Southington, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Southington is a town
in Hartford County
, Connecticut
, United States
. It is part of Connecticut's 1st congressional district
. It is situated about 20 miles southwest of Hartford
, about 80 miles northeast of New York City, 105 miles southwest of Boston and 77 miles west of Providence
. Southington includes the areas of Plantsville, Marion
and Milldale, each of which has its own post office and distinct architecture. The town rests in a valley of two mountains on its east and west sides. The town is located along exits 28 through 32 of Interstate 84
, exit 4 of Interstate 691
, and bisected by Route 10
. Southington has the nickname of The Apple Valley, due to the many orchards that still dot its landscape. The Quinnipiac River
flows through the town. It is home to Mount Southington Ski Area which has continued to draw visitors from nearby towns.
Southington was named for best quality of life for a town its size in Hartford County.
Although Southington was formally established as a town in 1779, its roots go back to a much earlier time. Samuel Woodruff, Southington's first white settler, moved from Farmington
to the area then known as Panthorne that was settled in 1698. The settlement grew, prospered, and came to be known as South Farmington and then later, the shortened version, Southington.
The town’s most important early visitor was General George Washington
, who passed through the town in 1770 on his way to Wethersfield.
The Marion section of Southington is one of the most historic places in the town. It is the site of an encampment by the great French general, Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau
and his troops during the American Revolutionary War
. In June 1781, the French troops under Rochambeau's command left Farmington and marched 13 miles to their eighth camp through Connecticut, near Asa Barnes Tavern in the Marion section of Southington, now the Marion Historic District (Cheshire and Southington, Connecticut)
. They camped there for four days. Rochambeau and his officers took shelter in the tavern, and the troops set up camp on a hill on the other side of the road. The area of the encampment has since become known as French Hill, and a marker on the east side of Marion Avenue commemorates the French campsite. According to Rev. Timlow's Sketches of Southington (1875), "Landlord Barnes gave a ball at his tavern, at which a large number of the young women of the vicinity were present; and they esteemed it something of an honor to have had a 'cotillion' with the polite foreigner." The celebrations-infused with spirits provided by Landlord Barnes-spanned the four nights they were in Southington . Rochambeau revisited Barnes's Tavern again on the return march on October 27, 1782. According to Timlow's, coins, buttons and other things have been picked up in the vicinity many years after the two encampments. The Asa Barnes Tavern is now a private residence very near the camp site at 1089 Marion Avenue.
Southington originally was a small, rural farming community. In the early 1900s, Southington developed as a manufacturing center, but still maintained a very small population of a few thousand residents. Some of the products invented there include the first cement
that was able to harden under water, the first carriage bolt cutting machine, the break-neck rat trap, and a new tinware process.
With the overall decline of industry in New England
, and the construction of Interstate 84
in the mid 1960s, Southington developed into a bedroom community of which the town saw explosive growth and a population that has surged to over 42,000 today. 28% of the workers in Southington are still employed in manufacturing, most of them in the production of fabricated metal and aircraft
.
In May 1942, during World War II
, the town was selected by the War Department to be highlighted in a defense booklet called Southington, CT—Microcosm of America. Photographers roamed the community taking photos of residents at work, at play and in their homes and churches. The final publication was intended to show friends and foes alike in Europe the typical American citizens and families, their traditions and values. Thousands of copies were dropped from military airplanes over Europe during Nazi German Occupation.
Each year, Southington is home to the Apple Harvest Festival, an effort to bring together local businesses and denizens from the area and surrounding cities. This has been a tradition of the town since 1969, generally spanning six weekdays and two weekends. Its highlights include a town parade, carnival rides and games, musical performances, and a wide selection of unique recipes and foods served by community cornerstones including the Boy Scouts of America
, local churches, the Southington Fire Department
and Police Department, the Southington Rotary Chapter
, and the Southington Jaycees.
Two of Southington's main roads are named for notable residents. Southington's portion of Route 10 is named the Louis G. Tolles Memorial Highway for the late state Grange leader and legislator (1885–1956). The road was dedicated on Aug. 6, 1960 and rededicated with new signs on Oct. 6, 2007. A section of Rte. 364 (Oakland Road and Berlin Street) was dedicated as the Officer Timothy Foley Memorial Highway on Sept. 11, 2009 in honor of the first (and to date the only) Southington police officer killed in the line of duty. He died six days after being struck by a vehicle on Dec. 30, 1937.
In January 2011, John Weichsel retired as town manager after 44 years. He was hired by the first Town Council when the council/manager form of government was established in town in 1966. His tenure as a town manager in the same community is one of the longest in the United States.
, the town has a total area of 36.6 square miles (94.8 km²), of which 36 square miles (93.2 km²) are land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) (1.72%) is water.
The Metacomet Ridge
, a rugged trap rock
mountain ridge that extends from Long Island Sound
to the Massachusetts
/Vermont
border, passes through Southington. Notable peaks along the ridge form the eastern edge of town: Bradley Mountain
, Ragged Mountain, Short Mountain
, and part of the Hanging Hills
. The ridge is traversed by the 51 mile Metacomet Trail
.
Southington's west ridge is home to an extremely rare geological formation called the Great Unconformity
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 39,728 people, 15,083 households, and 11,282 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,103.8 people per square mile (426.2/km²). There were 15,557 housing units at an average density of 432.2 per square mile (166.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.45% White, 0.86% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.57% from other races
, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.02% of the population.
There were 15,083 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $60,538, and the median income for a family was $70,789 . Males had a median income of $48,828 versus $35,298 for females.Households in Southington are relatively affluent with 30.1% of its households earning above $100,000. The per capita income
for the town in 2005 was $32,485. About 2.2% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Southington has taken initiative to spur its own revitalization. In 2002, the town completed the downtown renaissance project. This project replaced the sidewalks on Main St. and Center St. with granite curbing and brick pavers. Life-long resident philanthropist, Robert Petroske donated $50,000 to the revitalization effort, which lead to the installation of decorative iron lamp posts, benches, and rubbish bins. Flowering trees were planted and a former fountain and light fixture was restored and relocated from Recreation Park (where it had been moved in 1961) to the town center. A renaissance zone was created to where private business owners in the zone could apply to the town to continue the project of granite, brick pavers, and lamp posts, of which the town would pay the difference of replacement concrete sidewalks versus the more expensive brick. The extension of brick pavers from Center Street to a section on the east side of Liberty Street was completed in July 2008 to connect with the pavers installed outside the new Liberty Square office building.
The town water department, which built a new facility on West Queen Street in 2002, demolished its former facility located between Mill and High streets in June 2008 and developed the land into a landscaped park, along with a continuation of the sidewalks, iron fences and decorative lamp posts. The old water facility abuts the linear walking trail.
The linear trail opened to the public in the summer of 2003. This trail was built over the town's old rail line which had ceased operation several years earlier. Dubbed the Farmington Canal Greenway
, when completed it will stretch from New Haven, Connecticut to Northampton, Massachusetts, following the route of the historical Farmington Canal
. The town has only completed 1.9 miles of the trail, running from Hart St. to the center of the village of Plantsville. This trail has brought landscaping, iron benches, and intersections of brick pavers where the trail crosses roads. This is seen as a major link for the further revitalization of downtown Southington and the town's village of Plantsville. Southington is in the process of expanding the trail further to the Cheshire
, Connecticut
town line, of which Cheshire will have to expand their trail to connect to Southington.
Southington is widely involved in the arts. articles around town include murals and sculptures. The mostly widely know of these is inside the Pepper Pot on Center Street. It captivates the different time periods of Southington with depictions of events and places that all ages can reflect upon.
Due to Southington's popularity as a family suburb, the town has undertaken plans to expand all schools to accommodate the growing enrollment. Three elementary schools have been completed and a new building and second cafeteria has been added to the High School campus. Voters recently approved expansion and renovations to two other elementary schools (with one to be demolished and rebuilt), of which construction should start soon.
Southington boasts a fair share of large parks and open land, each serving several outdoor activities, and as a whole, a vast array of them.
Public
Recreation
, including:
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 Hartford County
Hartford County, Connecticut
Hartford County is a county located in the north central part of the US state of Connecticut. The 2010 Census records show that the county population is at 894,014 making it the second most populated county in Connecticut....
, 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...
. It is part of Connecticut's 1st congressional district
Connecticut's 1st congressional district
Connecticut's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in the north-central part of the state, the district is anchored by the state capital of Hartford....
. It is situated about 20 miles southwest of Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, about 80 miles northeast of New York City, 105 miles southwest of Boston and 77 miles west of Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. Southington includes the areas of Plantsville, Marion
Marion, Connecticut
Marion is a neighborhood in the town of Southington in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is generally the area in the vicinity of the intersection of Route 322 and Marion Avenue just north of the Cheshire town line....
and Milldale, each of which has its own post office and distinct architecture. The town rests in a valley of two mountains on its east and west sides. The town is located along exits 28 through 32 of Interstate 84
Interstate 84 in Connecticut
Interstate 84 is an East–West Interstate highway across the state of Connecticut into Danbury, Waterbury, Hartford and Union.-Route description:...
, exit 4 of Interstate 691
Interstate 691
Interstate 691 is a portion of the Interstate Highway System in Connecticut beginning at Interstate 91 in Meriden and ending at Interstate 84 near the Cheshire-Southington town line. It is in length, including of the exit ramp to the merge with westbound I-84.I-691 is also known as the Henry D...
, and bisected by Route 10
Connecticut Route 10
Connecticut Route 10 is a state highway that runs between New Haven and the state line near Granby.-Route description:Route 10 begins at Interstate 95 as Ella T. Grasso Boulevard in the city of New Haven. It then passes by Southern Connecticut State University before entering the town of Hamden...
. Southington has the nickname of The Apple Valley, due to the many orchards that still dot its landscape. The Quinnipiac River
Quinnipiac River
The Quinnipiac River is a river in the New England region of the United States, located entirely in the state of Connecticut.It rises in west central Connecticut from Dead Wood Swamp west of the city of New Britain...
flows through the town. It is home to Mount Southington Ski Area which has continued to draw visitors from nearby towns.
Southington was named for best quality of life for a town its size in Hartford County.
History
Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...
to the area then known as Panthorne that was settled in 1698. The settlement grew, prospered, and came to be known as South Farmington and then later, the shortened version, Southington.
The town’s most important early visitor was General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, who passed through the town in 1770 on his way to Wethersfield.
The Marion section of Southington is one of the most historic places in the town. It is the site of an encampment by the great French general, Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau
Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau
Marshal of France Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau was a French nobleman and general who participated in the American Revolutionary War as the commander-in-chief of the French Expeditionary Force which came to help the American Continental Army...
and his troops during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. In June 1781, the French troops under Rochambeau's command left Farmington and marched 13 miles to their eighth camp through Connecticut, near Asa Barnes Tavern in the Marion section of Southington, now the Marion Historic District (Cheshire and Southington, Connecticut)
Marion Historic District (Cheshire and Southington, Connecticut)
The Marion Historic District is a historic district in the Marion section of Southington in Hartford County, Connecticut. The district also includes two houses on the Cheshire side of the town line between Southington and the town of Cheshire in New Haven County. The historic district was listed...
. They camped there for four days. Rochambeau and his officers took shelter in the tavern, and the troops set up camp on a hill on the other side of the road. The area of the encampment has since become known as French Hill, and a marker on the east side of Marion Avenue commemorates the French campsite. According to Rev. Timlow's Sketches of Southington (1875), "Landlord Barnes gave a ball at his tavern, at which a large number of the young women of the vicinity were present; and they esteemed it something of an honor to have had a 'cotillion' with the polite foreigner." The celebrations-infused with spirits provided by Landlord Barnes-spanned the four nights they were in Southington . Rochambeau revisited Barnes's Tavern again on the return march on October 27, 1782. According to Timlow's, coins, buttons and other things have been picked up in the vicinity many years after the two encampments. The Asa Barnes Tavern is now a private residence very near the camp site at 1089 Marion Avenue.
Southington originally was a small, rural farming community. In the early 1900s, Southington developed as a manufacturing center, but still maintained a very small population of a few thousand residents. Some of the products invented there include the first cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
that was able to harden under water, the first carriage bolt cutting machine, the break-neck rat trap, and a new tinware process.
With the overall decline of industry in New England
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...
, and the construction of Interstate 84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
in the mid 1960s, Southington developed into a bedroom community of which the town saw explosive growth and a population that has surged to over 42,000 today. 28% of the workers in Southington are still employed in manufacturing, most of them in the production of fabricated metal and aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
.
In May 1942, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the town was selected by the War Department to be highlighted in a defense booklet called Southington, CT—Microcosm of America. Photographers roamed the community taking photos of residents at work, at play and in their homes and churches. The final publication was intended to show friends and foes alike in Europe the typical American citizens and families, their traditions and values. Thousands of copies were dropped from military airplanes over Europe during Nazi German Occupation.
Each year, Southington is home to the Apple Harvest Festival, an effort to bring together local businesses and denizens from the area and surrounding cities. This has been a tradition of the town since 1969, generally spanning six weekdays and two weekends. Its highlights include a town parade, carnival rides and games, musical performances, and a wide selection of unique recipes and foods served by community cornerstones including the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
, local churches, the Southington Fire Department
Southington fire department
The Southington Fire Department is a combination career and part-time fire department which serves the Town of Southington, Connecticut. The department is divided into five companies housed in four fire stations. Fire Headquarters, at 310 North Main Street, houses Headquarters Company and Engine...
and Police Department, the Southington Rotary Chapter
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
, and the Southington Jaycees.
Two of Southington's main roads are named for notable residents. Southington's portion of Route 10 is named the Louis G. Tolles Memorial Highway for the late state Grange leader and legislator (1885–1956). The road was dedicated on Aug. 6, 1960 and rededicated with new signs on Oct. 6, 2007. A section of Rte. 364 (Oakland Road and Berlin Street) was dedicated as the Officer Timothy Foley Memorial Highway on Sept. 11, 2009 in honor of the first (and to date the only) Southington police officer killed in the line of duty. He died six days after being struck by a vehicle on Dec. 30, 1937.
In January 2011, John Weichsel retired as town manager after 44 years. He was hired by the first Town Council when the council/manager form of government was established in town in 1966. His tenure as a town manager in the same community is one of the longest in the United States.
Geography
Southington is located at geographical coordinates 41° 35′ 48" North, 72° 52′ 40" West (41.596588, -72.87767). 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 36.6 square miles (94.8 km²), of which 36 square miles (93.2 km²) are land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) (1.72%) is water.
The Metacomet Ridge
Metacomet Ridge
The Metacomet Ridge, Metacomet Ridge Mountains, or Metacomet Range of southern New England, United States, is a narrow and steep fault-block mountain ridge known for its extensive cliff faces, scenic vistas, microclimate ecosystems, and communities of plants considered rare or endangered...
, a rugged trap rock
Trap rock
Trap rock is a form of igneous rock that tends to form polygonal vertical fractures, most typically hexagonal, but also four to eight sided. The fracture pattern forms when magma of suitable chemical composition intrudes as a sill or extrudes as a thick lava flow, and slowly cools.Because of the...
mountain ridge that extends from Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
to the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
/Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
border, passes through Southington. Notable peaks along the ridge form the eastern edge of town: Bradley Mountain
Bradley Mountain
Bradley Mountain, , is a traprock mountain located west of New Britain, Connecticut, USA, in the town of Southington and PlainvilleIt is part of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north through the Connecticut River Valley of...
, Ragged Mountain, Short Mountain
Short Mountain (Connecticut)
Short Mountain is a traprock mountain located in south central Connecticut north of the city of Meriden. It is part of the narrow Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north through the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts to the Vermont border...
, and part of the Hanging Hills
Hanging Hills
The Hanging Hills of south central Connecticut, USA are a range of mountainous trap rock ridges overlooking the city of Meriden and the Quinnipiac River Valley below. They are a sub-range of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north...
. The ridge is traversed by the 51 mile Metacomet Trail
Metacomet Trail
The Metacomet Trail is a Blue-Blazed hiking trail that traverses the Metacomet Ridge of central Connecticut and is a part of the newly designated New England National Scenic Trail. Despite being easily accessible and close to large population centers, the trail is considered remarkably rugged and...
.
Southington's west ridge is home to an extremely rare geological formation called the Great Unconformity
Great Unconformity
Of the many unconformities observed in geological strata, the term Great Unconformity is most notably applied to either the unconformity observed by James Hutton in 1787 at Siccar Point in Scotland, or that observed by John Wesley Powell in the Grand Canyon in 1869...
.
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 39,728 people, 15,083 households, and 11,282 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 1,103.8 people per square mile (426.2/km²). There were 15,557 housing units at an average density of 432.2 per square mile (166.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.45% White, 0.86% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.57% 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 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.02% of the population.
There were 15,083 households out of which 33.0% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $60,538, and the median income for a family was $70,789 . Males had a median income of $48,828 versus $35,298 for females.Households in Southington are relatively affluent with 30.1% of its households earning above $100,000. 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 in 2005 was $32,485. About 2.2% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Revitalization
As with the decline of industry in the area, many old factories and buildings were left vacant. The latest to close was Ideal Forging, which filed for bankruptcy in 2001. This factory is located in the town center in the central business district. Meridian Development Partners (www.meridiandp.com) of New York City became interested in the property in late 2003. This project, which has been in the works for over three years, will create upscale homes, condominiums, store fronts, and parks on the former factory site. The factory parcel is contaminated and must be remediated before construction can begin. As of late, Meridian has accomplished adding zoning text to the town's regulations, rezoning the land, acquiring ownership of the property, applied for permits, and received approval for demolition from the Wetlands Commission.The town water department, which built a new facility on West Queen Street in 2002, demolished its former facility located between Mill and High streets in June 2008 and developed the land into a landscaped park, along with a continuation of the sidewalks, iron fences and decorative lamp posts. The old water facility abuts the linear walking trail.
The linear trail opened to the public in the summer of 2003. This trail was built over the town's old rail line which had ceased operation several years earlier. Dubbed the Farmington Canal Greenway
Farmington Canal Trail
The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail is an 80-mile multi-use rail trail located in Connecticut and Massachusetts.It follows the abandoned north-south right-of-way of the former New Haven and Northampton Company...
, when completed it will stretch from New Haven, Connecticut to Northampton, Massachusetts, following the route of the historical Farmington Canal
Farmington Canal
The Farmington Canal, also known as the New Haven and Northampton Canal, was a major private canal built in the early 19th century to provide water transportation from New Haven into the interior of Connecticut, Massachusetts and beyond. Its Massachusetts segment was known as the Hampshire and...
. The town has only completed 1.9 miles of the trail, running from Hart St. to the center of the village of Plantsville. This trail has brought landscaping, iron benches, and intersections of brick pavers where the trail crosses roads. This is seen as a major link for the further revitalization of downtown Southington and the town's village of Plantsville. Southington is in the process of expanding the trail further to the Cheshire
Cheshire, Connecticut
Cheshire is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 28,543 at the 2000 census. The center of population of Connecticut is located in Cheshire. In 2009 Cheshire was ranked 72 in Money Magazine's 100 Best Places to Live.Likewise, in 2011 Cheshire was ranked 73 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...
town line, of which Cheshire will have to expand their trail to connect to Southington.
Southington is widely involved in the arts. articles around town include murals and sculptures. The mostly widely know of these is inside the Pepper Pot on Center Street. It captivates the different time periods of Southington with depictions of events and places that all ages can reflect upon.
Schools
Southington has eight public elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. It also has an alternative school for children in grades 8-12 called ALTA. Southington also has three parochial schools; one is pre-kindergarten through eighth, one is kindergarten through fifth, and the last is pre-kindergarten through twelfth. Southington schools rank well, outperforming state and reference district averages, and rank among the top 16% of all public schools nationwide. Approximately 6,500 students are enrolled in Southington public schools, making it one of the larger districts in the state of Connecticut. Southington High School has a growing enrollment exceeding 2,200 students, of which 90% of graduates attend post-secondary education.Due to Southington's popularity as a family suburb, the town has undertaken plans to expand all schools to accommodate the growing enrollment. Three elementary schools have been completed and a new building and second cafeteria has been added to the High School campus. Voters recently approved expansion and renovations to two other elementary schools (with one to be demolished and rebuilt), of which construction should start soon.
Elementary schools
- Walter A. Derynoski
- Flanders
- William H. Hatton
- Urbin T. Kelley
- Plantsville
- South End
- William Strong
- Reuben E. Thalberg
Parochial Schools
- St. Thomas School (Pre K-8)
- Saint Dominic School (Pre K-5)
- Central Christian Academy (Pre K-12)
Colleges
- Branford Hall Career InstituteBranford HallBranford Hall Career Institute is an independent career college with campuses in Albany, New York, Bohemia, New York, Branford, Connecticut, Windsor, Connecticut, Southington, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts....
- Lincoln College of New England (formerly Briarwood College)
- New England Baptist College
Parks & Recreation
Public
- Crescent Lake
- Panthorn Park
- Recreation Park
- Southington Dog Park
- Southington Little League Fields
- Veterans Memorial Park
Recreation
- Mount Southington Ski Area
- Southington Country Club
- Hawks Landing Country Club
- Pine Valley Golf Course
- Metacomet TrailMetacomet TrailThe Metacomet Trail is a Blue-Blazed hiking trail that traverses the Metacomet Ridge of central Connecticut and is a part of the newly designated New England National Scenic Trail. Despite being easily accessible and close to large population centers, the trail is considered remarkably rugged and...
- Ragged Mountain
- Southington Community YMCA
- Lake Compounce Theme Park
Notable residents
- John AndersonJohn Anderson (broadcaster)John Anderson is a sports journalist from Green Bay, Wisconsin, and a host of the ESPN TV program SportsCenter since June 1999. He lives in Southington, Connecticut.-Biography:...
(sportscenter anchor) - Jim AparoJim AparoJames N. "Jim" Aparo was an American comic book artist best known for his 1960s and 1970s DC Comics work, including on the characters Batman, Aquaman and the Spectre....
(comic book artist for D.C Comics) - Chris DenorfiaChris DenorfiaChristopher Anthony Denorfia is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the San Diego Padres.-Early life:...
(born 1980) Baseball player - Rob DibbleRob DibbleRobert Keith Dibble is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and television analyst.-Personal life:Dibble is a graduate of Southington High School in Southington, Connecticut...
(baseball player) - Lisa Robin KellyLisa Robin KellyLisa Robin Kelly is an American actress best known for her roles on That '70s Show and Amityville: Dollhouse.-Career:Lisa Robin Kelly made her debut in a 1992 episode of Married... with Children entitled "Kelly Doesn't Live Here Anymore". She appeared again on Married... with Children in 1997 in...
(actress) - Mansfield MerrimanMansfield MerrimanMansfield Merriman was an American civil engineer, born at Southington, Conn. He graduated at Sheffield Scientific School in 1871, was assistant in the United States Corps of Engineers in 1872-73, and instructor in civil engineering at Sheffield from 1875 to 1878...
(born 1848) Civil engineer, educator, and writer - Alwin NikolaisAlwin NikolaisAlwin Nikolais was an American choreographer.Nikolais studied piano at an early age and began his performing career as an organist accompanying silent films. As a young artist, he gained skills in scenic design, acting, puppetry and music composition...
(choreographer) - Carl PavanoCarl PavanoCarl Anthony Pavano is an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher currently with the Minnesota Twins.-Early career:...
(baseball player) - Thomas Edward SeymourThomas Edward SeymourThomas Edward Seymour is an American filmmaker, composer, singer-songwriter and actor.Thomas Edward Seymour is considered one of the Top Twenty Contemporary Underground Filmmakers in the U.S., according to the book The History of Independent Cinema This "Top Underground" status has been echoed...
(producer, actor, director, writer, editor, composer, cinematographer)
On the National Register of Historic Places
There are numerous houses and districts in Southington that are listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, including:
- Luman Andrews HouseLuman Andrews HouseThe Luman Andrews House was built in 1745. Its property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Included in the listing is one contributing building and two contributing sites. Architecture represented includes Greek Revival, Colonial, and New England Colonial.The house...
—469 Andrews St. - Atwater Manufacturing CompanyAtwater Manufacturing CompanyAtwater Manufacturing Company is a property in Southington, Connecticut that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.Also known as Rex Forge Division, J.J...
—335 Atwater St. - Selah Barnes House—282 Prospect St.
- Barnes-Frost HouseBarnes-Frost HouseThe Barnes-Frost House in Marion section of Southington, Connecticut, was built in 1795. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.It was included as a contributing building in the Marion Historic District....
—1177 Marion Ave. - Blakeslee Forging Company—100 W. Main St.
- Icabod Bradley House—537 Shuttle Meadow Rd.
- Clark Brothers Factory No. 1—1331 S. Main St.
- Clark Brothers Factory No. 2—409 Canal St.
- Avery Clark House—1460 Meriden Ave.
- Capt. Josiah Cowles HouseJosiah Cowles HouseThe Josiah Cowles House was the residence of Captain Josiah Cowles, one of the early settlers of Southington, Connecticut. Cowles was born in Farmington, Connecticut on November 20,1713. He settled in an area that would become the town of Southington, in an area called Plantsville.Cowles was a...
—184 Marion Ave. - Ebenezer Evans House—17 Long Bottom Rd.
- Farmington Canal-New Haven and Northampton Canal
- Asa Barnes Tavern/Levi B. Frost HouseLevi B. Frost HouseThe Levi B. Frost House, also known as Asa Barnes Tavern, is an historic house at 1089 Marion Avenue in the Marion section of Southington, Connecticut, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural and historic significance.Asa Barnes established a tavern in this...
—1089 Marion Ave. - Stephen Grannis House—1193 West St.
- Timothy Hart House—521 Flanders Rd.
- House at 1010 Shuttle Meadow Road—1010 Shuttle Meadow Rd.
- House at 590 West Street—590 West St.
- Hurwood Company—379 Summer St.
- Lake Compounce Carousel—West of Southington Center on Lake Ave.
- Marion Historic DistrictMarion Historic District (Cheshire and Southington, Connecticut)The Marion Historic District is a historic district in the Marion section of Southington in Hartford County, Connecticut. The district also includes two houses on the Cheshire side of the town line between Southington and the town of Cheshire in New Haven County. The historic district was listed...
—Along Marion Ave. and Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike - Meriden Avenue-Oakland Road Historic DistrictMeriden Avenue-Oakland Road Historic DistrictThe Meriden Avenue-Oakland Road Historic District is a National Register of Historic Places district covering a residential section of Southington, Connecticut, located south of the center of town. At the time of the listing, in 1988, there were 113 buildings within the boundaries of the district,...
—Roughly Oakland Rd. between Meriden and Berlin Aves., and Meriden Ave. between Oakland Rd. and Delhunty Dr. - Roswell Moore II House—1166 Andrews St.
- Peck, Stow & Wilcox Factory—217 Center St.
- Plantsville Historic District—Roughly bounded by Prospect St., Summer St., the Quinnipiac River, Grove St., S. Main St., W. Main St., and West St.
- Dr. J. Porter House—391 Belleview Ave.
- Pultz & Walkley Company—120 W. Main St.
- Jonathan Root HouseJonathan Root HouseThe Jonathan Root House was the residence of Jonathan Root, one of the early settlers of Southington, Connecticut. The town was first settled in the late 17th century. The area was first known as Panthorne then became known as South Farmington and finally, as Southington. The area was formally...
—140-142 N. Main St. - Dr. Henry Skelton House—889 S. Main St.
- H. D. Smith Company Building—24 West St.
- Southington Center Historic DistrictSouthington Center Historic DistrictThe Southington Center Historic District is a National Register of Historic Places district covering a major portion of the center of Southington, Connecticut. The area includes a considerable number of resources, many of which are buildings, commercial, governmental, religious and residential, but...
- Southington Public Library—239 Main St.
- Horace Webster Farmhouse—577 South End Rd.
- West Street School—1432 West St.
- Rev. John Wightman House—1024 Mount Vernon Rd.
- Valentine Wightman House—1112 Mount Vernon Rd.
- Woodruff House—377 Berlin St.
- Capt. Samuel Woodruff House—23 Old State Rd.
- Ezekiel Woodruff House—1152 East St.
- Jotham Woodruff House—137-139 Woodruff St.
- Urbana Woodruff House—1096 East St.
External links
- Town of Southington (official site)
- Southington Message Boards
- Southington Library and Museum
- Greater Southington Chamber of Commerce
- http://www.southingtonjaycees.org Southington Jaycees
- Southington Public Schools
- WXCT 990 AM Southington Based Radio Station
- The Southington Observer (weekly newspaper)