Norwalk, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County
, Connecticut
, United States
. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area
.
The name "Norwalk" comes from the Algonquian
word "noyank" meaning "point of land", or its Native American
name, “Naramauke” (also spelled "Norwauke", "Norowake", or "Norwaake"), a Native American chief.
The farming
of oysters has long been important to Norwalk, which was once nicknamed "Oyster Town." Each September, Norwalk holds its Oyster Festival.
Residents of Norwalk are often referred to
as "Norwalkers".
. The original purchase included the land between the Norwalk
and Saugatuck
rivers, at a distance of a "day’s walk" from the sea. Norwalk was chartered as a town on September 11, 1651.
The traditional American song "Yankee Doodle
" has Norwalk-related origins. During the French and Indian War
, a regiment of Norwalkers arrived at Fort Crailo, NY. The British regument began to mock and ridicule the rag-tag Connecticut troops, who had only chicken feathers for a uniform. Richard Shuckburgh, a British army surgeon, added words to a popular tune of the time, Lucy Locket
(e.g., “stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni”, macaroni
being the London slang at the time for a foppish dandy
).
In 1776, American spy Nathan Hale
set out from Norwalk by ship on his ill-fated intelligence-gathering mission.
British forces under General William Tryon
arrived on July 10, 1779 and almost completely destroyed Norwalk; only six houses were spared. After the Revolutionary War, many residents were compensated for their losses with free land grants in the Connecticut Western Reserve
in what is now Ohio
; this later became Norwalk
, Ohio
.
In 1849 the New York and New Haven Railroad
started operating through Norwalk. In 1852 the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad
connected Norwalk with Danbury
. Both railroads eventually became parts of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
. The first major U.S. railroad bridge disaster occurred in Norwalk in 1853 when a train plunged into the Norwalk River
. Forty-six deaths and about 30 injuries resulted.
Oyster farming
in Norwalk peaked from the late 19th century to the early part of the 20th century. By 1880, it had the largest fleet of steam-powered oyster boats in the world.
Norwalk was reincorporated as a borough
in 1836, then reincorporated as a city in 1893 and was consolidated with the town of Norwalk in 1913. This latter event gave rise to the 1913 year that appears on the seal of the city.
In the mid-1970s, the city government and several local organizations started successful efforts to revitalize the South Norwalk business district ("SoNo"). The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
was founded as part of that effort.
, the city has a total area of 36.3 square miles (94 km²), of which, 22.8 square miles (59.1 km²) of it is land and 13.5 square miles (35 km²) of it (37.24%) is water.
:
; on the north by Wilton
; on the northwest by New Canaan
; on the west by Darien
and on the south by Long Island Sound
.
The seasonal extremes are tempered by proximity to Long Island Sound, with
daily high temperatures several degrees cooler in summer, and nightly lows higher in winter
compared to locations further inland.
On average the warmest month is July and the coolest month is January.
The highest recorded temperature was 103 °F (39.4 °C) in July 1966,
the lowest temperature was -15 °F in January 1968.
The maximum average precipitation occurs in September, although monthly precipitation variations
are only slight (when snowfall is converted to meltwater depths as in the table below).
The number of Hispanics, who may be of various races, is up by 10,889 — a 61 percent increase from the 12,966 who were counted in 2000.
Norwalk's overall population is up by 2,652. As of 2010, whites were 69 percent of the total (whites were 73.9 percent of the total in 2000); blacks, 14.2 percent; Asians, 4.8 percent; American Indians, Pacific Islanders and people counted as "some other race" were 9.4 percent of the total. Those who said they were of two or more races were 2.8 percent of the city's population (that totals 100.2 percent because the percentage figures are rounded).
As of the census
of 2000, there were 82,951 people, 32,711 households, and 20,967 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,637.3 people per square mile (1,404.1/km²). There were 33,753 housing units at an average density of 1,480.0 per square mile (571.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.95% White, 15.27% Black or African American
, 0.21% Native American, 3.25% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.33% from other races
, and 2.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.63% of the population.
The foreign nation in which the most residents of Norwalk were born was Colombia
, the birthplace of 2.8% of Norwalk's total population and 14% of its foreign-born population.
There were 32,711 households, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18, 47.9% were married couples
living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population was 22.1% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females 18 or older, there were 91.4 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $70,672, and the median income for a family was $83,695.http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=16000US0955990&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US06%7C16000US0668000&_street=&_county=norwalk&_cityTown=norwalk&_state=04000US09&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2006_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null®=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Males had a median income of $46,988 versus $38,312 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $31,781. About 5.0% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under 18 and 6.3% of those 65 or older.
industry groups according to the United States Census Bureau.
and softball
are popular amateur sports with active leagues across many age groups in Norwalk. There are 4 baseball fields
and 16 Little League
fields in the city. Several of the fields are illuminated for nighttime play. The Norwalk Little League team won the Little League World Series
in 1952
.
The 14 year old Babe Ruth League team won the championship in 2008.
In 2011, the Norwalk American Senior Legion baseball team won the Connecticut State Championship for the first time. This had not been accomplished by any other Norwalk Legion team in the storied 83 year history. The team defeated Branford, CT in the championship game.
The girls Norwalk Pride fast pitch softball team won the Connecticut State Championship in 2005, 2006, and 2007.
Being a coastal city Norwalk is home to a great many water sports including competitive swimming recreational boating
and fishing
, sailing
, windsurfing
, and kayaking
.
The Norwalk River
and inner Norwalk Harbor
host rowing
events and organizations.
Norwalk resident Daniel Walsh
won a bronze medal
in Beijing
with the U.S. Olympic rowing team in the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
There are three golf courses in the city of Norwalk.
The cross town rivalry between the city's two largest high schools' sports teams can be rather
fierce, particularly for the football
and field hockey
teams in the fall; as well as
lacrosse
, baseball
, and softball
teams in the spring. McMahon high school's boys lacrosse
team went on to win the state division 2 lacrosse championship in 2000.
In professional team sports Norwalk is represented by the Connecticut Wildcats
in the American National Rugby League
.
of Norwalk Public Schools is Dr. Susan Marks,.
The public school system has three high schools, each covering Grades 9 through 12: The oldest, Norwalk High School (founded in 1902) is the home of the Norwalk Bears. Brien McMahon High School
(founded in 1960) is named for U.S. Senator Brien McMahon
. The third is Briggs High School
, which was named for Dr. Richard C. Briggs, who was superintendent of schools from 1971 to 1980. Briggs High School was formerly known as the Briggs Center for Vocational Arts and is an alternative to the two traditional high schools.
The city has four public middle schools, for grades 6–8: West Rocks Middle School
and Nathan Hale Middle School
, which feed into Norwalk High School, as well as Roton Middle School and Ponus Ridge Middle School
, which feed into Brien McMahon High School.
There are twelve elementary schools in the Norwalk public school district: Brookside, Columbus Magnet, Cranbury, Fox Run, Jefferson, Kendall, Marvin, Naramake, Rowayton, Silvermine, Tracey, and Wolfpit. One charter school, Side by Side Community School, is located in South Norwalk.
In 2006, three of the city's four middle schools and nine of its twelve elementary schools, along with a "community school" were cited as falling behind in standards for the federal "No Child Left Behind" Act. Three elementary schools had not met the standards for two years in a row, so students in those schools are offered the choice to go to a Norwalk public school that hasn't been designated as needing improvement.
Aside from public schools, there is also the private All Saints Catholic School, which offers preschool through 8th grade education; the Montessori Middle School for grades 5–8; and the Winston Preparatory School
for grades 6–12, and starting in the fall of 2009 the Connecticut Friends School
will offer classes for K-8.
and Norwalk Hospital EMS, a progressive 911 paramedic service. The service consists of hospital based paramedics and EMT-Is who serve Norwalk as well as New Canaan, Wilton, Weston, and Westport. The service responded to over 9,500 medical emergencies in 2008 in the city of Norwalk and 6,000 in the neighboring communities. Norwalk Hospital EMS is widely known as one of the top services in the state and region. Typically the ambulances respond out of Norwalk Hospital
as the paramedics and EMT-I assist in the Emergency Department while not in the field. NHEMS works closely with other Norwalk first responders (Norwalk Fire and Police Departments).
Norwalk sites and districts on the National Register of Historic Places include the Norwalk Green Historic District (roughly bounded by Smith and Park Streets, Boston Post Road
, East and Morgan Avenues). The district contains examples of Federal Style, Greek Revival, and Late Victorian architecture
. (added 1987)
Another local site on the Register is the Former Joseph Loth Company Building (25 Grand St.). The 133000 square feet (12,356.1 m²) building, since renovated as an apartment building and renamed "Clocktower Close" in the mid-1980s, has an 85 feet (25.9 m)-high Romanesque Revival clocktower(added 1984)
These other sites are also on the Register: the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion (added 1970), the former Rock Ledge estate in Rowayton
(1977), the Norwalk Museum (1995), and three lighthouses—the Sheffield Island Light
house, Peck Ledge Lighthouse
, the Onion dome
d, 1906 Moorish Revival
building of Beth Israel of Norwalk/Westport
and Greens Ledge Light
house. The most recently added site to the historical register is Village Creek, which was the first community in the United States to be racially integrated
. The community was added to the register in August 2010.
For additional Norwalk sites on the list, see South Norwalk.
is an independent daily newspaper based in Norwalk and founded in 1871. The Advocate (Stamford)
, a unit of Hearst Corp., had a Norwalk edition with a bureau in the city, but both have since closed down, and the Advocate provides occasional coverage, much of which also appears in the Norwalk Citizen-News, a weekly also owned by Hearst. The Daily Norwalk (owned by Main Street Connect
, which is headquartered in Norwalk).
News 12 Connecticut
, a 24-hour regional news channel covering events in southwestern Connecticut is based in Norwalk. News 12 Connecticut is owned and operated by Cablevision, a unit of Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc.
and is available to subscribers of that cable television service.
Rowayton is also covered by New Canaan-Darien & Rowayton magazine, a glossy monthly is owned by Moffly Publications.
Public transportation within Norwalk is provided primarily by the Norwalk Transit District's
"WHEELS" bus
es. The WHEELS buses offer extensive service in Norwalk and Westport
and the Norwalk Transit District operates services throughout southwestern Connecticut. The state run Connecticut Transit
Coastal Link buses operate through Norwalk as part of the Stamford Division
.
The Metro-North Railroad
's main New Haven and Danbury branch lines
both run through Norwalk. Metro-North provides passenger
and commuter
service to four stations within the city, with direct connections to New York City
,
Stamford
, Bridgeport
, and New Haven
.
The South Norwalk
station lies along the main line and is also the southern
terminus of the Danbury branch line. The Rowayton
and East Norwalk
stations are along the New Haven main line. The Merritt 7
station lies along the
Danbury branch line. The New Haven line bridge over the Norwalk River
is the only four track
swing bridge
in the nation. The main line comprises a segment along Amtrak
's
Northeast Corridor
though the national passenger railroad does not provide service
to Norwalk. The nearest stations that Amtrak does stop at are Stamford
and
Bridgeport
. The Connecticut Department of Transportation
's
Shore Line East
passenger service trains also run through Norwalk, though only a few SLE
trains stop at South Norwalk station. Shore Line East
trains also stop at nearby
Stamford
and Bridgeport
stations.
Freight service over the rail lines in Norwalk is provided by CSX Transportation
and the Providence and Worcester Railroad
. During the week,
over 200 trains a day pass through Norwalk.
There is no scheduled air service directly into Norwalk, but there are airports nearby such as LaGuardia Airport
and John F. Kennedy International Airport
in
New York City; Newark Liberty International Airport
in Newark, New Jersey; Westchester County Airport
in Westchester County; Stewart International Airport
in Newburgh, New York; and Bradley International Airport
in Windsor Locks (near Hartford) Connecticut.
Nearby general aviation airports include Danbury Municipal Airport
in Danbury, Sikorsky Memorial Airport
in Stratford, and the Tweed New Haven Regional Airport in New Haven.
crosses through Norwalk, and there are several exits within the Norwalk city limits. The Merritt Parkway
also crosses through Norwalk. Both of these roads are designated to be north/south routes, but through Norwalk, both of them primarily travel east/west. The major north-south artery is Route 7
, which begins at Interstate 95. There is an exit to the Merritt Parkway
, but only southbound towards New York City
, as environmental activists have successfully blocked a full interchange between the two arteries. In northern Norwalk, Route 7 changes from a limited access, divided highway to an ordinary surface road. Originally, the intent was to build the "Super 7" highway (in a different place than the current Route 7), which would link Interstate 95 with Interstate 84
in Danbury
, but environmental groups and slow-growth
advocates succeeded in preventing this highway from being built (although the state of Connecticut continues to own the land to build the highway). Other state highways in Norwalk are Route 53
, Route 123, and Route 136.
The Route 123 bridge over the Norwalk River, which was undergoing being replaced from August 2007 to August 2008, was one of 12 bridges in the southwestern part of the state (including New Haven) with safety inspection ratings so low they are (or were) considered to be in critical condition.
's
Connecticut Light and Power Company division (CL&P). However, within the second and
third
taxing districts the taxing districts
act as the local electric power
utility company. Residents of those districts are billed by the district. The districts in turn purchase
wholesale power and arrange for its delivery to, and distribution within, the district. Power lines and meters in
East Norwalk
, South Norwalk, and parts of Rowayton are maintained by line crews employed by the district
and they may be seen driving about in trucks with district logos. Both the second (SNEW) and third (TTD) district electric departments belong to the six member
Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative which pools their wholesale power purchasing to obtain lower rates
for customers. The history of municipal power in Norwalk extends back to the 1890s when
Albert A. Winchester was an early and forceful advocate of it. In 1892 Winchester designed the city of South Norwalk's
generating station – remnants of which still lie along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in South Norwalk in front of the
railroad station
.
The newer power plant on Manressa Island (near the Harbor View neighborhood)
does still generate power within the city. The Manressa generation plant was originally
a coal fired plant but was converted to burn oil. It was operated up until the early
first decade of the 21st century by CL&P but is now operated under contract by another company.
In 2004 the third taxing district installed 3 diesel powered generators at the
Norden complex on Norden Place that were initially licensed only for emergency power supply.
By summer 2008 the generators, with a combined capacity of 6 Megawatts, had been upgraded to
allow licensed operation as regular power providers for the grid (not just emergency
power).
In 2007 and 2008 the
construction of the Middletown-Norwalk transmission line
disrupted traffic along the Boston Post Road, but the
completion of the line is hoped to help CL&P to provide additional power to lower Fairfield County. In addition
a high-voltage undersea line runs from Manressa Island to Long Island to help provide electric power to
Long Island Power Authority
customers. In 2008 the city government of Norwalk started initial investigations
of whether the city might resume generating power for sale to electricity customers in the city.
Natural gas is provided by Northeast Utilities' Yankee Gas subsidiary.
Water in most of the city is provided by the Aquarion Water Company from reservoirs in Wilton.
In the first
and second taxing districts
the taxing districts act as the local water utility provider.
, who lives in Rowayton, as does author Philip Caputo
. A. Scott Berg
, an award-winning biographer of celebrities was born in Norwalk. Johnny Gruelle
, artist and author, creator of Raggedy Ann
, lived in town before he moved to Wilton
. Big Band composer Arthur (Artie) Shaw
lived in Norwalk in the 1950s. Jazz-piano great Horace Silver
was also born in Norwalk.
Multi-Grammy award winner Vince Mendoza
was born and raised in Norwalk. NBA Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy, and baseball player Mo Vaughn
both hail from Norwalk. The late Bob Miller was born in the city. Two Medal of Honor
recipients came from Norwalk: John D. Magrath
in World War II
and Daniel J. Shea
in the Vietnam War
.
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The county population is 916,829 according to the 2010 Census. There are currently 1,465 people per square mile in the county. It is the most populous county in the State of Connecticut and contains...
, 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...
. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
.
The name "Norwalk" comes from the Algonquian
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
word "noyank" meaning "point of land", or its Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
name, “Naramauke” (also spelled "Norwauke", "Norowake", or "Norwaake"), a Native American chief.
The farming
Aquaculture
Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
of oysters has long been important to Norwalk, which was once nicknamed "Oyster Town." Each September, Norwalk holds its Oyster Festival.
Residents of Norwalk are often referred to
Demonym
A demonym , also referred to as a gentilic, is a name for a resident of a locality. A demonym is usually – though not always – derived from the name of the locality; thus, the demonym for the people of England is English, and the demonym for the people of Italy is Italian, yet, in english, the one...
as "Norwalkers".
History
Norwalk was purchased in 1640 by Roger LudlowRoger Ludlow
Roger Ludlow was one of the founders of the Colony of Connecticut. He was born in March 1590 in Dinton, Wiltshire, England. Roger was the second son of Sir Thomas Ludlow of Maiden Bradley, Wiltshire and Jane Pyle, sister of Sir Gabriel Pyle...
. The original purchase included the land between the Norwalk
Norwalk River
The Norwalk River is a river in southwestern Connecticut, approximately long. The word "Norwalk" comes from the Algonquian word "noyank" meaning "point of land".-Description:...
and Saugatuck
Saugatuck River
The Saugatuck River is a river in southwestern Connecticut in the United States. It drains part of suburban and rural Fairfield County west of Bridgeport, emptying into Long Island Sound.-Description:...
rivers, at a distance of a "day’s walk" from the sea. Norwalk was chartered as a town on September 11, 1651.
The traditional American song "Yankee Doodle
Yankee Doodle
"Yankee Doodle" is a well-known Anglo-American song, the origin of which dates back to the Seven Years' War. It is often sung patriotically in the United States today and is the state anthem of Connecticut...
" has Norwalk-related origins. During the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, a regiment of Norwalkers arrived at Fort Crailo, NY. The British regument began to mock and ridicule the rag-tag Connecticut troops, who had only chicken feathers for a uniform. Richard Shuckburgh, a British army surgeon, added words to a popular tune of the time, Lucy Locket
Lucy Locket
"Lucy Locket" is an English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 19536.-Lyrics:Common modern versions include:-Origins and meaning :...
(e.g., “stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni”, macaroni
Macaroni
Macaroni is a variety of moderately extended, machine-made, dry pasta made with durum wheat. Macaroni noodles do not contain eggs, and are normally cut in short, hollow shapes; however, the term refers not to the shape of the pasta, but to the kind of dough from which the noodle is made...
being the London slang at the time for a foppish dandy
Dandy
A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self...
).
In 1776, American spy Nathan Hale
Nathan Hale
Nathan Hale was a soldier for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission in New York City but was captured by the British...
set out from Norwalk by ship on his ill-fated intelligence-gathering mission.
British forces under General William Tryon
William Tryon
William Tryon was a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as governor of the Province of North Carolina and the Province of New York .-Early life and career:...
arrived on July 10, 1779 and almost completely destroyed Norwalk; only six houses were spared. After the Revolutionary War, many residents were compensated for their losses with free land grants in the Connecticut Western Reserve
Connecticut Western Reserve
The Connecticut Western Reserve was land claimed by Connecticut from 1662 to 1800 in the Northwest Territory in what is now northeastern Ohio.-History:...
in what is now 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...
; this later became Norwalk
Norwalk, Ohio
At the 2000 census, there were 16,238 people, 6,377 households and 4,234 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,950.3 per square mile . There were 6,687 housing units at an average density of 803.1 per square mile...
, 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...
.
In 1849 the New York and New Haven Railroad
New York and New Haven Railroad
The New York and New Haven Railroad was a railroad connecting New York City to New Haven, Connecticut along the shore of the Long Island Sound. It opened in 1849, and in 1872 it merged with the Hartford and New Haven Railroad to form the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad...
started operating through Norwalk. In 1852 the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad
Danbury and Norwalk Railroad
The Danbury and Norwalk Railroad was an independent American railroad that operated between its namesake cities in Connecticut from 1852 until its absorption by the Housatonic Railroad in 1887...
connected Norwalk with Danbury
Danbury
Danbury is a city in Connecticut, U.S.Danbury may also refer to:*Danbury, Saskatchewan, Canada*Danbury, Essex, UK*Danbury, Iowa, U.S.*Danbury, Nebraska, U.S.*Danbury, New Hampshire, U.S.*Danbury, North Carolina, U.S.*Danbury, Texas, U.S....
. Both railroads eventually became parts of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
. The first major U.S. railroad bridge disaster occurred in Norwalk in 1853 when a train plunged into the Norwalk River
Norwalk River
The Norwalk River is a river in southwestern Connecticut, approximately long. The word "Norwalk" comes from the Algonquian word "noyank" meaning "point of land".-Description:...
. Forty-six deaths and about 30 injuries resulted.
Oyster farming
Aquaculture
Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
in Norwalk peaked from the late 19th century to the early part of the 20th century. By 1880, it had the largest fleet of steam-powered oyster boats in the world.
Norwalk was reincorporated as a borough
Borough (Connecticut)
In the U.S. state of Connecticut, a borough is an incorporated section of a town. Borough governments are not autonomous and are subordinate to the government of the town to which they belong...
in 1836, then reincorporated as a city in 1893 and was consolidated with the town of Norwalk in 1913. This latter event gave rise to the 1913 year that appears on the seal of the city.
In the mid-1970s, the city government and several local organizations started successful efforts to revitalize the South Norwalk business district ("SoNo"). The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is an aquarium located in the South Norwalk section of Norwalk, Connecticut....
was founded as part of that effort.
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 city has a total area of 36.3 square miles (94 km²), of which, 22.8 square miles (59.1 km²) of it is land and 13.5 square miles (35 km²) of it (37.24%) is water.
Neighborhoods
Norwalk is composed of approximately 24 neighborhoodsNeighbourhood
A neighbourhood or neighborhood is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town or suburb. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. "Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition...
:
- Broad River
- Brookside
- Central NorwalkCentral NorwalkThe Central or Midtown section of Norwalk, Connecticut is an urbanized area in roughly the geographic center of the city, north of the South Norwalk neighborhood and the Connecticut Turnpike. Wall Street, West Avenue and Belden Avenue are the main thoroughfares...
/Norwalk Center/Downtown Norwalk/Midtown Norwalk - East NorwalkEast NorwalkEast Norwalk is a neighborhood located in Norwalk, Connecticut.The neighborhood is a culturally diverse, mostly middle-class section of the city, inhabited by many different ethnicities such as Greeks, Italians, Hispanics, African Americans, and long time "Connecticut Yankee" residents...
- West NorwalkWest NorwalkWest Norwalk is a residential neighborhood in the city of Norwalk, Connecticut inthe Connecticut Panhandle region of Fairfield County. It lies in the western central part of the city.- Geography :...
- CranburyCranbury (Norwalk)Cranbury is a neighborhood or section in the northeast corner of the city of Norwalk in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States.The Save Cranbury Association, a local community group, describes itself as an "association of citizens dedicated to the preservation of the historical, rural...
- SilvermineSilvermine, ConnecticutSilvermine is a neighborhood in Fairfield County, Connecticut extending into three southwestern Connecticut municipalities -- Norwalk, New Canaan and Wilton....
- Spring HillSpring Hill (Norwalk)Spring Hill is a section of Norwalk, Connecticut named after the hill on which most of the neighborhood sits. The neighborhood is located west of the Central section of Norwalk, across U.S. Route 7 and north of Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1. Norwalk Hospital is on the eastern edge of the...
- Wolfpit
- Wall Street
- Winnipauk
- Wilson Point
- Woodward
- Reed-Putnam
- Harborview
- Hospital Hill
- Woods Pond
- The Green
- West Main
- West Rocks
- Main Avenue-refers to the neighborhood surrounding Main Avenue(Route 7).
- Rowayton
- South Norwalk-known locally as "SoNo."
Neighboring towns
Norwalk is bordered on the east by WestportWestport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
; on the north by Wilton
Wilton, Connecticut
Wilton is a town nestled in the Norwalk River Valley in southwestern Connecticut in the United States. It is located in Fairfield County. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 18,062. In 2007, it was voted as one of CNN Money's "Best Places to Live" in the United States.Located along...
; on the northwest by New Canaan
New Canaan, Connecticut
New Canaan is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, northeast of Stamford, on the Fivemile River. The population was 19,738 according to the 2010 census.The town is one of the most affluent communities in the United States...
; on the west by Darien
Darien, Connecticut
Darien is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. A relatively small community on Connecticut's "Gold Coast", the population was 20,732 at the 2010 census. Darien was listed at #9 at CNN Money's list of "top-earning towns" in the United States as of 2011...
and on 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...
.
Climate
Norwalk experiences warm to hot and humid summers and cold snowy winters.The seasonal extremes are tempered by proximity to Long Island Sound, with
daily high temperatures several degrees cooler in summer, and nightly lows higher in winter
compared to locations further inland.
On average the warmest month is July and the coolest month is January.
The highest recorded temperature was 103 °F (39.4 °C) in July 1966,
the lowest temperature was -15 °F in January 1968.
The maximum average precipitation occurs in September, although monthly precipitation variations
are only slight (when snowfall is converted to meltwater depths as in the table below).
Demographics
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, there were 85,603 people residing in the city.The number of Hispanics, who may be of various races, is up by 10,889 — a 61 percent increase from the 12,966 who were counted in 2000.
Norwalk's overall population is up by 2,652. As of 2010, whites were 69 percent of the total (whites were 73.9 percent of the total in 2000); blacks, 14.2 percent; Asians, 4.8 percent; American Indians, Pacific Islanders and people counted as "some other race" were 9.4 percent of the total. Those who said they were of two or more races were 2.8 percent of the city's population (that totals 100.2 percent because the percentage figures are rounded).
As of the census
Census
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 82,951 people, 32,711 households, and 20,967 families residing in the city. 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 3,637.3 people per square mile (1,404.1/km²). There were 33,753 housing units at an average density of 1,480.0 per square mile (571.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.95% White, 15.27% Black or African American
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...
, 0.21% Native American, 3.25% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.33% 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 2.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.63% of the population.
The foreign nation in which the most residents of Norwalk were born was Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, the birthplace of 2.8% of Norwalk's total population and 14% of its foreign-born population.
There were 32,711 households, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18, 47.9% 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, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population was 22.1% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females 18 or older, there were 91.4 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $70,672, and the median income for a family was $83,695.http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=16000US0955990&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US06%7C16000US0668000&_street=&_county=norwalk&_cityTown=norwalk&_state=04000US09&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2006_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null®=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Males had a median income of $46,988 versus $38,312 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 city was $31,781. About 5.0% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under 18 and 6.3% of those 65 or older.
Politics
Norwalk leans slightly Democratic, with 1.3 active registered Democrats per Republican as of October 2005.| 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... |
13,626 | 109 | 13,735 | 29.71% |
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... |
10,029 | 84 | 10,113 | 21.87% |
Unaffiliated | 21,447 | 188 | 21,635 | 46.79% |
Minor Parties | 745 | 5 | 753 | 1.63% | |
| Total | 45,850 | 386 | 46,236 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||
Economy
The economy of Norwalk is spread somewhat evenly across at least 12 different NAICSNAICS
The North American Industry Classification System or NAICS is used by business and government to classify business establishments according to type of economic activity in Canada, Mexico and the United States...
industry groups according to the United States Census Bureau.
| NAICS code NAICS The North American Industry Classification System or NAICS is used by business and government to classify business establishments according to type of economic activity in Canada, Mexico and the United States... |
Description | establishments | sales ($1000) | payroll ($1000) | employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31–33 | Manufacturing | 147 | 1321517 | 334344 | 6897 |
| 42 | Wholesale trade | 178 | 4112214 | 197187 | 3053 |
| 44–45 | Retail trade | 404 | 2694568 | 269868 | 7455 |
| 51 | Information | 95 | 93210 | 1820 | |
| 53 | Real estate & rental & leasing | 98 | 83029 | 18108 | 443 |
| 54 | Professional, scientific, & technical services | 439 | 620019 | 267952 | 3874 |
| 56 | Administrative & support & waste management & remediation service | 234 | 1298440 | 233201 | 7824 |
| 61 | Educational services | 32 | 100–249 | ||
| 62 | Health care & social assistance | 275 | 514877 | 235061 | 5528 |
| 71 | Arts, entertainment, & recreation | 62 | 70408 | 21744 | 908 |
| 72 | Accommodation & food services | 201 | 134643 | 34692 | 2147 |
| 81 | Other services (except public administration) | 235 | 169490 | 54913 | 1584 |
| Totals | 2400 | 11019205 | 1760280 | 41633-41782 |
Large and distinctive companies
- Applera Corp.AppleraApplera Corporation of Norwalk, Connecticut, at #874 on the 2007 Fortune 1000 list, was one of the largest international biotechnology companies based in the United States. It was the successor company to what was the Life Sciences Division of Perkin-Elmer Corporation...
Applied Biosystems Group (ABI) – headquarters, 301 Merritt Seven; the successor to Norwalk's old Perkin Elmer Corp. (the actual name of Perkin Elmer went to another company) Appelera Biosystems develops, manufactures, sells and services instrument systems, reagents and software for the life sciences industry. It is a separately traded stock under the holding company Applera Corp., also based in Norwalk. (Applera Corp. also includes Celera Genomics, best known for its work on the human genome project.) Appelera Biosystems has 4,030 employees companywide; $1.8 billion in 2005 revenues; CEO Tony L. White - DiageoDiageoDiageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....
North America—U.S. headquarters of the world's largest liquor maker - Dooney & BourkeDooney & BourkeDooney & Bourke is a company specializing in fashion accessories, such as handbags, iPod cases, luggage, bracelets, watches, and briefcases, as well as a limited clothing line, which includes sweaters, shoes, jackets, and scarves. While most products are made for women, there are some products,...
apparel manufacturer - Emcor Group Inc. (EME) – headquarters, 301 Merritt Seven (not to be confused with "Premcor Inc." of Greenwich); a Fortune 500 companyFortune 500The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
that performs mechanical and electrical construction, energy infrastructure and facilities services for a range of businesses worldwide; 26,000 employees companywide; 506 in Connecticut; $4.7 billion in 2005 revenues; CEO Frank T. MacInnis - FactSet Research SystemsFactSet Research SystemsFactSet Research Systems is a financial data and software company headquartered in Norwalk, CT. The company provides financial information and analytic software for investment professionals. For fiscal year 2010, FactSet's annual sales were $641 million....
– A leading provider of global financial and economic information, including fundamental financial data on tens of thousands of companies worldwide. Combining hundreds of databases into its own dedicated online service, FactSet also provides the tools to download, combine, and manipulate financial data for investment analysis. FactSet has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, its headquarters are in Norwalk. - IMS HealthIMS HealthIMS Health is an international company that supplies the pharmaceutical industry with sales data and consulting services. IMS Health was founded in 1954 by Bill Froch and David Dubow. Today IMS has operations in more than 100 countries, a global workforce of 7,600+ employees, and revenues of $2...
— The world's largest supplier of pharmaceutical market intelligence recently moved its headquarters to Norwalk from FairfieldFairfield, ConnecticutFairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
, ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut 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...
. - Kayak.comKayak.comKAYAK is a technology company providing online travel tools through its global family of websites and mobile applications. Started by cofounders of Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity, KAYAK allows users to compare information from hundreds of other travel websites in one display when booking travel...
– headquarters, Connecticut Avenue; a travel search engine Web site founded in January 2005; Steve Hafner, CEO. - Media Storm LLCMedia StormMedia Storm, LLC is an American advertising and marketing company, in New York City and Norwalk, Connecticut, that helps entertainment marketers identify advertising vehicles, and then helps place the ads...
(privately held) – headquarters, 99 Washington St., South Norwalk; helps entertainment marketers identify advertising vehicles, and then helps place the ads. The company helped promote the debut of the FX television program The ShieldThe ShieldThe Shield is an American television drama series starring Michael Chiklis which premiered on March 12, 2002 on FX in the United States and concluded on November 25, 2008 after seven seasons...
, which broke the record for the number of viewers for a cable television premier. In 2006 the company made Inc.Inc. (magazine)Inc. magazine, founded in 1979 and based in New York City, is a monthly publication focused on growing companies. The magazine publishes an annual list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., the "Inc...
magazine's "Inc. 500" list of fast-growing companies, coming in at No. 106, with 869.7% growth over three years (2002 to 2005). Media Storm had $72.5 million in annual revenues in 2005 and 22 employees. It was founded in November 2001 by managing partners Tim Williams and Craig Woerz, who formerly worked together at AOL Time Warner. - MBI, parent company of The Danbury Mint and Easton PressEaston PressEaston Press, a division of MBI Inc., based in Norwalk, Connecticut, is a publisher specializing in high-quality leather-bound books. In addition to canonical classics, poetry and art books, they publish a large library of science fiction and popular literature as well.Some of Easton Press's...
. - Northrop Grumman Norden Systems (formerly Norden Systems) – a division of Northrop GrummanNorthrop GrummanNorthrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
. - Pepperidge FarmPepperidge FarmPepperidge Farm is a commercial bakery in the U.S. founded in 1937 by Margaret Rudkin, who named the brand after her family's property in Fairfield, Connecticut, which in turn was named for the pepperidge tree, Nyssa sylvatica. Since 1961, the company has been owned by the Campbell Soup Company...
– a division of the Campbell Soup CompanyCampbell Soup CompanyCampbell Soup Company , also known as Campbell's, is an American producer of canned soups and related products. Campbell's products are sold in 120 countries around the world. It is headquartered in Camden, New Jersey...
since 1961. - priceline.comPriceline.comPriceline.com is a company and a commercial website that helps users obtain discount rates for travel-related purchases such as airline tickets and hotel stays. The company is not a direct supplier of these services; instead it facilitates the provision of travel services by its suppliers to its...
(PCLN) – headquarters; online service books airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises, vacation packages and mortgages; 532 employees companywide, 280 in Connecticut; $963 million in annual revenues; CEO Jeffrey H. Boyd - SoBeSoBeSoBe is a brand of teas, fruit-juice blends and enhanced water beverages owned by PepsiCo. The name SoBe is an abbreviation of South Beach, named after the upscale area located in Miami Beach, Florida. In the past, the SoBe name has also been licensed for gum and chocolate products...
– a division; founded in Norwalk in 1996, it was bought by PepsiCoPepsiCoPepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
in 2000. - Stew Leonard'sStew Leonard'sStew Leonard's is chain of four supermarkets in Connecticut and New York which Ripley's Believe It or Not! deemed "The World's Largest Dairy", with Fortune Magazine listing Stew Leonard's as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For"."Anyone who comes from Connecticut or thereabouts knows this...
– headquarters and flagship store on Westport Avenue - TauckTauckTauck is an operator of guided tours and cruises; in 1925 it became the first tour operator to be awarded a federal Tour Broker’s License by the U.S. government. The company, which celebrated its 85th anniversary in 2010, is owned and operated by the Tauck family and is based in Norwalk, CT...
– An upscale escorted tour and cruise operator, with nearly 100 land tours, river cruises and ocean cruises in over 60 countries. - Tower OpticalTower OpticalTower Optical Company, Inc. is a small, Norwalk, Connecticut-based company which has manufactured a binocular tower viewer used at major tourist sites in the United States and Canada since 1932...
- a small, family-owned company making coin-operated viewers at major tourist sites since 1932. - Trans-LuxTrans-LuxTrans-Lux is a world leader in designing, selling, renting, installing and maintaining multi-color, real-time data and LED large-screen electronic information displays, but is primarily known as a major supplier of national stock ticker display devices for stock exchanges...
– maker of real time displays. Headquarters are in Norwalk, but manufacturing has moved elsewhere. - Virgin Atlantic AirwaysVirgin Atlantic AirwaysVirgin Atlantic Airways Limited is a British airline owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Singapore Airlines...
– U.S. headquarters at 75 North Water Street - The influential Financial Accounting Standards BoardFinancial Accounting Standards BoardThe Financial Accounting Standards Board is a private, not-for-profit organization whose primary purpose is to develop generally accepted accounting principles within the United States in the public's interest...
and related Government Accounting Standards Board are headquartered in Norwalk. - XeroxXeroxXerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
– World headquarters located at 45 Glover Avenue; global document management company, which manufactures and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies.
Landmarks, sites and attractions
- Lockwood-Mathews Mansion MuseumLockwood-Mathews MansionThe Lockwood-Mathews Mansion is a Second Empire style country house, now a museum, in Norwalk, Connecticut. It was featured in the movies The Stepford Wives and House of Dark Shadows....
(Website) — 295 West Ave. — 62-room mansion considered one of the oldest and finest surviving Second Empire style country houses ever built in the United States. It was designated a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1971. Recently, it was used for interior shots in the 2004 remake of The Stepford WivesThe Stepford WivesThe Stepford Wives is a 1972 satirical thriller novel by Ira Levin. The story concerns Joanna Eberhart, a photographer and young mother who begins to suspect that the frighteningly submissive housewives in her new idyllic Connecticut neighborhood may be robots created by their husbands.Two films of...
. - Maritime Aquarium at NorwalkMaritime Aquarium at NorwalkThe Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is an aquarium located in the South Norwalk section of Norwalk, Connecticut....
, a major aquariumAquariumAn aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
that specializes in displaying the marine life and ecology of Long Island SoundLong Island SoundLong 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...
. - The Mill Hill Historic Park and MuseumMill Hill Historic ParkMill Hill Historic Park in Norwalk, Connecticut is a living history museum composed of three buildings: the circa 1740 Governor Thomas Fitch IV "law office", the circa 1826 Downtown District Schoolhouse, and the 1835 Norwalk Town Hall; as well as a historic cemetery...
, a collection of historic buildings open to visitors and maintained by the Norwalk Historical Society only one day a week in the spring and summer months. - The Norwalk IslandsNorwalk IslandsThe Norwalk Islands are a chain of more than 25 islands amid partly submerged boulders, reefs and mudflats along a six-mile stretch and mostly about a mile off the coast of Norwalk, Connecticut and southwest Westport, Connecticut, in Long Island Sound.The islands are used for several different...
are used by powerboaters, fishers, kayakers and canoeists as well as birdwatchers and campers for day trips and sometimes overnight camping stays. - Norwalk Museum, — 41 North Main St. — in the Colonial Revival -style building that previously served as the South Norwalk City Hall prior to the incorporation of Norwalk and Old Well (South Norwalk) in 1913.
- Norwalk Youth SymphonyNorwalk Youth SymphonyThe Norwalk Youth Symphony is a youth symphony for students in middle school and high school in Norwalk, Connecticut. It is known as being one of the most prestigious youth symphonies in the United States; The symphony attracts students from all over Connecticut and in some parts of New York...
performs at concerts held in the Norwalk City Hall on East Avenue. - Sheffield Island LightSheffield Island LightSheffield Island Light is an historic Connecticut, USA, lighthouse located at the southern end of the Norwalk Islands on the west entrance of the Norwalk River on northern Long Island Sound....
house is open to the public seasonally. - SoNo Switchtower Museum
- The Silvermine Tavern, in a historic riverside mill complex of buildings in the SilvermineSilvermine, ConnecticutSilvermine is a neighborhood in Fairfield County, Connecticut extending into three southwestern Connecticut municipalities -- Norwalk, New Canaan and Wilton....
section of the city, closed its popular restaurant in 2009, though the inn remains open as a bed and breakfast and for special functions. - Stepping Stones Museum for ChildrenStepping Stones Museum for ChildrenStepping Stones Museum for Children is a hands-on children's museum for ages 10 and under located at 303 West Avenue, in the Central section of Norwalk, Connecticut....
at Mathews Park, near the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum. For children ages 10 and under.
Sports
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...
and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
are popular amateur sports with active leagues across many age groups in Norwalk. There are 4 baseball fields
and 16 Little League
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
fields in the city. Several of the fields are illuminated for nighttime play. The Norwalk Little League team won the Little League World Series
Little League World Series
The Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
in 1952
1952 Little League World Series
The 1952 Little League World Series was held in August 1952 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. In the final series Norwalk, Connecticut beat Monongahela, Pennsylvania by a score 4 to 3. A team from Montreal, Canada became the first participants from outside the US in the history of the event.-Results:...
.
The 14 year old Babe Ruth League team won the championship in 2008.
In 2011, the Norwalk American Senior Legion baseball team won the Connecticut State Championship for the first time. This had not been accomplished by any other Norwalk Legion team in the storied 83 year history. The team defeated Branford, CT in the championship game.
The girls Norwalk Pride fast pitch softball team won the Connecticut State Championship in 2005, 2006, and 2007.
Being a coastal city Norwalk is home to a great many water sports including competitive swimming recreational 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...
and 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....
, sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
, and kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
.
The Norwalk River
Norwalk River
The Norwalk River is a river in southwestern Connecticut, approximately long. The word "Norwalk" comes from the Algonquian word "noyank" meaning "point of land".-Description:...
and inner Norwalk Harbor
Norwalk Harbor
Norwalk Harbor is a recreational and commercial harbor and seaportat the estuary of the Norwalk River where it flows into Long Island Soundin Norwalk, Connecticut, United States.The last portion of the Norwalk River from the head of navigation...
host rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
events and organizations.
Norwalk resident Daniel Walsh
Daniel Walsh
Daniel Walsh is an American rower. He won a bronze medal in the men's eight at the 2008 Summer Olympics....
won a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
in Beijing
with the U.S. Olympic rowing team in the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
There are three golf courses in the city of Norwalk.
The cross town rivalry between the city's two largest high schools' sports teams can be rather
fierce, particularly for the football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
teams in the fall; as well as
lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
, baseball
Baseball
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...
, and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
teams in the spring. McMahon high school's boys lacrosse
team went on to win the state division 2 lacrosse championship in 2000.
In professional team sports Norwalk is represented by the Connecticut Wildcats
Connecticut Wildcats
The Connecticut Wildcats are an American semi-professional rugby league football team based in Norwalk, Connecticut. They currently compete in the American National Rugby League ....
in the American National Rugby League
American National Rugby League
The American National Rugby League is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition...
.
Education
The Superintendent (education)Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of Norwalk Public Schools is Dr. Susan Marks,.
The public school system has three high schools, each covering Grades 9 through 12: The oldest, Norwalk High School (founded in 1902) is the home of the Norwalk Bears. Brien McMahon High School
Brien McMahon High School
Brien McMahon High School is a secondary school located in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA. It is named after Brien McMahon, a former United States Senator from Norwalk. The school's mascot is a Senator with the school colors being red, white, and blue. The school's first senior class graduated in 1962...
(founded in 1960) is named for U.S. Senator Brien McMahon
Brien McMahon
Brien McMahon, born James O'Brien McMahon was an American lawyer and politician who served in the United States Senate from 1945 to 1952...
. The third is Briggs High School
Richard C. Briggs High School
Richard C. Briggs High School is a secondary school located in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA. It opened in 1938 as a replacement for the Winnipauk School. Later it was turned into the secondary level Center for Vocational Arts but is now named after Dr. Richard C. Briggs, who was superintendent of...
, which was named for Dr. Richard C. Briggs, who was superintendent of schools from 1971 to 1980. Briggs High School was formerly known as the Briggs Center for Vocational Arts and is an alternative to the two traditional high schools.
The city has four public middle schools, for grades 6–8: West Rocks Middle School
West Rocks Middle School
West Rocks Middle School is a junior high school located in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA. The principal of the school is Dr. Lynne Moore. The school feeds into Norwalk High School. The school mascot is a panther...
and Nathan Hale Middle School
Nathan Hale Middle School
Nathan Hale Middle School is a middle school in Norwalk, Connecticut, Fairfield County, United States of America. Nathan Hale is the top middle school in Norwalk due to the outstanding test scores of the class of 2007. It feeds into Norwalk High School, a high school with a renowned music program...
, which feed into Norwalk High School, as well as Roton Middle School and Ponus Ridge Middle School
Ponus Ridge Middle School
Ponus Ridge Middle School is a middle school in the West Norwalk section of Norwalk, Connecticut, USA. It feeds into Brien McMahon High School....
, which feed into Brien McMahon High School.
There are twelve elementary schools in the Norwalk public school district: Brookside, Columbus Magnet, Cranbury, Fox Run, Jefferson, Kendall, Marvin, Naramake, Rowayton, Silvermine, Tracey, and Wolfpit. One charter school, Side by Side Community School, is located in South Norwalk.
In 2006, three of the city's four middle schools and nine of its twelve elementary schools, along with a "community school" were cited as falling behind in standards for the federal "No Child Left Behind" Act. Three elementary schools had not met the standards for two years in a row, so students in those schools are offered the choice to go to a Norwalk public school that hasn't been designated as needing improvement.
Aside from public schools, there is also the private All Saints Catholic School, which offers preschool through 8th grade education; the Montessori Middle School for grades 5–8; and the Winston Preparatory School
Winston Preparatory School
The Winston Prepararory School is a private, co-ed day school located in New York City with a second school that opened in Norwalk, Connecticut in September 2007....
for grades 6–12, and starting in the fall of 2009 the Connecticut Friends School
Connecticut Friends School
Connecticut Friends School is a K-8 elementary and middle school located in Wilton, Connecticut run by the Religious Society of Friends. Founded in 1998, the school's enrollment consists of approximately 60 students....
will offer classes for K-8.
Post-secondary education
- Norwalk Community CollegeNorwalk Community CollegeNorwalk Community College , formerly known as Norwalk State Technical College and Norwalk Community-Technical College, is a public community college in Norwalk, Connecticut. It is the second-largest of the twelve colleges in the Connecticut Community Colleges.The school, which has an open...
- Gibbs College, Norwalk campusGibbs CollegeKatharine Gibbs College was a private for-profit institution of higher learning based in the United States of America, founded by Katharine Gibbs....
Emergency medical services
Norwalk is served 24/7 by Norwalk HospitalNorwalk Hospital
Norwalk Hospital is a nonprofit, acute-care, community hospital in the Spring Hill section of Norwalk, Connecticut. It is also a teaching hospital....
and Norwalk Hospital EMS, a progressive 911 paramedic service. The service consists of hospital based paramedics and EMT-Is who serve Norwalk as well as New Canaan, Wilton, Weston, and Westport. The service responded to over 9,500 medical emergencies in 2008 in the city of Norwalk and 6,000 in the neighboring communities. Norwalk Hospital EMS is widely known as one of the top services in the state and region. Typically the ambulances respond out of Norwalk Hospital
Norwalk Hospital
Norwalk Hospital is a nonprofit, acute-care, community hospital in the Spring Hill section of Norwalk, Connecticut. It is also a teaching hospital....
as the paramedics and EMT-I assist in the Emergency Department while not in the field. NHEMS works closely with other Norwalk first responders (Norwalk Fire and Police Departments).
Fire department
The city of Norwalk is protected 24/7, 365 by the professional firefighters of the Norwalk Fire Department (NFD). The Norwalk Fire Department operates out of 5 Fire Stations, located throughout the city of Norwalk and also operates a fire apparatus fleet of 5 Engines, 2 Trucks, 1 Rescue, 1 Tactical Rescue, 1 Haz-Mat. Unit, 1 Tanker, 1 Fire Boat, 1 Deputy Chief's Command Vehicle, and numerous special, support, and reserve units. The Norwalk Fire Department responds to over 5,000 emergency calls a year.Fire station locations and apparatus
| Engine Company | Truck Company | Special Unit | Command Unit | Address | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine 1 | Truck 1 | Car 10(Support) | 90 New Canaan Ave. | Broad River | |
| Engine 2 | Truck 2 | Rescue 2, Tac. Rescue 2 | Car 1(Chief), Car 2(Deputy Chief), Car 2(Support) | 121 Connecticut Ave. | Central Norwalk Central Norwalk The Central or Midtown section of Norwalk, Connecticut is an urbanized area in roughly the geographic center of the city, north of the South Norwalk neighborhood and the Connecticut Turnpike. Wall Street, West Avenue and Belden Avenue are the main thoroughfares... |
| Engine 3 | 56 Van Zant St. | East Norwalk East Norwalk East Norwalk is a neighborhood located in Norwalk, Connecticut.The neighborhood is a culturally diverse, mostly middle-class section of the city, inhabited by many different ethnicities such as Greeks, Italians, Hispanics, African Americans, and long time "Connecticut Yankee" residents... |
|||
| Engine 4 | 180 Westport Ave. | Cranbury Cranbury (Norwalk) Cranbury is a neighborhood or section in the northeast corner of the city of Norwalk in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States.The Save Cranbury Association, a local community group, describes itself as an "association of citizens dedicated to the preservation of the historical, rural... |
|||
| Engine 5 | 23 Meadow St. | South Norwalk |
- The Norwalk Fire Department also operates a Fire Apparatus Maintenance Facility in Central Norwalk on Fairfield Ave. It houses a Haz-Mat./Crane Unit, a Tanker, 3 Reserve Engines(7, 8, 10), 2 Reserve Trucks(Ladder 1, 3), 2 Reserve Rescues(1, 3), a Reserve Deputy Chief's vehicle(Car 3), and numerous support vehicles. Also, Reserve Engine 6 and a second Reserve Deputy Chief's vehicle, as well as a fireboat and technical rescue trailer are stationed at Fire Headquarters on Connecticut Avenue and Reserve Engine 9 is stationed at the Broad River Fire Station. The city's fireboat, Marine 24 is docked at the Norwalk Police Department dock in South Norwalk.
Police department
Founded in 1913, the Norwalk Police Department (NPD) currently has approximately 180 sworn police officers and 3 police dogs.Annual events
- Norwalk Harbor Splash!, held in early June and started in 1995, the festival features arts and crafts booths, food vendors, music, a parade, and dragon boatDragon boatA dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft traditionally made, in the Pearl River delta region of southern China - Guangdong Province, of teak wood to various designs and sizes. In other parts of China different woods are used to build these traditional watercraft...
races. - St. George Greek Orthodox Festival, held in early June, the festival features GreekGreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
delicacies, Pontic Greek dance exhibitions and a large carnival. - Round Hill Highland Games, a festival of ScottishScottish peopleThe Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
culture and athletic events, was started in 1923 in Greenwich, CTGreenwich, ConnecticutGreenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
but interrupted during World War II, then restarted in 1952, and has been held in Norwalk's Cranbury Park on or around July 4 for a number of years. In 2006, the 83rd annual event attracted 4,000 people to hear bagpipesBagpipesBagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
and watch the caber tossCaber tossThe caber toss is a traditional Irish athletic event practised at the Irish Highland Games involving the tossing of a large wooden pole called a caber. It is said to have developed from the need to toss logs across narrow chasms to cross them. In Irishtown the caber is usually made from a Larch tree...
, the hammer throwHammer throwThe modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object is to throw a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle. The name "hammer throw" is derived from older competitions where an actual sledge hammer was thrown...
, and other events; with athletes often wearing wool kiltKiltThe kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic heritage even more broadly...
s. Games for children are also offered. Food and Scottish items are offered for sale. Organizers say the event is the third-oldest Scottish games festival in the United States. - SoNo Arts Celebration, held in mid-summer
- Kayak for a CauseKayak for a CauseKayak for a Cause is a non-profit kayaking fundraiser that takes place annually on Long Island Sound on the eastern coast of the United States...
, a fund-raising event held every summer since 2000 at Calf Pasture BeachCalf Pasture BeachCalf Pasture Beach is an historically significant park and beach in East Norwalk, Connecticut along Long Island Sound.The area of the park lands is approximately ....
. - The Norwalk Oyster Festival, held first weekend after Labor DayLabor DayLabor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
- Norwalk Boat Show, held in late September
- The Lockwood-Mathews MansionLockwood-Mathews MansionThe Lockwood-Mathews Mansion is a Second Empire style country house, now a museum, in Norwalk, Connecticut. It was featured in the movies The Stepford Wives and House of Dark Shadows....
Museum has hosted an annual antique show since 1978. In 2006 the show was held the last weekend in October and attracted dealers from Ohio and Pennsylvania as well as Connecticut.
Sites on the National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Route 1 in Connecticut
In the U.S. state of Connecticut, U.S. Route 1 is a major east–west state highway along Long Island Sound. It has been replaced by Interstate 95 as a through route, which it closely parallels, and now primarily serves as a local business route...
, East and Morgan Avenues). The district contains examples of Federal Style, Greek Revival, and Late Victorian architecture
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
. (added 1987)
Another local site on the Register is the Former Joseph Loth Company Building (25 Grand St.). The 133000 square feet (12,356.1 m²) building, since renovated as an apartment building and renamed "Clocktower Close" in the mid-1980s, has an 85 feet (25.9 m)-high Romanesque Revival clocktower(added 1984)
These other sites are also on the Register: the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion (added 1970), the former Rock Ledge estate in Rowayton
Rowayton, Connecticut
Rowayton is a section of Norwalk, Connecticut. Located on the Long Island Sound just 45 miles from New York City, Rowayton is a coastal New England village...
(1977), the Norwalk Museum (1995), and three lighthouses—the Sheffield Island Light
Sheffield Island Light
Sheffield Island Light is an historic Connecticut, USA, lighthouse located at the southern end of the Norwalk Islands on the west entrance of the Norwalk River on northern Long Island Sound....
house, Peck Ledge Lighthouse
Pecks Ledge Light
Pecks Ledge Light, also known as "Peck Ledge Lighthouse", is a sparkplug lighthouse in Norwalk, Connecticut, United States, southeast of Norwalk Harbor and northeast of Goose Island among the Norwalk Islands on Long Island Sound...
, the Onion dome
Onion dome
An onion dome is a dome whose shape resembles the onion, after which they are named. Such domes are often larger in diameter than the drum upon which they are set, and their height usually exceeds their width...
d, 1906 Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of the Romanticist fascination with all things oriental...
building of Beth Israel of Norwalk/Westport
Beth Israel of Norwalk/Westport
The former Beth Israel Synagogue is a historic Orthodox synagogue building located at 31 Concord Street in the South Norwalk section of the city of Norwalk, Connecticut. The Moorish Revival style building, is the only known synagogue building in Connecticut displaying Moorish Onion domes, and an...
and Greens Ledge Light
Greens Ledge Light
Greens Ledge Lighthouse is a sparkplug lighthouse in Connecticut,United States, off the southwest end of the Norwalk Islands, Long Island Sound, near Norwalk, Connecticut...
house. The most recently added site to the historical register is Village Creek, which was the first community in the United States to be racially integrated
Racial integration
Racial integration, or simply integration includes desegregation . In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of race, and the development of a culture that draws on diverse traditions, rather than merely...
. The community was added to the register in August 2010.
For additional Norwalk sites on the list, see South Norwalk.
Media
Several publications regularly cover news in Norwalk, including two daily newspapers, a weekly newspaper and two professional news websites. The HourThe Hour (newspaper)
The Hour is a daily newspaper published in Norwalk, Connecticut. It serves the municipalities of Norwalk, Wilton, Westport, Weston and Stamford. The newspaper was founded in 1871. It was published under the title The Evening Hour from 1895 into the 1900s, at which point it was renamed The Norwalk...
is an independent daily newspaper based in Norwalk and founded in 1871. The Advocate (Stamford)
The Advocate (Stamford)
The Advocate is a seven-day daily newspaper based in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. The paper shares a publisher and editor with the Greenwich Time; both are owned and operated by the Hearst Corporation, a multinational corporate media conglomerate with $4 billion in revenues.The Advocate circulates...
, a unit of Hearst Corp., had a Norwalk edition with a bureau in the city, but both have since closed down, and the Advocate provides occasional coverage, much of which also appears in the Norwalk Citizen-News, a weekly also owned by Hearst. The Daily Norwalk (owned by Main Street Connect
Main Street Connect
Main Street Connect is an American community journalism company specializing in hyperlocal media, that is located in Norwalk, Connecticut, and currently operates several town-based news web sites in Fairfield County, Connecticut...
, which is headquartered in Norwalk).
News 12 Connecticut
News 12 Networks
News 12 Networks comprises seven regional cable news television channels in the New York metropolitan area. The channels offer local news 24-hours a day and reach approximately 3.8 million television households in the tri-state area...
, a 24-hour regional news channel covering events in southwestern Connecticut is based in Norwalk. News 12 Connecticut is owned and operated by Cablevision, a unit of Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc.
Rainbow Media
AMC Networks is an entertainment company in the United States that owns the national cable channels AMC, IFC, WE tv, and Sundance Channel; the regional News 12 Networks, the art house movie theater IFC Center in New York, New York, and the film company IFC Films.The company was originally launched...
and is available to subscribers of that cable television service.
Rowayton is also covered by New Canaan-Darien & Rowayton magazine, a glossy monthly is owned by Moffly Publications.
Bus
Public transportation within Norwalk is provided primarily by the Norwalk Transit District's
Norwalk Transit District
The Norwalk Transit District is the primary provider of public transportation services in Norwalk, Connecticut and surrounding communities. The district's fixed-route bus transit system, known as WHEELS, is the primary service of the system linking Norwalk and its immediate suburbs as well as...
"WHEELS" bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es. The WHEELS buses offer extensive service in Norwalk and Westport
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
and the Norwalk Transit District operates services throughout southwestern Connecticut. The state run Connecticut Transit
Connecticut Transit
Connecticut Transit is a bus system serving much of the U.S. state of Connecticut and is a division of that state's Department of Transportation. CT Transit provides bus service via contract providers for seven different metropolitan areas in the state, mostly concentrated in Hartford and New...
Coastal Link buses operate through Norwalk as part of the Stamford Division
Connecticut Transit Stamford
Connecticut Transit Stamford is the division of Connecticut Transit for the Stamford, area. In Stamford it provides service on 18 routes around Stamford, Connecticut, with routes centered around downtown Stamford and providing local bus service to Norwalk, White Plains, New York via the I-Bus, and...
.
Rail
The Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
's main New Haven and Danbury branch lines
both run through Norwalk. Metro-North provides passenger
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
and commuter
service to four stations within the city, with direct connections to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
,
Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, and New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
.
The South Norwalk
South Norwalk (Metro-North station)
The South Norwalk Metro-North Railroad station is one of three stations serving the residents of Norwalk, Connecticut via the New Haven Line and is the more significant of the three. Nicknamed "SoNo" by riders and staff, the station is the point where the Danbury Branch connects to the Northeast...
station lies along the main line and is also the southern
terminus of the Danbury branch line. The Rowayton
Rowayton (Metro-North station)
The Rowayton Metro-North Railroad station is one of three New Haven Line stations serving the residents of Norwalk, Connecticut. It is located in the neighborhood of Rowayton, from which it derives its name....
and East Norwalk
East Norwalk (Metro-North station)
The East Norwalk Metro-North Railroad station is one of three New Haven Line stations serving the residents of Norwalk, Connecticut. It is located in the neighborhood of East Norwalk, from which it derives its name....
stations are along the New Haven main line. The Merritt 7
Merritt 7 (Metro-North station)
The Merritt 7 Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the northern part of Norwalk, Connecticut via the Danbury Branch of the New Haven Line. Merritt 7 is named for a nearby business park based at the intersection of the Merritt Parkway and United States Route 7...
station lies along the
Danbury branch line. The New Haven line bridge over the Norwalk River
Norwalk River
The Norwalk River is a river in southwestern Connecticut, approximately long. The word "Norwalk" comes from the Algonquian word "noyank" meaning "point of land".-Description:...
is the only four track
swing bridge
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
in the nation. The main line comprises a segment along 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...
's
Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
though the national passenger railroad does not provide service
to Norwalk. The nearest stations that Amtrak does stop at are Stamford
Stamford (Metro-North station)
The Stamford Metro-North Railroad station, officially known as the Stamford Transportation Center serves commuters both leaving and entering Stamford, Connecticut via the New Haven Line. Some Amtrak Northeast Corridor trains also stop at Stamford....
and
Bridgeport
Bridgeport (Metro-North station)
The Bridgeport Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Bridgeport, Connecticut and its surrounding towns that do not have a Metro-North stop like Trumbull, via the New Haven Line. The station is the transfer point between the Waterbury Branch and the Northeast Corridor mainline...
. The Connecticut Department of Transportation
Connecticut Department of Transportation
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The current Commissioner of ConnDOT is Jeffrey Parker...
's
Shore Line East
Shore Line East
Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation , SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with continuing service to Bridgeport...
passenger service trains also run through Norwalk, though only a few SLE
trains stop at South Norwalk station. Shore Line East
Shore Line East
Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation , SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with continuing service to Bridgeport...
trains also stop at nearby
Stamford
Stamford (Metro-North station)
The Stamford Metro-North Railroad station, officially known as the Stamford Transportation Center serves commuters both leaving and entering Stamford, Connecticut via the New Haven Line. Some Amtrak Northeast Corridor trains also stop at Stamford....
and Bridgeport
Bridgeport (Metro-North station)
The Bridgeport Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Bridgeport, Connecticut and its surrounding towns that do not have a Metro-North stop like Trumbull, via the New Haven Line. The station is the transfer point between the Waterbury Branch and the Northeast Corridor mainline...
stations.
Freight service over the rail lines in Norwalk is provided by CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
and the Providence and Worcester Railroad
Providence and Worcester Railroad
The Providence and Worcester Railroad is a Class II railroad in the United States. The railroad connects from Gardner in central Massachusetts, south through its namesake cities of Worcester and Providence, Rhode Island, and west from Rhode Island through Connecticut and into New York City...
. During the week,
over 200 trains a day pass through Norwalk.
Air
There is no scheduled air service directly into Norwalk, but there are airports nearby such as LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
and John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
in
New York City; Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
in Newark, New Jersey; Westchester County Airport
Westchester County Airport
Westchester County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of White Plains, in the towns of Harrison, North Castle and Rye Brook.It serves the areas of...
in Westchester County; Stewart International Airport
Stewart International Airport
Stewart International Airport is located in the southern Hudson Valley, west of Newburgh, New York and over north of Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The airport is located in the Town of Newburgh and the Town of New Windsor."." U.S. Census Bureau...
in Newburgh, New York; and Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
in Windsor Locks (near Hartford) Connecticut.
Nearby general aviation airports include Danbury Municipal Airport
Danbury Municipal Airport
Danbury Municipal Airport is a public use general aviation airport located three miles southwest of the central business district of Danbury, in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The airport opened in 1930. It is currently run by the city of Danbury.The Reliant Air building burned...
in Danbury, Sikorsky Memorial Airport
Sikorsky Memorial Airport
Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport , formerly known as Bridgeport Municipal Airport, is a public airport located in Stratford, three miles southeast of the central business district of Bridgeport, in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States...
in Stratford, and the Tweed New Haven Regional Airport in New Haven.
Roads and highways
Interstate 95Interstate 95 in Connecticut
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
crosses through Norwalk, and there are several exits within the Norwalk city limits. The Merritt Parkway
Merritt Parkway
The Merritt Parkway is a historic limited-access parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The parkway is known for its scenic layout, its uniquely styled signage, and the architecturally elaborate overpasses along the route. It is designated as a National Scenic Byway and is also listed in the...
also crosses through Norwalk. Both of these roads are designated to be north/south routes, but through Norwalk, both of them primarily travel east/west. The major north-south artery is Route 7
U.S. Route 7
U.S. Route 7 is a north–south United States highway in western New England that runs for from Norwalk, Connecticut, to Highgate, Vermont. The highway's southern terminus is at Interstate 95 in Norwalk, Connecticut...
, which begins at Interstate 95. There is an exit to the Merritt Parkway
Merritt Parkway
The Merritt Parkway is a historic limited-access parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The parkway is known for its scenic layout, its uniquely styled signage, and the architecturally elaborate overpasses along the route. It is designated as a National Scenic Byway and is also listed in the...
, but only southbound towards New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, as environmental activists have successfully blocked a full interchange between the two arteries. In northern Norwalk, Route 7 changes from a limited access, divided highway to an ordinary surface road. Originally, the intent was to build the "Super 7" highway (in a different place than the current Route 7), which would link Interstate 95 with Interstate 84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
in Danbury
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
, but environmental groups and slow-growth
Smart growth
Smart growth is an urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in compact walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl and advocates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools, complete streets, and mixed-use development with a...
advocates succeeded in preventing this highway from being built (although the state of Connecticut continues to own the land to build the highway). Other state highways in Norwalk are Route 53
Route 53 (Connecticut)
Route 53 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut, connecting the cities of Norwalk and Danbury. Most of the route has been made redundant by U.S...
, Route 123, and Route 136.
The Route 123 bridge over the Norwalk River, which was undergoing being replaced from August 2007 to August 2008, was one of 12 bridges in the southwestern part of the state (including New Haven) with safety inspection ratings so low they are (or were) considered to be in critical condition.
Utilities
Electricity in most of Norwalk is provided by the Northeast UtilitiesNortheast Utilities
Northeast Utilities is a publicly-traded, Fortune 500 energy company headquartered in Berlin, Connecticut, with several regulated subsidiaries offering retail electricity and natural gas service to more than 2.1 million customers in New England....
's
Connecticut Light and Power Company division (CL&P). However, within the second and
third
East Norwalk
East Norwalk is a neighborhood located in Norwalk, Connecticut.The neighborhood is a culturally diverse, mostly middle-class section of the city, inhabited by many different ethnicities such as Greeks, Italians, Hispanics, African Americans, and long time "Connecticut Yankee" residents...
taxing districts the taxing districts
Special-purpose district
Special-purpose districts or special district governments in the United States are independent governmental units that exist separately from, and with substantial administrative and fiscal independence from, general purpose local governments such as county, municipal, and township governments. As...
act as the local electric power
utility company. Residents of those districts are billed by the district. The districts in turn purchase
wholesale power and arrange for its delivery to, and distribution within, the district. Power lines and meters in
East Norwalk
East Norwalk
East Norwalk is a neighborhood located in Norwalk, Connecticut.The neighborhood is a culturally diverse, mostly middle-class section of the city, inhabited by many different ethnicities such as Greeks, Italians, Hispanics, African Americans, and long time "Connecticut Yankee" residents...
, South Norwalk, and parts of Rowayton are maintained by line crews employed by the district
and they may be seen driving about in trucks with district logos. Both the second (SNEW) and third (TTD) district electric departments belong to the six member
Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative which pools their wholesale power purchasing to obtain lower rates
for customers. The history of municipal power in Norwalk extends back to the 1890s when
Albert A. Winchester was an early and forceful advocate of it. In 1892 Winchester designed the city of South Norwalk's
generating station – remnants of which still lie along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in South Norwalk in front of the
railroad station
South Norwalk (Metro-North station)
The South Norwalk Metro-North Railroad station is one of three stations serving the residents of Norwalk, Connecticut via the New Haven Line and is the more significant of the three. Nicknamed "SoNo" by riders and staff, the station is the point where the Danbury Branch connects to the Northeast...
.
The newer power plant on Manressa Island (near the Harbor View neighborhood)
does still generate power within the city. The Manressa generation plant was originally
a coal fired plant but was converted to burn oil. It was operated up until the early
first decade of the 21st century by CL&P but is now operated under contract by another company.
In 2004 the third taxing district installed 3 diesel powered generators at the
Norden complex on Norden Place that were initially licensed only for emergency power supply.
By summer 2008 the generators, with a combined capacity of 6 Megawatts, had been upgraded to
allow licensed operation as regular power providers for the grid (not just emergency
power).
In 2007 and 2008 the
construction of the Middletown-Norwalk transmission line
Middletown-Norwalk transmission line
The Middletown-Norwalk Transmission Line is a 69-mile , 345-kilovolt AC transmission line between Middletown and Norwalk in the U.S. state of Connecticut...
disrupted traffic along the Boston Post Road, but the
completion of the line is hoped to help CL&P to provide additional power to lower Fairfield County. In addition
a high-voltage undersea line runs from Manressa Island to Long Island to help provide electric power to
Long Island Power Authority
Long Island Power Authority
The Long Island Power Authority or LIPA [ "lie-pah" ], a municipal subdivision of the State of New York, was created under the Long Island Power Act of 1985 to acquire the Long Island Lighting Company 's assets and securities...
customers. In 2008 the city government of Norwalk started initial investigations
of whether the city might resume generating power for sale to electricity customers in the city.
Natural gas is provided by Northeast Utilities' Yankee Gas subsidiary.
Water in most of the city is provided by the Aquarion Water Company from reservoirs in Wilton.
In the first
Central Norwalk
The Central or Midtown section of Norwalk, Connecticut is an urbanized area in roughly the geographic center of the city, north of the South Norwalk neighborhood and the Connecticut Turnpike. Wall Street, West Avenue and Belden Avenue are the main thoroughfares...
and second taxing districts
the taxing districts act as the local water utility provider.
Notable people, past and present
Notable residents and others connected to Norwalk include Andy Rooney, commentator on 60 Minutes60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
, who lives in Rowayton, as does author Philip Caputo
Philip Caputo
Philip Caputo is an American author and journalist. He is best-known for A Rumor of War, a best-selling memoir of his experiences during the Vietnam War....
. A. Scott Berg
A. Scott Berg
Andrew Scott Berg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American biographer. After graduating from Princeton University in 1971, Berg expanded his senior thesis, about editor Maxwell Perkins, into a full-length biography. Maxwell Perkins: Editor of Genius won a National Book Award, and his second book,...
, an award-winning biographer of celebrities was born in Norwalk. Johnny Gruelle
Johnny Gruelle
Johnny Gruelle was an American artist, political cartoonist, children's book author and illustrator . He is known as the creator of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy...
, artist and author, creator of Raggedy Ann
Raggedy Ann
Raggedy Ann is a fictional character created by American writer Johnny Gruelle in a series of books he wrote and illustrated for young children. Raggedy Ann is a rag doll with red yarn for hair and has a triangle nose...
, lived in town before he moved to Wilton
Wilton, Connecticut
Wilton is a town nestled in the Norwalk River Valley in southwestern Connecticut in the United States. It is located in Fairfield County. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 18,062. In 2007, it was voted as one of CNN Money's "Best Places to Live" in the United States.Located along...
. Big Band composer Arthur (Artie) Shaw
Artie Shaw
Arthur Jacob Arshawsky , better known as Artie Shaw, was an American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader. He was also the author of both fiction and non-fiction writings....
lived in Norwalk in the 1950s. Jazz-piano great Horace Silver
Horace Silver
Horace Silver , born Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva in Norwalk, Connecticut, is an American jazz pianist and composer....
was also born in Norwalk.
Multi-Grammy award winner Vince Mendoza
Vince Mendoza
Vince Mendoza is a music arranger and composer.Mendoza was born in Connecticut and studied guitar as a child, influenced by classical music, soul and jazz. He then took up the trumpet, which he continued to play throughout his time at Ohio State University, where he played in the Jazz Ensemble and...
was born and raised in Norwalk. NBA Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy, and baseball player Mo Vaughn
Mo Vaughn
Maurice Samuel 'Mo' Vaughn , nicknamed "The Hit Dog", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played from 1991 to 2003...
both hail from Norwalk. The late Bob Miller was born in the city. Two Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipients came from Norwalk: John D. Magrath
John D. Magrath
John D. Magrath was a soldier in the U.S. Army who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions and sacrifice of life during World War II for actions occurring in Italy on April 14, 1945. He served in the 10th Mountain Division...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and Daniel J. Shea
Daniel J. Shea
Daniel John Shea was a soldier in the US Army who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions and sacrifice of life during the Vietnam for actions occurring in the Quang Tri Province on May 14, 1969....
in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Movies filmed in Norwalk
Full-length features and documentary movies, partially filmed or completely taking place in Norwalk, listed in reverse chronological order:- Best Laid Plans (2009).
- Confessions of a ShopaholicConfessions of a Shopaholic (film)Confessions of a Shopaholic is a 2009 American romantic comedy film based on the Shopaholic series of novels by Sophie Kinsella. Directed by P. J. Hogan, the film stars Isla Fisher as the shopaholic journalist and Hugh Dancy as her boss.-Plot:...
(2009). — filmed along Washington Street in SoNo. - Old Dogs (2009).
- Birds of America (film)Birds of America (film)Birds of America is an offbeat American family dramedy directed by Craig Lucas, written by Elyse Friedman, and starring Matthew Perry. It premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival...
(2008). - College Road TripCollege Road TripCollege Road Trip is a 2008 American family/comedy directed by Roger Kumble and starring Martin Lawrence, Raven-Symoné, Brenda Song, Margo Harshman, and Donny Osmond. The film centers on college-bound teen Melanie Porter , who goes on a road trip to different colleges with her father...
(2008). — scenes filmed in town in mid-July 2007; shooting locations were the former Norwalk police headquarters building in Matthews Park, on the Merritt Parkway and along the Route 7 connector. - Pistol Whipped (2008).
- Revolutionary RoadRevolutionary Road (film)Revolutionary Road is a 2008 American drama film directed by Sam Mendes, from screenplay by Justin Haythe, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It is based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Richard Yates....
(2008). - Righteous Kill (2008).
- The Six Wives of Henry LeFayThe Six Wives of Henry LeFayThe Six Wives of Henry Lefay is a 2009 American comedy film starring Elisha Cuthbert and Tim Allen. A grieving daughter tries to arrange her father's funeral, while putting up with all of his ex-wives...
(2008). - Filmed in 2007 on Wall Street in Norwalk Center. - Wetlands Preserved: The Story of an Activist Nightclub (2008).
- Freezer Burn (2007).
- The Life Before Her Eyes (2007), currently in production. Uma ThurmanUma ThurmanUma Karuna Thurman is an American actress and model. She has performed in leading roles in a variety of films, ranging from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action movies. Among her best-known roles are those in the Quentin Tarantino films Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill...
filmed a scene at Norwalk Community CollegeNorwalk Community CollegeNorwalk Community College , formerly known as Norwalk State Technical College and Norwalk Community-Technical College, is a public community college in Norwalk, Connecticut. It is the second-largest of the twelve colleges in the Connecticut Community Colleges.The school, which has an open...
in August, 2006. - Henry May Long (2006) — filmed at the Lockwood-Mathews MansionLockwood-Mathews MansionThe Lockwood-Mathews Mansion is a Second Empire style country house, now a museum, in Norwalk, Connecticut. It was featured in the movies The Stepford Wives and House of Dark Shadows....
. - Satan's Little HelperSatan's Little HelperSatan's Little Helper is a low-budget black comedy/horror film directed by Jeff Lieberman. It was filmed with HD cameras around New York City, USA in 2003 and premiered at film festivals in 2004. It had a direct-to-DVD release on October 4, 2005.-Plot:...
(2004). - The Stepford WivesThe Stepford Wives (2004 film)The Stepford Wives is a 2004 American science fiction film. The film is a remake of the 1975 film of the same name; both films are based on the Ira Levin novel The Stepford Wives...
(2004). - The Object of My AffectionThe Object of My AffectionThe Object of My Affection is a 1998 romantic comedy film, adapted from the book of the same title by Stephen McCauley, and starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. The story concerns a pregnant New York social worker who develops romantic feelings for her gay best friend, and the complications...
(1998). - The Stepford WivesThe Stepford Wives (1975 film)The Stepford Wives is a 1975 science fiction–thriller film based on the 1972 Ira Levin novel of the same name. It was directed by Bryan Forbes with a screenplay by William Goldman, and stars Katharine Ross, Paula Prentiss, Peter Masterson, Nanette Newman and Tina Louise...
(1975).
Television
- For One More Day (television movie, ABC, December 2007). — filmed in July 2007 on Broad Street.
- To All My Friends On Shore (1972, made for TV movie).
- House of Dark ShadowsHouse of Dark ShadowsHouse of Dark Shadows is a 1970 feature-length horror film directed by Dan Curtis based on his Dark Shadows television series. Filming took place at Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, New York with additional footage at nearby Sleepy Hollow Cemetery: parts of the locals appeared on the Dark Shadows series as...
(1970, TV series). — "Abandoned Monastery" portions filmed at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion.
In popular culture
- In J. D. Salinger'sJ. D. SalingerJerome David Salinger was an American author, best known for his 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, as well as his reclusive nature. His last original published work was in 1965; he gave his last interview in 1980....
novel, The Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, it has since become popular with adolescent readers for its themes of teenage confusion, angst, alienation, language, and rebellion. It has been translated into almost all of the world's major...
, Holden'sHolden CaulfieldHolden Caulfield is the 16-to-17 years old protagonist of author J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. He is universally recognized for his resistance to growing older and desire to protect childhood innocence...
parents are attending a party in Norwalk the night he sneaks into his apartment to visit his sister, Phoebe. - In Jonathan Franzen'sJonathan FranzenJonathan Franzen is an American novelist and essayist. His third novel, The Corrections , a sprawling, satirical family drama, drew widespread critical acclaim, earned Franzen a National Book Award, and was a finalist for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction...
novel, The CorrectionsThe CorrectionsThe Corrections is a 2001 novel by American author Jonathan Franzen. It revolves around the troubles of an elderly Midwestern couple and their three adult children, tracing their lives from the mid-twentieth century to "one last Christmas" together near the turn of the millennium...
, Chip Lambert holds a "twelve-hour vigil" at a Dunkin' DonutsDunkin' DonutsDunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
in Norwalk (stalking Melissa Paquette in neighboring WestportWestport, Connecticut-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
).
Government
Community associations and institutions
- Norwalk Chamber of Commerce
- Norwalk Seaport Association, Sponsors of the annual Oyster festival (a 3-day carnival usually held the 2nd weekend of September) and other local heritage events
- Web page about the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument at the intersection of Washington Street and Martin Luther King Drive
- Norwalk Connecticut Exchange Club
Other
- Facts about Norwalk
- Fairfield County Business Journal slideshow
- Norwalk Transit District routes, maps, guides, timetables.