North Haven, Connecticut
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| North Haven, Connecticut | |
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| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| NECTA | New Haven |
| Region | South Central Region |
| Incorporated | 1786 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Selectman-town meeting |
| - First selectman | Kevin J. Kopetz |
| Area | |
| - City | 54.6 km² (21.1 sq mi) |
| Population (2005)[1] | |
| - City | 23,908 |
| - Density | 444/km² (1,149/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 06473 |
| Website: http://www.town.north-haven.ct.us/ | |
North Haven is a suburban town in New Haven County, Connecticut on the outskirts of New Haven, Connecticut. North Haven is less than 10 minutes from downtown New Haven and Yale University. It is also near Quinnipiac University. It has easy access to I-91 and Route 15. North Haven is 27 miles from Hartford, 76 miles from New York City, 80 miles from Providence and 115 miles from Boston.
It is a community with a healthy and growing commercial, retailing and manufacturing base which employs approximately 12,640 people. There are more than 75 highly diversified manufacturing and commercial firms in North Haven, 40 of which are assessed at over $1,000,000. North Haven has five industrial parks containing 490 acres, and boasts such corporate tenants as Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield and United States Surgical Corporation. An excellent parks system with a wide variety of housing from the modest to magnificent, make North Haven a quality place to live in - as well as to do business.
As of the 2000 census, the population of North Haven was 23,035.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 54.6 km² (21.1 mi²). 53.8 km² (20.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (1.52%) is water. North Haven is located less than ten miles from Long Island Sound.
North Haven residents typically refer to parts of the town corresponding to the location of the public elementary schools: Clintonville, Montowese, Green Acres (Upper State Street) and Ridge.
[edit] History
In his will of 1714, the Reverend James Pierpont (1659-1714) of New Haven gave eight acres to his neighbors in the Northeast Parish, as North Haven was called "provided those neighbors will set their meeting house there and make their training and burying there."
The first meeting house, completed in 1722, stood on the Green, west of what is now known as the Old Center Cemetery. About half of the original Pierpont gift remains today as the North Haven Green.
Ezra Stiles enumerated about forty families living in North Haven in the early part of the eighteenth century. All of these people were multipurpose farmers, producing what they needed for themselves and their families. In 1786, the General Assembly permitted North Haven to incorporate as a town, separate from New Haven. New roads were built to facilitate communication, namely the Hartford Turnpike in 1798 and the Middletown Turnpike in 1813.
The first United States census counted 1236 people in the agricultural community of North Haven in 1790. However, the 1789 Grand List had found 1620 sheep in North Haven with the amount of sheep outnumbering the residents.
By the middle of the nineteenth century, signs of the Industrial Revolution were apparent. In 1838, the New Haven and Hartford Railroad had laid its tracks along the level sand plains by the Quinnipiac River. In addition, small industries such as the manufacture of agricultural implements in Clintonville began in 1830. On the 1850 census, 62% of the population were listed as farmers. One third of the residents worked in various nonagricultural occupations such as mechanics, brickmakers, and shoemakers.
After the American Civil War, the expanding production of bricks, especially by the I.L.Stiles Co. brought immigrants to North Haven from Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Poland. By 1880, 11 out of 100 people had been born outside of the United States.
In the 1880s, Solomon Linsley, a North Haven architect, built both the Memorial Town Hall and the new District 4 School. Linsley designed and built thirty-two Victorian style houses and public buildings in North Haven.
By 1900, public transportation was important to North Haven residents. Eighteen passenger trains stopped at the Broadway station every day. The Airline Railroad ran through Montowese and Clintonville to Middletown. Trolleys ran from Montowese to New Haven. After 1900, the line was extended north to Wallingford, Connecticut.
After World War I, the automobile changed life in this country town. The brickyards along the river were the major industry. However, those residents who owned a car could live in North Haven and commute to New Haven for their jobs. Small real estate development began to grow up along the southern edge of town.
Significant population growth occurred at the end of World War II. North Haven's population increased rapidly, quadrupling between 1945 and 1970. The establishment of two factories: Pratt & Whitney and Marlin Firearms spurred the subsequent population increase. This population shift necessitated the building of a new police station, firehouse, library, and five schools in the 1950s and 1960s to accommodate the needs of the growing community. The town continues to grow and expand until this day.
In spite of its rapid growth throughout the past few decades, however, this New England town still retains its town meeting form of government.
For those interested in an indepth look at the history of North Haven, you should refer to Amidst Cultivated and Pleasant Fields: A Bicentennial History of North Haven, Connecticut by Lucy McTeer Brusic. Several copies are available to borrow at the North Haven Memorial Library.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 23,035 people, 8,597 households, and 6,490 families residing in the town. The population density was 428.2/km² (1,108.9/mi²). There were 8,773 housing units at an average density of 163.1/km² (422.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.98% White, 2.22% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 3.36% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.88% of the population.
There were 8,597 households out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $65,703, and the median income for a family was $73,041. Males had a median income of $50,843 versus $36,063 for females. The per capita income for the town was $31,870. About 2.3% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
There are 4 public elementary schools in North Haven.
- Clintonville
- Green Acres
- Montowese
- Ridge Road
There is also one public middle school, North Haven Middle School, and one public high school, North Haven High School, which now resides in a brand new, state of the art building for the 2005-2006 school year. The original North Haven High School building (1951-2006), which was also referred to as "East Campus", referring to the days when the current Middle School and former High School were made into a dual campus high school during the 1960s and 70s, was demolished in early 2006. Current plans for the site include construction of additional softball and baseball fields for the school and town leagues, to replace those destroyed during the building of the new high school.
North Haven High School also boasts one of the most outstanding music program in the state. In recent years, the concert band has attended national competitions in cities such as Orlando, Ocean City, Myrtle Beach, and Toronto. In these competitions, the band and jazz ensemble won superior ratings of 1st place for 3 consecutive years. North Haven also always has representatives who participate in the All-State Music groups (Concert Band, Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, and Choir). The band currently consists of about 150 players and also plays as a pep band during football games.
Gateway Community Technical College also has a North Haven campus located on Bassett Road. The school was originally named Orchard Hill Junior High School and was part of the North Haven Public Schools system until its sale to the college.
[edit] Notable sites
- Peter's Rock
- Quinnipiac River State Park
- Wharton Brook State Park
- Hansen Park
[edit] External links
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