
252 |
| 10 |
MacDermid (HQ) |
217 |
Government
| Mayor |
Michael J. Jarjura (R) |
| Town Clerk |
Antoinette C. Spinelli (D) |
| City Sheriff |
Stephen M. Conway (D) |
| City Clerk |
Michael J. Dalton (D) |
| Aldermen (15) |
| Paul K. Pernerewski, Jr. (D - President) |
| Anthony T. Piccochi (D – Majority Leader) |
| Joseph Begnal, Jr.(D) |
| Joyce Petteway (D) |
| Francis Caiazzo, Jr. (D) |
| Ronald Napoli, Jr. (D) |
| Ernest Brunelli (D) |
| Alberto Negron (D) |
| Anne Phelan (D) |
| Cicero B. Booker, Jr. (I – Minority Leader) |
| Lawrence DePillo (I) |
| Frank A. Burgio Sr. (I) |
| Ryan Mulcahy (I) |
| Steven Giacomi (R) |
| Jerry Padula (R) |
Waterbury has about 52,000 registered voters, of whom about 24,000 are Democrats. There are about 7,800 registered Republicans and the balance are largely unaffiliated, with a smattering belonging to minor parties.
John S. MonaganJohn S. Monagan was a Connecticut politician and author.Monagan graduated from Dartmouth College in 1933, where he majored in French literature and was the editor of the Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern...
, who was a prolific author in addition to his political responsibilities, served as Waterbury's mayor from 1943 to 1948. He also served as its district's congressional representative from 1959 to 1973.
George HarlamonGeorge Harlamon was an American municipal politician. He was the 40th mayor of Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.A., a community in New Haven County, during 1969–1970...
, a member of the Waterbury Hall of Fame, was the city's 40th mayor. He served from 1969 to 1970 during a period of racial tension. The City is known for its hard nosed political culture compared locally to
Cook CountyCook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
,
IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, close elections, and a number of scandals. This reputation is so solidified that U.S. Senator Joseph I. Lieberman once joked that upon his death, he hoped to be buried in Waterbury so he could remain politically active.
Waterbury's scandalous past dates back to 1940 when Mayor T. Frank Hayes and 22 others were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the City of Waterbury. Hayes received a 10-15 year sentence and served six years. Ironically, the massive corruption scheme was exposed with the help of then comptroller Sherwood Rowland, grandfather of Gov.
John G. RowlandJohn Grosvenor Rowland was the 86th Governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004; he is a member of the Republican Party. He is married to Patty Rowland, his second wife, and the couple have five children between them...
, who was convicted on corruption charges in 2004. The recently published book,
Publisher vs. Politician: A Clash of Local Titans, by author William A. Monti is an account of the rise and fall of T. Frank Hayes and focuses on his election campaigns, his bitter fights with William J. Pape, publisher of two local newspapers, and his ultimate trial, conviction, and sentencing for corruption. Ironically, what appeared to have been a defeat for Hayes was not really a victory for Pape, and the stage was set for further corruption in Waterbury in the second half of the 20th century.Waterbury was in serious financial straits due to years of mismanagement resulting in the city's finances being take over by the State of Connecticut. The State Oversight Board oversaw city business for several years and have since left following consecutive years of balanced budgets. The successors to Giordano, former Acting Mayor
Sam CaligiuriSam S. F. Caligiuri is a lawyer and former Connecticut State Senator. In 2010, he ran for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, but switched for a House seat in Connecticut's 5th congressional district...
and present and 45th Mayor
Michael JarjuraMichael Jarjura is the Mayor of Waterbury, Connecticut.He was first elected in 2001 and reelected in 2003. In 2005, he was elected to a third term as a write-in candidate after losing the Democratic primary...
have managed the city without major controversy since 2001.
A number of Presidential candidates have campaigned in Waterbury due to its pivotal role in statewide elections. The most famous was the election eve visit on the Green by
John F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
in 1960. Forty thousand people waited until 3 a.m. on the Green to greet Presidential Candidate John F. Kennedy, Sunday, November 6, 1960. Sen. Kennedy spoke to them from the balcony of the Roger Smith Hotel (now called the Elton).
Pierre SalingerPierre Emil George Salinger was a White House Press Secretary to U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson...
later said it was the greatest night of the campaign. In September 1984
Ronald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
held a huge noontime election rally at the same location. In July 2006 former President
Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
made a campaign appearance at the Palace Theatre for Senator
Joe LiebermanJoseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
during his campaign for re-election to the U.S. Senate. Shortly after the Democratic primary, Tom Swan, campaign manager for Lieberman's opponent
Ned LamontEdward Miner "Ned" Lamont, Jr. is a businessman and heir and most recently an unsuccessful candidate for the 2010 Democratic nomination for Governor of Connecticut. On May 22, 2010, Lamont received more than fifteen percent of the vote at the state Democratic convention, and appeared on the...
, described Waterbury as a place where "the forces of slime meet the forces of evil" after a large majority of the town's voters backed Lieberman. Swan claimed he was referring to former Mayor Philip A. Giordano and former Governor
John G. RowlandJohn Grosvenor Rowland was the 86th Governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004; he is a member of the Republican Party. He is married to Patty Rowland, his second wife, and the couple have five children between them...
.
Governor
John G. RowlandJohn Grosvenor Rowland was the 86th Governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004; he is a member of the Republican Party. He is married to Patty Rowland, his second wife, and the couple have five children between them...
served ten months in a federal prison until February 10, 2006. He was released from federal prison with the stipulation that he serve four months house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet monitor until June 2006.
In January 2008 Waterbury Mayor
Michael JarjuraMichael Jarjura is the Mayor of Waterbury, Connecticut.He was first elected in 2001 and reelected in 2003. In 2005, he was elected to a third term as a write-in candidate after losing the Democratic primary...
announced that he would hire Rowland as a economic development advisor for the city. Rowland began work in February and is receiving an annual salary of $95,000 as the city's economic development coordinator.
Consulate Office
Waterbury is also home to Connecticut's Consulate General Of Portugal which has its office Downtown on East Main Street.
Education
The city's schools are operated by
Waterbury Public SchoolsWaterbury Public Schools is a school district based in Waterbury, Connecticut.The district served 18,218 students in the 2006-2007 school year. It is made up of 65% low-income families and is also a minority-majority district...
under the leadership of superintendent Dr. David L. Snead and a board of education that consists of ten elected members and the city mayor, who acts as the chairman ex-officio.
| Board of Education (10) |
| Patrick Hayes, Jr. (D - President) |
| Coleen Flaherty-Merritt (D) |
| Karen Harvey (D) |
| Neil O'Leary (D) |
| Jose Morales (D) |
| Mary White (D) |
| Charles Stango (R) |
| Jason Van Stone (R) |
| Ann Marie Sweeney (U) |
| John Thereault (I) |
The four public high schools in Waterbury are Crosby, Kennedy, Waterbury Arts Magnet and Wilby High Schools. Private high schools include
Chase CollegiateChase Collegiate School is a private, coeducational day school for children in grades pre-kindergarten through 12. The campus in Waterbury, Connecticut, has 8 academic and administrative buildings, 9 athletic fields and eight tennis courts...
(formerly St. Margaret's-McTernan),
Holy Cross High SchoolHoly Cross High School is a Catholic secondary school founded in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1968 by the Congregation of Holy Cross. Presently, Holy Cross is the largest Catholic secondary school in Connecticut, situated on thirty seven acres in the West End of Waterbury, Connecticut, accessible via...
, and Sacred Heart High School. W. F Kaynor Tech, the city's only tech school, is operated by the state and has gone under renovation. The Waterbury Arts Magnet School opened in 2004 across from the
University of ConnecticutThe admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
's Waterbury campus.
Waterbury also has a number of
CatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
elementary schools including: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, St. Mary's, Blessed Sacrement, Sts. Peter & Paul, St. Joseph's, St. Lucy's, St. Francis Xavier, and St. Margaret's.
In addition, Waterbury is home to the Yeshiva Gedolah School of Waterbury, which provides Orthodox Jewish education from kindergarten to post-High School students. It is operated by the Yeshiva Community of Waterbury.
Waterbury is also home to
Post UniversityPost University is a small university located in Waterbury, Connecticut. Post University was established in 1890. Prior to May 1990, it was known as Post College...
, a private liberal arts college, and
Naugatuck Valley Community CollegeNaugatuck Valley Community College is a two-year public college located in Waterbury, Connecticut. It is currently one of the 30 colleges in the Connecticut Community Colleges system. NVCC grants a variety of associates degrees and also has certificate programs.The campus is equipped with...
.
Waterbury Christian schools:Lighthouse Christian Academy;Waterbury Christian academy;Alpha & Amega Academy. Trinity academy (closed 2004)
Fire department
The city of Waterbury is protected 24/7, 365 by the professional firefighters of the City of Waterbury Fire Department(WFD). The Waterbury Fire Department operates out of 9 Fire Stations, strategically located throughout the city, and also operates a front-line fire apparatus fleet of 8 Engines, 3 Trucks, 1 Rescue, 1 Haz-Mat. Unit, 1 Collapse Unit, and numerous other special, support, and reserve units.
Fire stations and apparatus
| Engine Company |
Truck Company |
Rescue Company |
Special Unit |
Command Unit |
Address |
Neighborhood |
| Engine 1 |
Truck 2 |
Rescue 9 |
Haz-Mat. 9, Collapse 9 |
|
1979 N. Main St. |
North Side |
| Engine 2 |
Truck 3 |
|
|
|
519 E. Main St. |
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823 Baldwin St. |
South End |
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1956 E. Main St. |
Fair Lawn |
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431 Willow St. |
Overlook |
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315 Walnut St. |
Long Hill |
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197 Bunker Hill Ave. |
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26 Field St. |
Downtown |
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740 Highland Ave. |
Town Plot |
Police department
The Waterbury Police Department(WPD) is Waterbury's only police force since being founded in 1853. Headquarters is at 255 East Main Street, while the Waterbury police academy is located at the Waterbury Police Department Annex at 240 Bank Street. The 2010 force is composed of 300 officers, and the current Chief of Police is Michael Gugliotti.
Neighborhoods
Waterbury is a city of neighborhoods. Their distinctive character, shaped by the history and geography of the city, has led residents to form an unusual loyalty to their neighborhood.
Vibrant ethnic communities distinguished the city neighborhoods. Clusters of shops at the street corners offered neighborhood residents everything they could desire, creating villages within the city. For many people, home, work and community life was contained within their neighborhood. Downtown, a short walk away, was “the city”, offering live theater, fancy stores, parades and spectacles.
- Downtown Waterbury
- Waterville
Waterville is a neighborhood of the city of Waterbury, Connecticut. It was formerly known as Pine Hole and Haydensville.Waterville is above sea level and lies in the Eastern Time Zone , observing daylight saving time....
- Town Plot
- Washington Hill
- Hopeville
- Brooklyn
- East End
- Bunker Hill
- Hillside
- Bucks Hill
- South End
- Fairmount
- East Mountain
- Overlook
- Pine Hill
- Fair Lawn
- North Square
- Robinwood
- West Side
- Country Club
- North End/North Side
- WOW/Walnut-Orange-Walsh
- Long Hill
- Crownbrook
- Gilmartin
Landmarks
Union Station Clocktower
Constructed by the world famous architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White of N.Y. for the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company, the Union Station on Meadow Street was modeled after the
Torre del MangiaThe Torre del Mangia is a tower in Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy. Built in 1338-1348, it is located in the Piazza del Campo, Siena's premier square, adjacent to the Palazzo Pubblico . When built it was one of the tallest secular towers in mediaeval Italy...
at the Palazzo Publico in Siena,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It cost $332,000 to build in 1909. The clocktower is 240 feet (73.2 m) high and has 318 steps. The clock was made by
Seth Thomas Co.Seth Thomas was an American clock maker and a pioneer of mass production at his Seth Thomas Clock Company.-Biography:Thomas was born in Wolcott, Connecticut, in 1785. He started in the clock business in 1807, working for clockmaker Eli Terry...
with a dial 16 feet (4.9 m) in diameter with 5 feet (1.5 m) tall
Roman numeralsThe numeral system of ancient Rome, or Roman numerals, uses combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet to signify values. The numbers 1 to 10 can be expressed in Roman numerals as:...
. The eight she-wolf gargoyles are a reminder of the myth of Romulus and Remus. The tower opened July 12, 1909. Union Station is now the home of the
Waterbury Republican-AmericanThe Republican-American, headquartered in Waterbury, Connecticut is the United States' 193rd-largest newspaper with an average Sunday circulation of 61,100...
newspaper, and the city's
Metro-North railroad stationThe former Waterbury Union Station building is located on Meadow Street in Waterbury, Connecticut, United States. It is a brick building dating to the first decade of the 20th century...
is on a platform next to the building.
Municipal Stadium
The
stadiumA baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
was built in 1930 originally as a dog track which attributes to its unique, if not odd, layout. It holds 6,000 people. It is somewhat unique that it only has permanent stands along the first-base line, while bleachers lie along the third-base side.
It was home to
minor league baseballMinor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
for the majority of its existence, beginning in 1947 with the Colonial League and from 1966 to 1986 with the AA Eastern League as an affiliate of the Dodgers, Reds, Giants, Indians, Pirates, A's, and Angels.
In 1997 the Stadium became home to the Waterbury Spirit which spent four seasons in the Independent League.
Several future
major leaguersMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
played at the stadium, including
Bobby BondsBobby Lee Bonds was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball from to , primarily with the San Francisco Giants...
, Paul O'Neill,
Wally JoynerWallace Keith "Wally" Joyner is a former first baseman and hitting coach in Major League Baseball. He played for four major league teams during a 16-year career, most notably for the California Angels, for whom he was an All-Star...
,
Cory SnyderJames Cory Snyder is a former Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1986 to 1994. Snyder's best season came in 1987 with the Indians when he hit 33 home runs and had 82 runs batted in...
, and
Danny TartabullDanilo Tartabull Mora , also known as Danny Tartabull, is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. Born to Cuban parents in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he is the son of José Tartabull, who played in the major leagues from 1962 to 1970.-Playing career:Danny played for the Seattle Mariners ,...
.
It is now primarily used for sporting events, primarily football and baseball, for most of the city's high schools and Little Leagues.
The stadium has been home to a few historic events also, woman's softball pitcher Joan Joyce struck out Ted Williams, Dom Dimaggio, and Johnny Pesky, in order in the stadium, and in 1947 several members of the
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
including Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, and Spec Shea, played an exhibition game against the Waterbury Timers in the stadium.
The Apothecary Building
The Apothecary Building, the focal point of Exchange Place in the center of Waterbury at the intersection of South Main and Bank Streets, was built in 1893 and housed the Apothecaries Hall Pharmacy for over 70 years.
Carrie Welton Fountain
The 2,500 pound statue on the Carrie Welton Fountain on the east end of The Green is in memory of Caroline Josephine Welton's black stallion, Knight, and her love of animals. The fountain was dedicated November 10, 1888.
Soldiers' Monument
Sculpted by former Waterbury resident George C. Bissell as a tribute to the whole Civil War experience, the 48 feet (14.6 m)-high bronze Soldiers' Monument on the west end of The Green was cast in Paris and cost $25,000. It was dedicated October 23, 1884. Other Bissell works include: Memorial to Scottish American soldiers of the Civil War located in Edinburgh, Scotland, and many statues in Riverside Cemetery, including one of Waterbury Civil War hero, Col. John L. Chatfield. The poem on the Soldiers Monument, by Dr. Joseph Anderson of Waterbury history fame, was included in the Library of American Literature:
Brave men, who rallying at your country's call Went forth to fight - if Heaven willed, to fall: Returned, ye walk with us through sunnier years And hear your nation say, God bless you all! Brave men, who yet a heavier burden bore And came not home to hearts by grief made sore! They call you dead and lo ye grandly live. Shrined in the nation's love forevermore!
Veterans' Monument
Designed by Luis Fucito for the City of Waterbury for about $55,000, it was intended in honor of all those who have served in the wars of our country. The 15 feet (4.6 m) star was dedicated on May 30, 1958 and is located on the west end of The Green.
Hotel Elton
Built in 1905, the
Elton HotelThe Elton Hotel is located on West Main Street in downtown Waterbury, Connecticut, United States. It is an early 20th century building by local architect Wilfred E. Griggs in the Second Renaissance Revival architectural style....
on the Waterbury Green was a grand hotel which served as the starting point for the "Ideal Tour". Created by the Elton's first manager, Almon Judd, this tour created a convoy of early automobiles which journeyed to New England resorts. The Elton was considered one of New England's most elegant hotels until the 1960s, when it became the Roger Smith Hotel. It is now an assisted living facility. President
John F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
made a campaign speech from the balcony of the hotel on Sunday, November 6, 1960. Forty thousand people waited until 3 a.m. on the Green to greet then Senator John F. Kennedy who spoke to them from the balcony of the hotel. A plaque was later added to the building to commemorate the occasion. Also on the building is a plaque commemorating the establishment of
Unico NationalUnico National is a service organization of Italian Americans established in Waterbury, CT in 1922 to "engage in charitable works, support higher education, and perform patriotic deeds". At that time, the trial of anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti was in the news, and many stories fostered a belief...
in the city in 1922.
Cass Gilbert Historic District
Nationally renowned architect
Cass Gilbert- Historical impact :Gilbert is considered a skyscraper pioneer; when designing the Woolworth Building he moved into unproven ground — though he certainly was aware of the ground-breaking work done by Chicago architects on skyscrapers and once discussed merging firms with the legendary Daniel...
won a competition to design Waterbury's City Hall building on Grand Street, which was completed in 1915. Gilbert was then hired to design the
Chase Headquarters BuildingThe Chase Headquarters Building is a building in Waterbury, Connecticut on Grand Street across from the city hall. It is now occupied by the city of Waterbury’s offices.-Architecture:...
(facing City Hall and now a municipal building housing the mayor's office); a bank building next to City Hall; the Lincoln House and the Chase Dispensary buildings on Field Street; the Waterbury Club on West Main Street (demolished in the 1960s); and coordinated the landscaping of Library Park with the Olmsted Brothers in the 1920s.
Christopher Columbus statue
The statue was completed by sculptor Frank C. Gaylord of Barre, VT for the Christopher Columbus Committee and the Waterbury
Unico NationalUnico National is a service organization of Italian Americans established in Waterbury, CT in 1922 to "engage in charitable works, support higher education, and perform patriotic deeds". At that time, the trial of anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti was in the news, and many stories fostered a belief...
Club at a total cost of $45,000, $25,000 for the statue and $20,000 for the base. The 12 feet (3.7 m) Christopher Columbus statue is made of granite and weighs 12,000 pounds. Standing in front of City Hall, this statue was dedicated Oct. 12, 1984. The Christopher Columbus Time Capsule, closed Oct. 12, 1992 to be opened October 12, 2092, is behind the monument.
The base of the sculpture reads:
Cristoforo Columbo
1451-1506
Discover of America
October 12, 1492
Ben Franklin statue
The Ben Franklin statue seated in front of the Silas Bronson Library on Grand Street was designed by renowned sculptor
Paul Wayland BartlettPaul Wayland Bartlett was an American sculptor working in the Beaux-Arts tradition of heroic realism. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, the son of Truman Howe Bartlett, an art critic and sculptor....
, a one-time Waterbury resident. The 1700 pound statue was made possible by a $15,000 donation from Elisha Leavenworth. After completion, it made a 22-city tour, with celebrations in each city, from Baltimore to Boston and then to Waterbury where it was dedicated June 3, 1921.
Waterbury Courthouse
The Waterbury Courthouse on the corner of Grand and Meadow Streets, with its graceful curved facade and brass-bedecked entranceway, was the headquarters of the Anaconda American Brass Company for over 50 years. A large addition was put on the building in 1998.
Waterbury Clock Company
The Waterbury Clock Company buildings on Cherry Ave. were constructed in 1857. By the end of the 19th century, the company employed 3,000 workers and turned out 20,000 clocks and watches a day. The Great Depression sent the Waterbury Clock Co. into receivership, and the company was eventually purchased by Thomas Olsen (owner and operator of
Fred. Olsen Shipping Co.Fred. Olsen & Co. is a large shipping company based in Oslo, Norway. The company was founded by Petter Olsen in 1848. Today it is the holding company that controls the Olsen family's interest through Bonheur and Ganger Rolf.-History:...
) and Joakim Lehmkuhl of Norway during WWII to aid in the war effort becoming the largest producer of fuse timers for precision defense products in the United States. The company was renamed the United States Time Corporation in 1944 following its wartime success. Manufacturing operations here ceased when production was moved to a new factory in Middlebury, CT in 1942, and the buildings now house several small businesses. The company still operates today as Timex Group USA maintaining its headquarters in Middlebury.
Harrub Pilgrim Memorial
The 175 ton, 60 feet (18.3 m) long Harrub Pilgrim Memorial was carved out of French granite by
Hermon Atkins MacNeilHermon Atkins MacNeil was an American sculptor born in Chelsea, Massachusetts.He was an instructor in industrial art at Cornell University from 1886 to 1889, and was then a pupil of Henri M. Chapu and Alexandre Falguière in Paris...
of New York. Charles Harrub, an engineer for the American Brass Company, donated the $100,000 needed for the project to honor his wife and the Pilgrims. Dedicated October 11, 1930 at its original location at the entrance to Chase Park across from the Freight Street bridge, it was moved for the construction of the Interstate Route 84 / Route 8 interchange and is now located at the corner of Highland Avenue and Chase Parkway.
Chief Two Moon Laboratory
Chief
Two Moon Meridas"Chief" Two Moon Meridas was an American seller of herbal medicine who claimed that he was of Sioux birth.Meridas was born Chico Colon Meridan, son of Chico Meridan and Mary Tumoon; his exact place and date of birth are unclear...
built his laboratory building on East Main Street in 1925 and manufactured his world famous herbal medications there until his death in 1933. The Indian Heads and two moons engraved on the front exterior walls have been retained on the building.
Holy Land USA
Holy Land USA was an 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) park in Waterbury, CT representing a miniature Jerusalem and Bethlehem. It was one of Connecticut’s biggest tourist attractions in the 1960s and 1970s with 50,000 visitors per year. Holy Land USA was built in the 1950s by local attorney John Baptist Greco. The 50' cross was designed and built by Frank Veto Lyman. This steel cross was once lit up purple for Lent and red for the Christmas season. Holy Land USA closed in 1984 and the plaster, wire caves and structures are now in miserable shape. Some local residents wish to see the place restored while others want it razed and turned into a park.
On November 20, 2002, Comedy Central's
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart spoofed Holy Land in a segment with correspondent
Stephen ColbertStephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
satirically comparing the park to Israel.
The cross was one of Waterbury’s most beloved and prominent landmarks. Illuminated at night, it was a beacon seen from many homes and thousands of motorists passing daily on highways below. Pilots even used it for orientation.
In April 2008, workmen took down the former cross, which had become unstable from years of weathering and repeated attacks by vandals. The Religious Teachers Filippini, an order of nuns that owns the property, paid $250,000 to have it replaced with a cross that is a little shorter, a bit thinner, but more durable. In addition, the cross is not illuminated like the previous ones, instead it is lit by surrounding flood lights.
On June 18, 2008 the new 50 feet (15.2 m) cross was blessed and rededicated by Archbishop Henry J. Mansell. The new cross is actually the third giant cross to grace the site. The original was 32 feet (9.8 m) tall and was erected in 1956. The cross was dedicated to world peace in a ceremony attended by 1,200 people in November of that year. It was the beginning of Holy Land.
That original cross was replaced in 1968, by a cross of steel girders and plastic that housed fluorescent lights that reached 56 feet (17.1 m) into the sky. That cross was dedicated to peace and also to the slain John and Robert Kennedy.
Today, much of what was Holy Land is in ruins. Broken pavement lines the road winding through the property. Yellow tape blocks access to displays, many of which have been smashed by vandals. While the site is officially off-limits, people still skirt no-trespassing signs to visit.
Mattatuck Museum
The
Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center is the only
museumA museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in
ConnecticutConnecticut 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...
dedicated to collecting and exhibiting Connecticut artists and sculptors. Previously housed in the historic Kendrick House on the other side of The Green, the museum moved to the former Masonic Temple in 1986. The renovation and construction was designed by noted
ArgentineArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
-born architect Cesar Pelli. Exhibits in the ground floor galleries reveal the history of Waterbury and surrounding towns. New additions to the history exhibit include an interactive display about the region's slavery history. Recent additions to the art collections include a gallery display about
Alexander CalderAlexander Calder was an American sculptor and artist most famous for inventing mobile sculptures. In addition to mobile and stable sculpture, Alexander Calder also created paintings, lithographs, toys, tapestry, jewelry and household objects.-Childhood:Alexander "Sandy" Calder was born in Lawnton,...
and a "Giant Critter" designed by Calder in the museum's courtyard.
Timexpo Museum
Another educational landmark of Waterbury is the Timexpo Museum. The museum, which is in what were formerly factory buildings of the Scovill Manufacturing Company, opened to the public in May 2001. There are three floors of exhibits that explore the heritage of the world-famous Timex Group, tracing back to its early days as the Waterbury Clock Company. Visitors can witness the birth and growth of Timex, enjoying demonstrations of the inner workings of clock and watches. Within the museum there are a variety of hands on exhibits with craft activities, and computer interactions.
Naugatuck Valley Shopping Center
Before the Brass Mill Center Mall was built, the Naugatuck Valley Shopping Mall was the main shopping center of the area. It was located on Wolcott Street and built in August 1969. The Naugatuck Valley Mall first opened with an interior movie theater and two well known anchors in the Connecticut area: Sears and G. Fox.
Brass Mill Center
The Brass Mill Center & Commons is a shopping venue built on the site of old Scovill Manufacturing Co. factory buildings near the center of Waterbury. It houses many stores and restaurants including Old Navy, American Eagle, Hollister Co., Barnes & Noble, Chili's, IHOP, Bertucci's, Macy’s, JCPenney, Sears, Burlington Coat Factory.
Palace Theatre
Originally opened in 1922, the Palace Theatre was home to films and
vaudevilleVaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
shows. It operated for nearly seventy years before being closed in 1987. Thanks to the financial backing of the State of Connecticut and the support of then-
Governor RowlandJohn Grosvenor Rowland was the 86th Governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004; he is a member of the Republican Party. He is married to Patty Rowland, his second wife, and the couple have five children between them...
, the theatre reopened on November 12, 2004.
Warren Fox Kaynor Technical High School
W.F Kaynor Tech was founded in 1954 and is Waterbury's only technical school. In 2006, the school started an extensive 53 million dollar addition and upgrade. It was finished in the summer of 2009.
Robert Chatfield, the Mayor of Prospect for 34+ years graduated from Kaynor Tech in 1960.
Chase Collegiate School
The
Chase Collegiate SchoolChase Collegiate School is a private, coeducational day school for children in grades pre-kindergarten through 12. The campus in Waterbury, Connecticut, has 8 academic and administrative buildings, 9 athletic fields and eight tennis courts...
is a private day school formerly known as Saint Margaret's-McTernan established in 1865.Founded by Chase Brass and Copper company
Minicucci's Men's Clothing store
The oldest store in downtown Waterbury closed in late 2009. Minicucci's was owned by Arnold Minicucci who inherited the store from his father, Erasamo Minicucci. The store was founded in the early 20th century and was located on Bank Street.
On the National Register of Historic Places
- George S. Abbott Building
The George S. Abbott Building is a building in Waterbury, Connecticut also known as Wheeler and Wilson Building and Abbott Towers Apartments. It was designed by Henry A. Lawler and built in 1899. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982....
- Bank Street Historic District
The Bank Street Historic District is a group of four attached brick commercial buildings in different architectural styles on that street in Waterbury, Connecticut, United States. They were built over a 20-year period around the end of the 19th century, when Waterbury was a prosperous, growing...
- Benedict-Miller House
- Beth El Synagogue
- Bishop School
- Downtown Waterbury Historic District
The Downtown Waterbury Historic District is the core of the city of Waterbury, Connecticut, United States. It is a roughly rectangular area centered around West Main Street and Waterbury Green, the remnant of the original town commons, which has been called "one of the most attractive downtown...
- Elton Hotel
The Elton Hotel is located on West Main Street in downtown Waterbury, Connecticut, United States. It is an early 20th century building by local architect Wilfred E. Griggs in the Second Renaissance Revival architectural style....
- Lewis Fulton Memorial Park
- Hamilton Park
- Enoch Hibbard House and George Grannis House
In popular culture
- Waterbury radio station WWCO
WWCO is a radio station licensed in Waterbury, Connecticut, broadcasting a News Talk Information format. The station is currently owned by Buckley Broadcasting and features programming from AP Radio, Talk Radio Network and Westwood One. The station provides a blend of issue-oriented talk, news and...
and disk jockey Les Davis were featured in an article in the April 25, 1955 issue of Life Magazine.
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is a short story by James Thurber. The most famous of Thurber's stories, it first appeared in The New Yorker on March 18, 1939, and was first collected in his book My World and Welcome to It...
, the most famous of James ThurberJames Grover Thurber was an American author, cartoonist and celebrated wit. Thurber was best known for his cartoons and short stories published in The New Yorker magazine.-Life:...
’s short stories, is set in Waterbury in 1939.
- Waterbury-born John Fusco, noted screenwriter and novelist, wrote "Paradise Salvage" (Simon and Schuster 2001), a novel set in Waterbury. The novel, an Italian-American coming-of-age story, was inspired by several incidents of civic corruption in the Brass City.
- Gladys Taber's romance novel, "Give Me the Stars" (1945), was set in Waterbury and in the Chase Brass & Copper Company's factory, giving vivid depictions of factory life during World War II.
- The Today Show on NBC was broadcast from the Hotel Elton on August 18, 1955 to cover the festivities for the world premiere of Waterbury native Rosalind Russell
Rosalind Russell was an American actress of stage and screen, perhaps best known for her role as a fast-talking newspaper reporter in the Howard Hawks screwball comedy His Girl Friday, as well as the role of Mame Dennis in the film Auntie Mame...
’s movie The Girl Rush at the State Theater that evening. A major floodThe Flood of 1955 in Connecticut is one of the worst floods in Connecticut's history. Two back-to-back hurricanes saturated the land and several river valleys in the state, causing severe flooding in August 1955. The hardest hit were the Mad and Still Rivers in Winsted, the Naugatuck River, the...
on August 19, 1955 caused over 50 million dollars in property damage and the deaths of 29 Waterbury residents; The Today Show provided live coverage of the flood to the country.
Notable residents
- Michael Bergin
Michael John Bergin, , is considered to have been one of the first males to have achieved supermodel status, previously reserved for women such as Cindy Crawford, Elle Macpherson, Naomi Campbell, and Iman....
, one of first male supermodels
- Darren Brass
Darren Brass is an American tattoo artist. He featured in reality television show Miami Ink. He cites Chris Garver, Joe Vegas, Bob Roberts, and Ed Hardy as influences....
tattoo artist, reality show character, from the TLCTLC is an American cable TV specialty channel which initially focused on educational content. Since 1991 TLC has been owned by Discovery Communications, the same company that operates the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and The Science Channel, as well as other learning-themed networks...
hit show Miami InkMiami Ink is an American reality show on TLC that follows the events that took place at a tattoo shop in Miami Beach, Florida. The show premiered in July 2005 and has finished broadcasting its fourth season...
.
- William H. Bristol
William Henry Bristol, inventive genius, pioneering manufacturer, educator, and environmentalist, was born in Waterbury, Connecticut on July 5, 1859, the eldest of six children....
, inventor and manufacturer, was born in Waterbury. Invented the “Bristolphone” to simultaneously record voices and other sounds with motion in moving pictures.
- Joe Cipriano
Joe Cipriano is an American voice over actor.-Career:Joe Cipriano began his career as a broadcaster in Waterbury, Connecticut , while still in high school. Since then he has worked for the NBC, ABC, Fox and CBS TV and radio networks...
, television announcer (also known as Tom Collins on WWCOWWCO is a radio station licensed in Waterbury, Connecticut, broadcasting a News Talk Information format. The station is currently owned by Buckley Broadcasting and features programming from AP Radio, Talk Radio Network and Westwood One. The station provides a blend of issue-oriented talk, news and...
in Waterbury) for Deal or No DealDeal or No Deal is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which was the Dutch Miljoenenjacht produced by Dutch producer Endemol. It is played with up to 26 cases with certain sums of money...
and 1 vs. 1001 vs. 100 is a game show created by Endemol that is aired in several countries. The game pits one person against 100 others for a chance to win a large cash prize. The game first aired in the Netherlands as Eén tegen 100, sponsored by the Nationale Postcode Loterij .- General format :In all...
.
- Deirdre Coleman-Imus
Deirdre Coleman Imus is the founder and president of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center, part of Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, United States...
, Waterbury-born actress. Married famed radio personality Don Imus in 1995.
- Roger Connor
Roger Connor was a 19th century Major League Baseball player, born in Waterbury, Connecticut. Known for being the player whom Babe Ruth succeeded as the all-time home run champion, Connor hit 138 home runs during his 18-year career, and his career home run record stood for 23 years after his...
, major league baseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player in the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Bob Crane
Robert Edward "Bob" Crane was an American actor and disc jockey, best known for his performance as Colonel Robert E...
, actor, of Hogan's Heroes fame was born in Waterbury and had a radio program on WATR.
- Andre "mrDEYO" Deyo
-Andre' Deyo:Andre' Nathaniel Deyo , better known by his stage name mrDEYO , is an American R&B singer and hit songwriter best known for his songwriting abilities and arrangements on "Jenny From The Block" for Jennifer Lopez. He has been signed to a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing...
, singer songwriter, best known for writing "Jenny From The Block" for Jennifer LopezJennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
in 2002, graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury.
- Allie DiMeco
Alexandra Jean Theresa "Allie" DiMeco is an American actress and multi-instrumentalist.-Early life and career:...
, actress, best known for playing Rosalina in The Naked Brothers BandThe Naked Brothers Band is an American television musical comedy created by Polly Draper. The show depicts the daily lives of Draper's sons, who lead a faux rock band from New York City. As a mockumentary, the storyline is a hyperbole of their real lives, and the fictional presence of a camera is...
on Nickelodeon.
- Joe Diorio
Joseph Louis Diorio is an American jazz guitarist. He has performed with legends of jazz like Sonny Stitt, Eddie Harris, Ira Sullivan, Stan Getz, Pat Metheny, Horace Silver, and Freddie Hubbard...
Jazz guitarist & theorist, also an author and teacher at the University of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He was also one of the first instructors for the Guitar Institute of Technology.
- Damane Duckett
Damane Jerrel Duckett is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
, born and raised in Waterbury, is an American football offensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
of the NFL. Duckett has also played for the New York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Carolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
.
- Peter M. Ferreira
Peter Ferreira Critically acclaimed concert violinist, recording artist and author, and has been a very active violinist since the age of 6. Greatly inspired by his grandfather who was himself a violinist...
, concert violinist, recording artist and author.
- Dr. Robert Gallo
Robert Charles Gallo is an American biomedical researcher. He is best known for his role in the discovery of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus , the infectious agent responsible for the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome , and he has been a major contributor to subsequent HIV research.Gallo is the...
, a U.S. biomedical researcher, best known for his role in identifying the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) as the infectious agent responsible for the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
- Mordechai Gifter
Rabbi Mordechai Gifter was the rosh yeshiva of the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland and among the foremost religious leaders of Orthodox Jewry in the late 20th century. He studied in yeshivas in Lithuania and held several rabbinical positions in the United States of America.-Biography:Mordechai Gifter...
, one of America's leading Torah Scholars, served as rabbi of Waterbury's Jewish community from 1941 - 1945.
- Philip Giordano
Philip Giordano is the former Republican mayor of Waterbury, Connecticut, and a convicted sex offender. He was born in Caracas, Venezuela, to Italian parents and his family moved to the United States when he was two years old....
, former mayor of Waterbury, (R) was stripped of power in 2001 after a corruption investigation revealed alleged sexual acts with a minor and other possible pedophiliaAs a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
charges.
- Ryan Gomes
Ryan Anthony Gomes is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association....
, Los Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
forward, was born in Waterbury and attended Wilby High School.
- Porter Goss, former Director of the CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
, was born in Waterbury.
- Frank Hogan
Frank Smithwick Hogan was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Dubbed "Mr. Integrity" due to his perceived honesty and incorruptibility, he was D.A. of New York County for more than 30 years.-Life and career:...
, former District Attorney of New York County.
- George P. Harlamon
George Harlamon was an American municipal politician. He was the 40th mayor of Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.A., a community in New Haven County, during 1969–1970...
, Mayor http://dan.greaterwaterbury.com/waterbury_mayors.php 1968-1970. Elected to Waterbury Hall of Fame 2003.
- David Hoadley
David Hoadley was an American businessman, and an executive in the banking and railroad industries. He is best known for taking over the Panama Railway in November 1851 as the company faced bankruptcy while attempting to build a railroad across the Isthmus of Panama...
, president of the Panama RailwayThe Panama Canal Railway Company is a railway line that links the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean across Panama in Central America. It is jointly owned by the Kansas City Southern Railway and Mi-Jack Products...
.
- Samuel Hopkins, American Congregationalist and theologian.
- Julius Hotchkiss
Julius Hotchkiss was a United States Representative from Connecticut. He was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, the son of Woodward and Polly Hotchkiss, Prospect farmers. At seventeen, he taught in Prospect schools...
(1810–1878) was a United States Representative from Connecticut and Mayor of Waterbury.
- Joan Joyce
Joan Joyce is the softball coach at Florida Atlantic University, following a record-setting career as a softball player for the Raybestos Brakettes and the Orange Lionettes...
, an All-American softball player but also excelled in basketball, bowling, and golf.
- Fred Klobedanz
Frederick Augustus "Duke" Klobedanz was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Boston Beaneaters in five seasons and had a lifetime major league win-loss record of 53-25.-Career:...
, Major League Baseball pitcher
- Brian Lanese, lead singer and songwriter for Los Angeles-based funk band "Permanent Ability", was born in Waterbury and attended Sacred Heart High School. Lanese, also a graphic designer, won multiple Emmy awards while working for ESPN.
- Annie Leibovitz
Anna-Lou "Annie" Leibovitz is an American portrait photographer.-Early life and education:Born in Waterbury, Connecticut, Leibovitz is the third of six children. She is a third-generation American whose great-grandparents were Jewish immigrants, from Central and Eastern Europe. Her father's...
, celebrated portrait photographer, was born in Waterbury in 1949.
- Clare Leighton
Clare Veronica Hope Leighton was an English/American artist, writer and illustrator, best known for her wood engravings.Clare Leighton was born in London on 12 April 1898, the daughter of Robert Leighton and Marie Connor Leighton , both authors...
, artist and printmaker, was buried in Waterbury in 1989.
- Talia Madison, professional wrestler.
- Harold Marcuse
Harold Marcuse is an American professor of modern and contemporary German history. He teaches at the University of California, Santa Barbara.- Education :...
, professor of German history at University of California Santa Barbara and grandson of Herbert MarcuseHerbert Marcuse was a German Jewish philosopher, sociologist and political theorist, associated with the Frankfurt School of critical theory...
.
- Richard A. Mastracchio, a NASA Astronaut.
- Dylan McDermott
Mark Anthony McDermott , better known by his professional name of Dylan McDermott, is an American actor, known for his role as lawyer and law firm head Bobby Donnell on the television legal drama The Practice and his role in the series Dark Blue as Lt. Carter Shaw. McDermott currently stars in FX...
, actor and star of the acclaimed television series The PracticeThe Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
, born and raised in Waterbury.
- Father Michael J. McGivney, Catholic priest and founder of The Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
- Chief Two Moon Meridas
"Chief" Two Moon Meridas was an American seller of herbal medicine who claimed that he was of Sioux birth.Meridas was born Chico Colon Meridan, son of Chico Meridan and Mary Tumoon; his exact place and date of birth are unclear...
lived in Waterbury from 1914 to 1933 and claimed to be a full-blooded Pueblo Indian.
- George Metesky
George P. Metesky , better known as the Mad Bomber, terrorized New York City for 16 years in the 1940s and 1950s with explosives that he planted in theaters, terminals, libraries and offices...
(1903–1994), the "Mad Bomber" who launched a reign of terror in New York City in the 1940s and 1950s.
- John S. Monagan
John S. Monagan was a Connecticut politician and author.Monagan graduated from Dartmouth College in 1933, where he majored in French literature and was the editor of the Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern...
(1911–2005), Mayor, Congressman, author and biographer of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1902 to 1932...
.
- Johnny Moore
John Francis Moore was an outfielder in Major League Baseball.-Sources:...
(1902–1991), professional baseball player.
- David Nolan
David Nolan was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1946, the son of journalist Joseph T. Nolan and his artist wife Virginia.He attended the public schools in Bayside, New York and Waterbury, Connecticut, studied at the University of Virginia, and was active in the American Civil Rights Movement of...
, author and historian who attended Anderson School.
- Jimmy Piersall
James Anthony Piersall is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball. Between 1950 and 1967, he played for the Boston Red Sox , Cleveland Indians , Washington Senators , New York Mets , and Los Angeles/California Angels .While he had a fairly good professional career as a center...
, professional baseball player.
- The Playmates
The Playmates were a late 1950s vocal group, led by the pianist Chic Hetti , drummer; Donny Conn ; and Morey Carr , all from Waterbury, Connecticut.-Career:The Playmates, Donald Claps drummer and lyricist, Carl Cicchetti...
, a pop music group. in 1958
- Peter Polaco
Peter Joseph Polaco is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Justin Credible. He is also known for his earlier stint with the WWF under the ringname Aldo Montoya...
, aka Justin Credible, a professional wrestler.
- Dr. Peter Pronovost
Peter J. Pronovost is an intensive care specialist physician at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.He is a Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Departments of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, and Surgery, Professor of Health Policy and Management...
, an intensive care specialist at Johns Hopkins HospitalThe Johns Hopkins Hospital is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland . It was founded using money from a bequest by philanthropist Johns Hopkins...
, named by TIME Magazine in 2008 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
- Derek Poundstone
Derek Poundstone Derek Poundstone Derek Poundstone (born on September 28, 1981, 6'1" (1,85m), 341 lb is an American professional strongman athlete from Waterbury, Connecticut....
is an American professional strongman athlete from Waterbury, Connecticut. Poundstone won the America's Strongest Man contest in 2007.
- Sheryl Lee Ralph
Sheryl Lee Ralph is an American actress, singer, and activist.-Personal life:Raised between Mandeville, Jamaica, and Long Island, New York, Sheryl Lee Ralph was born in Waterbury, Connecticut to an African American father and a Jamaican mother. Sheryl attended Uniondale High School in Uniondale, NY...
, a Waterbury born Tony Award-nominated Jamaican-American actress and singer best known for her work in Broadway productions such as Dreamgirls (for which she was nominated for a Tony Award)
- John G. Rowland
John Grosvenor Rowland was the 86th Governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004; he is a member of the Republican Party. He is married to Patty Rowland, his second wife, and the couple have five children between them...
, Waterbury native and former GovernorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Connecticut, (R) resigned from office on July 1, 2004 after prolonged investigation for corruption.
- Rosalind Russell
Rosalind Russell was an American actress of stage and screen, perhaps best known for her role as a fast-talking newspaper reporter in the Howard Hawks screwball comedy His Girl Friday, as well as the role of Mame Dennis in the film Auntie Mame...
, actress, grew up in Waterbury.
- John Sirica
John Joseph Sirica was the Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, where he became famous for his role in the Watergate scandal...
, Watergate judge, was born and raised in Waterbury. He was Time magazine's Man of the Year in 1973.
- Terry Tata
Terry Anthony Tata is a former Major League Baseball umpire. His career started in 1973 and ended in 1999. During his career, he officiated four World Series, seven National League Championship Series and three All-Star games...
, Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
umpire from 1973 to 1999. During his career, he officiated four World Series and three All-Star games.
- Actress Gene Tierney
Gene Eliza Tierney was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed as one of the great beauties of her day, she is best remembered for her performance in the title role of Laura and her Academy Award-nominated performance for Best Actress in Leave Her to Heaven .Other notable roles include...
attended St. Margaret's School for Girls in Waterbury, but grew up in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City.
- Fay Vincent
Francis Thomas "Fay" Vincent, Jr. is a former entertainment lawyer and sports executive who served as the eighth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from September 13, 1989 to September 7, 1992.-Early life and career:...
, the 8th commissioner of Major League Baseball from September 13, 1989 to September 7, 1992.
- Dave Wallace
David William Wallace was the interim pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves. He spent the majority of his career working for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets organizations.-Playing career:...
, Major League Baseball pitching coach, and a former General Manager and player.
See also
- Hop Brook Lake
Hop Brook Lake is spread over three communities in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. These communities are Naugatuck, Middlebury, and Waterbury. A dam was created across Hop Brook in Naugatuck and the lake that was created is known as Hop Brook Lake....
- Pontelandolfo Community Club
The Pontelandolfo Community Club was formed in 1965 in Waterbury, Connecticut. The Pontelandolfo Community Club was founded by Italian immigrants from the village of Pontelandolfo. This club is commonly referred to as the "Ponte Club". The President is Antonio Rubbo and the Vice-President is...
- Waterbury Republican-American
The Republican-American, headquartered in Waterbury, Connecticut is the United States' 193rd-largest newspaper with an average Sunday circulation of 61,100...
- WCCT-TV
External links