East Windsor, Connecticut

East Windsor, Connecticut
Town

The dam and Opera House in the Broad Brook section of town

Seal
Nickname(s): East Side
Motto: Unity, Strength

East Windsor's location in Hartford County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°55′00″N 72°33′28″W / 41.91667°N 72.55778°WCoordinates: 41°55′00″N 72°33′28″W / 41.91667°N 72.55778°W
Country United States
State Connecticut
NECTA Springfield, Massachusetts
Region Capitol Region
Settled 1680
Incorporated 1768
Government
 • Type Selectman-town meeting
 • First Selectman Denise Menard
Area
 • Total 26.8 sq mi (69.5 km2)
 • Land 26.3 sq mi (68.0 km2)
 • Water 0.6 sq mi (1.5 km2)
Elevation 72 ft (22 m)
Population (2010)[1]
 • Total 11,162
 • Density 420/sq mi (160/km2)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 06016, 06088
Area code(s) 860
FIPS code 09-24800
GNIS feature ID 0212329
Website www.eastwindsor-ct.gov

East Windsor is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 11,162 at the 2010 census. The town has five villages: Broad Brook, Melrose, Scantic, Warehouse Point and Windsorville.

History

In 1633, Settlers laid claim to the area now known as Windsor which included East Windsor. No English settlers lived on the east side of the river. The first English settler in what is today known as East Windsor, was William Pynchon, the founder of Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1636, he erected a warehouse for his settlement's transshipment of goods at what is, to this day, known as "Warehouse Point". Warehouse Point served as the southern border of Springfield, Massachusetts, for 132 years — until 1768 — when Warehouse Point, Connecticut was annexed by the Connecticut Colony. Pynchon selected the site of Warehouse Point because of its location near the Enfield Falls — the first major falls in the Connecticut River, where all seagoing vessels were forced to terminate their voyages, and then transship to smaller shallops. By constructing a warehouse at Warehouse Point, Pynchon essentially forced all northern Connecticut River business to run through him and his settlement at Springfield.

Meanwhile most of today in East Windsor, was part of the prominent Windsor settlement on the east side of the river. Settlers avoided the East Side of the river doe to the Podunk tribe who inhabited the area, particularly following King Philip's War in 1675. It is unknown who the first settler is in today's East Windsor. East Windsor also included today's Ellington and South Windsor. Eventually in 1768, The East Windsor parish broke off from Windsor. The center of town was in now East Windsor Hill in today's South Windsor. The North Part of town center was Scantic.

In 1832, the Broad Brook Mill was created at the waterfall of the Mill Pond.

The town has five sections of town, Warehouse Point, Broad Brook, Scantic, Melrose, and Windsorville. The oldest section of town is Warehouse Point, which, as mentioned, was first used by William Pynchon in the 1630s, and later settled as part of Springfield in the 1680s. The Scantic section of town was the center of town until the mills were built. The Windsorville section of town was once its own community, featuring a church, post office, mini-mart, and a park. Mulnite Farms is a tobacco farm on Graham Road, established in 1905. In 1897, the town's voluntary fire department was created in the mill. The Broad Brook Elementary school was established in 1951. In 1961 the town hall burned down. The new town hall is on Rye Street across from the elementary school. The new voluntary fire department building and senior center was built on the same site of the old town hall. On Memorial Day Weekend in 1986 the Broad Brook Mill caught on fire during renovations and the mill and the tire shop (on the site of the mill) burned down and the smoke could be seen as far as Bradley International Airport and Hartford. A new mini strip mall was built on the site of the mill. In recent years, the town's location — equidistant to the two major cities of Springfield and Hartford — has led to exponential population growth, and has caused it to become the fastest growing town in Connecticut.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.8 square miles (69.5 km2), of which 26.3 square miles (68.0 km2) is land and 0.58 square miles (1.5 km2), or 2.11%, is water.[2]

Tobacco field in the Windsorville section of town

East Windsor is bordered by the town of Enfield to the north, South Windsor to the south, Ellington to the east, and Windsor Locks and Windsor to the west, across the Connecticut River.

Demographics

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 9,818 people, 4,078 households, and 2,556 families residing in the town. The population density was 373.5 people per square mile (144.2/km²). There were 4,356 housing units at an average density of 165.7 per square mile (64.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.47% White, 4.09% African American, 0.16% Native American, 2.00% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.83% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.11% of the population.

There were 4,078 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town the population was spread out with 22.2% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $51,092, and the median income for a family was $60,694. Males had a median income of $39,785 versus $33,446 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,899. About 3.5% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 30, 2012[4]
Party Active Voters Inactive Voters Total Voters Percentage
  Democratic 2,369 106 2,475 31.94%
  Republican 1,460 48 1,508 19.46%
  Unaffiliated 3,499 218 3,717 47.96%
  Minor Parties 49 1 50 0.65%
Total 7,377 373 7,750 100%

Elections

Election results from statewide races
Year Office Results
2012 President Obama 56.8 - 42.0%
Senator Murphy 52.3 - 45.4%
Congress Larson 65.1 - 32.7%
2010 Governor Foley 56.0 - 42.0%
Senator Blumenthal 50.7 - 47.4%
Congress Larson 53.1 - 45.3%
2008 President Obama 48.8 - 38.8%
Congress Larson 69.6 - 27.1%
2006 Governor Rell 63.8 - 34.7%
Senator Lieberman 46.8 - 39.8 - 12.5%
Congress Larson 71.7 - 28.3%
2004 President Kerry 54.3 - 43.8%
Senator Dodd 66.8 - 31.1%
Congress Larson 56.8 - 43.2%

Education

Elementary

East Windsor Elementary School System serves students in pre-kindergarten through grade 4. The Connecticut Children's Place runs from Grade 4 through Grade 12. Its principal is Joyce Welch. Homebound schooling runs from Pre-K through 12. The Broad Brook Elementary School principal is Laura Fox.

Middle school

East Windsor Middle School serves students in grades 5 through 8. Its principal is Kimberly Hellerich.

High school

East Windsor High School serves students in grades 9 through 12. Its principal is Ted Keleher.

Transportation

U.S. Route 5 runs though the town from the border with South Windsor to Enfield.

East Windsor is halfway between Hartford and Springfield, each 12 miles (19 km) away. Interstate 91 serves East Windsor with exits 44 and 45.

Bradley International Airport is 5 miles (8 km) away. Skylark Airport is a small airstrip to help young aviators learn how to fly.

The Woods near the Scantic River

Crime

Graph of East Windsor Crime Statistics

East Windsor crime, according to city-data.com is relatively low against U.S. averages. Between 1999 and 2004, not including 2003, there was one murder, 26 rapes, 43 robberies, 41 assaults, 254 burglaries, 1248 thefts, and 177 car thefts.

Points of interest

Notable people

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): East Windsor town, Hartford County, Connecticut". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  3. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. ↑ "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 30, 2012" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-30. Retrieved 2006-10-02.
  5. ↑ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.

External links