Salisbury, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Salisbury is a town
in Litchfield County
, Connecticut
, United States
. The town is the northwest-most in the State of Connecticut. The MA-NY-CT (Massachusetts-New York-Connecticut) Tri-State Marker is located just on the border of Salisbury. The population was 3,977 at the 2000 census.
Additional iron mines were opened, mostly in the Western end of the township, although historian Diana Muir dismisses them as "scarcely big enough to notice," with the further disadvantage of not being near a river large enough to ship iron to market at a reasonable cost. The solution, according to Muir, was to pour labor into the iron, working it into a quality of wrought iron so high that it could be used even for gun barrels. This fetched a high price and made Salisbury iron the celebrated choice of Connecticut's early nineteenth century arms industry (See: Diana Muir, Reflections in Bullough's Pond, Economy and Ecosystem in New England, University of New England Press, 2002, p. 126.) as well as the preeminent source of cast iron railroad car wheels until they were superseded by steel wheels. Peter P. Everts, an agent of the mid 19th Century mines, however, stated the quality of Salisbury iron varied. The iron industry in Salisbury became inactive following World War I, a plan to revive it during World War II was never implemented, and the mines remain under water.
Scoville Library
in Salisbury was the first in the United States open to the public free of charge.
Salisbury is home to the oldest Methodist Church in New England, The Lakeville Methodist Church, which was constructed in 1789.
, the town has a total area of 60.1 square miles (155.6 km²), of which, 57.3 square miles (148.5 km²) of it is land and 2.8 square miles (7.1 km²) of it (4.59%) is water. Although the peak of Mount Frissell
lies in Massachusetts at an elevation of 2,453 ft, the south slope of the mountain (2,380 ft) in Salisbury, is the highest point in Connecticut
. Within Salisbury there are several ponds and six lakes: Wononscopomuc, Washinee, Washining, Wononpakook, Riga Lake and South Pond.
, and the hamlets of Amesville, Lime Rock, and Taconic. Historically the areas of Joyceville, Ore Hill, and Twin Lakes were recognized as separate communities but are no longer.
runs through Salisbury.
The Salisbury Winter Sports Association
hosts ski jumping
competitions at its Satre Hill
venue in Salisbury. It has hosted United States Eastern Ski Jumping Championships each February since 1952.
The village of Lakeville has the well known automobile racing course at Lime Rock Park
.
and Hotchkiss School
, both high schools, and Indian Mountain School
, pre-K through grade 9. Public high school students attend the Housatonic Valley Regional High School
in Falls Village, CT.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 3,977 people, 1,737 households, and 1,042 families residing in the town. The population density
was 69.4 people per square mile (26.8/km²). There were 2,410 housing units at an average density of 42.0 per square mile (16.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.75% White, 1.66% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.45% from other races
, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population.
There were 1,737 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $53,051, and the median income for a family was $69,152. Males had a median income of $43,807 versus $29,861 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $38,752. About 4.9% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.
is the main north-south highway. Route 112 runs diagonally, northwest to southeast, and connects with US Route 7, which runs north/south parallel to the Housatonic River
.
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 Litchfield County
Litchfield County, Connecticut
Litchfield County is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. Litchfield County has the lowest population density of any county in Connecticut but is geographically the state's largest county. As of 2010 the population was 189,927...
, 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 town is the northwest-most in the State of Connecticut. The MA-NY-CT (Massachusetts-New York-Connecticut) Tri-State Marker is located just on the border of Salisbury. The population was 3,977 at the 2000 census.
History
Salisbury was incorporated in 1741, and contains several historic homes, though some were replaced by larger modern structures in the late 20th Century. Historian Ed Kirby tells us that traces of iron were discovered in what was to become Salisbury in 1728, with the discovery of the large deposit at Old Hill (later Ore Hill) in 1731 by John Pell and Ezekiel Ashley. Beginning before the Revolution, during the Federal period, and until around 1920 Salisbury was the seat of an important iron industry. (See: Ed Kirby, Echoes of Iron in Connecticut's Northwest Corner, Sharon Historical Society, 1998 p. 6).Additional iron mines were opened, mostly in the Western end of the township, although historian Diana Muir dismisses them as "scarcely big enough to notice," with the further disadvantage of not being near a river large enough to ship iron to market at a reasonable cost. The solution, according to Muir, was to pour labor into the iron, working it into a quality of wrought iron so high that it could be used even for gun barrels. This fetched a high price and made Salisbury iron the celebrated choice of Connecticut's early nineteenth century arms industry (See: Diana Muir, Reflections in Bullough's Pond, Economy and Ecosystem in New England, University of New England Press, 2002, p. 126.) as well as the preeminent source of cast iron railroad car wheels until they were superseded by steel wheels. Peter P. Everts, an agent of the mid 19th Century mines, however, stated the quality of Salisbury iron varied. The iron industry in Salisbury became inactive following World War I, a plan to revive it during World War II was never implemented, and the mines remain under water.
Scoville Library
Scoville library
Scoville Memorial Library was established in 1803 in Salisbury, Connecticut. The Library was the first in the United States open to the public free of charge....
in Salisbury was the first in the United States open to the public free of charge.
Salisbury is home to the oldest Methodist Church in New England, The Lakeville Methodist Church, which was constructed in 1789.
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 60.1 square miles (155.6 km²), of which, 57.3 square miles (148.5 km²) of it is land and 2.8 square miles (7.1 km²) of it (4.59%) is water. Although the peak of Mount Frissell
Mount Frissell
Mount Frissell, , located on the border of southwest Massachusetts and northwest Connecticut, is a prominent peak of the Taconic Range. The peak and northern part of the mountain are located within Massachusetts. The southern slope of Mount Frissell is located within Connecticut and rises to the...
lies in Massachusetts at an elevation of 2,453 ft, the south slope of the mountain (2,380 ft) in Salisbury, is the highest point in 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...
. Within Salisbury there are several ponds and six lakes: Wononscopomuc, Washinee, Washining, Wononpakook, Riga Lake and South Pond.
Principal communities
The town of Salisbury includes the villages of Salisbury and LakevilleLakeville, Connecticut
Lakeville is a village and census-designated place in the town of Salisbury in Litchfield County, Connecticut, on Lake Wononskopomuc. The village includes Lakeville Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district represents about of the village center...
, and the hamlets of Amesville, Lime Rock, and Taconic. Historically the areas of Joyceville, Ore Hill, and Twin Lakes were recognized as separate communities but are no longer.
Recreation
The Appalachian TrailAppalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
runs through Salisbury.
The Salisbury Winter Sports Association
Salisbury Winter Sports Association
Salisbury Winter Sports Association is a volunteer organization in Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut, founded in 1925. Its home, Satre Hill, is the site of the annual Eastern National Ski Jumping competition, and in 2011 will also be the location of the United States Ski and Snowboard...
hosts ski jumping
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
competitions at its Satre Hill
Satre Hill
Satre Hill is a winter sports venue located in Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut. Operated by the all-volunteer Salisbury Winter Sports Association, Satre Hill is the site of ski jumping lessons for young people, and, annually for the United States Eastern Ski Jumping Championships each...
venue in Salisbury. It has hosted United States Eastern Ski Jumping Championships each February since 1952.
The village of Lakeville has the well known automobile racing course at Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner...
.
Education
There is one primary school, Salisbury Central School (K-8th), and three boarding schools in the town, Salisbury SchoolSalisbury School
Salisbury School is an all-boys, private college-preparatory boarding school founded in 1901 and located in Salisbury, Connecticut. Its school newspaper is The Cupola. Its mascot is the Crimson Knight. The School's motto is Esse quam videri, which translates to To be rather than to seem to...
and Hotchkiss School
Hotchkiss School
The Hotchkiss School is an independent, coeducational American college preparatory boarding school located in Lakeville, Connecticut. Founded in 1891, the school enrolls students in grades 9 through 12 and a small number of postgraduates...
, both high schools, and Indian Mountain School
Indian Mountain School
The Indian Mountain School is an independent coeducational boarding and day school for children grades pre-K through 9, located on two campuses in Lakeville, Connecticut, USA....
, pre-K through grade 9. Public high school students attend the Housatonic Valley Regional High School
Housatonic Valley Regional High School
Housatonic Valley Regional High School is a regional high school in the town of Falls Village, Connecticut in Litchfield County. The school currently has a student population of approximately 590 in grades 9 to 12...
in Falls Village, CT.
Demographics
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 3,977 people, 1,737 households, and 1,042 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 69.4 people per square mile (26.8/km²). There were 2,410 housing units at an average density of 42.0 per square mile (16.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.75% White, 1.66% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.45% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population.
There were 1,737 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $53,051, and the median income for a family was $69,152. Males had a median income of $43,807 versus $29,861 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 $38,752. About 4.9% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Route 44 is the main east-west highway in the town, while Route 41Route 41 (Connecticut)
Route 41 is a scenic state highway in rural Northwestern Connecticut. It extends from the New York state line in Sharon to the Massachusetts state line in Salisbury and is the only state-numbered route in Connecticut that has both its ends at a state border....
is the main north-south highway. Route 112 runs diagonally, northwest to southeast, and connects with US Route 7, which runs north/south parallel to the Housatonic River
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
.
Media
The community is served by a weekly newspaper, The Lakeville Journal. The Salisbury Sampler is a 10 issue per year newsletter edited by the office of the Selectmen and mailed to all households.Notable people, past and present
- Ethan AllenEthan AllenEthan Allen was a farmer, businessman, land speculator, philosopher, writer, and American Revolutionary War patriot, hero, and politician. He is best known as one of the founders of the U.S...
made munitions in Lakeville during the American RevolutionAmerican RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. - Charles B. AndrewsCharles B. AndrewsCharles Bartlett Andrews was an American politician and the 49th Governor of Connecticut.He was born in Sunderland, Massachusetts on November 4, 1834. He graduated from Amherst College in 1858. He then moved to the state of Connecticut and studied law...
(1834–1902), Governor of Connecticut (1878–1881). - Martin ChittendenMartin ChittendenMartin Chittenden was the seventh Governor of Vermont during a crucial portion of the War of 1812.Chittenden was born in Salisbury, Connecticut, and moved to Vermont in 1776 in the wake of the founding of the town of Williston by his father, Thomas Chittenden. In 1789, Martin Chittenden graduated...
(1763–1840), Governor of VermontGovernor of VermontThe Governor of Vermont is the governor of the U.S. state of Vermont. The governor is elected in even numbered years by direct voting for a term of two years; Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every two years, instead of every four...
(1813–1815), was born in town. - Jill ClayburghJill ClayburghJill Clayburgh was an American actress. She received Academy Award nominations for her roles in An Unmarried Woman and Starting Over.-Personal life:...
(1944–2010), film and stage actress. - Nathaniel Everts (1748–1835), Revolutionary War captain in the Colonial Army.
- Jeff GreenfieldJeff GreenfieldJeff Greenfield is an American television journalist and author.-Biography:He was born in New York City to parents Benjamin and Helen. He grew up in Manhattan and graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1960. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in...
, ABC television newsman - Margaret HamiltonMargaret HamiltonMargaret Hamilton was an American film actress known for her portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz...
(1902–1985), actress who played The Wicked Witch of the WestWicked Witch of the WestThe Wicked Witch of the West is a fictional character and the most significant antagonist in L. Frank Baum's children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
in The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz (1939 film)The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
, spent her last years in town. - Edward HerrmannEdward HerrmannEdward Kirk Herrmann is a U.S. television and film actor. He is best known for his Emmy-nominated portrayals of Franklin D...
(b. 1943), film and television actor, lives in town. - Myron HolleyMyron HolleyMyron Holley was an American politician who had a large part in the construction of the Erie Canal.-Life:...
, Erie CanalErie CanalThe Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
builder - Maria Bissell HotchkissMaria Bissell HotchkissMaria H. Hotchkiss was the wife of U.S. engineer Benjamin B. Hotchkiss. After his death in 1885, she founded the Hotchkiss School in her husband's native Connecticut in 1891....
, widow of Benjamin B. HotchkissBenjamin B. HotchkissBenjamin Berkeley Hotchkiss was one of the leading American ordnance engineers of his day.-American career:...
, founded the Hotchkiss SchoolHotchkiss SchoolThe Hotchkiss School is an independent, coeducational American college preparatory boarding school located in Lakeville, Connecticut. Founded in 1891, the school enrolls students in grades 9 through 12 and a small number of postgraduates...
in Lakeville. - Alfred KorzybskiAlfred KorzybskiAlfred Habdank Skarbek Korzybski was a Polish-American philosopher and scientist. He is remembered for developing the theory of general semantics...
(1879–1950) founded the Institute of General SemanticsInstitute of General SemanticsThe Institute of General Semantics is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1938 by Alfred Korzybski, to support research and publication on the topic of General Semantics. The Institute publishes Korzybski's writings, including the seminal text Science & Sanity, and books by other authors...
at a country estate in the Salisbury hamlet of Lime RockLime RockLime Rock may refer to:United States*Lime Rock , a neighborhood in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut*Lime Rock Park, a race track in Lime Rock, Connecticut*Lime Rock, Rhode Island, a village in Lincoln, Rhode Island...
and directed it until his death. The Institute remained there until 1981 when it moved elsewhere. - Frederick MilesFrederick MilesFrederick Miles was a United States Representative from Connecticut. He was born in Goshen, Connecticut where he attended the common schools and pursued an academic course...
(1815–1896) was a United States Representative from Connecticut. - Peter Buell PorterPeter Buell PorterPeter Buell Porter was an American lawyer, soldier and politician who served as United States Secretary of War from 1828 to 1829.-Life:...
(1773–1844), U.S. Secretary of War (1828–1829), was born in town. - Georges SimenonGeorges SimenonGeorges Joseph Christian Simenon was a Belgian writer. A prolific author who published nearly 200 novels and numerous short works, Simenon is best known for the creation of the fictional detective Maigret.-Early life and education:...
(1903–1989), prolific Belgian author, most notably of the MaigretMaigretJules Maigret, Maigret to most people, including his wife, is a fictional police detective, actually a commissaire or commissioner of the Paris "Brigade Criminelle" , created by writer Georges Simenon.Seventy-five novels and twenty-eight short stories about Maigret were published between 1931 and...
novels, lived for a time in a large house called "Shadow Rock Farm" in the LakevilleLakeville, ConnecticutLakeville is a village and census-designated place in the town of Salisbury in Litchfield County, Connecticut, on Lake Wononskopomuc. The village includes Lakeville Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district represents about of the village center...
section of town. - Wanda LandowskaWanda LandowskaWanda Landowska was a Polish harpsichordist whose performances, teaching, recordings and writings played a large role in reviving the popularity of the harpsichord in the early 20th century...
(1879–1959), famous harpsichordistHarpsichordistA harpsichordist is a person who plays the harpsichord.Many baroque composers played the harpsichord, including Johann Sebastian Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, George Frideric Handel, François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau...
, was a resident in Lakeville from 1949 until her death in 1959. - Maurice FiruskiMaurice FiruskiMaurice Firuski was an American bookseller.-Life:Firuski was born in New York City and was a 1916 Yale College graduate. He was also a U.S. Navy veteran of World War I....
(1894–1978), famous alumnus of Yale University. - Meryl StreepMeryl StreepMary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
the Oscar winning stage and screen veteran lives in Salisbury with her family - Joseph SchumpeterJoseph SchumpeterJoseph Alois Schumpeter was an Austrian-Hungarian-American economist and political scientist. He popularized the term "creative destruction" in economics.-Life:...
Among the most recognized economists, he died in his home in Taconic in 1950. - Rip TornRip TornElmore Rual "Rip" Torn, Jr. , is an American actor of stage, screen and television.Torn received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1983 film Cross Creek. His work includes the role of Artie, the producer, on The Larry Sanders Show, for which he was nominated...
, American television and film actor. - Laura LinneyLaura LinneyLaura Leggett Linney is an American actress of film, television, and theatre. Linney has won three Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She has been nominated for three times for an Academy Award and once for a BAFTA Award...
, (b. 1964) American actress of film, television, and theatre. - William Henry BarnumWilliam Henry BarnumWilliam Henry Barnum was a United States politician, serving as a state representative, U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and finally as chairman of the Democratic National Committee...
, (1818–1889) United States Representative and Senator, and longest-serving Chairman of the United States Democratic Committee, as well as President of Barnum & Richardson Company, lived all his adult life in Lime RockLime RockLime Rock may refer to:United States*Lime Rock , a neighborhood in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut*Lime Rock Park, a race track in Lime Rock, Connecticut*Lime Rock, Rhode Island, a village in Lincoln, Rhode Island...
, a hamlet of the Town of Salisbury
External links
- Town of Salisbury official Web site
- The Salisbury Association
- Salisbury Winter Sport Association
- Northwest Connecticut Arts Council
- Northwest Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Salisbury Central School
- Region One School District
- Trinity Lime Rock History
- Housatonic Valley Regional High SchoolHousatonic Valley Regional High SchoolHousatonic Valley Regional High School is a regional high school in the town of Falls Village, Connecticut in Litchfield County. The school currently has a student population of approximately 590 in grades 9 to 12...
- Hotchkiss SchoolHotchkiss SchoolThe Hotchkiss School is an independent, coeducational American college preparatory boarding school located in Lakeville, Connecticut. Founded in 1891, the school enrolls students in grades 9 through 12 and a small number of postgraduates...
- Salisbury SchoolSalisbury SchoolSalisbury School is an all-boys, private college-preparatory boarding school founded in 1901 and located in Salisbury, Connecticut. Its school newspaper is The Cupola. Its mascot is the Crimson Knight. The School's motto is Esse quam videri, which translates to To be rather than to seem to...
- Indian Mountain SchoolIndian Mountain SchoolThe Indian Mountain School is an independent coeducational boarding and day school for children grades pre-K through 9, located on two campuses in Lakeville, Connecticut, USA....