South Windsor, Connecticut

South Windsor, Connecticut
Town
Seal
Motto: "One Town One Future"[1]
Location of South Windsor within Hartford County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°49′56″N 72°34′11″W / 41.83222°N 72.56972°W / 41.83222; -72.56972Coordinates: 41°49′56″N 72°34′11″W / 41.83222°N 72.56972°W / 41.83222; -72.56972
Country	United States
State	Connecticut
NECTA	Hartford
Region	Capitol Region
Incorporated	1845
Government
• Type	Council-manager
• South Windsor Town Council	M. Saud Anwar (D), Mayor Edward Havens (D), Deputy Mayor Thomas Delnicki (R) Carolyn Mirek (R) Liz Pendleton (D) Jan Snyder (R) Stephen Wagner (D) Keith Yagaloff (D)
• Town manager	Matthew B. Galligan
Area
• Total	28.7 sq mi (74.3 km2)
• Land	28.1 sq mi (72.7 km2)
• Water	0.6 sq mi (1.6 km2)
Elevation	72 ft (22 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	25,709
• Density	900/sq mi (350/km2)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	06074
Area code(s)	860
FIPS code	09-71390
GNIS feature ID	0213509
Website	www.southwindsor.org

South Windsor is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 25,709 at the 2010 census.^[2]

History

In 1659, Thomas Burnham (1617–1688) purchased the tract of land now covered by the towns of South Windsor and East Hartford from Tantinomo, chief sachem of the Podunk Indians.^[3] Burnham lived on the land and later willed it to his nine children.^[4] Beginning in the middle of the 17th century, a few of the settlers of Windsor began using land on the east bank of the Connecticut River for grazing and farming purposes. By 1700, a number of families had made their homes in this area, now known as South Windsor. In 1768, the residents of the area were allowed to incorporate as the separate town of East Windsor, though the area was informally referred to as East Windsor before this time, which then included all of East Windsor, South Windsor and Ellington. Known for its agriculture and ship building, the town supplied more than 200 volunteers during the American Revolution. In 1786, Ellington became an independent town. South Windsor itself was incorporated as a town in 1845. Tobacco was a major crop grown in South Windsor since its founding.

(Old) Main Street, located near the Connecticut River and running north to south from the border of East Hartford to that of East Windsor, is the center of the town's historical district. Wood Memorial Library, Ellsworth School, and the nation's oldest continually operating post office are located on the street. Minister Timothy Edwards is buried in a cemetery located on Main Street, and the town's middle school is named for him. In 1698, Edwards became the first minister for the settlers on the east side of the river, and his church was built on Main Street (in present-day South Windsor). His son, theologian Jonathan Edwards, was born in South Windsor (at the time still part of Windsor). Ulysses S. Grant stayed at a home on the street.

The town has become less and less agricultural/rural since 1950. This former farming community has been transformed into a suburban town with industrial and commercial districts. The town's population more than tripled between 1950 and 2000. In the early 1990s, residents mobilized against a proposed nuclear waste dump located near the East Windsor town line. They were successful in their drive to keep the town nuclear-free.

On the National Register of Historic Places

• East Windsor Hill Historic District — Roughly bounded by the Scantic River, John Fitch Boulevard, Sullivan Avenue, and the Connecticut River, added in 1986
• Elmore Houses — 78 and 87 Long Hill Road, added in 1985
• Windsor Farms Historic District — Roughly bounded by Strong Road, U.S. Route 5, Interstate 291, and the Connecticut River, added in 1986

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.7 square miles (74.3 km²), of which 28.1 square miles (72.7 km²) is land and 0.62 square miles (1.6 km²), or 2.12%, is water.^[2]

Demographics

As of the census^[8] of 2000, there were 24,412 people, 8,905 households, and 6,767 families residing in the town. The population density was 873.1 people per square mile (337.1/km²). There were 9,071 housing units at an average density of 324.4 per square mile (125.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.50% White, 5.95% African American, 0.18% Native American, 3.71% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.27% of the population.

There were 8,905 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the town the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $73,990, and the median income for a family was $82,807. Males had a median income of $55,703 versus $38,665 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,966. About 1.5% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Children attending the public school systems in South Windsor begin at the elementary school level (Kindergarten through Grade 5) at one of five elementary schools: Pleasant Valley, Orchard Hill, Philip R. Smith, Eli Terry and Wapping. Students then graduate to Timothy Edwards Middle School, for grades 6-8. They also have the choice to go to a magnet school, Two Rivers Magnet Middle School in East Hartford. They then finish up their schooling at South Windsor High School. Over 140 students in the 2004, 2005, and 2006 classes have been admitted to the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

Government and politics

Town council

South Windsor is governed by a council-manager form of government. The town manager is appointed by the town council and the leader of the council is designated as the mayor, with a deputy mayor also chosen from amongst the council.

The town council holds its elections every two years, on odd-numbered years. Each party nominates only up to six candidates for the nine town council positions (which are all at-large), and each voter may only vote for up to six candidates from the pool of all candidates nominated by all parties. The top nine vote-getters win seats on the town council; as a result the council always has a 5-4 or 6-3 majority (assuming only two parties are participating), ensuring representation of the minority party.

Voting

Notable residents

• John Buccigross (1966-), ESPN anchor
• Nancy Caffyn (1934-2010), politician
• Marcus Camby (1974-), National Basketball Association player
• Chris Clark (1976-), former National Hockey League player
• Major Michael Donnelly (1959-2005), Gulf War veteran and activist
• Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), theologian
• John Fitch (1743-1798), inventor
• Will Friedle (1976-), actor, voice actor and comedian
• Alex Grossi (1976-), guitarist for the hard rock band Quiet Riot
• Brent Morin (1986-), actor/comedian (Undateable)
• Paul Pasqualoni (1949-), former head coach of the University of Connecticut football team
• Jeff Porcaro (1954-1992), member of rock band Toto
• Mike Porcaro (1955-), member of rock band Toto
• Steve Porcaro (1957-), member of rock band Toto
• Geoff Sanderson (1972-), NHL player. Lived here during tenure with the Hartford Whalers
• Oliver Wolcott (1726-1797), signer of the Declaration of Independence
• Houman Younessi (1963-), scientist

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to South Windsor, Connecticut.

• Town of South Windsor official website
• South Windsor Police Department
• South Windsor Historical Society
• A History of South Windsor: 1634-1845
• South Windsor, Connecticut, at City-Data.com

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