Canterbury, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Canterbury is a town
in Windham County
, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,692 at the 2000 census.
In 1832, Prudence Crandall
, a schoolteacher raised as a Quaker, stirred controversy when she opened a school for black girls in town. The Connecticut General Assembly
passed the "Black Law" which prohibited the education of black children from out of state, but Crandall persisted in teaching, and was briefly jailed in 1832. Mobs forced the closure of the school in 1834, and Crandall married and moved out of state. Connecticut repealed the Black Law in 1838, and later recognized Crandall with a small pension in 1886, four years before her death.
The school still stands in Canterbury, and currently serves as the Prudence Crandall Museum
.
, the town has a total area of 40.2 square miles (104.1 km²), of which, 39.9 square miles (103.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.62%) is water.
was 117.6 people per square mile (45.4/km²). There were 1,762 housing units at an average density of 44.2 per square mile (17.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.34% White, 0.36% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races
, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.
There were 1,717 households out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 103.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $55,547, and the median income for a family was $65,095. Males had a median income of $41,521 versus $28,672 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $22,317. About 3.5% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.
through 8 are zoned to the Canterbury School District. The district has two schools:
The local elementary school for kindergarten through fourth grades is Canterbury Elementary School, whose mascot is the Kitt Fox. The local middle school for fifth through eighth grades is Dr. Helen Baldwin Middle School, whose mascot is the bulldog.
As Canterbury has no high school of its own, Canterbury students have the option of attending H.H. Ellis Technical High School, Norwich Technical High School, Windham Vocational-Technical High School, Woodstock Academy
, Norwich Free Academy
, or Griswold Senior High School.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Windham County
Windham County, Connecticut
Windham County is a county located in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of 2010, the population was 118,428.The entire county is within the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor, as designated by the National Park Service.-History:Windham...
, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,692 at the 2000 census.
History
The area was first settled in the 1680s as Peagscomsuck, consisting mainly of land north of Norwich, south of New Roxbury, Massachusetts (now Woodstock, Connecticut) and west of the Quinebaug River and the Plainfield Settlement. In 1703 it was officially separated from Plainfield and named as the Town of Canterbury.In 1832, Prudence Crandall
Prudence Crandall
Prudence Crandall , a schoolteacher raised as a Quaker, stirred controversy with her education of African-American girls in Canterbury, Connecticut...
, a schoolteacher raised as a Quaker, stirred controversy when she opened a school for black girls in town. The Connecticut General Assembly
Connecticut General Assembly
The Connecticut General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is a bicameral body composed of the 151-member House of Representatives and the 36-member Senate. It meets in the state capital, Hartford. There are no term limits for either chamber.During...
passed the "Black Law" which prohibited the education of black children from out of state, but Crandall persisted in teaching, and was briefly jailed in 1832. Mobs forced the closure of the school in 1834, and Crandall married and moved out of state. Connecticut repealed the Black Law in 1838, and later recognized Crandall with a small pension in 1886, four years before her death.
The school still stands in Canterbury, and currently serves as the Prudence Crandall Museum
Prudence Crandall House
Prudence Crandall House, also known as Elisha Payne House and as the Prudence Crandall School for Negro Girls, is a historic house in Canterbury, Connecticut. It is notable for having been the home of Prudence Crandall, the abolitionist and educator, and the school which she ran from 1832 until...
.
Registered historic places in town
- Canterbury Center Historic DistrictCanterbury Center Historic DistrictCanterbury Center Historic District is a historic district in Canterbury, Connecticut. It is located in the area around the junction of Route 169 and Route 14 , including properties along Elmdale and Library Roads...
— Roughly along Elmdale, Library, N. Canterbury, S. Canterbury, and Westminster Rds. (added May 10, 1998). The historic district includes Colonial, Federal, and other architectural styles. - Capt. John Clark HouseCapt. John Clark HouseCapt. John Clark House is a historic house on Route 169, south of Canterbury, Connecticut.The house was built around 1790 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.-References:...
— Rte. 169, S of Canterbury (added November 6, 1970) - Jonathan Wheeler HouseJonathan Wheeler HouseJonathan Wheeler House is a historic house on N. Society Road in Canterbury, Connecticut.It was built in 1760 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.-References:...
— N. Society Rd. (added March 11, 1982) - March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Manship Road-Barstow Road — Manship Rd., Barstow Rd. from jct. with Manship Rd. to Westminster Rd. (added February 8, 2003)
- Prudence Crandall HousePrudence Crandall HousePrudence Crandall House, also known as Elisha Payne House and as the Prudence Crandall School for Negro Girls, is a historic house in Canterbury, Connecticut. It is notable for having been the home of Prudence Crandall, the abolitionist and educator, and the school which she ran from 1832 until...
— Jct. of CT 14 and 169 (added November 22, 1970) - Westminster Congregational Church
Residents
- Prudence CrandallPrudence CrandallPrudence Crandall , a schoolteacher raised as a Quaker, stirred controversy with her education of African-American girls in Canterbury, Connecticut...
(1803–1890), a schoolteacher who set up a school for black girls in town despite local resistance - John AdamsJohn Adams (educator)John Adams was an American educator noted for organizing several hundred Sunday schools. His life was celebrated by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr...
, (1772–1863), born in Canterbury, noted educator and organizer of several hundred Sunday schoolSunday schoolSunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
s - Horace AustinHorace AustinHorace Austin was an American politician. He served as the sixth Governor of Minnesota from January 9, 1870 to January 7, 1874. He was a Republican....
(1831–1905) the sixth governor of MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
(1870–1874), was born in town. - William Durkee Williamson (1779–1846) a governor of MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
(1821) was born in town. - Charles RocketCharles RocketCharles Rocket was an American film and television actor, notable for his tenure as a cast member on Saturday Night Live as well as for his appearances as the villain Nicholas Andre in the film Dumb and Dumber; as Dave Dennison, the father in Disney's Hocus Pocus.-Early life and career:Rocket was...
, born Charles Adams Claverie (1949–2005), actor and former resident, who died in town. - Moses CleavelandMoses CleavelandMoses Cleaveland was a lawyer, politician, soldier, and surveyor from Connecticut who founded the U.S. city of Cleveland, Ohio, while surveying the Western Reserve in 1796.-Early life:...
(1754–1806), a surveyor and namesake of Cleaveland, Ohio. - Ephraim PaineEphraim PaineEphraim Paine was an American physician and politician from New York. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1784.-Biography:...
(1730–1785) delegate for New York to the Continental Congress in 1784, was born in town. - Margaret Wise BrownMargaret Wise BrownMargaret Wise Brown was a prolific American author of children's literature, including the books Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny, both illustrated by Clement Hurd.-Biography:...
, - Joseph WilliamsonJoseph Williamson (Maine)Joseph Williamson was an American politician and lawyer. He served as President of the Maine Senate in 1833. During his career, Williamson also worked as a businessman, banker and newspaper editor....
, born in Canterbury and President of Maine Senate
Government
Canterbury's new administration was elected in November 2009. They will serve through November 2011. Brian Sear is First Selectman, and Second Selectman is Leslie M. Wrigley. Both were endorsed by the Democrats and the Canterbury First party. Third Selectman is Republican, Jeff Hasbargen. Natalie Ruth Cordes, also a Republican, was elected to serve as Town Clerk and Tax Collector of Canterbury CT.| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Active Voters | Inactive Voters | Total Voters | Percentage |
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... |
986 | 64 | 1,050 | 29.50% |
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... |
713 | 40 | 753 | 21.16% |
Unaffiliated | 1,652 | 104 | 1,756 | 49.34% |
Minor Parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | |
| Total | 3,351 | 208 | 3,559 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 40.2 square miles (104.1 km²), of which, 39.9 square miles (103.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (0.62%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,692 people, 1,717 households, and 1,339 families residing in the town. The population densityPopulation 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 117.6 people per square mile (45.4/km²). There were 1,762 housing units at an average density of 44.2 per square mile (17.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.34% White, 0.36% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.30% 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 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.
There were 1,717 households out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 103.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $55,547, and the median income for a family was $65,095. Males had a median income of $41,521 versus $28,672 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 $22,317. About 3.5% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Students from grades KindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through 8 are zoned to the Canterbury School District. The district has two schools:
The local elementary school for kindergarten through fourth grades is Canterbury Elementary School, whose mascot is the Kitt Fox. The local middle school for fifth through eighth grades is Dr. Helen Baldwin Middle School, whose mascot is the bulldog.
As Canterbury has no high school of its own, Canterbury students have the option of attending H.H. Ellis Technical High School, Norwich Technical High School, Windham Vocational-Technical High School, Woodstock Academy
Woodstock Academy
Woodstock Academy, founded in 1801, is an endowed academy or independent high school for students located in Woodstock, Connecticut, United States....
, Norwich Free Academy
Norwich Free Academy
The Norwich Free Academy founded in 1854 and in operation since 1856, is a high school located in the city of Norwich, Connecticut. The Academy serves as the primary high school for Norwich and the surrounding towns of Canterbury, Bozrah, Voluntown, Sprague, Lisbon, Franklin, Preston andseveral...
, or Griswold Senior High School.