Stratford, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
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.
The population was 51,384 as of the 2010 census. It has a historical legacy in aviation, the military, and theater. Stratford is bordered on the west by Bridgeport
, to the north by Trumbull
and Shelton
, and on the east by Milford
(across the Housatonic River
).
leader Reverend Adam Blakeman
, William Beardsley
, and either 16 families—according to legend—or approximately 35 families—suggested by later research—who had recently arrived in Connecticut
from England seeking religious freedom. Stratford is one of many towns in the northeastern American colonies founded as part of the Great Migration in the 1630s when Puritan families fled an increasingly polarized England
in the decade before the civil war
between Charles I
and Parliament
(led by Oliver Cromwell
). Some of the Stratford settlers were from families who had first moved from England to the Netherlands
to seek religious freedom, like their predecessors on the Mayflower
, and decided to come to the New World
when their children began to adopt the Dutch culture and language.
Like other Puritan or Pilgrim
towns founded during this time, early Stratford was a place where church leadership and town leadership were united under the pastor of the church, in this case Reverend Blakeman. The goal of these communities was to create perfect outposts of religious idealism where the wilderness would separate them from the interference of kings, parliaments, or any other secular authority.
Blakeman ruled Stratford until his death in 1665, but as the second generation of Stratford grew up, many of the children rejected what they perceived as the exceptional austerity of the town's founders. This and later generations sought to change the religious dictums of their elders, and the utopia
n nature of Stratford and similar communities was gradually replaced with more standard colonial administration. By the late 17th century, the Connecticut government had assumed political control over Stratford.
Many descendants of the original founding Puritan families remain in Stratford today after over 350 years; for centuries they often intermarried within the original small group of 17th century Pilgrim families. Stratford's original name was Cupheag, but was later changed to honor Stratford-upon-Avon
in England. Despite its Puritan origins, Stratford was the site of the first Anglican church in Connecticut, founded in 1707 and ministered by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson. Settlers from Stratford went on to found other American cities and towns, including Newark
, New Jersey
, established in 1666 by members of the Stratford founding families who believed the town's religious purity had been compromised by the changes after Blakeman's death. Other towns such as Cambria
, New York
(now Lockport, New York
) were founded or expanded around new churches by Stratford descendants taking part in the westward migration. U.S. President Gerald Ford
was a descendant of one of the Stratford founding families, that was led by William Judson.
. Over time it gave rise to several new towns that broke off and incorporated separately. The following towns were created from parts of Stratford:
, the town has a total area of 19.9 square miles (51.5 km²), of which 17.6 square miles (45.6 km²) is land and 2.3 square miles (6 km²), or 11.52%, is water. Stratford has a minimum elevation of zero feet above sea level along its coastline, with a maximum altitude of 295 feet (89.9 m) near its northern border, and an average elevation of 23 feet (7 m).
. These are Carting Island
, Long Island
, Peacock Island
, and Pope's Flat
north of Interstate 95
, as well as Goose Island
. None of these islands are habitable because of their low elevations. A sixth island known as Brinsmade Island washed away prior to 1964.
Long Beach – Located at the end of Oak Bluff Avenue, southwest of the Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, the eastern end of the beach is open to the public and has parking and lifeguards. Though it does not have any of the amenities of Short Beach it is still the most used beach in Stratford. The central part of the beach is a nature preserve whose land is set aside for wildlife, particularly nesting seabirds, such as kestrel
s and osprey
s. The western end of the beach is the site of about 40 cottages, now abandoned because of the town's discontinuation of the lease to the land.
Russian Beach – Located between Long and Short beaches, and accessible from Beach Drive. There is parking and the Point-No-Point walkway. Fishing is allowed, as is swimming although this beach does not have lifeguards.
Short Beach – Short Beach Park is 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) in size and sits at the mouth of the Housatonic River, east of the Sikorsky Memorial Airport. It has three picnic pavilions, two of which hold 50 people and contain a grill and four picnic tables. The largest unit holds 100 people and has water and electricity. There are basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, a handicap accessible playground, a skateboard park, a lighted softball field, a soccer field, two baseball fields and a lacrosse field. The beach has 1000 feet (304.8 m) of frontage with a concession stand, bathrooms, a deck and lifeguards. The park is also home to Short Beach Golf Course, a nine hole par-3 course, and Gull's Landing Miniature Golf Course.
, a key bird migration stopover, is adjacent to Sikorsky Memorial Airport
. The open water area of the Great Salt Marsh is known as Lewis Gut.
, it was set aside in the 1930s, when much of the infrastructure was created as a Works Progress Administration
project. The forest includes campsites with cooking pits, picnic tables, a playground, restrooms, and walking trails.
Stratford is the location of two Superfund
sites designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
. These include a variety of locations related to asbestos dumping and disposal by Raymark Industries, whose manufacturing was previously headquartered in Stratford, and the former Stratford Army Engine Plant
. The Raymark site is on the EPA's National Priorities List
. Stratford Army Engine Plant is not on the National Priorities list, but is being cleaned up by the US Army.
From 1919 to 1989, Raymark manufactured brake pads and other friction
products for the automobile industry under the name Raybestos
. The company disposed of wastes containing lead
, asbestos
, PCBs and other hazardous substances at its Stratford manufacturing plant. Raymark dried the waste material and made it available for use as fill material for lawns, playgrounds, and schoolyards. In 1993, the EPA and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection began working together to complete the cleanup of contamination Raymark left behind in Stratford. EPA completed its cleanup of the contaminated residential properties in 1995 and the former Raymark plant property in 1997. Plans for cleanup of the Ferry Creek area and surrounding properties where additional Raymark waste was historically disposed are currently being developed by the EPA. The cost of cleaning up the Raymark Site is estimated to have exceeded $200 million.
of 2010, there were 51,384 people, 20,095 households, and 13,614 families residing in the town. The population density
was 2919.5 people per square mile (1,117/km²). There were 21,091 housing units at an average density of 1,198.4 per square mile (458.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 76.4% White, 14.3% Black or African American
, 0.2% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.2% from other races
, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.8% of the population.
There were 20,095 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples
living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.2 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $53,494, and the median income for a family was $64,364. Males had a median income of $45,552 versus $34,575 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $26,501. About 3.5% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.
s was developed in Stratford by Igor Sikorsky
and flown at his plant. His company, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, is still the town's largest employer. Also in 1939, Lycoming
produced Wright
radial engine
s here. After World War II
, the plant was converted to produce turbine
s.
The Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Division in Stratford built a total of 7,829 F4U fighters from 1940 to 1952, including the prototype. These planes saw extensive combat in the Pacific Theatre of operations during World War II, and played a supporting role in the Korean War
. A Corsair sits on a pedestal at the airport as a memorial to the war effort.
The Stratford Eagles Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol
, is based in Stratford, at the Sikorsky Memorial Airport
Stratford is home to the headquarters of Sikorsky Aircraft
, a United Technologies Corporation
subsidiary founded by Igor Sikorsky
, developer of the first successful American helicopter
. Every Marine One
(the helicopter of the President of the United States
) has been manufactured in Stratford since 1957.
(SAEP) was a U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command installation and manufacturing facility, located along the Housatonic River and Main Street opposite Sikorsky Airport. Because of the Base Realignment and Closure
actions of the United States Department of Defense
, closure of the plant was recommended in July 1995. The SAEP closed on September 30, 1998. For the next 11 years the Army was involved with "Team Stratford" to develop the property. The United States Army
, which owns the 78 acres (315,655.1 m²) site, auctioned it off on March 19, 2008, with a winning bid of $9,612,000 which also includes the 1720000 ft2 facility of over fifty buildings. This bid failed to be paid off and is now being placed for rebid. Currently Robert Hartmann of Hartmann Development has a $1 billion plan to develop the former Army engine plant into a destination resort.
is located in Stratford. The 800 acres (3.2 km²) facility includes two paved runways (both under 4800 feet), a helipad, and two hangars. It provides helicopter service to New York and the Downtown Manhattan Heliport
and is used as a landing site for blimps and small aircraft. In 2007, 241 aircraft were based at the airport, with an average of 212 operations per day.
is a stop on the New Haven Line, 59 miles (95 km) east of Grand Central Terminal
. Average travel time into Manhattan is about 90 minutes. The station platforms only four cars and has limited parking of fewer than 300 spaces. It has three ticket machines, a bus connection to neighboring Bridgeport, and handicapped access.
(Connecticut Turnpike
), U.S. Route 1
(Boston Post Road
) (Boston Avenue and Barnum Avenue), the Merritt Parkway
(Route 15
), Route 108 (Nichols Avenue), Route 110 (East Main Street and River Road), Route 113 (Lordship Boulevard and Main Street), and Route 130 (Stratford Avenue and Ferry Boulevard).
in Stratford, killing seven people. This accident was one of the reasons toll booths were removed throughout the state.
from 1921 until 2005 when it changed to a mayor-council type of government. The first mayor, James Miron, was elected in November 2005 to a four-year term. The current mayor is John Harkins. The town has a ten-member Town Council
, elected by district to two-year terms. It appoints one of its members to serve as Chairman. The Mayor and the Town Council are responsible for setting policy through the enactment of ordinances and resolutions.
& EVO
classes and re-certification classes are regularly offered.
Stratford's EMS units utilize the designation of "80".
Fire station locations and apparatus
The Police Department also includes the Animal Control unit of two officers and a kennel manager.
High schools
Middle schools
Elementary schools
) elementary and middle schools:
contains a photographic history of the helicopter, along with many models. The museum has free admission and is open Wednesdays through Sundays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., from Memorial Day through October.
A tollbooth that was in service from 1940 to 1988 on Connecticut's Merritt Parkway
is on display in Boothe Memorial Park.
In 1955 Stratford (having the same name as Stratford-upon-Avon
, William Shakespeare
's hometown in England) became home to the American Shakespeare Theatre, an 1,100-seat theatre with grounds on the Housatonic River
. The theatre featured such actors as Katharine Hepburn
, James Earl Jones
, Paul Newman
, Jessica Tandy
, Jane Alexander
, Hal Holbrook
, Roddy McDowall
, Nina Foch
and Will Geer
. John Houseman
served as its artistic director during the late 1950s.
The company operating the theater ceased operations in the mid-1980s, and the building has been vacant since then. In February 2005, the Town of Stratford received the deed for the Stratford Festival Shakespeare Theater from the state of Connecticut. In 2006 it selected a New York City development company to reopen the theater as a tourist destination, but the company's contract was terminated in July 2007 because of lack of progress. Three months later the town issued a request for proposals for an architectural assessment of the needs of the theater building.
. It hosts a variety of activities for both adults and children, including children's day camps and pre-school programs, cooking courses, dance instruction, golf lessons, youth basketball, lacrosse and soccer leagues, a skiing club, and music classes. Sterling House is also home to charity events and volunteer activities. The grounds include a gazebo, a rose garden, and a 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) field.
women's fastpitch softball
team. Previously known as the Stratford Brakettes, the team has posted 3,242 victories in 3,607 games played, as well as three world championships and 28 national A.S.A.
championships, including a record eight consecutive titles from 1971 to 1978. 19 former members have made the National Softball Hall of Fame, and 11 have been Olympians. Formed in 1947 as the Raybestos Girl All-Stars, and later called the Raybestos Brakettes, they became known as the Stratford Brakettes in 1985 after Raybestos ceased its sponsorship. More recently, they fielded a team called the Connecticut Brakettes in the National Pro Fastpitch
league for the 2006 season. In 2004, they captured a three-peat (titles in 2002, 2003, and 2004). Their most recent title came in 2006. The Brakettes play at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field between Main Street and the Housatonic River.
In 2007 the Stratford Pony Baseball
Bronco American team made it to the Pony World Series in California.
and by the weekly Stratford Star.
, United Kingdom
Stratford
, New Zealand
Stratford
, Ontario
, Canada
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 Fairfield County
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...
, located on 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...
at the mouth of 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...
. It was founded by Puritans in 1639.
The population was 51,384 as of the 2010 census. It has a historical legacy in aviation, the military, and theater. Stratford is bordered on the west by Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, to the north by 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...
and Shelton
Shelton, Connecticut
Shelton is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,559 at the 2010 census.-Origins:Shelton was settled by the English as part of the town of Stratford, Connecticut, in 1639...
, and on the east by Milford
Milford, Connecticut
Milford is a coastal city in southwestern New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between Bridgeport and New Haven. The population was 52,759 at the 2010 census...
(across 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...
).
History
Founding and Puritan era
Stratford (formerly known as Cupheag Plantation, and prior to that, Pequonnocke) was founded in 1639 by PuritanPuritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
leader Reverend Adam Blakeman
Adam Blakeman
Rev. Adam Blakeman was born in Gnosall, Staffordshire, England, June 10, 1596. His birthplace is frequently misspelled in websites due to transcription errors from old records....
, William Beardsley
William Beardsley
William Beardsley was one of the first settlers of Stratford, Connecticut .-Biography:He was born 1605 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire; England in 1631 he married Mary Harvie in St...
, and either 16 families—according to legend—or approximately 35 families—suggested by later research—who had recently arrived 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...
from England seeking religious freedom. Stratford is one of many towns in the northeastern American colonies founded as part of the Great Migration in the 1630s when Puritan families fled an increasingly polarized England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the decade before the civil war
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
between Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
(led by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
). Some of the Stratford settlers were from families who had first moved from England to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
to seek religious freedom, like their predecessors on the Mayflower
Mayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
, and decided to come to the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
when their children began to adopt the Dutch culture and language.
Like other Puritan or Pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
towns founded during this time, early Stratford was a place where church leadership and town leadership were united under the pastor of the church, in this case Reverend Blakeman. The goal of these communities was to create perfect outposts of religious idealism where the wilderness would separate them from the interference of kings, parliaments, or any other secular authority.
Blakeman ruled Stratford until his death in 1665, but as the second generation of Stratford grew up, many of the children rejected what they perceived as the exceptional austerity of the town's founders. This and later generations sought to change the religious dictums of their elders, and the utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
n nature of Stratford and similar communities was gradually replaced with more standard colonial administration. By the late 17th century, the Connecticut government had assumed political control over Stratford.
Many descendants of the original founding Puritan families remain in Stratford today after over 350 years; for centuries they often intermarried within the original small group of 17th century Pilgrim families. Stratford's original name was Cupheag, but was later changed to honor Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
in England. Despite its Puritan origins, Stratford was the site of the first Anglican church in Connecticut, founded in 1707 and ministered by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson. Settlers from Stratford went on to found other American cities and towns, including Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, established in 1666 by members of the Stratford founding families who believed the town's religious purity had been compromised by the changes after Blakeman's death. Other towns such as Cambria
Cambria, New York
Cambria is a town in Niagara County, New York, USA. The population was 5,839 at the 2010 census. Cambria is an early name for Wales.The Town of Cambria is in the center of Niagara County.New York State Route 93 passes through the town.- History :...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(now Lockport, New York
Lockport (city), New York
Lockport is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 21,165 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a set of Erie canal locks within the city. Lockport is the county seat of Niagara County and is surrounded by the town of Lockport...
) were founded or expanded around new churches by Stratford descendants taking part in the westward migration. U.S. President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
was a descendant of one of the Stratford founding families, that was led by William Judson.
Towns created from Stratford
Stratford was one of the two principal settlements in southwestern Connecticut, the other being FairfieldFairfield, 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...
. Over time it gave rise to several new towns that broke off and incorporated separately. The following towns were created from parts of Stratford:
- SheltonShelton, ConnecticutShelton is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,559 at the 2010 census.-Origins:Shelton was settled by the English as part of the town of Stratford, Connecticut, in 1639...
(originally Huntington) in 1789 - 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....
created from Huntington in 1823 - TrumbullTrumbull, ConnecticutTrumbull, 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...
(originally Unity, then North Stratford) incorporated as Trumbull in 1797 - BridgeportBridgeport, ConnecticutBridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
(also partly from FairfieldFairfield, ConnecticutFairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
) in 1821
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 19.9 square miles (51.5 km²), of which 17.6 square miles (45.6 km²) is land and 2.3 square miles (6 km²), or 11.52%, is water. Stratford has a minimum elevation of zero feet above sea level along its coastline, with a maximum altitude of 295 feet (89.9 m) near its northern border, and an average elevation of 23 feet (7 m).
Coastline and islands
The town contains five islands, all in the Housatonic RiverHousatonic 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...
. These are Carting Island
Carting Island
Carting Island is the largest of the four islands owned by Stratford, Connecticut in the Housatonic River between I-95 and the Merritt Parkway. The island is north of the Moses Wheeler Bridge, east of Peacock Island , and southwest of Long Island , and Pope's Flat, it is also south of Fowler...
, Long Island
Long Island (Connecticut)
Long Island is the second smallest of the four islands owned by Stratford, Connecticut in the Housatonic River between I-95 and the Merritt Parkway. The island is north of the Moses Wheeler Bridge, northeast of Carting Island and Peacock Island , west of Pope's Flat and south of Fowler Island in...
, Peacock Island
Peacock Island (Connecticut)
Peacock Island is the smallest of the four islands owned by Stratford, Connecticut in the Housatonic River between I-95 and the Merritt Parkway. The island is north of the Moses Wheeler Bridge, west of Carting Island, southwest of Long Island , Pope's Flat, and south of Fowler Island in Milford and...
, and Pope's Flat
Pope's Flat
Pope's Flat is the second largest of the four islands owned by Stratford, Connecticut in the Housatonic River between I-95 and the Merritt Parkway. The island is north of the Moses Wheeler Bridge, northeast of Carting Island, Long Island and Peacock Island , and south of Fowler Island in Milford...
north of Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
, as well as Goose Island
Goose Island (Connecticut)
Goose Island is the sole island owned by Stratford, Connecticut below I-95 in the Housatonic River. The island is currently a set of three islets due to erosion running north-south very near the Stratford bank of the river....
. None of these islands are habitable because of their low elevations. A sixth island known as Brinsmade Island washed away prior to 1964.
Beaches
Town beach stickers are free for residents and $100/season for non-residents with daily rates (per beach) available.Long Beach – Located at the end of Oak Bluff Avenue, southwest of the Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, the eastern end of the beach is open to the public and has parking and lifeguards. Though it does not have any of the amenities of Short Beach it is still the most used beach in Stratford. The central part of the beach is a nature preserve whose land is set aside for wildlife, particularly nesting seabirds, such as kestrel
Kestrel
The name kestrel, is given to several different members of the falcon genus, Falco. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour which is to hover at a height of around over open country and swoop down on prey, usually small mammals, lizards or large insects...
s and osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
s. The western end of the beach is the site of about 40 cottages, now abandoned because of the town's discontinuation of the lease to the land.
Short Beach – Short Beach Park is 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) in size and sits at the mouth of the Housatonic River, east of the Sikorsky Memorial Airport. It has three picnic pavilions, two of which hold 50 people and contain a grill and four picnic tables. The largest unit holds 100 people and has water and electricity. There are basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, a handicap accessible playground, a skateboard park, a lighted softball field, a soccer field, two baseball fields and a lacrosse field. The beach has 1000 feet (304.8 m) of frontage with a concession stand, bathrooms, a deck and lifeguards. The park is also home to Short Beach Golf Course, a nine hole par-3 course, and Gull's Landing Miniature Golf Course.
Great Salt Marsh
The Great Meadows Unit of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife RefugeStewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge
The Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in ten units across the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in the Atlantic Flyway, the refuge spans of Connecticut coastline and provides important resting, feeding, and nesting habitat for many species of wading...
, a key bird migration stopover, is adjacent to Sikorsky Memorial Airport
Sikorsky Memorial Airport
Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport , formerly known as Bridgeport Municipal Airport, is a public airport located in Stratford, three miles southeast of the central business district of Bridgeport, in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States...
. The open water area of the Great Salt Marsh is known as Lewis Gut.
Neighborhoods
- Beaver Dam
- Birdseye
- Hawley Lane (shared with TrumbullTrumbull, ConnecticutTrumbull, 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...
) - Lordship
- Long Beach
- Oronoque
- Oronoque Hills
- Oronoque Village
- Paradise Green
- Peck's Mill
- PutneyPutney, ConnecticutPutney is a section in the north end of Stratford, Connecticut. The area includes Boothe Memorial Park and Museum and Putney Chapel and abuts the neighborhood of Oronoque. The area roughly includes all property from Chapel Street and Harry B. Flood Middle School across Connecticut Route 110 and...
- South End
- Stratford CenterStratford Center Historic DistrictThe Stratford Center Historic District is a historic district in Stratford, Connecticut. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983...
- Success Village
- Wooster Park
Roosevelt Forest
Located in the north end of Stratford, this 250 acres (1 km²) site is primarily a mixed deciduous forest, with some wetlands and ponds. Named for President Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, it was set aside in the 1930s, when much of the infrastructure was created as a Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
project. The forest includes campsites with cooking pits, picnic tables, a playground, restrooms, and walking trails.
Superfund sites
Superfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
sites designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
. These include a variety of locations related to asbestos dumping and disposal by Raymark Industries, whose manufacturing was previously headquartered in Stratford, and the former Stratford Army Engine Plant
Stratford Army Engine Plant
The Stratford Army Engine Plant was a U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command installation and manufacturing facility located in Stratford, Connecticut, where it was sited along the Housatonic River and Main Street, opposite Sikorsky Airport....
. The Raymark site is on the EPA's National Priorities List
National Priorities List
The National Priorities List is the list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for long-term remedial action financed under the federal Superfund program. Environmental Protection Agency regulations outline a formal process for assessing hazardous waste sites and placing them on...
. Stratford Army Engine Plant is not on the National Priorities list, but is being cleaned up by the US Army.
From 1919 to 1989, Raymark manufactured brake pads and other friction
Friction
Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and/or material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction:...
products for the automobile industry under the name Raybestos
Raybestos
Raybestos is a brand of automotive brakes begun in 1902 by Arthur H. Raymond and Arthur F. Law of Bridgeport, Connecticut. In 1906 Raymond and Law invented the woven brake lining, an important innovation in automotive brakes. From 1919-1989 Raybestos brand was manufactured by Raymark Industries,...
. The company disposed of wastes containing lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
, asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
, PCBs and other hazardous substances at its Stratford manufacturing plant. Raymark dried the waste material and made it available for use as fill material for lawns, playgrounds, and schoolyards. In 1993, the EPA and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection began working together to complete the cleanup of contamination Raymark left behind in Stratford. EPA completed its cleanup of the contaminated residential properties in 1995 and the former Raymark plant property in 1997. Plans for cleanup of the Ferry Creek area and surrounding properties where additional Raymark waste was historically disposed are currently being developed by the EPA. The cost of cleaning up the Raymark Site is estimated to have exceeded $200 million.
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 2010, there were 51,384 people, 20,095 households, and 13,614 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 2919.5 people per square mile (1,117/km²). There were 21,091 housing units at an average density of 1,198.4 per square mile (458.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 76.4% White, 14.3% 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...
, 0.2% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.2% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.8% of the population.
There were 20,095 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% 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, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.2 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $53,494, and the median income for a family was $64,364. Males had a median income of $45,552 versus $34,575 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 $26,501. About 3.5% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.
Military and industrial significance
In 1939, one of the world's first successful commercial helicopterHelicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s was developed in Stratford by Igor Sikorsky
Igor Sikorsky
Igor Sikorsky , born Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky was a Russian American pioneer of aviation in both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft...
and flown at his plant. His company, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, is still the town's largest employer. Also in 1939, Lycoming
Lycoming Engines
Lycoming Engines is a U.S. aircraft engine company, known primarily for its general aviation engines. For most of its history Lycoming has been part of the AVCO group as AVCO Lycoming. In 1987 AVCO was purchased by Textron to become Textron Lycoming...
produced Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
radial engine
Radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central crankshaft like the spokes on a wheel...
s here. After 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 plant was converted to produce turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
s.
The Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Division in Stratford built a total of 7,829 F4U fighters from 1940 to 1952, including the prototype. These planes saw extensive combat in the Pacific Theatre of operations during World War II, and played a supporting role in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. A Corsair sits on a pedestal at the airport as a memorial to the war effort.
The Stratford Eagles Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
, is based in Stratford, at the Sikorsky Memorial Airport
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:...
, a United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation is an American multinational conglomerate headquartered in the United Technologies Building in Hartford, Connecticut...
subsidiary founded by Igor Sikorsky
Igor Sikorsky
Igor Sikorsky , born Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky was a Russian American pioneer of aviation in both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft...
, developer of the first successful American helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
. Every Marine One
Marine One
Marine One is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the President of the United States. It usually denotes a helicopter operated by the HMX-1 "Nighthawks" squadron, either the large VH-3D Sea King or the newer, smaller VH-60N "WhiteHawk", both due to be replaced by the...
(the helicopter of the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
) has been manufactured in Stratford since 1957.
Stratford Army Engine Plant
The Stratford Army Engine PlantStratford Army Engine Plant
The Stratford Army Engine Plant was a U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command installation and manufacturing facility located in Stratford, Connecticut, where it was sited along the Housatonic River and Main Street, opposite Sikorsky Airport....
(SAEP) was a U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command installation and manufacturing facility, located along the Housatonic River and Main Street opposite Sikorsky Airport. Because of the Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
actions of the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
, closure of the plant was recommended in July 1995. The SAEP closed on September 30, 1998. For the next 11 years the Army was involved with "Team Stratford" to develop the property. The United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, which owns the 78 acres (315,655.1 m²) site, auctioned it off on March 19, 2008, with a winning bid of $9,612,000 which also includes the 1720000 ft2 facility of over fifty buildings. This bid failed to be paid off and is now being placed for rebid. Currently Robert Hartmann of Hartmann Development has a $1 billion plan to develop the former Army engine plant into a destination resort.
Air
Although owned by the City of Bridgeport, Sikorsky Memorial AirportSikorsky Memorial Airport
Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport , formerly known as Bridgeport Municipal Airport, is a public airport located in Stratford, three miles southeast of the central business district of Bridgeport, in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States...
is located in Stratford. The 800 acres (3.2 km²) facility includes two paved runways (both under 4800 feet), a helipad, and two hangars. It provides helicopter service to New York and the Downtown Manhattan Heliport
Downtown Manhattan Heliport
The Downtown Manhattan Heliport , also known as the Downtown Manhattan/Wall St. Heliport, is a helicopter landing platform at Pier 6 in the East River in Manhattan, New York.- History :...
and is used as a landing site for blimps and small aircraft. In 2007, 241 aircraft were based at the airport, with an average of 212 operations per day.
Rail
Stratford (Metro-North station)Stratford (Metro-North station)
The Stratford Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Stratford, Connecticut via the New Haven Line. Although the station is usually served by express trains originating or terminating in New Haven, one peak-hour run of the Waterbury Branch stops each morning and evening, as well as...
is a stop on the New Haven Line, 59 miles (95 km) east of Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
. Average travel time into Manhattan is about 90 minutes. The station platforms only four cars and has limited parking of fewer than 300 spaces. It has three ticket machines, a bus connection to neighboring Bridgeport, and handicapped access.
Roads
Stratford is served by several major highways, including Interstate 95Interstate 95 in Connecticut
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
(Connecticut Turnpike
Connecticut Turnpike
The Connecticut Turnpike, known now as the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike, is a freeway in Connecticut that runs from Greenwich to Killingly. It is signed as Interstate 95 from the New York state line at Greenwich to East Lyme, and then as Interstate 395 from East Lyme to Plainfield...
), U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Connecticut
In the U.S. state of Connecticut, U.S. Route 1 is a major east–west state highway along Long Island Sound. It has been replaced by Interstate 95 as a through route, which it closely parallels, and now primarily serves as a local business route...
(Boston Post Road
Boston Post Road
The Boston Post Road was a system of mail-delivery routes between New York City and Boston, Massachusetts that evolved into the first major highways in the United States.The three major alignments were the Lower Post Road The Boston Post Road was a system of mail-delivery routes between New York...
) (Boston Avenue and Barnum Avenue), the Merritt Parkway
Merritt Parkway
The Merritt Parkway is a historic limited-access parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The parkway is known for its scenic layout, its uniquely styled signage, and the architecturally elaborate overpasses along the route. It is designated as a National Scenic Byway and is also listed in the...
(Route 15
Route 15 (Connecticut)
Route 15 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut that runs from a connection with New York's Hutchinson River Parkway in Greenwich, Connecticut to its northern terminus intersecting with Interstate 84 in East Hartford, Connecticut...
), Route 108 (Nichols Avenue), Route 110 (East Main Street and River Road), Route 113 (Lordship Boulevard and Main Street), and Route 130 (Stratford Avenue and Ferry Boulevard).
Interstate 95 tollbooths
In January 1983 a truck slammed into a line of cars waiting to pay a toll on Interstate 95Interstate 95 in Connecticut
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
in Stratford, killing seven people. This accident was one of the reasons toll booths were removed throughout the state.
Government
The Town of Stratford operated under a Council-manager governmentCouncil-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
from 1921 until 2005 when it changed to a mayor-council type of government. The first mayor, James Miron, was elected in November 2005 to a four-year term. The current mayor is John Harkins. The town has a ten-member Town Council
Stratford town council
Stratford Town Council is the legislative body of Stratford, Connecticut. The ten-member council is elected every two years, with members elected by geographical district. The Town Council appoints one of its members to serve as Chairman. The Town Council sets policy through the enactment of...
, elected by district to two-year terms. It appoints one of its members to serve as Chairman. The Mayor and the Town Council are responsible for setting policy through the enactment of ordinances and resolutions.
Emergency medical services
Stratford Emergency Medical Service (EMS) was founded in 1977, providing emergency care (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) supplemented with volunteers. It is located at 900 Longbrook Avenue and includes a chief, secretary, EVOs (Emergency Vehicle Operator), MRTs (Medical Response Technician) EMTs (Emergency Medical Technician), EMT-Is (Emergency Medical Technician – Intermediate), five full timeParamedics, Per Diem Paramedics and volunteer Paramedics. There is also a Medical Bike Unit and Special Operations Division. Since it began charging for services, the department is entirely self sufficient. EMT-B, MRTMRT
- Rapid transit systems :* Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit* Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit system in Kaohsiung, Taiwan* Manila Metro Rail Transit System* Mass Rapid Transit system in Singapore* MRT , officially named Mass Rapid Transit...
& EVO
Evo
-Publications:* East Village Other, American underground newspaper in New York City * EVO , a comic crossover between Top Cow/Image Comics titles* Evo , a British car magazine-Electronics:...
classes and re-certification classes are regularly offered.
EMS Apparatus
Stratford EMS operates out of 2712 Main Street. EMS worked out of 900 Longbrook Avenue (Stratford Police Station) from December 17, 1977, until March 5, 2011.Stratford's EMS units utilize the designation of "80".
- 800 - 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid - Chiefs Vehicle
- 801 - 2010 E-350 Type II Ambulance - (McCoy Miller Ambulance)
- 802 - 2008 E-450 Type III Ambulance - (American Emergency Vehicles)
- 803 - 2007 E-450 Type III Ambulance - (American Emergency Vehicles)
- 804 - 2001 E-350 Type III Ambulance - (Wheeled Coach)
- 805 - 2005 E-450 Type III Ambulance - (American Emergency Vehicles)
- 806 - 2009 E-350 Type II Van Ambulance (American Emergency Vehicles)
- 807 - 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid - Paramedic Flycar
- 808 - 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid - Paramedic Flycar
Fire department
The town of Stratford is protected 24/7 by the 98 career firefighters of the Stratford Fire Department(SFD). The Stratford Fire Department also operates one Light Duty/Water Rescue vehicle, a 14' Zodiac water craft, a 24' Sea Ark Rescue boat, three fire prevention division vehicles, two Chief's vehicles and one training division vehicle. The SFD responds to approximately 6,000 calls annually providing fire, rescue and emergency medical service.Fire station locations and apparatus
| Engine Company | Ladder Company | Special Unit | Command Unit | Address | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine 1, Engine 5 | Ladder 1 | Rescue 1(Dive Unit), Zodiac 1, Haz-Mat. 3 | Car 3(Shift Commander) | 2750 Main St. | Stratford Center |
| Engine 2 | Squad 2(Brush Unit) | 1415 Huntington Rd. | Putney | ||
| Engine 3 | 21 Prospect Dr. | Lordship | |||
| Engine 4 | 200 Oronoque Ln. | Oronoque |
Police department
Created in 1917, the Stratford Police Department is located at 900 Longbrook Avenue, with a total force of 107 officers. The department has a variety of units including Arson Investigation, Crime Prevention, Identification & Forensic Unit and Narcotics & Vice. Stratford also has a Bicycle Patrol and K-9 unit.The Police Department also includes the Animal Control unit of two officers and a kennel manager.
Public education
Public education in Stratford is managed by the Stratford Board of Education, which oversees thirteen schools: two high schools, two middle schools, and nine elementary schools. The district averages 7,600 students and 870 staff.High schools
- Frank Scott Bunnell High SchoolFrank Scott Bunnell High SchoolFrank Scott Bunnell High School is an accreditated high school in Stratford, Connecticut, USA. Bunnell serves students in grades 9 - 12. It is part of Stratford Public Schools....
- Stratford High SchoolStratford High School (Connecticut)Stratford High School is a high school in Stratford, Connecticut, USA. Stratford High serves students in grades 9 - 12. It is part of Stratford Public Schools and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the Connecticut State Department of Education.-Extracurricular...
- A.L.P.H.A. (formerly S.A.F.E.), an alternative high schoolAlternative schoolAlternative school is the name used in some parts of the world to describe an institution which provides part of alternative education. It is an educational establishment with a curriculum and methods that are nontraditional...
program of 55 students hosted at the Birdseye Municipal Complex
Middle schools
- Harry B. Flood Middle School
- David Wooster Middle SchoolDavid Wooster Middle SchoolDavid Wooster Middle School is one of two middle schools in Stratford, Connecticut, USA. Wooster serves students in grades 7-8. It is part of Stratford, Connecticut Public School System. The school is named after Revolutionary War General David Wooster, a Stratford native...
Elementary schools
- Second Hill Lane Elementary School
- Chapel Street Elementary School
- Franklin Elementary School
- Lordship Elementary School
- Nichols Elementary School
- Stratford Academy: Honeyspot House (elementary) (K-2)
- Stratford Academy: Johnson House (elementary) (3–6)
- Eli Whitney Elementary SchoolEli Whitney Elementary SchoolEli Whitney Elementary School is a public school in Stratford, Connecticut named after inventor Eli Whitney.-External links:*...
- Wilcoxson Elementary School
Private education
Stratford has two private (CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
) elementary and middle schools:
- St. James School (K-8)
- St. Mark School (K-8)
Higher education
- The Connecticut School of BroadcastingConnecticut School of BroadcastingThe Connecticut School of Broadcasting is a national career college based in Farmington, Connecticut, United States with a focus on Television and Radio certification and training in areas such as television anchoring, commercial radio performance and journalism including production...
maintains a location in Stratford and certifies students in television anchoring, commercial radio performance and journalism. - Porter and Chester InstitutePorter and Chester InstitutePorter and Chester Institute is a for-profit technical school with nine locations throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts in the United States. Porter and Chester Institute features 10 different career programs.-Campuses:...
's main campus is located on 670 Lordship Boulevard and provides training programs in automotive technology, CAD, electronicsElectronicsElectronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
, HVACHVACHVAC refers to technology of indoor or automotive environmental comfort. HVAC system design is a major subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer...
, medical assistance, and other trade-oriented professional careers. - The Stratford School for Aviation Maintenance Technicians is located at 200 Great Meadow Road (Sikorsky Memorial AirportSikorsky Memorial AirportIgor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport , formerly known as Bridgeport Municipal Airport, is a public airport located in Stratford, three miles southeast of the central business district of Bridgeport, in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States...
). It certifies students as AMTs, or Aircraft Maintenance TechnicianAircraft Maintenance TechnicianAircraft maintenance technician, as used in the United States, refers to an individual who holds a mechanic certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration; the rules for certification, and for certificate-holders, are detailed in Subpart D of Part 65 of the Federal Aviation Regulations ,...
s.
National Helicopter Museum
Located in the former Stratford railroad station (eastbound, or northern side of the tracks) at 2480 Main Street, the National Helicopter MuseumNational helicopter museum
The National Helicopter Museum is a non-profit museum focused on the history of the helicopter and aviation industry around Stratford, Connecticut in the United States.The museum was founded in 1983 by Dr. Raymond Jankowich and Robert McCloud...
contains a photographic history of the helicopter, along with many models. The museum has free admission and is open Wednesdays through Sundays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., from Memorial Day through October.
Boothe Memorial Park
The 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) Boothe homestead in the Putney area of Stratford is a rolling parkland containing the original Boothe homestead and an eclectic assortment of buildings collected by the Boothe brothers during their lives and added to by the Friends of Boothe.A tollbooth that was in service from 1940 to 1988 on Connecticut's Merritt Parkway
Merritt Parkway
The Merritt Parkway is a historic limited-access parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The parkway is known for its scenic layout, its uniquely styled signage, and the architecturally elaborate overpasses along the route. It is designated as a National Scenic Byway and is also listed in the...
is on display in Boothe Memorial Park.
Shakespeare Festival Theatre
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
, William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's hometown in England) became home to the American Shakespeare Theatre, an 1,100-seat theatre with grounds on 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...
. The theatre featured such actors as Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
, James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones is an American actor. He is well-known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership...
, Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
, Jessica Tandy
Jessica Tandy
Jessie Alice "Jessica" Tandy was an English-American stage and film actress.She first appeared on the London stage in 1926 at the age of 16, playing, among others, Katherine opposite Laurence Olivier's Henry V, and Cordelia opposite John Gielgud's King Lear. She also worked in British films...
, Jane Alexander
Jane Alexander
Jane Alexander is an American actress, author, and former director of the National Endowment for the Arts. Although perhaps best known for playing the female lead in The Great White Hope on both stage and screen, Alexander has played a wide array of roles in both theater and film and has committed...
, Hal Holbrook
Hal Holbrook
Harold Rowe "Hal" Holbrook, Jr. is an American actor. His television roles include Abraham Lincoln in the 1976 TV series Lincoln, Hays Stowe on The Bold Ones: The Senator and Capt. Lloyd Bucher on Pueblo. He is also known for his role in the 2007 film Into the Wild, for which he was nominated for...
, Roddy McDowall
Roddy McDowall
Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude "Roddy" McDowall was an English actor and photographer. His film roles included Cornelius and Caesar in the Planet of the Apes film series...
, Nina Foch
Nina Foch
Nina Foch was a Dutch-born American actress and leading lady in many 1940s and 1950s films.- Personal life :...
and Will Geer
Will Geer
Will Geer was an American actor and social activist. His original name was William Aughe Ghere. He is remembered for his portrayal of Grandpa Zebulon Tyler Walton in the 1970s TV series, The Waltons....
. John Houseman
John Houseman
John Houseman was a Romanian-born British-American actor and film producer who became known for his highly publicized collaboration with director Orson Welles from their days in the Federal Theatre Project through to the production of Citizen Kane...
served as its artistic director during the late 1950s.
The company operating the theater ceased operations in the mid-1980s, and the building has been vacant since then. In February 2005, the Town of Stratford received the deed for the Stratford Festival Shakespeare Theater from the state of Connecticut. In 2006 it selected a New York City development company to reopen the theater as a tourist destination, but the company's contract was terminated in July 2007 because of lack of progress. Three months later the town issued a request for proposals for an architectural assessment of the needs of the theater building.
Sites on the National Register of Historic Places
- Boothe Homestead — 5700 Main Street (added 1985)
- Capt. David Judson House — 967 Academy Hill (added 1973)
- Ephraim Wheeler HouseEphraim Wheeler HouseThe Ephraim Wheeler House in Stratford, Connecticut was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.It is located at 470 Whippoorwill Lane in Stratford....
— 470 Whippoorwill Lane (added 1992) - Isaac Lewis House — 50 Paradise Green Place (added 1991)
- Nathan B. Booth HouseNathan B. Booth HouseNathan B. Booth House is a post-and-beam construction farmhouse that was built in 1843. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.It is located at 6080 Main Street in the Putney section of the town of Stratford, Connecticut....
— 6080 Main Street (added 1992) - Sterling HomesteadSterling HomesteadThe Sterling Homestead is the home on Main Street, in Stratford, Connecticut that was created by John William Sterling in 1886. Sterling House is a Romanesque mansion on the property. In its early days it was the home of the Sterling family...
— 2225 Main Street (added 1976) - Stratford Center Historic DistrictStratford Center Historic DistrictThe Stratford Center Historic District is a historic district in Stratford, Connecticut. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983...
— Roughly bounded by East Broadway, Ferry Boulevard, the Housatonic River, I-95, Birdseye and Main Streets (1983) - Stratford Point Lighthouse — Stratford Point at mouth of Housatonic River (added 1990)
- Washington Bridge (Connecticut)Washington Bridge (Connecticut)The Washington Bridge carries U.S. Route 1 over the Housatonic River in the U.S. state of Connecticut, connecting the city of Milford to the town of Stratford. Its geographic location is N 41.20037 by W -73.11039...
— Route 1, as it crosses the Housatonic River from Stratford to Milford (added 2004)
Sterling House
Since 1932, Sterling House has served as a community center for Stratford. It is housed in a donated 1886 Romanesque mansion which was previously the home of John William SterlingJohn William Sterling
John William Sterling was a corporate attorney and major benefactor to Yale University.-Biography:John William Sterling was born in Stratford, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in 1864 and was a member of Skull and Bones. He was admitted to the bar three years later. He...
. It hosts a variety of activities for both adults and children, including children's day camps and pre-school programs, cooking courses, dance instruction, golf lessons, youth basketball, lacrosse and soccer leagues, a skiing club, and music classes. Sterling House is also home to charity events and volunteer activities. The grounds include a gazebo, a rose garden, and a 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) field.
Sports
Stratford is home to the Connecticut BrakettesConnecticut Brakettes
The Connecticut Brakettes is a women's fastpitch softball team based in Stratford, Connecticut. The team has won many state, regional, national, and international tournaments .- History :...
women's fastpitch softball
Fastpitch softball
Fast-pitch softball is a form of softball played commonly by women and men, though coed fast-pitch leagues also exist. The International Softball Federation is the international governing body of softball...
team. Previously known as the Stratford Brakettes, the team has posted 3,242 victories in 3,607 games played, as well as three world championships and 28 national A.S.A.
Amateur Softball Association
The Amateur Softball Association is a volunteer, non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was founded in 1933 with a tournament held in Chicago that was organized by Leo Fischer and Michael J. Pauley. The following year the 1934 National Recreation Congress recognized the ASA. ...
championships, including a record eight consecutive titles from 1971 to 1978. 19 former members have made the National Softball Hall of Fame, and 11 have been Olympians. Formed in 1947 as the Raybestos Girl All-Stars, and later called the Raybestos Brakettes, they became known as the Stratford Brakettes in 1985 after Raybestos ceased its sponsorship. More recently, they fielded a team called the Connecticut Brakettes in the National Pro Fastpitch
National Pro Fastpitch
National Pro Fastpitch , formerly the Women's Pro Softball League , is the only professional women's softball league in the United States. The WPSL was founded in 1997 and folded in 2001. The NPF revived the league in 2004 and currently features four teams: USSSA Pride, Akron Racers, Chicago...
league for the 2006 season. In 2004, they captured a three-peat (titles in 2002, 2003, and 2004). Their most recent title came in 2006. The Brakettes play at Frank DeLuca Hall of Fame Field between Main Street and the Housatonic River.
In 2007 the Stratford Pony Baseball
PONY Baseball and Softball
PONY Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization with headquarters in Washington, Pennsylvania. Started in 1951, it is dedicated to helping young people grow into healthier and happier adults, primarily through the organization of baseball and softball leagues...
Bronco American team made it to the Pony World Series in California.
Movies filmed in Stratford
Movies filmed at least partially in Stratford: unless otherwise cited.- Butterfield Eight (1960)
- The Battle (2001)
- Carnauba: A Son's Memoir (2001)
- Das Kraftei – Raketenjäger ME 163 Komet (2004)
- Boxes (2005)
- Store (2006)
- Listen to Your Heart (2009)
- All Good Things (2010)
Newspapers
Stratford is served by Bridgeport's daily Connecticut PostConnecticut Post
The Connecticut Post is a daily newspaper located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It serves the greater Bridgeport area, Fairfield County, and the Lower Naugatuck Valley. Municipalities in the Post's circulation area include Bridgeport, Ansonia,...
and by the weekly Stratford Star.
Sister cities
Stratford has three sister cities: Stratford-upon-AvonStratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Stratford
Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford is the only town in the central Taranaki district of Stratford District, New Zealand. It lies beneath the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, approximately half-way between New Plymouth and Hawera, near the geographic centre of the Taranaki region. The town has a population of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Stratford
Stratford, Ontario
Stratford is a city on the Avon River in Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a population of 32,000.When the area was first settled by Europeans in 1832, the townsite and the river were named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is the seat of Perth County. Stratford was...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Notable past and present residents
- Andrew AdamsAndrew Adams (congressman)Andrew Adams was an American lawyer, jurist, and political leader in Litchfield, Connecticut, during the American Revolutionary War. He was a delegate for Connecticut to the Continental Congress and later Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court.Adams was born in Stratford, the son of Samuel...
(1736–97), jurist, Connecticut delegate to the Continental Congress, state chief justice and signer of the Articles of Confederation, born in Stratford. - Raymond E. BaldwinRaymond E. BaldwinRaymond Earl Baldwin was a United States Senator, the 72nd and 74th Governor of Connecticut.-Biography:Born in Rye, New York, he moved to Middletown, Connecticut in 1903 and attended the public schools. He graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown in 1916, and entered Yale University...
(1893–1986), Stratford Town Court Prosecutor and Judge, United States Senator, and 72nd and 74th Governor of Connecticut. - Nathan BangsNathan BangsNathan Bangs, was an American Christian theologian in the Methodist tradition. Born in Stratford, Connecticut, he received a limited education, taught school, and in 1799 went to Upper Canada in search of work as either a teacher or a land-surveyor...
(1778–1862), Methodist minister and second President of Wesleyan UniversityWesleyan UniversityWesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
. - William BeardsleyWilliam BeardsleyWilliam Beardsley was one of the first settlers of Stratford, Connecticut .-Biography:He was born 1605 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire; England in 1631 he married Mary Harvie in St...
(1605–1661), town founder buried in Stratford. - Adam BlakemanAdam BlakemanRev. Adam Blakeman was born in Gnosall, Staffordshire, England, June 10, 1596. His birthplace is frequently misspelled in websites due to transcription errors from old records....
(1596–1665), Puritan leader who was a town founder and the first church minister. - Efrain ChacurianEfrain ChacurianEfrain or Yeprem “Chico” Chacurian is a retired Argentine-American soccer forward. He was earned four caps, scoring one goal, as a member of the U.S. national team in 1953 and 1954. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1992-Professional career:Chacurian was born in Argentina...
, member of the National Soccer Hall of FameNational Soccer Hall of FameThe National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 that honors soccer achievements in the United States.-History:...
in OneontaOneonta, New YorkOneonta is a city in southern Otsego County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, had a population of 13,901. Its nickname is "City of the Hills." While the word "oneonta" is of undetermined origin, it is popularly believed to mean "place of open rocks" in the Iroquois language...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. - Javier Colon, singer/songwriter, winner of season one of The VoiceThe Voice (U.S. TV series)The Voice is an American reality talent show that premiered on April 26, 2011 on the NBC television network. Based on the reality singing competition The Voice of Holland, the series was created by Dutch television producer John de Mol. It is part of an international series...
grew up in Stratford and graduated from Bunnell High SchoolFrank Scott Bunnell High SchoolFrank Scott Bunnell High School is an accreditated high school in Stratford, Connecticut, USA. Bunnell serves students in grades 9 - 12. It is part of Stratford Public Schools....
. - Joseph Platt CookeJoseph Platt CookeJoseph Platt Cooke was an American military officer in the Revolutionary War, a Connecticut politician, and twice a delegate to the Congress of the Confederation. He was born in Stratford, Connecticut and graduated from Yale College in 1750...
(1730–1816), Continental ArmyContinental ArmyThe Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
colonel in the Revolutionary WarAmerican 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...
, state politician, and twice a delegate to the Continental CongressContinental CongressThe Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
, born in Stratford. - Tony DovolaniTony DovolaniDriton "Tony" Dovolani is an Albanian-American professional ballroom dancer, instructor and judge based in New York City. He is known for his involvement in the American version of Dancing with the Stars on ABC. Dovolani also portrayed a Latin bad boy in the hit film Shall We Dance? and spent time...
, ballroom dancer, cast member on Dancing with the StarsDancing with the StarsDancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
, used to reside in Stratford - Bancroft GherardiBancroft GherardiBancroft Gherardi was a rear admiral of the United States Navy, who served during the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War.-Biography:...
(1832–1903), US Navy Rear Admiral and veteran of the Mexican-American War and American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. - Joseph HawleyJoseph 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...
(1603–1690), town recorder, representative, shipbuilder and yeoman. - William Samuel JohnsonWilliam Samuel JohnsonWilliam Samuel Johnson was an early American statesman who was notable for signing the United States Constitution, for representing Connecticut in the United States Senate, and for serving as president of Columbia University.-Early career:...
(1727–1819), signer of the United States ConstitutionUnited States ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
, first SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
for Connecticut, first President of Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, born and died in Stratford. - Stephen KingStephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
, author, briefly lived in Stratford as a child. - George Ayres LeavittGeorge Ayres LeavittGeorge Ayres Leavitt was the son of a Massachusetts bookbinder who founded several of New York's earliest publishing firms. George Leavitt subsequently founded his own publishing company, Leavitt & Allen, but it failed during a financial panic that swept the nation during the American Civil War...
(1822–1888), early New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
publisher, lived in Stratford part-time. - Nancy MarchandNancy MarchandNancy Marchand was an American actress, whose career encompassed both stage and screen. She appeared in various theatre productions throughout the early 1950s, before being offered roles on film and television....
(1928–2000), actress (Lou Grant, The Sopranos), resided in the Lordship section of Stratford. - MobyMobyRichard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
, songwiter/musician/singer, lived in Stratford (1974–1976), attending Birdseye Elementary School. - Kenneth H. Olsen, engineer and co-founder of Digital Equipment Corporation.
- Tom PendersTom PendersTom Penders is a retired college basketball head coach, who last coached from 2004 through 2010 at the University of Houston. He is from Stratford, Connecticut and has a 648-438 career record...
, college basketball coach and ESPN sports analyst, native of Stratford. - David PlantDavid PlantDavid Plant was a United States Representative from Connecticut. He was born in Stratford, Connecticut. He attended the Episcopal Academy, Cheshire, Connecticut and graduated from Yale College in 1804. He studied law in the Litchfield Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1804 and commenced...
(1783–1851), member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the 20th Congress, Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut 1823–1827. - Igor SikorskyIgor SikorskyIgor Sikorsky , born Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky was a Russian American pioneer of aviation in both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft...
, founder of Sikorsky AircraftSikorsky AircraftThe Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut. Its parent company is United Technologies Corporation.-History:... - Loring SmithLoring SmithLoring B. Smith the Great was an American stage, film, radio and television actor, frequently of broadly comic and gregarious characters who enjoyed a 65-year career in every aspect of the entertainment business....
(1890–1981), Broadway and motion picture actor born in Stratford. - John William SterlingJohn William SterlingJohn William Sterling was a corporate attorney and major benefactor to Yale University.-Biography:John William Sterling was born in Stratford, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in 1864 and was a member of Skull and Bones. He was admitted to the bar three years later. He...
(1844–1918), philanthropist, corporate attorney, and major benefactor of Yale University. - Gideon TomlinsonGideon TomlinsonGideon Tomlinson was a United States Senator, United States Representative, and the 25th Governor for the state of Connecticut....
(1780–1854), noted lawyer, member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
(16th through 19th Congresses), SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
for Connecticut (22nd through 24th Congresses), and 25th Governor of Connecticut, born & interned in Stratford. - David WoosterDavid WoosterDavid Wooster was an American general who served in the French and Indian War and in the American Revolutionary War. He died of wounds sustained during the Battle of Ridgefield, Connecticut. Cities, schools, and public places were named after him...
, Major General in the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe 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...
, born in Stratford.
Places of worship
The town of Stratford has over 25 houses of worship representing numerous faiths.- http://abundantlifebpt.homestead.com/Abundant Life Christian Church – Charismatic ChristianityCharismatic ChristianityCharismatic Christianity is a Christian doctrine that maintains that modern-day believers experience miracles, prophecy, speaking in tongues, and other spiritual gifts as described in of the Bible...
] - http://www.cmalliance.org/Bethany Alliance Church – Christian and Missionary AllianceChristian and Missionary AllianceThe Christian and Missionary Alliance is an evangelical Protestant denomination within Christianity.Founded by Rev. Albert Benjamin Simpson in 1887, the Christian & Missionary Alliance did not start off as a denomination, but rather began as two distinct parachurch organizations: The Christian...
] - http://www.christchurchstratford.org/Christ Episcopal Church – EpiscopalEpiscopal Church (United States)The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
] - http://christianassemblyct.org/Christian Assembly Church – Christian Church of North AmericaChristian Church of North AmericaThe International Fellowship of Christian Assemblies , formerly known as the Christian Church of North America , is a North American Pentecostal denomination of Christians. Central offices are located in Transfer, Pennsylvania. Ministries of the church include Benevolence, Home Missions, FOCUS,...
] - http://www.kazanchurch.org/dotnetnuke/UsefulResources/ROCORUSAParishDirectory/tabid/202/language/en-US/Default.aspx Church of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple – Russian Orthodox Church Outside RussiaRussian Orthodox Church Outside RussiaThe Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia , also called the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, ROCA, or ROCOR) is a semi-autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church....
] - http://www.fbcstratford.org/First Baptist Church of Stratford – BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
] - http://www.christiansciencect.org/stratford/index.phpFirst Church of Christ, Scientist – Church of Christ, ScientistChurch of Christ, ScientistThe Church of Christ, Scientist was founded in 1879 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, by Mary Baker Eddy. She was the author of the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Christian Science teaches that the "allness" of God denies the reality of sin, sickness, death, and the material world...
] - First Congregational Church – Congregationalist
- http://www.friendshipbaptistchurchofstratford.org/Friendship Baptist Church of Stratford – BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
] - Grace Lutheran Church – Lutheran
- Holy Name of Jesus – Roman Catholic
- http://businessfinder.connpost.com/3273279/Jehovahs-Witnesses-Stratford-CTKingdom Hall Jehovah's WitnessesJehovah's WitnessesJehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
] - Living Water Deliverance – Non-denominational Christian
- Lordship Community Church – Non-denominational Christian
- Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Church – Roman Catholic
- Our Lady of Peace Roman Catholic Church – Roman Catholic
- Putney Chapel – Non-denominational Christian
- Saint James Roman Catholic Church – Roman Catholic
- Saint John Baptist (Byzantine) Orthodox Christian Church – Orthodox Church
- Saint John The Baptist Orthodox Church – Orthodox Church
- http://www.stjosephsofstratford.org/Saint Joseph's of Stratford – Polish National Catholic ChurchPolish National Catholic ChurchThe Polish National Catholic Church is a Christian church founded and based in the United States by Polish-Americans who were Roman Catholic. The PNCC is a breakaway Catholic Church in dialogue with the Catholic Church; it seeks full communion with the Holy See although it differs theologically...
] - Saint Mark Roman Catholic Church – Roman Catholic
- http://www.stnicholasstratford.org/index.html/Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church – Russian Orthodox Church Outside RussiaRussian Orthodox Church Outside RussiaThe Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia , also called the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, ROCA, or ROCOR) is a semi-autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church....
] - Stratford United Methodist Church – United Methodist
- http://www.bethsholomstratford.org/Temple Beth Sholom – JewishJudaismJudaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
] - http://uucgb.org/Unitarian Universalist Church – UnitarianUnitarian UniversalismUnitarian Universalism is a religion characterized by support for a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning". Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed; rather, they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth and by the understanding that an individual's theology is a...
] - http://www.whiteoakbc.org/White Oak Baptist Church – BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
]
Books about Stratford
- Calhoun, John D. & Lewis G. Knapp. Stratford: A Pictorial History, 1850–1970, (Images of America Series) Arcadia Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0738535796
- Knapp, Lewis G. In Pursuit of Paradise: History of the Town of Stratford, Connecticut. West Kennebunk, ME: Phoenix Publishing, 1989. ISBN 0914659421
- Smith, Claude. The Stratford Devil. New York: Walker, 1984. ISBN 0802765440
- Wilcoxson, William Howard. History of Stratford, 1639–1939, Stratford, CT: Stratford Tercentenary Commission, 1939.