Middlefield, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Middlefield is a town
in Middlesex County
, Connecticut
, United States
. The population was 4,203 at the 2000 census. The town includes the village of Rockfall
, and Middletown and Meriden
. For such a small community, Middlefield has an abundance of wonderful history that goes back to the late 17th century and many first settlers of Connecticut. The Old North Burying Ground was established for those living west of Middletown and the first burial was in 1738.
Middlefield became a Town in 1866 by an act of the Connecticut Legislature. The town was previously part of the City of Middletown.
Charles R. "Charlie" Augur was the longest-serving First Selectman of the town, having served five terms. Dr. Harold Ellsworth Smith was Middlefield's physician for many years.
Middlesex County was created on May 2, 1785 from Hartford
and New Haven
counties. The county was named for Middlesex
, England. Middlesex County is in south-central Connecticut. It is bordered to the south by Long Island Sound
and to the southwest by the Hammonasset River
, and the Connecticut River
bisects the county from north to south. Other waterways are the Menunketesuck River, the Moodus Reservoir, and Bashan Lake. The topography is mostly upland terrain, with river valleys and coastal lowlands. Parklands include Cockaponset State Forest
, Meshomasic State Forest Preserve
, and Hurd and Devil's Hopyard
state parks.
The Western Nehantic Indians inhabited the area when John Winthrop the Younger established the Puritan settlement of Saybrook
in the 1630s. Later renamed Old Saybrook, it was where David Bushnell
invented and built the Turtle
(1775), a submarine used during the American Revolution
. The county was formed in 1785 and named for Middlesex, England. Essex
, a center of shipbuilding from the 1720s to the 1840s, was raided during the War of 1812
. There is no county seat because the state abolished county government in 1960. The largest city is Middletown, home of Wesleyan University
(founded 1831).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 13.3 square miles (34.4 km²), of which, 12.7 square miles (32.9 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (4.65%) is water.
The west side of Middlefield 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 Middlefield include Higby Mountain
and Besek Mountain
. The 50 mile Mattabesett Trail
traverses the ridge. The Nature Conservancy
manages the summit and ledges of Higby Mountain.
games going on almost everyday of the week. The smaller kids can play on the jungle gym
or play basketball
and soccer. Some other summer activities could be golfing on one of the two local golf courses or go to the beach
located on Lake Beseck
just off of Route 147. Residents can also enjoy picking fruit
at Lyman Orchards.
(Grades 9-12).
that has taken place in Middlefield for many years. The four quadrants
of the gun sight are broken into different aspects of the town of Middlefield. The upper left-hand quadrant is a picture of the1700's saltbox homes that still stand in Middlefield. The upper right-hand quadrant represents the orchards and farmland that make up much of the open space of Middlefield. The lower left-hand quadrant represents many of the outdoor activities that go on in Middlefield such as fishing
, hunting
, boating
, skiing
, golfing, and many other activities. The lower right-hand quadrant is the old pistol shop that used to be a major part of Middlefield's makeup. The seal was designed by Donald Ginter.
of 2000, there were 4,203 people, 1,645 households, and 1,199 families residing in the town. The population density
was 330.9 people per square mile (127.8/km²). There were 1,740 housing units at an average density of 137.0 per square mile (52.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.76% White, 0.74% African American, 0.02% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races
, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.
There were 1,645 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples
living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $59,448, and the median income for a family was $69,267. Males had a median income of $43,953 versus $31,487 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $25,711. About 0.6% of families and 1.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
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 Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Connecticut
Middlesex County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was created in 1785 from portions of Hartford and New London counties. As of 2010, the population was 165,676....
, 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 4,203 at the 2000 census. The town includes the village of Rockfall
Rockfall, Connecticut
Rockfall is a village comprising the northern section of the town of Middlefield, Connecticut....
History
Middlefield, in Middlesex County, is so named because it is halfway between Middletown and DurhamDurham, Connecticut
Durham is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. Durham is a former farming village on the Coginchaug River in central Connecticut. The population was 6,627 at the 2000 census. Every autumn, the town hosts the Durham Fair, the largest volunteer agricultural fair in New...
, and Middletown and Meriden
Meriden, Connecticut
Meriden is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 59,653.-History:...
. For such a small community, Middlefield has an abundance of wonderful history that goes back to the late 17th century and many first settlers of Connecticut. The Old North Burying Ground was established for those living west of Middletown and the first burial was in 1738.
Middlefield became a Town in 1866 by an act of the Connecticut Legislature. The town was previously part of the City of Middletown.
Charles R. "Charlie" Augur was the longest-serving First Selectman of the town, having served five terms. Dr. Harold Ellsworth Smith was Middlefield's physician for many years.
Middlesex County was created on May 2, 1785 from Hartford
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....
and New Haven
New Haven County, Connecticut
New Haven County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2010 Census, the county population is 862,477 making it the third most populated county in Connecticut. There are 1,340 people per square mile...
counties. The county was named for Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, England. Middlesex County is in south-central Connecticut. It is bordered to the south by 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...
and to the southwest by the Hammonasset River
Hammonasset River
The Hammonasset River is formed about southeast of Durham, Connecticut along a gully on the north end of Bunker Hill at about a half mile northeast of the junction of Route 148 and Bunker Hill Road. The river travels for to Clinton Harbor on Long Island Sound just east of Hammonasset Beach State...
, and 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...
bisects the county from north to south. Other waterways are the Menunketesuck River, the Moodus Reservoir, and Bashan Lake. The topography is mostly upland terrain, with river valleys and coastal lowlands. Parklands include Cockaponset State Forest
Cockaponset State Forest
Cockaponset State Forest is the second largest forest in the Connecticut state forest system, encompassing over 16,000 acres of land. Most of the land is in Middlesex County though some parcels lie in New Haven County...
, Meshomasic State Forest Preserve
Meshomasic State Forest
The Meshomasic State Forest is located in East Hampton, Portland, and Marlborough with smaller sections located in Glastonbury and Hebron. It is popular for mountain biking, hiking, and hunting. The Rangers Headquarters are located on Gadpouch Road in East Hampton.-History:Meshomasic State Forest...
, and Hurd and Devil's Hopyard
Devil's Hopyard State Park
Devil's Hopyard State Park is located in East Haddam, Connecticut at a scenic waterfall on the Eightmile River.-History:In 1919, the former State Park and Forest Commission obtained an parcel located in the Millington section of East Haddam. The principal feature of the park, Chapman Falls, drops...
state parks.
The Western Nehantic Indians inhabited the area when John Winthrop the Younger established the Puritan settlement of Saybrook
Saybrook 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...
in the 1630s. Later renamed Old Saybrook, it was where David Bushnell
David Bushnell
David Bushnell , of Westbrook, Connecticut, was an American inventor during the Revolutionary War. He is credited with creating the first submarine ever used in combat, while studying at Yale University in 1775. He called it the Turtle because of its look in the water...
invented and built the Turtle
Turtle (submarine)
The Turtle was the world's first submersible with a documented record of use in combat. It was built in Old Saybrook, Connecticut in 1775 by American Patriot David Bushnell as a means of attaching explosive charges to ships in a harbor...
(1775), a submarine used during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The 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...
. The county was formed in 1785 and named for Middlesex, England. Essex
Essex, Connecticut
Essex is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,505 at the 2000 census. It is made up of three villages: Essex Village, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton.- History :- The Great Attack :...
, a center of shipbuilding from the 1720s to the 1840s, was raided during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. There is no county seat because the state abolished county government in 1960. The largest city is Middletown, home of Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
(founded 1831).
Geography
United 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 13.3 square miles (34.4 km²), of which, 12.7 square miles (32.9 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (4.65%) is water.
The west side of Middlefield 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 Middlefield include Higby Mountain
Higby Mountain
Higby Mountain or Mount Higby , is a traprock mountain ridge located east 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 border...
and Besek Mountain
Besek Mountain
Besek Mountain also known as Black Mountain, est. , is a traprock mountain ridge located southeast 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...
. The 50 mile 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...
traverses the ridge. The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
manages the summit and ledges of Higby Mountain.
Attractions
Middlefield offers many seasonal activities.Residents can also go ice-skating on one of the many ponds located at the edge of Peckham Park. In the summer Peckham Park has little league baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
games going on almost everyday of the week. The smaller kids can play on the jungle gym
Jungle gym
The jungle gym, monkey bars, or climbing frame, is a piece of playground equipment made of many pieces of material, such as metal pipe or rope, on which children can climb, hang, or sit. The monkey bar designation refers to the rambunctious, climbing play of monkeys.-History:The first jungle gym...
or play basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and soccer. Some other summer activities could be golfing on one of the two local golf courses or go to the beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
located on Lake Beseck
Lake Beseck
Lake Beseck, also known as Beseck Lake, is a body of water in Middlefield, Connecticut measuring a little less than 1 mile in length and a quarter mile in width. It is owned by the Department of Environmental Protection and was created in 1846 when it was dammed.- External links :*...
just off of Route 147. Residents can also enjoy picking fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
at Lyman Orchards.
Registered historic places in town
- David, II Lyman House — 5 Lyman Rd. (added March 6, 1986)
- William, Jr. Ward House — 137 Powder Hill Rd. (added March 19, 1988)
Education
Middlefield, along with Durham, CT, forms Regional School District 13. It offers a traditional as well as an "Integrated Day" program of education for students in the two communities. The schools in Regional School District 13 are: Brewster Elementary School (K-2), John Lyman Elementary School (Grades K-4), Korn Elementary School (Grades 3-4), Memorial Middle School (Grades 5-6), Strong Middle School (Grades 7-8) and Coginchaug Regional High SchoolCoginchaug Regional High School
Coginchaug Regional High School is a public high school located in Durham Connecticut named after the Coginchaug River. The school's principal is Mr. Hauser. C.R.H.S. is part of Regional School District #13 which encompasses Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall, Connecticut...
(Grades 9-12).
Town Seal
The town seal is a view of Middlefield as seen through a gun sight. The crosshairs represent the gun sight manufacturingManufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
that has taken place in Middlefield for many years. The four quadrants
Circular sector
A circular sector or circle sector, is the portion of a disk enclosed by two radii and an arc, where the smaller area is known as the minor sector and the larger being the major sector. In the diagram, θ is the central angle in radians, r the radius of the circle, and L is the arc length of the...
of the gun sight are broken into different aspects of the town of Middlefield. The upper left-hand quadrant is a picture of the1700's saltbox homes that still stand in Middlefield. The upper right-hand quadrant represents the orchards and farmland that make up much of the open space of Middlefield. The lower left-hand quadrant represents many of the outdoor activities that go on in Middlefield such as fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, golfing, and many other activities. The lower right-hand quadrant is the old pistol shop that used to be a major part of Middlefield's makeup. The seal was designed by Donald Ginter.
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 4,203 people, 1,645 households, and 1,199 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 330.9 people per square mile (127.8/km²). There were 1,740 housing units at an average density of 137.0 per square mile (52.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.76% White, 0.74% African American, 0.02% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% 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 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.
There were 1,645 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% 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, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $59,448, and the median income for a family was $69,267. Males had a median income of $43,953 versus $31,487 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 $25,711. About 0.6% of families and 1.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 3.4% 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... |
920 | 20 | 940 | 29.63% |
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... |
590 | 23 | 613 | 19.32% |
Unaffiliated | 1,571 | 42 | 1,613 | 50.84% |
Minor Parties | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0.22% | |
| Total | 3,088 | 85 | 3,173 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||