Putnam, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Putnam is a town
in Windham County
, Connecticut
, United States
. The population was 9,002 as of the 2000 census. It is home to WINY
, an AM radio station.
Putnam, originally known as Aspinock, then part of Killingly, is a New England
mill town
incorporated in 1855. Created from sections of Killingly, Pomfret
, Woodstock, CT and Thompson
, the town was named in honor of Revolutionary War General Israel Putnam
.
Putnam was a key contributor in providing clothing
and other goods to the Civil War
soldier
s. There were numerous mills
and a train ran through the town, providing transportation for the goods being produced.
On August 19, 1955, Putnam was devastated by floods
from torrential downpours caused by two hurricanes, which hit Connecticut within the span of a week. Hurricane Connie
affected Connecticut on August 13, dropping between four and six inches (152 mm) of rain across the state. Hurricane Diane
soaked the state with 14 inches (355.6 mm) of rain on August 18–19. The result was flooding in many of the state's rivers, including the Quinebaug River
. The resulting torrent of water destroyed homes, businesses and factories. Floating magnesium
barrels burst, lighting up the night. The railroad bed was washed away.
Toward the end of the twentieth century, the town took advantage of the empty mills and underutilized downtown commercial buildings to develop a large antique center. Antique shop
s line Main Street and other areas in town.
In 2006, the town made national news after an individual was shot twice by masked robbers while waiting in a group overnight outside a local Wal-Mart
for the release of the PlayStation 3
video game console. The alleged perpetrators were apprehended.
Putnam was also the unlikely base of operations for the All-Russian Fascist Organization, a pre-war Russia
n emigre group that advocated fascism
for the country under Anastasy Vonsyatsky
.
, the town has a total area of 20.4 square miles (52.8 km²), of which, 20.3 square miles (52.6 km²) are land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km²) (0.54%) is water. The town is drained by the Quinebaug River
. Putnam has a common boundaries with Thompson on the north (approx. 6 mi.), with Rhode Island on the east (approx. 2 mi.), with Killingly on the south (approx. 7 mi.) and with Pomfret and Woodstock on the west (approx. 4 mi.).
The town is crossed by Interstate 395, U.S. Route 44
, Connecticut Route 12
, Connecticut Route 21 and Connecticut Route 171
.
of 2006, there were 8,998 people, 3,683 households, and 2,290 families residing in the town. The population density
was 443.6 people per square mile (171.3/km²). There were 3,955 housing units at an average density of 194.9 per square mile (75.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.32% White, 1.30% African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races
, and 1.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.87% of the population.
There were 3,683 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,010, and the median income for a family was $53,460. Males had a median income of $37,390 versus $26,558 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $20,597. About 4.8% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.1% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
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New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Windham County
Windham County, Connecticut
Windham County is a county located in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of 2010, the population was 118,428.The entire county is within the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor, as designated by the National Park Service.-History:Windham...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 9,002 as of the 2000 census. It is home to WINY
WINY
WINY is a heritage radio station that transmits in AM stereo on 1350 kHz and is owned by Osbrey Broadcasting Company. It operates during the daytime with 5,000 watts of power, and at 79 watts nighttime. Its studios and transmitter are located in Putnam, Connecticut.WINY first signed on the air on...
, an AM radio station.
History
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
mill town
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
incorporated in 1855. Created from sections of Killingly, Pomfret
Pomfret, Connecticut
Pomfret is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,798 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, Woodstock, CT and Thompson
Thompson, Connecticut
Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census...
, the town was named in honor of Revolutionary War General Israel Putnam
Israel Putnam
Israel Putnam was an American army general and Freemason who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War...
.
Putnam was a key contributor in providing clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
and other goods to the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s. There were numerous mills
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
and a train ran through the town, providing transportation for the goods being produced.
On August 19, 1955, Putnam was devastated by floods
Flood of 1955 (Connecticut)
The Flood of 1955 in Connecticut is one of the worst floods in Connecticut's history. Two back-to-back hurricanes saturated the land and several river valleys in the state, causing severe flooding in August 1955. The hardest hit were the Mad and Still Rivers in Winsted, the Naugatuck River, the...
from torrential downpours caused by two hurricanes, which hit Connecticut within the span of a week. Hurricane Connie
Hurricane Connie
Hurricane Connie was the first in a series of hurricanes to strike North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season. Connie struck as a Category 1, causing major flooding and inflicting extensive damage to the Outer Banks and inland to Raleigh....
affected Connecticut on August 13, dropping between four and six inches (152 mm) of rain across the state. Hurricane Diane
Hurricane Diane
Hurricane Diane was one of three hurricanes to hit North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season, striking an area that had been hit by Hurricane Connie five days earlier...
soaked the state with 14 inches (355.6 mm) of rain on August 18–19. The result was flooding in many of the state's rivers, including the Quinebaug River
Quinebaug River
The Quinebaug River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, with watershed extending into western Rhode Island. The name "Quinebaug" comes from the southern New England Native American term, spelled variously Qunnubbâgge, Quinibauge, etc., meaning "long pond", from...
. The resulting torrent of water destroyed homes, businesses and factories. Floating magnesium
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
barrels burst, lighting up the night. The railroad bed was washed away.
Toward the end of the twentieth century, the town took advantage of the empty mills and underutilized downtown commercial buildings to develop a large antique center. Antique shop
Antique shop
An antique shop is a retail store specializing in the selling of antiques. Antiques shops can be located either locally and with the advent of the Internet found online...
s line Main Street and other areas in town.
In 2006, the town made national news after an individual was shot twice by masked robbers while waiting in a group overnight outside a local Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
for the release of the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
video game console. The alleged perpetrators were apprehended.
Putnam was also the unlikely base of operations for the All-Russian Fascist Organization, a pre-war Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n emigre group that advocated fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
for the country under Anastasy Vonsyatsky
Anastasy Vonsyatsky
Anastasy Andreyevich Vonsyatsky , better known in the United States as Anastase Andreivitch Vonsiatsky, was a Russian anti-Bolshevik émigré and fascist leader based in the United States since the 1920s....
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 20.4 square miles (52.8 km²), of which, 20.3 square miles (52.6 km²) are land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km²) (0.54%) is water. The town is drained by the Quinebaug River
Quinebaug River
The Quinebaug River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, with watershed extending into western Rhode Island. The name "Quinebaug" comes from the southern New England Native American term, spelled variously Qunnubbâgge, Quinibauge, etc., meaning "long pond", from...
. Putnam has a common boundaries with Thompson on the north (approx. 6 mi.), with Rhode Island on the east (approx. 2 mi.), with Killingly on the south (approx. 7 mi.) and with Pomfret and Woodstock on the west (approx. 4 mi.).
The town is crossed by Interstate 395, U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 in Connecticut
U.S. Route 44 is an east–west U.S. Highway running from Salisbury to Putnam.-Route description:From the New York state line at Salisbury to the Rhode Island state line at Putnam, US 44 runs for a total of in Connecticut. Most of US 44 is known in the state as the Jonathan Trumbull Highway...
, Connecticut Route 12
Connecticut Route 12
Connecticut Route 12 is a state highway that runs between Groton and the state line near Thompson.-History:Route 12 was preceded by New England Interstate Route 12. The southern terminus of NE-12 was originally at New London, Connecticut. It travelled along present-day Route 32 from New London to...
, Connecticut Route 21 and Connecticut Route 171
Connecticut Route 171
Route 171 is a state highway in northeastern Connecticut, running from Union to Putnam.-Route description:Route 171 begins at an interchange from I-84 in northern Union and heads south to the town center, then east, south, and southeast into Eastford. It cuts across the northeast corner of...
.
Notable residents
- Bruce BoisclairBruce BoisclairBruce Armand Boisclair is a former American baseball outfielder. He played all or part of six seasons for the New York Mets from 1974-1979. He also played for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan in 1980....
- baseball outfielder - Henry BreaultHenry BreaultHenry Breault was a United States Navy sailor who received the Medal of Honor for his actions while serving aboard the . He is the only enlisted submariner to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions aboard a United States submarine.-Biography:Henry Breault was born in Putnam, Connecticut, on...
- decorated sailor - Brooke BrodackBrooke BrodackBrooke Allison Brodack , aka Brookers, is an American viral video comedian mainly known for her short videos on YouTube, which have received 49 million views and led to a contract from the mainstream media. The New Yorker called her "the first real YouTube star."Brodack has been making videos since...
- actress and comedian - Lewis C. CarpenterLewis C. CarpenterLewis Cass Carpenter was a U.S. Representative from South Carolina.Born in Putnam, Connecticut, Carpenter attende public schools before moving to New Jersey, where he taught school. He was appointed State inspector of public schools in New Jersey in 1863...
- congressman from South Carolina - John N. Dempsey - mayor and governor of Connecticut
- Candy LaChanceCandy LaChanceGeorge Joseph LaChance was a first baseman who played in Major League Baseball between 1893 and . LaChance was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed...
- baseball first baseman - Richard Normand LangloisRichard Normand LangloisRichard Normand Langlois is an American economist and currently professor at the University of Connecticut. Having studied physics he received his PhD in Engineering-Economic Systems from Stanford....
- economist and professor - William St. OngeWilliam St. OngeWilliam Leon St. Onge was a United States Representative from Connecticut. He was born in Putnam, Windham County, Connecticut, and attended the secondary schools of Putnam...
- congressman - Michael Bruce Ross - serial killer
- Bob SchaeferBob SchaeferRobert Walden Schaefer is a former interim manager, bench coach and farm system official in American Major League Baseball. He is currently the special assistant to the general manager with the Washington Nationals....
- baseball coach - Rollie SheldonRollie SheldonRoland Frank Sheldon , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1961 to 1962 and 1964 to 1966. In 1961, Sheldon had a sensational rookie season for the New York Yankees with 11 wins, but would never match that total ever again in his career...
- baseball pitcher - Gertrude Chandler WarnerGertrude Chandler WarnerGertrude Chandler Warner was an American author, mainly of children's stories. She was most famous for beginning the popular Boxcar Children book series....
- children's author
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2006, there were 8,998 people, 3,683 households, and 2,290 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 443.6 people per square mile (171.3/km²). There were 3,955 housing units at an average density of 194.9 per square mile (75.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.32% White, 1.30% African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.87% of the population.
There were 3,683 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% 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, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,010, and the median income for a family was $53,460. Males had a median income of $37,390 versus $26,558 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $20,597. About 4.8% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.1% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
- Public
- Putnam Elementary School — K-5th grade
- Putnam Middle School — 6th-8th grade
- Putnam High SchoolPutnam High SchoolPutnam High School is an historic school on 126 Church Street in Putnam, Connecticut.-History:The school building was constructed in 1874. The building was added to the National Historic Register in 1993....
— 9th-12th grade
- Private
- Saint Mary School — Private school for K-8th grade, based on members of nearby St. Mary's Catholic Church. Closed 2010.
- Putnam Science Academy — Private school for students in Grades 9-12 wanting to further their education in the world of science.
- Tri-State Christian Academy (grades K-8)
National competitions
- Putnam Science Academy has entered and won the Connecticut Science OlympiadScience OlympiadScience Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...
for four years in a row (2004–2005, 2005–2006, 2006–2007, and 2007–2008). - Erkin Ahmedi and Deniz Secilmis won 4th place for Putnam Science Academy in EntomologyEntomologyEntomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
at the 2006 National Science OlympiadScience OlympiadScience Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...
hosted at Indiana UniversityIndiana UniversityIndiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
.
Sports
Putnam High School's athletic programs, nicknamed the Clippers, have captured four Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference State Championships in several sports. The Putnam High football team defeated Haddam-Killingworth 20-14 for the 1994 Class S Championship. The Clippers lost championship games to Ansonia in 1984 and to Trinity Catholic in 1993. The Putnam boys basketball team won the Class S championship in 1986 against Portland 60-58. The team lost the championship game in 1929, 1930, 1956, 1995 and 2006. The Baseball team won the 1985 Class S title, topping Thomaston 7-3. The Clipper Softball team won the 1989 Class S crown, defeating Old Saybrook 7-1. The team finished as the runner up in 1991 and 1992.Notable locations
- Cady-Copp HouseCady-Copp HouseCady-Copp House is an historic house at 115 Liberty Highway in Putnam, Connecticut.The house was built in 1745 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001....
- historic home at 115 Liberty Highway and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. - Putnam High SchoolPutnam High SchoolPutnam High School is an historic school on 126 Church Street in Putnam, Connecticut.-History:The school building was constructed in 1874. The building was added to the National Historic Register in 1993....
is an historic school on 126 Church Street and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. - Putnam Railroad StationPutnam Railroad StationPutnam Railroad Station is an historic train station at 35 and 45-47 Main Street in Putnam, Connecticut.The station was built in 1907 for the line of the former New York and New England Railroad and added to the National Historic Register in 2007....
External links
- Town of Putnam
- Putnam Public Library
- Aspinock Historical Society of Putnam
- Mystic Country: The Eastern Regional Tourism District
- St. Mary's School
- Putnam Science Academy
- Bradley Playhouse
- Putnam CT Web Index
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