Bethlehem, Connecticut

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Bethlehem, Connecticut
Town

Seal
Location in Litchfield County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°38′21″N 73°12′31″W / 41.63917°N 73.20861°W / 41.63917; -73.20861Coordinates: 41°38′21″N 73°12′31″W / 41.63917°N 73.20861°W / 41.63917; -73.20861
Country United States
State Connecticut
NECTA None
Region Central Naugatuck Valley
Incorporated 1787
Government
 • Type Selectman-town meeting
 • First selectman Jeff Hamel
Area
 • Total 19.7 sq mi (51.0 km2)
 • Land 19.4 sq mi (50.1 km2)
 • Water 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)
Elevation 860 ft (262 m)
Population (2005)[1]
 • Total 3,596
 • Density 185/sq mi (72/km2)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 06751
Area code(s) 203
FIPS code 09-04930
GNIS feature ID 0213391
Website Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,422 at the 2000 census. The town center was designated in the 2000 census as a census-designated place (CDP).

The town's name has prompted thousands of visitors each December to mail their Christmas cards at the local post office in order to get a "Bethlehem" postmark. The post office also has nearly 100 Christmas-related stamps for customers to decorate their envelopes during the holiday season.[2]

Bethlehem is one of the two towns in Litchfield County served by the area code 203/area code 475 overlay. The other is the Town of Woodbury.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 19.7 square miles (51 km2), of which, 19.4 square miles (50 km2) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) of it (1.53%) is water. The census-designated place (CDP) corresponding to the town center has a total area of 8.1 square miles (21 km2), of which 7.8 square miles (20 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (3.35%) is water.

At the eastern side of town is a ridge called "the Devil's Backbone", one of more than 30 Connecticut places named after the devil.[2]

Principal community

  • Bethlehem Village

Demographics

See also: List of Connecticut locations by per capita income

As of the 2010 census Bethlehem had a population of 3,607. The racial composition of the population was 97.9% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from some other race and 0.9% from two or more races. 1.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.[3]

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 3,422 people, 1,246 households, and 935 families residing in the town. The population density was 176.8 people per square mile (68.2/km²). There were 1,388 housing units at an average density of 71.7 per square mile (27.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.49% White, 0.26% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.

There were 1,246 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 30.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $68,542, and the median income for a family was $78,863. Males had a median income of $51,623 versus $37,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,672. About 0.5% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.

Town center

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 2,022 people, 773 households, and 555 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 259.3 inhabitants per square mile (100.1/km²). There were 879 housing units at an average density of 112.7 per square mile (43.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.63% White, 0.25% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.54% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.

There were 773 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $65,966, and the median income for a family was $76,048. Males had a median income of $52,862 versus $34,792 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $28,925. None of the families and 2.7% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 9.8% of those over 64.

Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 25, 2005[5]
Party Active voters Inactive voters Total voters Percentage
  Republican 799 13 812 29.52%
  Democratic 593 16 609 22.14%
  Unaffiliated 1,291 30 1,321 48.02%
  Minor Parties 9 0 9 0.32%
Total 2,692 59 2,751 100%

Transportation

Route 61 is the main north-south road while Route 132 is the main east-west road through the town.

Local media

  • Waterbury Republican-American - A Waterbury-based independent daily newspaper.
  • Voices - A local newspaper serving Southbury, Middlebury, Oxford, Seymour, Naugatuck, Woodbury, Bethelhem, New Preston, Washington, Washington Depot, Roxbury, Bridgewater, Monroe, Sandy Hook and Newtown.
  • Macaroni Kid - An events calendar for families in Bridgewater, Roxbury, Bethlehem, Woodbury, Southbury, Oxford, Watertown, Oakville, Middlebury, Waterbury, and western Naugatuck.

Points of interest

Abbey of Regina Laudis

The town is home to the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis, founded in 1947, one of the first houses of contemplative Benedictine nuns in the United States. Robert Leather, a Protestant industrialist, donated 400 acres (1.6 km2) of land on which the convent is located. The convent now has 37 nuns.

The Abbey is known for its commitment to the arts, especially the performance of Gregorian Chant. The acting background of Mother Dolores Hart, O.S.B., has prompted the convent to sponsor annual summer theatre productions.

Hart has worked with fellow artists, including James and Dawn Douglas, to found The Act Association, a group that performs at The Gary-The Olivia Theater, an open-air venue which seats about 200 people. Built in 1982 with the help of actress Patricia Neal, this open-air theater seats about 200 people. Productions have included plays by Shakespeare, Sartre, opera and musical reviews. Patricia Neal and James Douglas appeared in She Stoops to Conquer in 1999.

Events

Connecticut Garlic and Harvest Festival [6]

Bethlehem Fair [7]

Notable people

View of the center of Bethlehem by John Warner Barber (published 1836), said to be the earliest depiction of the town.
  • Actress Christine Baranski and her husband, actor and playwright, Matthew Cowles.
  • Joseph Bellamy (1719–1790), an influential Congregationalist theologian in the 18th century, was pastor at the Congregational church in town for 50 years, until his death.
  • Dolores Hart, a former actress who appeared with Elvis Presley, became a Roman Catholic nun at the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis in town, ultimately becoming head (or "prioress")of the convent. Her formal title now is the Reverend Mother Dolores Hart.
  • Noella Marcellino, an American Benedictine nun who has earned a doctorate in microbiology from the University of Connecticut, became a Roman Catholic nun at the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis in town. She won a Fulbright scholarship[5] to France to collect and examine native strains of fungi, with an emphasis on Geotrichum candidum,[6] from traditional cheese caves and stayed an additional three years, analyzing the samples on a grant from the French government.
  • David Leavitt (1791–1879), New York City banker, financier and art collector, born at Bethlehem to Connecticut legislator and businessman David Leavitt Sr.

References

  1. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "AAA Connecticut, Massachusetts & Rhode Island Tour Book", 2007, published by the American Automobile Association, page 38
  3. ↑ 2010 population by race and Hispanic or Latino by place chart for Connecticut from the US Census
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  5. ↑ "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 25, 2005" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Archived from the original on 2006-09-23. Retrieved 2006-10-02. 
  6. ↑ "The Cult of the Cloves". New York Times. September 29, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-05. "This weekend brings the North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival to Orange, Mass., near Amherst, and the Easton Garlic Fest to Easton, Pa. The Connecticut Garlic and Harvest Festival visits Bethlehem on Oct. 9 and 10." 
  7. ↑ http://www.bethlehemfair.com/

External links

Hartford (capital)
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Municipalities and communities of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
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