Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington is a town located in central Connecticut, in Hartford County, Connecticut. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 23,641. It is home to Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel. Farmington was listed as one of the "preppiest" places in the United States in the 1980s best-seller The Official Preppy Handbook.
Farmington was originally inhabited by the Tunxis Indian tribe. In 1640 a white settlement was established by residents of Hartford, making it the oldest inland settlement West of the Connecticut River and one of the oldest communities in the state. They found the area ideal for settling because of its rich soil, location along the Farmington River, and valley geography. The town and river were given their present names in 1645 and that is considered the incorporation date of the town. The boundaries were enlarged several times after that date, making Farmington by far the largest town in the Connecticut Colony. It has been called the "mother of towns" because its area has been divided to produce nine central Connecticut communities. Farmington is often considered an affluent suburb. It is home to the University of Connecticut Health Center, where over 4,000 people work. The Health Center also houses John Dempsey Hospital. The hospital provides the only full-service emergency department in the Farmington Valley and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), one of only two in Connecticut.
Located in the picturesque Farmington Valley, Farmington is steeped in history and undeniable New England charm. Main Street, in the historic village section, is lined with stunning colonial estates, some dating back to the 17th century. At one point, during the revolutionary war, George Washington passed through Farmington calling it, "the village of pretty houses." Many Farmington residents were firm abolitionists and were active in aiding escaped slaves. Several homes in the town were safe houses on the underground railroad, in fact the town was such a hub that it became known as "Grand Central Station" amongst escaped slaves and their "guides." Furthermore, Farmington played an important role in the famous Amistad slaveship trial. In 1841, 38 Mendi Africans and Cinque, the leader of the Amistad revolt, were housed and educated in Farmington, because the U.S. government refused to provide for their return to Africa following the trial. The Mendi were educated in English and Christianity while funds were raised by residents for their return to Africa. Just above the village, off Mountain Road, lies the beautiful Hill-Stead museum. The estate, completed in 1901 and designed by Theodate Pope Riddle, is known for its colonial revival architecture. Now a museum, its' 19 rooms hold a nationally-recognized collection of Impressionist paintings by such masters as Manet, Monet, Whistler, Degas and Cassatt. It is also the sight of the annual Sunken Garden Poetry Festival and is a National Historic Landmark. Also, Miss Porter's School, an exclusive college preparatory school for girls, is in Farmington. The school, whose graceful buildings occupy much of the village center, is a significant historic and cultural institution in its own right. Founded in 1843 by educational reformer Sarah Porter, Miss Porter’s has long been considered one of the finest preparatory schools for girls in the country. Famous alumni include Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis, Lilly Pulitzer and members of the Bush, Vanderbilt, and Rockefeller families.
Farmington residents have done a superb job of preserving the towns quaint village charm and historic significance while still accommodating inevitable suburban growth. Residents have repeatedly fought proposals by the state to widen Route 4, a main thoroughfare linking northwestern Connecticut to I-84, fearing that such a move would compromise the character and integrity of the town. Farmington remains a highly sought after community, real estate values are among the highest in the region. Driving these values up is Farmington ideal location, comparitively low taxes, and superb school system. Students have access to public schools that are consistently ranked among the best in the nation, in 2005 Farmington High School was the highest ranked public school in Connecticut according to Newsweek.
The rap artist 50 Cent purchased a home in Farmington in 2004. At 56,000 square feet (5,200 m²), it is estimated to be the largest private residence in Connecticut. The move was highlighted in a New York Times article which poked fun at the idea of a rap star living in Farmington's "madras midst", describing Farmington as, "a town where bling is restricted to a strand of pearls and the rim-spinning Escalade is trumped by the scratched Mercedes with a faded beach sticker." The mansion formerly belonged to heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson but was originally built by one of the brokers of the now defunct Colonial Realty company and financed by illegal funding. Suzy Whaley, the first female golfer to qualify for a PGA event, resides in the posh Devonwood subdivision. New England Patriots football player Tebucky Jones also maintains a home in Farmington.
Interstate 84 passes through the eastern edge of the town. The sprawling Westfarms mall is also located on this end of town. The mall houses anchor stores Nordstrom, Macys, Lord and Taylor, and JCPenney as well as a host of other retailers and restaurants.
Historical populations
| 1756 | 3,707 |
| 1774 | 6,069 |
| 1782 | 5,542 |
| 1790 | 2,696 |
| 1800 | 2,809 |
| 1810 | 2,748 |
| 1820 | 3,042 |
| 1830 | 1,901 |
| 1840 | 2,041 |
| 1850 | 2,630 |
| 1860 | 3,144 |
| 1870 | 2,616 |
| 1880 | 3,017 |
| 1890 | 3,179 |
| 1900 | 3,331 |
| 1910 | 3,478 |
| 1920 | 3,844 |
| 1930 | 4,548 |
| 1940 | 5,313 |
| 1950 | 7,026 |
| 1960 | 10,813 |
| 1970 | 14,390 |
| 1980 | 16,407 |
| 1990 | 20,608 |
| 2000 | 23,641 |
| 2002 | 24,189 (estimate) |
Sources: Interactive Connecticut State Register & Manual and U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 74.5 km² (28.8 mi²). 72.7 km² (28.1 mi²) of it is land and 1.9 km² (0.7 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.50% water.
Farmington borders the towns of Avon, Burlington, Canton, Newington, West Hartford, and Plainville, and the cities of New Britain and Bristol.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 23,641 people, 9,496 households, and 6,333 families residing in the town. The population density was 325.3/km² (842.6/mi²). There were 9,854 housing units at an average density of 135.6/km² (351.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.91% White, 1.55% African American, 0.12% Native American, 3.72% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. 2.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 9,496 households out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the town, the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $67,073, and the median income for a family was $85,396. Males had a median income of $57,113 versus $39,156 for females. The per capita income for the town was $39,102. 4.5% of the population and 2.8% of families were below the poverty line. 2.9% of those under the age of 18 and 7.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.