Tolland, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
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 Tolland County
Tolland County, Connecticut
Tolland County is a county located in the northeastern part of Connecticut. As of 2010, the population was 152,691.Counties in Connecticut have no governmental function: all legal power is vested in the state, city, and town governments...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 13,146 at the 2000 census.
Tolland was named in May, 1715, and incorporated in May, 1722. According to some, the town derives its name from being a toll station on the old road between Boston and New York. Alternatively, its name could have been taken after Tolland
Tolland, Somerset
Tolland is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north west of Taunton, between the Brendon Hills and Quantock Hills, in the Taunton Deane district. The parish has a population of 81.-History:...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England. Today Interstate 84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
, the main highway connecting New York City
New York City
New 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...
, Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, 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...
and Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, bisects Tolland, but the town retains a charming village feel. Tolland Green is the informal center of the community, and a national historic district. The Green's features include an old-fashioned penny candy and antiques store known to locals as the 'Red and White'; the town's original 19th century town hall, now an arts center; the 'Old Tolland Jail' museum; the 'Tolland Inn' bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
; and the Hicks-Stearns Museum, a restored Victorian house. The architectural styles on display, including the white steeples of several churches, are reminiscent of a picture-postcard New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
scene. The town is also home to the supposedly haunted 'Benton Homestead'.
Many of the town's adults work in Hartford, located about 25 minutes away, often at one of the city's many insurance companies, or for the neighbouring University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
in Storrs
Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs is a census-designated place and part of the town of Mansfield, Connecticut located in eastern Tolland County. The population was 10,996 at the 2000 census...
. A family-oriented town, the landscape of Tolland is primarily composed of large houses on plots of around one acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
. Undeveloped, forested land covers the area between the town's many residential developments. Containing two state forests and several municipal parks, the town retains a relatively rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
character.
In September 2006 Tolland opened the new Tolland High School
Tolland High School
-Overview:In 1969 Tolland High School opened as the first all electric High School in the state of Connecticut. In it's first year there were only 3 grades 9th, 10th and 11th.Tolland High School now serves students in 9th through 12th grades...
to support the growing number of students. The town is also expanding with new commercial and residential developments.
Tolland has ranked among "Best places to live in America" by CNN/Money magazine in the "small town" category several times:
| Year | Ranking |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 29th |
| 2009 | 27th |
| 2011 | 37th |
In April 2008, Wes Craven began filming scenes for his 2009 movie My Soul to Take
My Soul to Take
My Soul to Take is a 2010 American horror film, written and directed by Wes Craven. It is his first film since 1994's Wes Craven's New Nightmare that he both wrote and directed.The film stars Max Thieriot as the protagonist Adam "Bug" Hellerman, who is one of seven teenagers chosen to die.The film...
inside the former Tolland High School.
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 40.3 square miles (104.4 km²), of which 39.7 square miles (102.8 km²) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.5 km²) (1.46%) is water.
Nearby towns include Coventry
Coventry, Connecticut
Coventry is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 11,504 at the 2000 census. The birthplace of Captain Nathan Hale, Coventry is home to the Nathan Hale Homestead, which is now a museum open to the public....
, Ellington
Ellington, Connecticut
Ellington is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. Ellington was incorporated in May, 1786, from East Windsor. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 12,921...
, Mansfield
Mansfield, Connecticut
Mansfield is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,720 at the 2000 census.Mansfield was incorporated in October 1702 from the Town of Windham, in Hartford County. When Windham County was formed on 12 May 1726, Mansfield then became part of that county...
, Stafford
Stafford, Connecticut
Stafford is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States, settled in 1719. The population was 11,307 at the 2000 census.-History:The Colonial Town of Stafford began as a rural agricultural community...
, Storrs
Storrs, Connecticut
Storrs is a census-designated place and part of the town of Mansfield, Connecticut located in eastern Tolland County. The population was 10,996 at the 2000 census...
and Vernon
Vernon, Connecticut
Vernon is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 29,179 at the 2010 census.Vernon was incorporated in October, 1808, from Bolton. Vernon contains the former city of Rockville, incorporated in January, 1889. The town of Vernon and city of Rockville consolidated as a...
, 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...
.
Demographics
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 13,146 people, 4,586 households, and 3,788 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 331.0 people per square mile (127.8/km²). There were 4,665 housing units at an average density of 117.5 per square mile (45.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.76% White, 0.77% African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.19% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.15% of the population.
There were 4,586 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.4% were non-families. 13.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $77,398 as of Census 2000, and, according to CNN/Money magazine's 2009 "Best Places to Live", the median income for a family in 2009 was $106,166. Males had a median income of $51,659 versus $37,795 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 $29,892. About 1.1% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Tolland was governed by town meetingTown meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
until November 1973, when it adopted a new charter. The principal governing body of Tolland is the elected Town Council, which is responsible for making policy and major decisions about the town's future. The day-to-day operations of the town are handled by a Town Manager, a paid professional appointed by the Council and charged with implementing and executing Council policy and decisions.
The Council consists of seven unpaid members elected in a general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
in the town every two years. Currently, the Council consists of two Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and five Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, and was elected in November 2009. The council selects their own chair and vice-chairpersons, with the chair traditionally being the highest vote-getter among the four majority-party members and the vice-chair the highest among the minority party members. Except for Executive Sessions (which are usually held to re-negotiate contracts with Town employees) meetings are open to the public and contain a time for citizens to address the Council from the floor. As of December 2005, meetings were are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at 7:30pm at the Hicks Municipal Building at 21 Tolland Green.
Notable locations
- The Daniel Benton Homestead was built in 1720 and is the oldest home in Tolland. It is now a museum.
- The Old County Jail and Museum (Tolland, Connecticut) is a property including the 1856 jail which operated until 1968 and attached Jailer's home.
On the National Register of Historic Places
- Tolland County CourthouseTolland County CourthouseThe Tolland County Courthouse, also known as Old Tolland County Court House, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.It is included in the Tolland Green Historic District, which is also NRHP-listed....
- listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1977. - Tolland Green Historic DistrictTolland Green Historic DistrictTolland Green Historic District is a historic district that includes the town green, Tolland Green, of the New England town of Tolland, Connecticut. The green is a long and narrow strip of land oriented in a north-south direction. The district includes the green and the surrounding properties...
– founded in 1706 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
Notable residents, past and present
- Daniel C. BurbankDaniel C. BurbankDaniel Christopher Burbank is an American astronaut and a veteran of two space shuttle missions. Burbank, a Captain in the United States Coast Guard, is the second Coast Guard astronaut after Bruce Melnick....
(1961–), NASA astronaut was raised in town and graduated Tolland High School. - Henry D. CogswellHenry D. CogswellDr. Henry Daniel Cogswell was a dentist and a crusader in the temperance movement. He and his wife Caroline also founded Cogswell College in San Francisco, California. Another campus in Everett, Washington was later dedicated in his honor.-Life:Born in Tolland, Connecticut, as a youth, he worked...
(1820–1900), dentist and a crusader in the temperance movementTemperance movementA temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
was born in Tolland. - William W. EatonWilliam W. EatonWilliam Wallace Eaton was a United States Representative and United States Senator from Connecticut.-Early career:...
(1816–1898), US Congressman and US Senator was born in and was a resident of Tolland. - Jonathan Hatch HubbardJonathan Hatch HubbardJonathan Hatch Hubbard was a U.S. Representative from Vermont.Born in Tolland, Connecticut, Hubbard, at the age of eleven moved with his parents to Claremont, New Hampshire.He was instructed by a private tutor....
(1768–1849), US Congressman for Vermont was a born in Tolland. - Charles R. LaddCharles R. LaddCharles Rensselaer Ladd was an American attorney and politician who served as Massachusetts Auditor.-Bibliography:* Andrews, George F.:, Official Gazette 1888 State House Directory, p. 13, ....
(1822–1903), laywer, politician and Massachusetts AuditorMassachusetts AuditorThe Massachusetts State Auditor is a statewide elected office in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The current auditor is Suzanne Bump.-List of state auditors of Massachusetts:-External links:*...
was born in Tolland. - David PassaroDavid PassaroDavid Passaro is a former CIA contractor and U.S. Army Ranger who was charged with assault in connection with the June 21, 2003 death of Abdul Wali. Wali died in Afghanistan while in the custody of the United States government for questioning. Passaro was found guilty of one count of felony...
(1966–), CIA contractor and former US Army Ranger graduated from Tolland High School. - Shubal StearnsShubal StearnsShubal Stearns , was an evangelist and preacher who, though his name is seldom mentioned today, was to have a profound impact in planting the seeds for the spiritual direction of much of the population of the United States...
(1706–1771), evangelist, preacher of the Separate Baptists was a resident. - James StevensonJames Stevenson (actor)James Stevenson is an American actor known for portraying Jared Casey on the NBC daytime drama Passions.On March 14, 2007, Stevenson was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for "Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series" for his role on Passions. He lost to Bryton McClure as Devon Hamilton...
(1981–), actor grew up in Tolland. - Loren P. WaldoLoren P. WaldoLoren Pinckney Waldo was a U.S. Representative from Connecticut.Born in Canterbury, Connecticut, Waldo attended the common schools.He became a teacher and engaged in agricultural pursuits....
(1802–1881), lawyer and US Congressman was a resident. - Nancy WymanNancy WymanNancy S. Wyman is the 108thThe State of Connecticut recognizes Nancy Wyman as the 108th Lieutenant Governor, using a standard that had counted Colonial period lieutenants as well as counting lieutenants who had served multiple times as only one individual figure. Wyman is considered the 88th...
, Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut and former State Comptroller