Lyme, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Lyme is a town
in New London County
, Connecticut
, United States
. The population was 2,016 at the 2000 census. Lyme and its neighboring town Old Lyme
are the namesake for Lyme disease
.
, the town has a total area of 34.5 square miles (89.4 km²), of which, 31.9 square miles (82.6 km²) of it is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²) of it (7.63%) is water.
Other minor communities and geographic areas are Becket Hill, Brockway's Ferry (also known as Brockway Landing), Brush Hill, Elys Ferry, Grassy Hill, Gungy, Joshuatown, Lord Hill, Mt. Archer, Pleasant Valley, Rogers Lake West Shore, Sterling City, and Tuttles Sandy Beach.
east of the Connecticut River
was set off as the plantation of East Saybrook in February 1665. This area included present-day Lyme, Old Lyme, and the western part of East Lyme. In 1667, the Connecticut General Court formally recognized the East Saybrook plantation as the town of Lyme. The eastern portion of Lyme (bordering the town of Waterford) separated from Lyme and became East Lyme in 1823, and the southern portion of Lyme (along Long Island Sound
) separated as South Lyme in 1855 (renamed to Old Lyme in 1857). These two changes were consistent with the then existing laws in the state of Connecticut.
of 2000, there were 2,016 people, 854 households, and 613 families residing in the town. The population density
was 63.3 people per square mile (24.4/km²). There were 989 housing units at an average density of 31.0 per square mile (12.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.02% White, 0.05% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.05% from other races
, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.
There were 854 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples
living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.76.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 3.1% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 34.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $73,250, and the median income for a family was $82,853. Males had a median income of $56,188 versus $44,750 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $43,347. None of the families and 1.2% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.
provides public transportation throughout Lyme and the surrounding towns through its 9 Town Transit Service. Services include connections to the Old Saybrook Train Station, served by Amtrak
and Shoreline East railroads.
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 New London County
New London County, Connecticut
New London County is a county located in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of 2010 the population was 274,055. The total area of the county is , including inland and coastal waters....
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,016 at the 2000 census. Lyme and its neighboring town Old Lyme
Old Lyme, Connecticut
Old Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The Main Street of the town is a historic district. The town has long been a popular summer resort and artists' colony...
are the namesake for Lyme disease
Lyme disease
Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto is the main cause of Lyme disease in the United States, whereas Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii cause most...
.
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 34.5 square miles (89.4 km²), of which, 31.9 square miles (82.6 km²) of it is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²) of it (7.63%) is water.
Principal communities
- Bill Hill
- Hadlyme
- Hamburg (town center)
- North Lyme
Other minor communities and geographic areas are Becket Hill, Brockway's Ferry (also known as Brockway Landing), Brush Hill, Elys Ferry, Grassy Hill, Gungy, Joshuatown, Lord Hill, Mt. Archer, Pleasant Valley, Rogers Lake West Shore, Sterling City, and Tuttles Sandy Beach.
History
The portion of the territory of the Saybrook ColonySaybrook Colony
The Saybrook Colony was established in late 1635 at the mouth of the Connecticut River in present day Old Saybrook, Connecticut by John Winthrop, the Younger, son of John Winthrop, the Governor of Massachusetts. The former was designated Governor by the original settlers which included Colonel...
east of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
was set off as the plantation of East Saybrook in February 1665. This area included present-day Lyme, Old Lyme, and the western part of East Lyme. In 1667, the Connecticut General Court formally recognized the East Saybrook plantation as the town of Lyme. The eastern portion of Lyme (bordering the town of Waterford) separated from Lyme and became East Lyme in 1823, and the southern portion of Lyme (along 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...
) separated as South Lyme in 1855 (renamed to Old Lyme in 1857). These two changes were consistent with the then existing laws in the state of Connecticut.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,016 people, 854 households, and 613 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 63.3 people per square mile (24.4/km²). There were 989 housing units at an average density of 31.0 per square mile (12.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.02% White, 0.05% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.05% 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 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.
There were 854 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.76.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 3.1% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 34.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $73,250, and the median income for a family was $82,853. Males had a median income of $56,188 versus $44,750 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 $43,347. None of the families and 1.2% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.
| 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... |
618 | 0 | 618 | 36.04% |
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... |
400 | 0 | 400 | 23.32% |
Unaffiliated | 694 | 0 | 694 | 40.47% |
Minor Parties | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.17% | |
| Total | 1,715 | 0 | 1,715 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||
Transportation
The Estuary Transit DistrictEstuary Transit District
Estuary Transit District is the public transit provider for Connecticut River Estuary region. ETD provides public transit service through its 9 Town Transit service to the towns of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook, Connecticut...
provides public transportation throughout Lyme and the surrounding towns through its 9 Town Transit Service. Services include connections to the Old Saybrook Train Station, served by 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...
and Shoreline East railroads.
On the National Register of Historic Places
- Cooper SiteCooper Site (Lyme, Connecticut)The Cooper Site is an archaeological site in Lyme, Connecticut. On a terrace of the Connecticut River, the site has yielded evidence of Middle to Late Woodland occupation.The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
(added November 15, 1987) - Hadlyme North Historic DistrictHadlyme North Historic DistrictHadlyme North Historic District is a historic district located in the southwest corner of the town of East Haddam, Connecticut . It represents the core of the village of Hadlyme, which straddles the town line, and consists primarily of two north-south roads, Town Street...
(added December 8, 1988): Roughly bounded by CT 82, Town St., Banning Rd., and Old Town St. - Hadlyme Ferry Historic DistrictHadlyme Ferry Historic DistrictThe Hadlyme Ferry Historic District, in Hadlyme village in the town of Lyme, Connecticut, at the site of the Chester–Hadlyme Ferry, is a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994....
(added December 21, 1994): 150, 151, 158, 159, 162-1, 162-2 Ferry Rd. and ferry slip - Hamburg Bridge Historic DistrictHamburg Bridge Historic DistrictThe Hamburg Bridge Historic District is located in Lyme, Connecticut. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 10, 1983....
— Joshuatown Road and Old Hamburg Road (added April 10, 1983) - Hamburg Cove Site (added November 15, 1987)
- Lord Cove Site (added November 15, 1987)
- Selden Island SiteSelden Island SiteSelden Island Site is an archeological site in Lyme, Connecticut that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987....
(added November 15, 1987) - Seventh Sister (added July 31, 1986): 67 River Rd.
Notable residents
Some of the earlier notables were residents of the portion of the town that later became Old Lyme.- Robert BallardRobert BallardRobert Duane Ballard is a former United States Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island who is most noted for his work in underwater archaeology. He is most famous for the discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic in 1985, the battleship Bismarck in 1989,...
Oceanographer, lives in the town. - Joan BennettJoan BennettJoan Geraldine Bennett was an American stage, film and television actress. Besides acting on the stage, Bennett appeared in more than 70 motion pictures from the era of silent movies well into the sound era...
(1910–1990), a film and television actress, was buried in town after her death in ScarsdaleScarsdale, New YorkScarsdale is a coterminous town and village in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the northern suburbs of New York City. The Town of Scarsdale is coextensive with the Village of Scarsdale, but the community has opted to operate solely with a village government, one of several villages...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. - Hiel BrockwayHiel BrockwayHiel Brockway was a native of Lyme, Connecticut and came to Clarkson, New York shortly after the War of 1812. Upon arrival, he built and operated a tavern. He was a town builder and the first citizen of the village that bears his name. Seizing the opportunity offered by the canal, he speculated the...
(? -1842), founder of Brockport, New YorkBrockport, New YorkBrockport is a village located in the Town of Sweden in Monroe County, New York, USA. The population was 8,103 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from Hiel Brockway, an early settler.... - Zebulon BrockwayZebulon BrockwayZebulon Reed Brockway was a penologist and is sometimes regarded as the "Father of prison reform" in the United States.Brockway was born in Lyme, Connecticut in 1828 and began his career as a prison guard at the state prison in Wethersfield, Connecticut at age 20. Brockway became a clerk at the...
(1827–1920) a penologist some have called the "Father of prison reform" in the United States, was born in town. - Dominic Dunne, famous author, had a house in Hadlyme for many years until his death.
- Ezra LeeEzra LeeEzra Lee was an American Colonial soldier, best known for commanding the Turtle submarine.Lee was born in Lyme, Connecticut. In August 1776 he was selected by brother-in-law Brig...
(1749–1821), Commander of the Turtle submarine during the Revolutionary War, and world's first submariner - Matthew GriswoldMatthew Griswold (governor)Matthew Griswold was the 2nd Governor of Connecticut from 1784 to 1786. He also served as Lieutenant Governor and Chief Justice of the Superior Court, during the American Revolution .-Early life:...
(1714–1799) governor of the state (1784–1786), was born in Lyme. - Harry HoltzmanHarry HoltzmanHarry Holtzman was an American artist and founding member of the American Abstract Artists group.-Early life:At the age of fourteen, Holtzman visited the Société Anonyme’s 1926 “International Exhibition of Modern Art” at the Brooklyn Museum and developed an early interest in advanced art with the...
(1912–1987), an abstract artist who lived in town - Beatrice LillieBeatrice LillieBeatrice Gladys "Bea" Lillie was an actress and comedic performer. Following her 1920 marriage to Sir Robert Peel in England, she was known in private life as Lady Peel.-Early career:...
, Canadian-born actress, had a house on Grassy Hill Road in the 1970s. - Roger HilsmanRoger HilsmanRoger Hilsman is an author and political scientist. He served as an American soldier in Merrill's Marauders and then the Office of Strategic Services in China-Burma-India Theater of World War II during World War II and as an aide and adviser to President John F. Kennedy...
, World War II hero, post-war diplomat and author, long-time town resident - William Brown Meloney (1905–1971)William Brown Meloney (1905–1971)William Brown Meloney was a journalist, novelist, short-story writer and theatrical producer.-Biography:The son of William Brown Meloney and Marie Mattingley Meloney , Meloney became a journalist, like his parents. In 1929 he had an affair with Priscilla Fansler Hobson, who became pregnant with...
and Rose FrankenRose FrankenRose Dorothy Lewin Franken , author and playwright, was born on December 28, 1895, in Gainesville, Texas, the youngest child of Michael and Hannah Lewin. In 1914 she married Sigmund W.A. Franken, an oral surgeon who died in 1932. They had three children. In 1937 she married writer William Brown...
, husband-wife writing and play production team - Robert MulliganRobert MulliganRobert Mulligan was an American film and television director best known as the director of humanistic American dramas, including To Kill A Mockingbird , Summer of '42 , The Other , Same Time, Next Year and The Man in the Moon...
(1925–2008), film director, most notable work To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird (film)To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 American drama film adaptation of Harper Lee's novel of the same name directed by Robert Mulligan. It stars Mary Badham in the role of Scout and Gregory Peck in the role of Atticus Finch.... - Jonathan ParsonsJonathan ParsonsJonathan Parsons was a Christian New England clergyman during the late colonial period and a supporter of the American Revolution. Born in West Springfield, Massachusetts, he was the youngest son of Ebenezer Parsons and Margaret Marshfield of Springfield. Though intended for an artisan career,...
(1705–1776), prominent "New Light" clergyman who was influenced by Jonathan Edwards when Edwards taught at Yale - Samuel Holden ParsonsSamuel Holden ParsonsSamuel Holden Parsons was an American lawyer, jurist, and military leader.Parsons was born in Lyme, Connecticut, the son of Jonathan Parsons and Phoebe Parsons...
(1737–1789), active Patriot before and during the American RevolutionAmerican RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
and brigidier general in the Continental ArmyContinental ArmyThe Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
, was born in town. - Jedediah PeckJedediah PeckJedediah Peck was an American farmer, surveyor, Revolutionary War soldier, and New York State legislator described as a father of the common school system of the State of New York. He was a man of limited education and had no gift as a debater or speaker, but he was a skillful organizer...
(1748–1821), called the "Father of the Common School System" of the State of New York - Ansel SterlingAnsel SterlingAnsel Sterling was a United States Representative from Connecticut. He was the brother of Micah Sterling who was a United States Representative from New York. He was born in Lyme, Connecticut where he attended the common schools. Later, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1805...
(1782–1853), a United States Representative from Connecticut. Brother of Micah Sterling - Micah SterlingMicah SterlingMicah Sterling was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:Sterling graduated from Yale College in 1804...
(1784–1844), a United States Representative from New York. Brother of ANsel Sterling - Morrison Remick WaiteMorrison WaiteMorrison Remick Waite, nicknamed "Mott" was the seventh Chief Justice of the United States from 1874 to 1888.-Early life and education:...
(1816–1888) a chief justice of the United StatesChief Justice of the United StatesThe Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
(1874–1888). was born in town. - Wequash, Native American leader, buried in Lyme in 1642