Litchfield Hills
Encyclopedia
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...
located in the northwestern corner of the state. It is a term that is roughly coterminous with the boundaries of Litchfield County
Litchfield County, Connecticut
Litchfield County is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. Litchfield County has the lowest population density of any county in Connecticut but is geographically the state's largest county. As of 2010 the population was 189,927...
, for which it is named. The geographic region includes two officially designated regions: rural Northwestern Connecticut, and the area associated with the city of Torrington
Torrington, Connecticut
Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the northwestern Connecticut region. It is also the core city of the largest micropolitan area in the United States. The city population was 36,383 according to the 2010 census....
(also known as the Upper Naugatuck River Valley or simply Litchfield Hills). Much of the area makes up the lowermost section of the Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
region, and is culturally similar to the rest of western New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
.
Northwestern Connecticut
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
watershed, and encompasses a number of Connecticut's highest peaks, such as Bear Mountain
Bear Mountain (Connecticut)
Bear Mountain, is prominent peak of the southern Taconic Mountains. It lies within the town of Salisbury, Connecticut, in the United States, and is the highest mountain summit in the state of Connecticut. The highest point in the state, however, is located on the south slope of Mount Frissell to...
. Most of the region comprises forested hills and rocky peaks, with farmland and small towns interspersed in the valleys and plains. This region also plays host to a large portion of the state's small vineyard and wine industry. Historically, the region was well-known for the limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, and dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
industries. Unlike the rest of Connecticut, the portion of Northwestern Connecticut around the upper Housatonic River
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
contains more akaline soils due to the underlying limestone.
Due to the rural feel of the area, the region is an extremely popular location for second homes, primarily with New York City residents. The hills are rural enough to offer an escape from city life, yet close enough (less than 90 miles) to visit on weekends. Many visitors also arrive in the autumn to witness the fall foliage, and to visit the region's many covered bridges or waterfalls.
Because of both its rural beauty and its relative proximity to New York City, the area has been and continues to be home to many famous or wealthy residents, including Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow is an American actress, singer, humanitarian, and fashion model.Farrow first gained wide acclaim for her role as Allison Mackenzie in the soap opera Peyton Place, and for her subsequent short-lived marriage to Frank Sinatra...
, Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
, Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
, Denis Leary
Denis Leary
Denis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
, Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon is an American film and theater actor whose notable roles include Animal House, Diner, Footloose, Flatliners, Wild Things, A Few Good Men, JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River, The Woodsman, Trapped, Friday the 13th, Hollow Man, Tremors, Death Sentence, Frost/Nixon, Crazy, Stupid, Love....
, and is also known as the Hamptons of Connecticut.
Northwestern Connecticut is known for its upscale cultural activities, such as chamber performances at Music Mountain in Canaan
Canaan, Connecticut
Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census. The town of Canaan is often referred to locally by the name of its principal constituent village, Falls Village.-Geography:...
and a wide array of art galleries. The region is also home to preparatory schools
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
, such as the Hotchkiss School
Hotchkiss School
The Hotchkiss School is an independent, coeducational American college preparatory boarding school located in Lakeville, Connecticut. Founded in 1891, the school enrolls students in grades 9 through 12 and a small number of postgraduates...
, Kent School
Kent School
Kent School is a private, co-educational college preparatory school in Kent, Connecticut, USA. The Reverend Frederick Herbert Sill, Order of the Holy Cross, established the school in 1906 and it retains its affiliation with the Episcopal Church of the United States.Students at Kent come from more...
, Marvelwood School
Marvelwood School
The Marvelwood School is a college preparatory private boarding school located in Kent, Connecticut, USA. Marvelwood was founded in 1956 by Robert A. Bodkin and Ian Hanna in Cornwall, Connecticut. The co-founder, Robert A. Bodkin, remained Headmaster until 1981. He was succeeded by Peter B. Tacy...
, and the Gunnery
The Gunnery
The Gunnery is a coeducational boarding and day Prep school for 295 students in grades nine through twelve. The campus borders the village green of Washington, Connecticut, U.S., a small, historic town in the Litchfield Hills. The Gunnery has no religious or military affiliations.The Gunnery was...
.
The towns included in the Northwestern Connecticut region are: Canaan
Canaan, Connecticut
Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census. The town of Canaan is often referred to locally by the name of its principal constituent village, Falls Village.-Geography:...
, Cornwall
Cornwall, Connecticut
Cornwall is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2000 census.In 1939 poet Mark Van Doren wrote "The Hills of Little Cornwall", a short poem in which the beauties of the countryside were portrayed as seductive:The town was also home to the Foreign...
, Kent
Kent, Connecticut
Kent is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, alongside the border with New York. The population was 2,858 at the 2000 census. The town is home to three New England boarding schools: South Kent School, Kent School and The Marvelwood School. The Schaghticoke Indian Reservation is also located...
, North Canaan
North Canaan, Connecticut
North Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,350 at the 2000 census. The town center is still called "Canaan" by local residents, being the main town center of the old Town of Canaan prior to North Canaan splitting off as its own town.The Union Depot...
, Roxbury
Roxbury, Connecticut
Roxbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,136 at the 2000 census.-History:Roxbury, whose Indian name was "Shepaug", a Mahican name signifiying "rocky water", was settled about the year 1713...
, Salisbury
Salisbury, Connecticut
Salisbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The town is the northwest-most in the State of Connecticut. The MA-NY-CT Tri-State Marker is located just on the border of Salisbury...
, Sharon
Sharon, Connecticut
Sharon is a town located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the northwest corner of the state. It is bounded on the north by Salisbury, on the east by the Housatonic River, on the south by Kent, and on the west by Dutchess County, New York...
, Warren
Warren, Connecticut
Warren is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,254 at the 2000 census. The town was named for Revolutionary War General Joseph Warren....
, Washington
Washington, Connecticut
Washington is a rural town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. The population was 3,596 at the 2000 census. Washington is known for its picturesque countryside, historic architecture, and active civic and cultural life...
,
Litchfield Hills
The Litchfield Hills region is also known as the Upper Naugatuck Valley and consists of the towns of BarkhamstedBarkhamsted, Connecticut
Barkhamsted is a town in Litchfield County in Connecticut and contains six villages, West Hill, Mallory, Center Hill, Washington Hill, Pleasant Valley and Riverton. The population was 3,494 at the 2000 census...
, Colebrook
Colebrook, Connecticut
Colebrook is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,471 at the 2000 census. Colebrook was named after Colebrooke, in the English county of Devon.-Geography:...
, Goshen
Goshen, Connecticut
Goshen is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,697 at the 2000 census.Each July, the Connecticut Agricultural Fair is held in town. It is also home to the Goshen players.-Geography:...
, Hartland
Hartland, Connecticut
Hartland is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,012 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water...
, Harwinton
Harwinton, Connecticut
Harwinton is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,283 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is a portmanteau of Hartford and Windsor, which is where its settlers came from.-Geography:...
, Litchfield
Litchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, and is known as an affluent summer resort. The population was 8,316 at the 2000 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town...
, Morris
Morris, Connecticut
Morris is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,301 at the 2000 census. The town consists of rolling hill country surrounding Bantam Lake, the largest natural lake in the State, covering about .-History:...
, New Hartford
New Hartford, Connecticut
New Hartford is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,088 at the 2000 census. The town center is also defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place . The town is mainly a rural community consisting of farms, homes, and parks...
, Norfolk
Norfolk, Connecticut
Norfolk is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,660 at the 2000 census.Norfolk is perhaps best known as the site of the Yale Summer School of Music – Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, which hosts an annual chamber music concert series in "the Music Shed," a...
, Torrington
Torrington, Connecticut
Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the northwestern Connecticut region. It is also the core city of the largest micropolitan area in the United States. The city population was 36,383 according to the 2010 census....
, and Winchester
Winchester, Connecticut
Winchester is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,664 at the 2000 census. The Incorporated City of Winsted is located in Winchester.-Geography:...
. The Litchfield Hills feel a stronger pull toward industry than Northwestern Connecticut, with manufacturing centering around the Naugatuck River in Torrington and Mad River in Winsted. Historically, brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
, needles
Sewing needle
A sewing needle is a long slender tool with a pointed tip. The first needles were made of bone or wood; modern ones are manufactured from high carbon steel wire, nickel- or 18K gold plated for corrosion resistance. The highest quality embroidery needles are plated with two-thirds platinum and...
, scythes
Scythes
Scythes was tyrant or ruler of Zancle in Sicily. He was appointed to that post in about 494 BC by Hippocrates of Gela.The Zanclaeans had contacted Ionian leaders to invite colonists to join them in founding a new city on the Kale Acte , or north shore of Sicily...
, and other products were manufactured in the area. However, the rural areas still retain industries such as dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
, vineyards, and stone
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
. This region is sometimes included with the Naugatuck River Valley
Naugatuck River Valley
The Naugatuck River Valley refers to the watershed area of the Naugatuck River in the western part of Connecticut. The Naugatuck Valley straddles parts of Litchfield County, New Haven, and Fairfield counties. The Route 8 corridor and Waterbury Branch of the Metro-North railroad line run along the...
.
Originally settled in the mid 18th century as agriculturally-based towns, the areas with access to flowing water began to develop industries in the 19th century. As the Midwest opened up to settlement, many farmers headed west in search of better farming opportunities. Among these included the John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
family, originally from Torrington
Torrington, Connecticut
Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the northwestern Connecticut region. It is also the core city of the largest micropolitan area in the United States. The city population was 36,383 according to the 2010 census....
. Some notable areas settled by people from the Litchfield Hills include the Western Reserve of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Torrington, Wyoming
Torrington, Wyoming
Torrington is a city in and the county seat of Goshen County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,776 at the 2000 census. Torrington is the home of Eastern Wyoming College....
. Around the time industry became important in the area, many immigrants came to work in the factories. Many of the immigrants in the Litchfield Hills area came from Italy, Ireland, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Poland, and Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. Later in the 20th century, many of these industries declined or relocated, producing conditions similar to the Midwestern rust belt
Rust Belt
The Rust Belt is a term that gained currency in the 1980s as the informal description of an area straddling the Midwestern and Northeastern United States, in which local economies traditionally garnered an increased manufacturing sector to add jobs and corporate profits...
, but on a smaller scale. Today, tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
remains an important industry for the Litchfield Hills. Recently, immigrants from the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, and Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
have come to the area, adding their own flavor to the local culture.
The terrain in the Litchfield Hills area varies from gently rolling to the south and east to more mountainous toward the north and west. The region generally experiences colder temperatures due to higher elevation. The Litchfield Hills, like the rest of Northwest Connecticut, are known for their town greens, fall foliage, and historical architecture. The hills comprise the southernmost portion of the Berkshires
The Berkshires
The Berkshires , is a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut.Also referred to as the Berkshire Hills, Berkshire Mountains, and Berkshire Plateau, the region enjoys a vibrant tourism industry based on music, arts, and recreation.-Definition:The term...
. The eastern towns, including Hartland
Hartland, Connecticut
Hartland is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,012 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water...
, Barkhamsted
Barkhamsted, Connecticut
Barkhamsted is a town in Litchfield County in Connecticut and contains six villages, West Hill, Mallory, Center Hill, Washington Hill, Pleasant Valley and Riverton. The population was 3,494 at the 2000 census...
, and New Hartford
New Hartford, Connecticut
New Hartford is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,088 at the 2000 census. The town center is also defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place . The town is mainly a rural community consisting of farms, homes, and parks...
contain large water supply reservoirs to the city of Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
.
Culturally, the Litchfield Hills are politically more conservative than the rest of Connecticut, with Litchfield County being the only county in the state to vote for George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in the 2004 election. The region contains its own section in the Waterbury Republican-American
Waterbury Republican-American
The Republican-American, headquartered in Waterbury, Connecticut is the United States' 193rd-largest newspaper with an average Sunday circulation of 61,100...
, which covers local events and news. The region is also split between allegiance to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, with the southwestern part of the region generally supporting the Yankees and northeastern part of the region generally supporting the Red Sox.