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West Haven, Connecticut
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- "West Haven" redirects here. For other uses, see West Haven (disambiguation)
West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 52,721.
History
Settled in 1648, West Haven (then known as West Farms) was a part of the original New Haven Colony. In 1719, it became the separate parish of West Haven, but was still officially a part of New Haven until 1822.
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Encyclopedia
- "West Haven" redirects here. For other uses, see West Haven (disambiguation)
West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 52,721.
History
Settled in 1648, West Haven (then known as West Farms) was a part of the original New Haven Colony. In 1719, it became the separate parish of West Haven, but was still officially a part of New Haven until 1822. During the American Revolution, West Haven was the frequent launch and arrival point for raiding parties on both sides of the war. On July 5, 1779 the British invaded New Haven Harbor and came ashore in West Haven and East Haven. Thomas Painter, a teenaged militiaman watching for the approaching British ships while standing atop Savin Rock, is depicted on the city seal. The main commercial street, Campbell Avenue, is named for British Adjutant William Campbell, who rescued the Reverend Noah Williston, the local Congregational minister and outspoken revolutionary, from being summarily hanged by British troopers, after he broke his leg trying to escape his captors. Campbell ordered the regimental surgeon to set the minister's leg and is credited with keeping his troops in reasonably good order during their march through the village to New Haven. Campbell was killed hours later a top Allingtown Hill on his way to New Haven by a local farmer-turned defender. Campbell is buried in the Allingtown section of town. Patriot victims of the invasion are buried in the Christ Church Cemetery. An historical marker marks Campbell's approximate gravesite.
While West Haven again attempted to incorporate as its own town in 1784, that attempt failed, primarily due to the lack of a sufficient tax base to support itself. West Haven and North Milford then joined to become Orange (incorporated as a town in 1822). In 1921, West Haven split from Orange to become a separate town. It was incorporated as a city in 1961 and is known as "Connecticut's Youngest City.", but it is ironically one of the state's oldest settlements.
West Haven is best known for the Savin Rock Amusement Park, which began in the late 19th century as a regionally renowned seaside resort. It evolved into a general amusement park in the 20th century and eventually closed in the 1960s. The park ran along the west side of New Haven Harbor beachfront and is today a walk and bike path. One of the last reminders of the area is Jimmies of Savin Rock, a restaurant known for its seafood and split hot dogs.
West Haven has a mayor-council form of government. John M. Picard, the city's tenth mayor, was elected in 2005 and re-elected in 2007. There are three independent fire districts served by the First Fire Taxation (Center), West Shore and Allingtown Fire Districts. Over the years there have been unsuccessful efforts made to consolidate the fire districts, each of which levies its own tax rate.
On the National Register of Historic Places
- American Mills Web Shop — 114-152 Orange Ave. (added April 10, 1983)
- Old West Haven High School — 278 Main St. (added November 24, 1985)
- Union School — 174 Center St. (added December 13, 1987)
- Ward-Heitman House — 277 Elm St. (added February 8, 2003)
- West Haven Green Historic District — Roughly along Main Street, Campbell Avenue, Church Street, and Savin Avenue (added September 11, 2000)
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.0 square miles (28.5 kmē), of which, 10.8 square miles (28.1 kmē) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 kmē) of it (1.54%) is water. West Haven has 3 1/2 miles of publicly accessible beaches, which is one-quarter of the publicly accessible beaches in Connecticut. The hilly Allingtown district of the city is home to the University of New Haven.
West Haven is located in the south-central portion of Connecticut's 3rd congressional district. The city is bound by the southwest by the Oyster River (the boundary between West Haven and Milford since colonial times), northwest by Orange , north by New Haven and northeast by the West River, which divides West Haven and New Haven. To the east is New Haven Harbor and to the south is Long Island Sound.
Principal communities
The three significant neighborhoods in West Haven correspond to the three fire districts. As communities, not all sections of the city fit neatly into these divisions. For example, the southeast corner, while part of the Center aka First Fire Taxation District, is not contiguous to the central business district.
- West Haven center
- Allingtown
- West Shore
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 52,360 people, 21,090 households, and 13,117 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,832.0 people per square mile (1,865.0/kmē). There were 22,336 housing units at an average density of 2,061.3/sq mi (795.6/kmē). The racial makeup of the city was 74.15% white, 16.29% African American, 0.24% Native American, 2.91% Asian American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.57% from other races and 2.79% from two or more races. 9.09% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 21,090 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,393, and the median income for a family was $51,631. Males had a median income of $38,024 versus $30,610 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,121. About 6.6% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education and business
West Haven was a shipping and industrial center, known for its buckle shops and, later, Armstrong Rubber Co. The factory now sits empty, except for a few small businesses renting space within. Long a blue-collar and middle-class bedroom community of New Haven, West Haven has had financial problems since the 1990s.
West Haven is home to the University of New Haven, a U.S. Veterans Affairs hospital, and Yale Field, a baseball park for the Yale University teams and formerly the homefield for Minor League baseball teams. The Yale Bowl, where the football team hosts contests, sits on the border of New Haven and West Haven.
The West Haven High School football team was ranked first in the state and fifth in the nation in 1968. West Haven is also home to Notre Dame High School, which is a Roman Catholic all-boys school.
Bayer Pharmaceuticals North America, a branch of Bayer AG, based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, had a plant in West Haven, but the company announced in 2006 that it was shutting its operations in the city, affecting about 1,000 workers. The 137-acre former Bayer campus comprises 17 buildings, mostly in West Haven but partly in Orange. In 2007, Yale University purchased the entire campus for biotechnology, pharmaceutical and other life sciences research.
Transportation
Interstate 95, Route 34 (also known as Derby Avenue), and U.S. Route 1 (the Boston Post Road) run through West Haven, between Orange and New Haven. Route 162, which both begins and ends at Route 1, starts in Orange, passes through West Haven, and ends in Milford. A north-south state road, Route 122, begins in New Haven, comprising Forest Road, a stretch of Campbell Avenue and First Avenue up to the junction with I-95. Route 745 begins at that point, turns west at Elm Street and continues into New Haven, ending at Route 10 (Ella T. Grasso Boulevard).
Public transportation is provided by Connecticut Transit New Haven. West Haven Center is served by the various B routes (main service along Campbell Avenue). The B4 service continues to Saw Mill Road and Bull Hill Lane; the B5/B6 services run along Jones Hill Road and terminate at the Baybrook Shopping Center near Oyster River; the B7 service continues to Savin Rock via Second Avenue. The J routes run along the West Haven shore towards Milford. The O route serves the areas along Route 1. The M route serves the Veterans Affairs Hospital.
A rail line, used by Metro-North Railroad and Amtrak, runs through West Haven. The nearest stations are in New Haven and Milford. As of 2006, the Connecticut Department of Transportation was considering building a Metro-North station in West Haven, across from the former Armstrong factory, and in Orange, near the Bayer campus. Recently West Haven has received funds for the station.
Notable people
- Marian Bergeron, 16-year-old West Haven girl who won the "Miss America" title in 1933
- Ulish Booker, professional football player for NFL (signed) and NFL Europa (active), West Haven High School graduate
- Melanie Chartoff, star of American Broadcasting Company's Fridays and Nickelodeon's Rugrats, past resident
- John Maurice Clark (1884-1963), an economist, president of the American Economics Association in 1935 and prolific author of economics books, died in the city
- Eleanor Estes (1906-1988), author of children's books set in West Haven (called "Cranbury")
- Douglas Ford (born Fortunato; born 1922) a two-time major golf champion, born in the town
- William L. Hadden, Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1943-45 and Attorney General from 1945-51. First chairman of the West Haven Planning and Zoning Commission, Republican majority leader in the Connecticut House of Representatives.
- Kevin Heffernan, member of the comedy troupe Broken Lizard, resident
- Al Herman (1927-1960) race car driver who died in the town as a result of injuries suffered in a midget car crash at the West Haven Speedway
- Robert Jackson professional football player for the Washington Redskins. West Haven High School graduate.
- Jamey Jasta, lead vocalist of the metalcore band Hatebreed
- Samuel Johnson (1696-1772), clergyman at the Congregational meeting house in West Haven and the first president of the Anglican King's College (which later became Columbia University). He was the father of William Samuel Johnson, a founding father.
- Tommy Nelson, actor who most recently played the young Edward Bell Wilson, Jr. in The Good Shepherd, resident
- Thomas Painter, West Haven patriot of the American Revolution and successful privateer; later a merchant seaman, who made his fortune in the West Indies trade. Painter wrote a memoir of his life, privately printed. The Painter House, located on Main Street, was removed to Dearborn, Michigan in the 1960s as an example of 18th century architecture.
- Rufus Porter (1792-1884), painter, inventor, founder of Scientific American, and resident of Water Street in 1878, who died in West Haven
- Pfc. William A. Soderman (1912-1980), Medal of Honor recipient after World War II, born in the town. A Navy ship was renamed for him.
- Tony Sparano, head coach of the Miami Dolphins
- Jonathan D. Spence (Chinese name: ???;born 1936), the British-born Sterling professor of history at Yale University and author of The Search for Modern China, and The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci
- Ken Strong, professional football player, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967. West Haven High School graduate
- Donald Thomas professional football player for the Miami Dolphins.
- Smoky Joe Wood (1889-1985) a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox (for whom he starred in the 1912 World Series) and Cleveland Indians in the early 20th century and baseball coach for Yale University, died in the city.
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