Berlin, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Berlin (ˈbɜrlɪn ) is a town in Hartford County
, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,866 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1785. The geographic center of Connecticut
is located in the town. Berlin is residential and industrial, and served by the Amtrak
station of the same name
. Berlin has three principal settlements: Kensington
, Berlin center (formerly Worthington), and East Berlin
. There are 3 elementary schools, Mary E. Griswold School, Emma Hart Willard School, and Richard D. Hubbard School, as well as Catherine M. McGee Middle School
, and Berlin High School.
manufacturing and of the industrial revolution
in the United States, in the workshop of Simeon North
.
, the town has a total area of 27 square miles (69.9 km²), of which, 26.5 square miles (68.6 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (2.18%) is water. Berlin is also the geographical direct center of the state of Connecticut.
The west side of Berlin is flanked by the Metacomet Ridge
, a mountainous trap rock
ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound
to nearly the Vermont
border. Notable mountains of the Metacomet ridge in Berlin include the Hanging Hills
, Lamentation Mountain
, Short Mountain
, and Ragged Mountain. The 51 miles (82.1 km) Metacomet Trail
and the 50 miles (80.5 km) Mattabesett Trail
traverse the ridge.
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,215 people, 6,792 households, and 5,155 families residing in the town. The population density
was 688.6 people per square mile (265.9/km²). There were 6,955 housing units at an average density of 262.9 per square mile (101.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.03% White, 0.36% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races
, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.47% of the population.
There were 6,792 households out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 20.8% 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 2.67 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $68,068, and the median income for a family was $76,756. Males had a median income of $49,714 versus $34,832 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,744. About 1.4% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.
Sources: Interactive Connecticut State Register & Manual and U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
, which receives the stress in its pronunciation on the second syllable, the name of the town in Connecticut has always received the stress in its pronunciation on the first syllable, in keeping with the recessive accent usual in the pronunciation of English. Notwithstanding this history, an urban legend
now current in some quarters claims that the emphasis was changed during the First World War to differentiate the little town from the German city.
Hartford County, Connecticut
Hartford County is a county located in the north central part of the US state of Connecticut. The 2010 Census records show that the county population is at 894,014 making it the second most populated county in Connecticut....
, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,866 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1785. The geographic center of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
is located in the town. Berlin is residential and industrial, and served by the Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
station of the same name
Berlin (Amtrak station)
Berlin is a train station in Kensington, Connecticut located on the New Haven-Springfield Line. It serves both Kensington and nearby Berlin, which is why it is also known as Kensington-Berlin Amtrak Station. The station was originally built in 1900 by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad,...
. Berlin has three principal settlements: Kensington
Kensington, Connecticut
Kensington is a census-designated place and section of the town of Berlin in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The Berlin town offices are located in Kensington...
, Berlin center (formerly Worthington), and East Berlin
East Berlin, Connecticut
East Berlin is a section of the town of Berlin in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is the site of the Berlin Fair, an agricultural fair.-The Berlin Fair:...
. There are 3 elementary schools, Mary E. Griswold School, Emma Hart Willard School, and Richard D. Hubbard School, as well as Catherine M. McGee Middle School
Catherine M. McGee Middle School
Catherine M. McGee Middle School is a public middle school located in Berlin, Connecticut. The current school building on Norton Road was opened in 1969 and serves grades 6-8. An addition was added in 1996, which included a new library media center, new science labs, and nine additional classrooms...
, and Berlin High School.
Town Seal
The greatest boom to Berlin industry resulted from the decision of the Patterson brothers to start their business on West Street (now called Lower Lane). For twenty years until 1760, they kept their work in the family selling their wares from a basket. When demand increased they took apprentices into the shop and engaged peddlers to travel throughout the Colonies selling the shiny, useful articles (the seal of the government of the Town of Berlin shows such a "Yankee peddler", in eighteenth-century dress with a basket under his arm, a pack on his back full of tinware). As others learned the trade, they soon set up shop and hired apprentices. There were so many that the noise of the whitesmiths and their hammering could be heard in every part of town.History
Berlin is one of the birthplaces of interchangeable partsInterchangeable parts
Interchangeable parts are parts that are, for practical purposes, identical. They are made to specifications that ensure that they are so nearly identical that they will fit into any device of the same type. One such part can freely replace another, without any custom fitting...
manufacturing and of the industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
in the United States, in the workshop of Simeon North
Simeon North
Simeon North was a Middletown, Connecticut, gun manufacturer, who developed one of America's first milling machines in 1818 and played an important role in the development of interchangeable parts manufacturing.North was born in Berlin, Connecticut, into a prosperous family able to provide all...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 27 square miles (69.9 km²), of which, 26.5 square miles (68.6 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (2.18%) is water. Berlin is also the geographical direct center of the state of Connecticut.
The west side of Berlin is flanked by the Metacomet Ridge
Metacomet Ridge
The Metacomet Ridge, Metacomet Ridge Mountains, or Metacomet Range of southern New England, United States, is a narrow and steep fault-block mountain ridge known for its extensive cliff faces, scenic vistas, microclimate ecosystems, and communities of plants considered rare or endangered...
, a mountainous trap rock
Trap rock
Trap rock is a form of igneous rock that tends to form polygonal vertical fractures, most typically hexagonal, but also four to eight sided. The fracture pattern forms when magma of suitable chemical composition intrudes as a sill or extrudes as a thick lava flow, and slowly cools.Because of the...
ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
to nearly the Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
border. Notable mountains of the Metacomet ridge in Berlin include the Hanging Hills
Hanging Hills
The Hanging Hills of south central Connecticut, USA are a range of mountainous trap rock ridges overlooking the city of Meriden and the Quinnipiac River Valley below. They are a sub-range of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north...
, Lamentation Mountain
Lamentation Mountain
Lamentation Mountain, or Mount Lamentation, , is a traprock mountain located north of Meriden, Connecticut. It is part of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north through the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts to the Vermont...
, Short Mountain
Short Mountain (Connecticut)
Short Mountain is a traprock mountain located in south central Connecticut north of the city of Meriden. It is part of the narrow Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north through the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts to the Vermont border...
, and Ragged Mountain. The 51 miles (82.1 km) Metacomet Trail
Metacomet Trail
The Metacomet Trail is a Blue-Blazed hiking trail that traverses the Metacomet Ridge of central Connecticut and is a part of the newly designated New England National Scenic Trail. Despite being easily accessible and close to large population centers, the trail is considered remarkably rugged and...
and the 50 miles (80.5 km) Mattabesett Trail
Mattabesett Trail
The Mattabesett Trail is a long, hook-shaped Blue-Blazed hiking trail in central Connecticut and a part of the newly designated New England National Scenic Trail. One half of the trail follows the high traprock ridges of the Metacomet Ridge, from Totoket Mountain in Guilford, Connecticut to...
traverse the ridge.
Demographics
As of the 2010 Census Berlin had a population of 19,866. The racial makeup of the population was 94.9% white, 0.7% black or African American, 0.1% native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.6% from some other race and 1.0% from two or more races. 3.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.As of the census of 2000, there were 18,215 people, 6,792 households, and 5,155 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 688.6 people per square mile (265.9/km²). There were 6,955 housing units at an average density of 262.9 per square mile (101.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.03% White, 0.36% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.47% of the population.
There were 6,792 households out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 20.8% 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 2.67 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $68,068, and the median income for a family was $76,756. Males had a median income of $49,714 versus $34,832 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $27,744. About 1.4% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.
| Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 25, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Active voters | Inactive voters | Total voters | Percentage |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
4,881 | 106 | 4,987 | 39.06% |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
2,951 | 67 | 3,018 | 23.64% |
Unaffiliated | 4,626 | 126 | 4,752 | 37.22% |
Minor parties | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0.07% | |
| Total | 12,468 | 299 | 12,767 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||
Historical population
- 1790 – 2,465
- 1800 – 2,702
- 1810 – 2,798
- 1820 – 2,877
- 1830 – 3,037
- 1840 – 3,411
- 1850 – 1,869 *New BritainNew Britain, ConnecticutNew Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately 9 miles southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 71,254....
, Connecticut separated from Berlin - 1860 – 2,146
- 1870 – 2,436
- 1880 – 2,385
- 1890 – 2,600
- 1900 – 3,448
- 1910 – 3,728
- 1920 – 4,298
- 1930 – 4,875
- 1940 – 5,230
- 1950 – 7,470
- 1960 – 11,250
- 1970 – 14,149
- 1980 – 15,121
- 1990 – 16,787
- 2000 – 18,215
- 2010 – 19,866
Sources: Interactive Connecticut State Register & Manual and U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
Pronunciation
Although taken from the name of the Prussian capital, BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, which receives the stress in its pronunciation on the second syllable, the name of the town in Connecticut has always received the stress in its pronunciation on the first syllable, in keeping with the recessive accent usual in the pronunciation of English. Notwithstanding this history, an urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
now current in some quarters claims that the emphasis was changed during the First World War to differentiate the little town from the German city.