Westbrook, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Westbrook is a town
in Middlesex County
, Connecticut
, United States
. The population
was 6,292 at the 2000 census. The town center is also classified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place
(CDP).
, Clinton
, and Old Saybrook
, where the Connecticut River
empties into Long Island Sound
. The Salt Meadow Unit of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge
is located in town.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 21.4 square miles (55.4 km²), of which, 15.7 square miles (40.7 km²) is land and 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²) (26.47%) is water. The CDP has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) of which 22.33% is water.
Other minor communities and geographic features in the town are: Chapman Beach, Coral Sands, Grove Beach Point, Grove Beach Terrace, Horse Hill, Island View, Kelsey Point, Little Standard, Middle Beach, Pilot's Point, Pointina, Quotonset Beach, Sagamore Terrace, Salt Works, Stannard Beach, West Beach.
, the inventor of the submarine
, was born in what is now Westbrook in 1742. The name of his submarine was the "Turtle
".
Art Carney
, Academy Award-winning actor, lived in Westbrook for some time before his death in 2003 at a rest home in Chester
.
of 2000, there were 6,292 people, 2,605 households, and 1,693 families residing in the town. The population density
was 400.3 people per square mile (154.5/km²). There were 3,460 housing units at an average density of 220.1 per square mile (85.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.76% White, 0.70% African American, 0.13% Native American, 1.56% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.72% from other races
, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.51% of the population.
There were 2,605 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples
living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $57,531, and the median income for a family was $71,344. Males had a median income of $46,889 versus $32,227 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $28,680. About 2.7% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
There were 1,052 households out of which 18.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.6% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 16.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 22.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $45,385, and the median income for a family was $59,375. Males had a median income of $40,707 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $29,866. About 3.7% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
, The Daisy Ingraham Elementary School, was the recipient of a Blue Ribbon honor for excellence
for 1998-99. A new middle school
, connected to the high school
, Westbrook High School
, opened in 2005.
Oxford Academy
, an all-boys boarding school
, has been located in Westbrook since 1973.
Troop F, located on Interstate 95
and Spencer Plains Road. Police services in Westbrook are coordinated by a Resident State Trooper and several Police Constables. Constables patrol during the day and evening hours while overnight patrol is provided by the State Police.
Fire protection is provided by the Westbrook Fire Department (a.k.a Westbrook Chemical Engine Company), located on South Main Street. This all-volunteer department
is responsible for response to alarms of fire, rescue emergencies and medical emergencies. Emergency Medical Services are provided by the Westbrook Ambulance Association, a paid-on-call basic life support service. Paramedic services are provided by Middlesex Hospital from their satellite facility in Essex, CT.
provides public transportation throughout Westbrook and the surrounding towns through its 9 Town Transit Service. Services include connections to the Old Saybrook Train Station, served by Amtrak
and Shoreline East railroads.
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 Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Connecticut
Middlesex County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was created in 1785 from portions of Hartford and New London counties. As of 2010, the population was 165,676....
, 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
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
was 6,292 at the 2000 census. The town center is also classified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP).
Geography
Westbrook lies in the shoreline area of the state. The town is bordered by the towns of EssexEssex, Connecticut
Essex is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,505 at the 2000 census. It is made up of three villages: Essex Village, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton.- History :- The Great Attack :...
, Clinton
Clinton, Connecticut
Clinton is a town located on Long Island Sound in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,094 at the 2000 census. The town center along the shore line was listed as a census-designated place by the U.S...
, and Old Saybrook
Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Old Saybrook is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,367 at the 2000 census. It contains the incorporated borough of Fenwick, as well as the census-designated places of Old Saybrook Center and Saybrook Manor.-History:...
, where the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
empties into 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...
. The Salt Meadow Unit of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge
Stewart 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...
is located in town.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 21.4 square miles (55.4 km²), of which, 15.7 square miles (40.7 km²) is land and 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²) (26.47%) is water. The CDP has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) of which 22.33% is water.
Principal communities
- Grove Beach
- Pond Meadow
- Westbrook center
Other minor communities and geographic features in the town are: Chapman Beach, Coral Sands, Grove Beach Point, Grove Beach Terrace, Horse Hill, Island View, Kelsey Point, Little Standard, Middle Beach, Pilot's Point, Pointina, Quotonset Beach, Sagamore Terrace, Salt Works, Stannard Beach, West Beach.
History
David BushnellDavid Bushnell
David Bushnell , of Westbrook, Connecticut, was an American inventor during the Revolutionary War. He is credited with creating the first submarine ever used in combat, while studying at Yale University in 1775. He called it the Turtle because of its look in the water...
, the inventor of the submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
, was born in what is now Westbrook in 1742. The name of his submarine was the "Turtle
Turtle (submarine)
The Turtle was the world's first submersible with a documented record of use in combat. It was built in Old Saybrook, Connecticut in 1775 by American Patriot David Bushnell as a means of attaching explosive charges to ships in a harbor...
".
Art Carney
Art Carney
Arthur William Matthew “Art” Carney was an American actor in film, stage, television and radio. He is best known for playing Ed Norton, opposite Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden in the situation comedy The Honeymooners....
, Academy Award-winning actor, lived in Westbrook for some time before his death in 2003 at a rest home in Chester
Chester, Connecticut
Chester is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,743 at the 2000 census. The town center is also defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place .-Geography:...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 6,292 people, 2,605 households, and 1,693 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 400.3 people per square mile (154.5/km²). There were 3,460 housing units at an average density of 220.1 per square mile (85.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.76% White, 0.70% African American, 0.13% Native American, 1.56% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.72% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.51% of the population.
There were 2,605 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% 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, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $57,531, and the median income for a family was $71,344. Males had a median income of $46,889 versus $32,227 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 $28,680. About 2.7% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
CDP
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,238 people, 1,052 households, and 551 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,336.0 inhabitants per square mile (514.3/km²). There were 1,662 housing units at an average density of 992.2 per square mile (382.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.50% White, 1.39% African American, 0.09% Native American, 2.19% Asian, 0.63% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.There were 1,052 households out of which 18.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.6% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 16.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 22.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $45,385, and the median income for a family was $59,375. Males had a median income of $40,707 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $29,866. About 3.7% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Westbrook's public elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
, The Daisy Ingraham Elementary School, was the recipient of a Blue Ribbon honor for excellence
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
for 1998-99. A new middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
, connected to the high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Westbrook High School
Westbrook High School (Connecticut)
Westbrook High School is a U.S. public high school located in Westbrook, Connecticut. The school serves grades 9 through 12, and usually enrolls between 300 and 500 students each year. Westbrook High School is a part of the Westbrook Public Schools. The school competes athletically and academically...
, opened in 2005.
Oxford Academy
Oxford Academy (Connecticut)
Oxford Academy, located in Westbrook, Connecticut, is a private boarding school offering individualized instruction to boys who have academic weaknesses or wish to accelerate their high school programs.- History :...
, an all-boys boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
, has been located in Westbrook since 1973.
Emergency services
The town of Westbrook is the home of Connecticut State PoliceConnecticut State Police
The Connecticut State Police is a division of the Connecticut Department of Public Safety responsible for traffic regulation and law enforcement across the state of Connecticut, especially in areas not served by local police departments. The CSP currently has approximately 1,248 troopers, and is...
Troop F, located on Interstate 95
Interstate 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...
and Spencer Plains Road. Police services in Westbrook are coordinated by a Resident State Trooper and several Police Constables. Constables patrol during the day and evening hours while overnight patrol is provided by the State Police.
Fire protection is provided by the Westbrook Fire Department (a.k.a Westbrook Chemical Engine Company), located on South Main Street. This all-volunteer department
Volunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
is responsible for response to alarms of fire, rescue emergencies and medical emergencies. Emergency Medical Services are provided by the Westbrook Ambulance Association, a paid-on-call basic life support service. Paramedic services are provided by Middlesex Hospital from their satellite facility in Essex, CT.
Transportation
The Estuary Transit DistrictEstuary Transit District
Estuary Transit District is the public transit provider for Connecticut River Estuary region. ETD provides public transit service through its 9 Town Transit service to the towns of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook, Connecticut...
provides public transportation throughout Westbrook and the surrounding towns through its 9 Town Transit Service. Services include connections to the Old Saybrook Train Station, served by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
and Shoreline East railroads.
Famous residents, past and present
- Everett BaconEverett BaconC. Everett "Ev" Bacon was an American football quarterback in college. He was also a star athlete in baseball, basketball, tennis, and golf....
(1890–1989), athlete and World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
veteran was born in town. - George LesseyGeorge LesseyGeorge Lessey was an American actor and director of the silent era. He appeared in 123 films between 1910 and 1946. He also directed 76 films between 1913 and 1922. Lessey also appeared in the original Broadway production of Porgy and Bess in one of the few white roles, that of the lawyer Mr...
(1879–1947), silent movie actor lived his later years and died in Westbrook. - David BushnellDavid BushnellDavid Bushnell , of Westbrook, Connecticut, was an American inventor during the Revolutionary War. He is credited with creating the first submarine ever used in combat, while studying at Yale University in 1775. He called it the Turtle because of its look in the water...
(1740–1824), American inventor who built the first submarine ever used in combat.