Shelton, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Shelton is a city in Fairfield County
, Connecticut
, United States
. The population was 39,559 at the 2010 census.
, in 1639. On May 15, 1656, the Court of the Colony of Connecticut in Hartford affirmed that the town of Stratford included all of the territory 12 miles (19.3 km) inland from Long Island Sound
, between the Housatonic River
and the Fairfield
town line. In 1662, Stratford selectmen Lt. Joseph Judson, Captain Joseph Hawley
and John Minor had secured all the written deeds of transfer from the Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation
for this vast territory that comprises the present-day towns of Trumbull
, Shelton and Monroe
. Shelton was split off from Stratford in 1789, as Huntington (named for Samuel Huntington
).
The current name originated in a manufacturing village started in the 1860s named for the Shelton Company founded by Edward N. Shelton — also founder of Ousatonic Water Power Company.
The rapidly growing borough
of Shelton incorporated as a city in 1915 and was consolidated with the town of Huntington in 1919 establishing the present city of Shelton.
The explosion that destroyed the Sponge Rubber Plant on Canal Street in 1975 marked the start of the decline of Shelton's industries.
During the remainder of the 1970s and 1980s several firms that operated factories along the banks of the Housatonic River either went out of business or relocated to areas where labor and operating costs were cheaper. In 1995, Sikorsky Aircraft
closed a plant off Bridgeport Avenue that manufactured electrical components for helicopters.
Efforts are underway to restore nineteenth century industrial buildings in the downtown area; those that were beyond repair were demolished in the late 1990s and early 2000s and replaced with the Veteran's Memorial and a farmer's market. The 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) Riverwalk Park next to the Veterans Memorial was created on the site of the former Sponge Rubber Plant. Other buildings along Howe Avenue, one of the city's main thoroughfares, have been restored, while developers have renovated two 19th century factory buildings on Bridge Street, converting them into luxury condominium
s. Several downtown streets have been reconstructed as part of a streetscape improvement project: sidewalks were reconstructed with brick and cobblestone, trees were planted, and some power lines were rerouted underground to improve the appearance of Shelton's central business district
. In March 2008, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell
announced that after negotiations with State Senator Dan Debicella
and State Representative Jason Perillo, state bond funds in the amount of $2 million would be directed toward additional infrastructure improvements leading to over $100 million in private investment in the city's downtown.
played at the Pinecrest Country Club in the city as part of the group's Kaya Tour
.
In November 2007, a tree located on Soundview Avenue in Shelton was picked to be the Rockefeller Center
Christmas tree.
On May 30, 2008, producers and staff for the upcoming movie All Good Things shot one scene on Canal St. in downtown Shelton. The scene was underneath the train trestle and involved one of the characters dragging a body and dumping it into the Housatonic River.
On July 31, 2009, a line of heavy thunderstorms with weak rotation spawned an EF1 tornado
, which touched down with wind speeds between 95 and 105 miles per hour. According to WTNH, the most concentrated damage was along the Oronque Trail, where many trees were blown down. There were no injuries or fatalities. http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/weather/severe_weather/news_wtnh_tornado_confirmed_in_shelton_200908011540
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 31.9 square miles (82.6 km²), of which 30.6 square miles (79.3 km²) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), or 4.26%, is water.
of 2000, there were 38,101 people, 14,190 households, and 10,543 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,246.4 people per square mile (481.2/km²). There were 14,707 housing units at an average density of 481.1 per square mile (185.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.44% White, 1.12% Black or African American
, 0.15% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 0.89% from other races
, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.48% of the population.
There were 14,190 households out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $67,292, and the median income for a family was $75,523 (these figures had risen to $80,694 and $94,485 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $50,210 versus $36,815 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $29,893. About 2.5% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
Mark Lauretti (R) has served as mayor since taking office in 1991.
The Republican Party has controlled the city government since the 1980s. Before the 2007 Elections, the Board of Aldermen consists of 5 Republican members, 2 Citizens' United members and one Democratic member. Mayor Lauretti was re-elected for a tenth term on November 3, 2009. The current Board of Aldermen consists of 7 Republicans and one Democrat.
Political affiliations in Shelton have developed predominantly along demographic lines, with both representatives from the 2nd Ward (Eric McPherson and Stanley Kudej), 3rd Ward (John Anglace and Lynn Farrell) and 4th Ward (John Papa and Noreen McGorty) being Republicans. The more affluent 1st Ward is represented by Jack Finn, the lone Democrat on the Board, and Republican Anthony Simonetti. Anglace (R-3) is the Board's President. Papa (R-4) is its Vice-president. In recent elections, the 2nd and 4th Wards have remained consistently Republican, while representation from the 1st and 3rd Wards has swung between Republicans, Democrats, and the Citizens' United Party, which often aligned with Democrats on major issues.
Political representation at the state level has been Republican since in the 1960s. In 2006, State Senator Dan Debicella
took over from George "Doc" Gunther, who represented the town for forty years. In 2007, State Representative Jason Perillo took office after winning a special election held following the death of Richard O. Belden, who represented the town for 32 years. State Representative Larry Miller has also represented the town since 1991. All these current and former legislators are Republicans. At the federal level, Shelton is represented by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal
and Independent Senator Joseph Lieberman. Representation of Shelton in the House of Representatives is split between the 3rd and 4th Congressional districts, which are represented by Democratic
Representatives Rosa DeLauro
and Jim Himes
, respectively. The boundary between the two congressional districts lies roughly along Route 8
; the portion of the city to the north and west of Route 8 are represented by Congressman Himes, while Representative DeLauro represents sections of Shelton to the south and east.
Shelton has favored Republicans in recent local, state and federal elections. Shelton voters favored John McCain (51%) over Barack Obama (47%) during the 2008 presidential elections. City voters also favored George W. Bush (56%) over John Kerry (41%) in 2004, and George W. Bush (48%) over Al Gore (46%) in 2000. Shelton Voters also overwhelmingly favored Republican M. Jodi Rell
(74%) over Democrat John DeStefano (24%) during the 2006 gubernatorial election.
with its own Sheriff's Department
, the Shelton Sheriff's Department
, whose main task is the due process within the city lines and to execute judicial warrants within the city, much like the Fairfield County Sheriff's Department
did before its abolishment in December 2000.
There are over 15 miles (24.1 km) of hiking trails in Shelton, including a portion of the Paugussett "Blue Blazed" trail, part of a 800 miles (1,287.5 km) network of hiking trails throughout the state. There is opportunity for fishing, boating, geocaching
and letterboxing
, hiking, walking and biking. Dogs are welcomed when on leash. There is no hunting on City owned Open Space by Ordinance.
The City of Shelton's conservation efforts are served by a city agency in form of the Conservation Commission. The current Chairman is Thomas Harbinson. Further information is maintained at the Commission's official City of Shelton webpages: [www.sheltonconservation.org]
include Shelton High School
for grades 9 through 12, Shelton Intermediate School
for grades 7 and 8. Perry Hill School for grades 5 and 6, and five primary schools for kindergarten through fourth grade.
, an online-only, non-profit news site, launched in June 2009, thanks to the efforts of The Valley Community Foundation and The Knight Foundation.
Shelton also has a weekly newspaper, The Huntington Herald. The Connecticut Post and The New Haven Register also cover the city. Both are daily papers.
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...
. The population was 39,559 at the 2010 census.
Origins
Shelton was settled by the English as part of the town of Stratford, ConnecticutStratford, Connecticut
Stratford is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic River. It was founded by Puritans in 1639....
, in 1639. On May 15, 1656, the Court of the Colony of Connecticut in Hartford affirmed that the town of Stratford included all of the territory 12 miles (19.3 km) inland from Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
, between 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...
and the Fairfield
Fairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield 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...
town line. In 1662, Stratford selectmen Lt. Joseph Judson, Captain Joseph Hawley
Joseph Hawley (Captain)
Joseph Hawley , born in Parwich, Derbyshire, England, was the first of the Hawley name to come to America in 1629. He settled at Stratford, Connecticut in 1650, becoming the town's first town clerk or record keeper, tavern keeper and a shipbuilder.-Surname:The surname of Hawley is one of locality...
and John Minor had secured all the written deeds of transfer from the Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation
Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation
The Golden Hill Paugussetts are the Connecticut state-recognized tribal descendents of the Paugussett Nation of Native Americans that occupied much of western Connecticut prior to the arrival of Europeans...
for this vast territory that comprises the present-day towns of Trumbull
Trumbull, Connecticut
Trumbull, a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut in the New England region of the United States, is bordered by the towns of Monroe, Shelton, Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield and Easton along Connecticut's Gold Coast. The population was 36,018 according to the 2010 census.Family Circle magazine...
, Shelton and Monroe
Monroe, Connecticut
Monroe is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,479 at the 2010 census. The current first selectman is Steve Vavrek....
. Shelton was split off from Stratford in 1789, as Huntington (named for Samuel Huntington
Samuel Huntington (statesman)
Samuel Huntington was a jurist, statesman, and Patriot in the American Revolution from Connecticut. As a delegate to the Continental Congress, he signed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation...
).
The current name originated in a manufacturing village started in the 1860s named for the Shelton Company founded by Edward N. Shelton — also founder of Ousatonic Water Power Company.
The rapidly growing 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...
of Shelton incorporated as a city in 1915 and was consolidated with the town of Huntington in 1919 establishing the present city of Shelton.
Decline of Shelton's industry
Shelton was home to one of the largest arson fires in the United States history. It happened in 1975 when the Sponge Rubber Products plant (formerly owned by B.F. Goodrich) was set on fire. Charles Moeller, president of parent company Grand Sheet Metal Products, was acquitted on arson charges, but in a civil lawsuit, a jury in 1988 ruled the insurer did not have to pay claims on the fire because a preponderance of evidence showed the company's top officials arranged the fire to claim insurance money. Eight others were convicted or pleaded guilty.The explosion that destroyed the Sponge Rubber Plant on Canal Street in 1975 marked the start of the decline of Shelton's industries.
During the remainder of the 1970s and 1980s several firms that operated factories along the banks of the Housatonic River either went out of business or relocated to areas where labor and operating costs were cheaper. In 1995, Sikorsky Aircraft
Sikorsky Aircraft
The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut. Its parent company is United Technologies Corporation.-History:...
closed a plant off Bridgeport Avenue that manufactured electrical components for helicopters.
Downtown revitalization
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
s. Several downtown streets have been reconstructed as part of a streetscape improvement project: sidewalks were reconstructed with brick and cobblestone, trees were planted, and some power lines were rerouted underground to improve the appearance of Shelton's central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. In March 2008, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell
M. Jodi Rell
Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
announced that after negotiations with State Senator Dan Debicella
Dan Debicella
-External links:** at Connecticut Senate Republicans* at OpenSecrets.org...
and State Representative Jason Perillo, state bond funds in the amount of $2 million would be directed toward additional infrastructure improvements leading to over $100 million in private investment in the city's downtown.
Other events
On June 14, 1978, Bob Marley & The WailersBob Marley & The Wailers
Bob Marley & The Wailers were a Jamaican reggae, ska and rocksteady band formed by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in 1963. Additional members were Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, Cherry Smith and Aston and Carlton Barrett...
played at the Pinecrest Country Club in the city as part of the group's Kaya Tour
Kaya Tour
The Kaya Tour was a concert tour organised to support the album Kaya by Bob Marley & The Wailers.The tour was initially set to begin in early May in Miami, Florida, but the first six shows had to be postponed due to lead guitarist Junior Marvin's cocaine problems. Therefore the tour began in Ann...
.
In November 2007, a tree located on Soundview Avenue in Shelton was picked to be the Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
Christmas tree.
On May 30, 2008, producers and staff for the upcoming movie All Good Things shot one scene on Canal St. in downtown Shelton. The scene was underneath the train trestle and involved one of the characters dragging a body and dumping it into the Housatonic River.
On July 31, 2009, a line of heavy thunderstorms with weak rotation spawned an EF1 tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
, which touched down with wind speeds between 95 and 105 miles per hour. According to WTNH, the most concentrated damage was along the Oronque Trail, where many trees were blown down. There were no injuries or fatalities. http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/weather/severe_weather/news_wtnh_tornado_confirmed_in_shelton_200908011540
Geography
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 31.9 square miles (82.6 km²), of which 30.6 square miles (79.3 km²) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), or 4.26%, is water.
Sections of town
- Downtown
- White HillsWhite Hills (Shelton)White Hills is a section of the city of Shelton, Connecticut. It is one of the oldest parts of the city, with historical buildings dating to the early 18th century. It is the most rural part of Shelton, though much of it is now suburban....
(Leavenworth Road) - Soundview Avenue
- Booth Hill Road
- Bridgeport Avenue
- Huntington Center
- Pine Rock Park
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 38,101 people, 14,190 households, and 10,543 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 1,246.4 people per square mile (481.2/km²). There were 14,707 housing units at an average density of 481.1 per square mile (185.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.44% White, 1.12% 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...
, 0.15% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 0.89% 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 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.48% of the population.
There were 14,190 households out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% 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, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $67,292, and the median income for a family was $75,523 (these figures had risen to $80,694 and $94,485 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $50,210 versus $36,815 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 $29,893. About 2.5% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
| Historical population of Sheltonhttp://www.sots.state.ct.us/RegisterManual/regman.htm |
|
| 1790 | 2,742 |
| 1800 | 2,792 |
| 1810 | 2,770 |
| 1820 | 2,805 |
| 1830 | 1,371 |
| 1840 | 1,326 |
| 1850 | 1,301 |
| 1860 | 1,477 |
| 1870 | 1,527 |
| 1880 | 2,499 |
| 1890 | 4,006 |
| 1900 | 5,572 |
| 1910 | 6,545 |
| 1920 | 9,475 |
| 1930 | 10,113 |
| 1940 | 10,971 |
| 1950 | 12,694 |
| 1960 | 18,190 |
| 1970 | 27,165 |
| 1980 | 31,314 |
| 1990 | 35,418 |
| 2000 | 38,101 |
| 2010 | 39,559 |
Mark Lauretti (R) has served as mayor since taking office in 1991.
The Republican Party has controlled the city government since the 1980s. Before the 2007 Elections, the Board of Aldermen consists of 5 Republican members, 2 Citizens' United members and one Democratic member. Mayor Lauretti was re-elected for a tenth term on November 3, 2009. The current Board of Aldermen consists of 7 Republicans and one Democrat.
Political affiliations in Shelton have developed predominantly along demographic lines, with both representatives from the 2nd Ward (Eric McPherson and Stanley Kudej), 3rd Ward (John Anglace and Lynn Farrell) and 4th Ward (John Papa and Noreen McGorty) being Republicans. The more affluent 1st Ward is represented by Jack Finn, the lone Democrat on the Board, and Republican Anthony Simonetti. Anglace (R-3) is the Board's President. Papa (R-4) is its Vice-president. In recent elections, the 2nd and 4th Wards have remained consistently Republican, while representation from the 1st and 3rd Wards has swung between Republicans, Democrats, and the Citizens' United Party, which often aligned with Democrats on major issues.
Political representation at the state level has been Republican since in the 1960s. In 2006, State Senator Dan Debicella
Dan Debicella
-External links:** at Connecticut Senate Republicans* at OpenSecrets.org...
took over from George "Doc" Gunther, who represented the town for forty years. In 2007, State Representative Jason Perillo took office after winning a special election held following the death of Richard O. Belden, who represented the town for 32 years. State Representative Larry Miller has also represented the town since 1991. All these current and former legislators are Republicans. At the federal level, Shelton is represented by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal
Richard Blumenthal
Richard Blumenthal is the junior United States Senator from Connecticut and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he served as Attorney General of Connecticut....
and Independent Senator Joseph Lieberman. Representation of Shelton in the House of Representatives is split between the 3rd and 4th Congressional districts, which are represented by 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...
Representatives Rosa DeLauro
Rosa DeLauro
Rosa L. DeLauro is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district is based in New Haven, and includes most of that city's suburbs.-Early life, education and career:...
and Jim Himes
Jim Himes
James A. "Jim" Himes is an American businessman and U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, respectively. The boundary between the two congressional districts lies roughly along Route 8
Route 8 (Connecticut)
Route 8 is the portion of the multistate New England Route 8 within the state of Connecticut. It is a state highway running north–south from Bridgeport, through Waterbury, all the way to the Massachusetts state line where it continues as Route 8...
; the portion of the city to the north and west of Route 8 are represented by Congressman Himes, while Representative DeLauro represents sections of Shelton to the south and east.
Shelton has favored Republicans in recent local, state and federal elections. Shelton voters favored John McCain (51%) over Barack Obama (47%) during the 2008 presidential elections. City voters also favored George W. Bush (56%) over John Kerry (41%) in 2004, and George W. Bush (48%) over Al Gore (46%) in 2000. Shelton Voters also overwhelmingly favored Republican M. Jodi Rell
M. Jodi Rell
Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
(74%) over Democrat John DeStefano (24%) during the 2006 gubernatorial election.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Active Voters | Inactive Voters | Total Voters | Percentage |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
6,195 | 134 | 6,329 | 25.54% |
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... |
4,553 | 106 | 4,659 | 18.81% |
Unaffiliated | 13,438 | 322 | 13,760 | 55.53% |
Minor Parties | 28 | 1 | 29 | 0.12% | |
| Total | 24,214 | 563 | 24,777 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||
Sheriff
Shelton is currently one of the few municipalities in ConnecticutConnecticut
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...
with its own Sheriff's Department
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, the Shelton Sheriff's Department
Shelton Sheriff's Department
The Shelton Sheriff's Department is "responsible for the service of judicial process" in the city of Shelton, Connecticut. It is not do be confused with the Shelton Police Department. The Shelton Sheriff's Department is not a law enforcement agency. Members are political appointees and receive no...
, whose main task is the due process within the city lines and to execute judicial warrants within the city, much like the Fairfield County Sheriff's Department
Fairfield County CT Sheriff Department
The Fairfield County Sheriffs Department was a law enforcement agency in Fairfield County, Connecticut in place until the year 2000 when a majority vote eliminated the position of High Sheriff in Connecticut counties after the topic being brought up by Connecticut...
did before its abolishment in December 2000.
Conservation
The City of Shelton's goal is to preserve at least 15% of the land as permanently protected, locally controlled open space in the following three forms: City of Shelton Public Open Space properties, Privately owned farmland protected by the purchase of development rights, and properties held by the non-profit Shelton Land Conservation Trust. As of 2009, these forms of open space amount to 13% of the City and more than 2700 acres (10.9 km²). The City of Shelton owns close to 2000 acres (8.1 km²) of Public Open Space, Protected Farmland is 411 acres (1.7 km²), and the Shelton Land Trust organization has preserved 364 acres (1.5 km²).There are over 15 miles (24.1 km) of hiking trails in Shelton, including a portion of the Paugussett "Blue Blazed" trail, part of a 800 miles (1,287.5 km) network of hiking trails throughout the state. There is opportunity for fishing, boating, geocaching
Geocaching
Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world....
and letterboxing
Letterboxing
Letterboxing is an outdoor hobby that combines elements of orienteering, art, and puzzle solving. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly-accessible places and distribute clues to finding the box in printed catalogs, on one of several web sites, or by word of mouth. Individual...
, hiking, walking and biking. Dogs are welcomed when on leash. There is no hunting on City owned Open Space by Ordinance.
The City of Shelton's conservation efforts are served by a city agency in form of the Conservation Commission. The current Chairman is Thomas Harbinson. Further information is maintained at the Commission's official City of Shelton webpages: [www.sheltonconservation.org]
Education
Shelton Public SchoolsShelton Public Schools
Shelton Public Schools is a school district in Shelton, Connecticut, United States. The district is located in the eastern Fairfield County. The superintendent of Shelton Public schools is Freeman Burr.-Schools:Middle Schools*Shelton Intermediate School-...
include Shelton High School
Shelton High School (Connecticut)
Shelton High School is a public high school in Shelton, Connecticut. The school is located in eastern Fairfield County, Connecticut. It has a student body of approximately 1700 from grades 9 through 12. Other nearby High Schools are Trumbull High School & St...
for grades 9 through 12, Shelton Intermediate School
Shelton Intermediate School (Connecticut)
Shelton Intermediate School is a Blue Ribbon coeducational secondary school located in Shelton, Connecticut, United States. The school is located in eastern Fairfield County and is operated by Shelton Public Schools. Its current principal is Kenneth D...
for grades 7 and 8. Perry Hill School for grades 5 and 6, and five primary schools for kindergarten through fourth grade.
Recreation
There are two private golf courses in town. Highland Golf Club of Shelton is located in the downtown Shelton area where it was founded in 1900, only 6 years after the USGA was organized. It is a 9-hole course (with 10 greens to allow alternating #2 and #11 where the tee shot goes over Perry Hill Road) in which an unknown original designer created difficult greens. The clubhouse's 1920's era structure still remains as the core to the current structure. Brownson Country Club is an 18-hole venue located in the Huntington section of Shelton. There is an annual competition between the clubs for the "Mayor's Trophy", alternating the venue each year. The 2009 Champion and holder of the Trophy is Highland.Prominent companies
- Perkin-Elmer houses their Life and Analytical sciences division on Bridgeport Avenue. Perkin-Elmer is best known for building the optical components of the Hubble Space TelescopeHubble Space TelescopeThe Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
. - Shelton is home to Wiffle Ball, Inc., manufacturers of the original Wiffle Ball
- Home to Swiss Army Brands U.S. regional office, with about 175 employees; is planning a move to MonroeMonroe, ConnecticutMonroe is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,479 at the 2010 census. The current first selectman is Steve Vavrek....
- Prudential Annuities headquarters
- TranSwitch Corp. headquarters, 3 Enterprise Drive
- Pitney BowesPitney BowesPitney Bowes Inc. is a Stamford, Connecticut-based manufacturer of software and hardware and a provider of services related to documents, packaging, mailing, and shipping, collectively referred to as mailstream. The company has approximately 36,000 employees worldwide. It is one of 87 existing...
employs 1,460 in the city - Health NetHealth NetHealth Net, Inc. is among the United States of America's largest publicly traded health insurers. The company’s HMO, POS, insured PPO and government contracts subsidiaries provide health benefits to approximately 6.6 million individuals in all 50 states and the District of Columbia through group,...
, Inc. has 1,500 employees in the city - ComputershareComputershareFounded in Melbourne, Australia in 1978, Computershare Limited has grown to become the world's largest share registry business. It is a leading financial market services and technology provider, employing over 10,000 people, providing services in 20 countries and to more than 30,000 clients and...
(formerly Transcentive, Inc.), 2 Enterprise Drive - NECNEC, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
Unified Solutions (formerly Nitsuko America), manufacturer of business telephone systems, 4 Forest Parkway - Panolam is headquartered in Shelton
- Cartier SACartier SACartier S.A., commonly known as Cartier , is a French luxury jeweler and watch manufacturer. The corporation carries the name of the Cartier family of jewellers whose control ended in 1964 and who were known for numerous pieces including the "Bestiary" , the diamond necklace created for Bhupinder...
has an office in Shelton - Tetley USA is headquartered in Shelton
- BIC Corporation conducts U.S. operations from Shelton
- Baldwin Technology is headquartered in Shelton
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation has an Overhaul and Repair (O&R) facility in Shelton
- Digatron Firing Circuits, Inc. is a manufacturer of battery test and formation equipment in Shelton
Notable residents, past and present
- Peter Leo GeretyPeter Leo GeretyPeter Leo Gerety is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Newark from 1974 to 1986, having previously served as Bishop of Portland...
, Roman Catholic bishop - Isaac HullIsaac Hull-External links:* *...
(1773–1843), Commodore in the U.S. Navy; commanded among other ships - David N. Mullany, inventor of the Wiffle Ball
- Dan OrlovskyDan OrlovskyDaniel John Orlovsky is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. The Detroit Lions drafted Orlovsky in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, backup quarterback for the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, grew up in Shelton - Faisal ShahzadFaisal ShahzadFaisal Shahzad is a Pakistani American who attempted the May 1, 2010, Times Square car bombing. On , 2010, in Federal District Court in Manhattan he confessed to 10 counts arising from the bombing attempt...
, suspect believed to be responsible for the 2010 Times Square car bomb attempt
On the National Register of Historic Places
- Commodore Hull SchoolCommodore Hull SchoolThe Commodore Hull School, now also known as Commodore Hull School Apartments, is a former elementary school that was built in 1907. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983....
— 130 Oak Ave. (added July 30, 1983) - Huntington Center Historic District — Roughly along Church and Huntington Sts., from Ripton Rd. to the Farmill River (added April, 2000)
- Plumb Memorial LibraryPlumb Memorial LibraryThe Plumb Memorial Library in Shelton, Connecticut is a Romanesque-style building designed by architect Charles T. Beardsley and built in 1895. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978....
— 47 Wooster St. (added December 7, 1978)
Media
The Valley Independent SentinelValley independent sentinel
The Valley Independent Sentinel is an online-only, non-profit news site covering Connecticut's lower Naugatuck Valley.The site launched June 22, 2009...
, an online-only, non-profit news site, launched in June 2009, thanks to the efforts of The Valley Community Foundation and The Knight Foundation.
Shelton also has a weekly newspaper, The Huntington Herald. The Connecticut Post and The New Haven Register also cover the city. Both are daily papers.
External links
- City of Shelton official website
- Shelton Historical Society
- Plumb Memorial Library
- Derby Historical Society; the society was "Founded April 18, 1946, to serve the Naugatuck Valley towns of AnsoniaAnsonia, ConnecticutAnsonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, on the Naugatuck River, immediately north of Derby and about northwest of New Haven. The population was 19,249 at the 2010 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is serviced by the Metro North railroad...
, DerbyDerby, ConnecticutDerby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,391 at the 2000 census. With of land area, Derby is Connecticut's smallest municipality.The city has a Metro-North railroad station called Derby – Shelton.-History:...
, OxfordOxford, ConnecticutOxford is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,272 at the 2010 Census. There are several areas in Oxford: Quaker Farms, Riverside and Oxford Center. Oxford belongs to the Naugatuck Valley Economic Development Region and the Central...
, SeymourSeymour, ConnecticutSeymour is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named for Governor Thomas H. Seymour. The population was 15,454 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, & Shelton."