Cornwall, Connecticut

Cornwall, Connecticut
Town

Seal

Location in Litchfield County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°50′43″N 73°19′53″W / 41.84528°N 73.33139°W / 41.84528; -73.33139Coordinates: 41°50′43″N 73°19′53″W / 41.84528°N 73.33139°W / 41.84528; -73.33139
Country United States
State Connecticut
NECTA None
Region Northwestern Connecticut
Incorporated (city) May 1740[1]
Government
 • Type Selectman-town meeting
 • First selectman Gordon M. Ridgway (D)
 • Selectman Richard Bramley (D)
 • Selectman Heidi L. Kearns (R)
Area
 • Total 46.3 sq mi (119.9 km2)
 • Land 46.0 sq mi (119.2 km2)
 • Water 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2)
Elevation 709 ft (216 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 1,434
 • Density 32/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 06754, 06796
Area code(s) 860
FIPS code 09-17240
GNIS feature ID 0213412
Website www.cornwallct.org

Cornwall is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,420 at the 2010 census.

In 1939 poet Mark Van Doren wrote "The Hills of Little Cornwall", in which the seductive beauties of the countryside were portrayed:[2]

The mind, eager for caresses,
Lies down at its own risk in Cornwall;

History

Cornwall was incorporated in May 1740,[1] and was named after Cornwall, England.[3]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 46.3 square miles (120 km2), of which, 46.0 square miles (119 km2) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) of it (0.54%) is water. The town is located on the east bank of the Housatonic River and also contains a major portion of the Mohawk State Forest.

Principal communities

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18201,661—
18502,041—
18601,953−4.3%
18701,772−9.3%
18801,583−10.7%
18901,283−19.0%
19001,175−8.4%
19101,016−13.5%
1920834−17.9%
19308785.3%
19409073.3%
1950896−1.2%
19601,05117.3%
19701,17712.0%
19801,2889.4%
19901,4149.8%
20001,4341.4%
20101,420−1.0%
Est. 20141,398[4]−1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 1,434 people, 615 households, and 389 families residing in the town. The population density was 31.2 people per square mile (12.0/km²). There were 873 housing units at an average density of 19.0 per square mile (7.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.49% White, 0.21% African American, 0.70% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.46% of the population.

A sketch of the village by John Warner Barber (1835) shows the buildings used by the Foreign Mission School, to the right of the church at center.

There were 615 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town, the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $54,886, and the median income for a family was $64,750. Males had a median income of $46,875 versus $30,536 for females. The per capita income for the town was $42,484. About 1.0% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over. Some of the main features of Cornwall include the Cream Hill Lake, the Covered Bridge, Mohawk Ski Mountain and the town which contains a library and tennis courts. It is a very enjoyable place for young children who enjoy activity.

Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 25, 2005[7]
Party Active voters Inactive voters Total voters Percentage
Democratic 330 6 336 31.97%
Republican 246 4 250 23.79%
Unaffiliated 447 8 455 43.29%
Minor Parties 10 0 10 0.95%
Total 1,033 18 1,051 100%

Arts and culture

The Cornwall Library , organized in 1869, constructed a new building in 2002 that houses a collection of over 28,000 items. It also sponsors a long-running art show along with many other events.

The Cornwall Chronicle is a non-profit monthly newspaper that publishes news and feature stories about Cornwall, a calendar of events, and drawings by local artists. It was started in 1991 and has not missed an issue since.

Museums and other points of interest

The town was also home to the Foreign Mission School.

Infrastructure

Transportation

West Cornwall Covered Bridge, West Cornwall, Connecticut

The town is served by Route 4, US 7, Route 43, and Route 128.

The covered bridge in West Cornwall is also one of only three covered bridges in Litchfield County. It has been in continuous service since 1864. The span is 242 feet and it crosses the Housatonic River.

Notable people

References

  1. 1 2 "Cornwall, Connecticut". City-Data.com. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
  2. ↑ Website of the Academy of American Poets, Web page titled "The Hills of Little Cornwall" accessed November 21, 2006
  3. ↑ "Profile for Cornwall, Connecticut, CT". ePodunk. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  6. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  7. ↑ "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 25, 2005" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-09-23. Retrieved 2006-10-02.
  8. ↑ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Marquis Who's Who. 1967.
  9. ↑ "John Sedgwick". Who’s Who In The Civil war. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  10. ↑ "J. Lawrence Pool, MD". The Society of Neurological Surgeons.
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