Newtown, Connecticut
Newtown was founded in 1705. It is located in Fairfield County, Connecticut. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 25,031.
Government
Elected to a two year term, the Board of Selectmen supervise the administration of the affairs of the town, except those matters which by the General Statute or Town Charter are exclusively committed to the Board of Education or other departments. They are led by a First Selectman, who is the Chief Executive and Administrative Officer of the Town. The current First Selectman is Herbert C. Rosenthal (D). The Current Justice of the Peace is Deborah O. Stiewing.[1]
Geography & History
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 153.0 km² (59.1 mi²). 149.6 km² (57.8 mi²) of it is land and 3.4 km² (1.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.22% water.
The town of Newtown, originally known as Quanneapague, was purchased from the Pohtatuck Indians in 1705. Settled from Stratford an incorporated in 1711, Newtown was a stronghold of Tory sentiment during the early Revolutionary War. French General Rochambeau and his troops encamped here in 1781 on their way to the siege of Yorktown, Virginia, which ended the Revolution. An important crossroads throughout its early history, the village of Hawleyville briefly emerged as a railroad center and the town's population grew to over 4,000 circa 1881. In the following decades, the population dwindled to a low of 2,635 in 1930 before again growing. Newtown covers an area of approximately 60 square miles.
Local industry has included the manufacture of furniture, tea bags, combs, fire hose, folding boxes, buttons, and hats, as well as farming and mica and feldspar mining. The game of Scrabble was developed here by James Brunot.
Among notable residents have been Connecticut Governors Isaac Toucey, Henry Dutton, and Luzon Morris as well as Charles Goodyear, inventor of the vulcanization process; Purdy, who ministered to an buried smallpox victims during an epidemic at the time of the Civil War; Elizabeth Hawley, Newtown's benefactress: and opera star Grace Moore.
Local landmarks are the flag (or liberty) pole first erected in 1876; H.G. Warner's store, in operation by the same family since 1857; The Newtown Bee, a newspaper serving the Newtown area since 1877; and the rooster weathervane atop the Congregational Church, said to have been used as a target by French soldiers encamped here in 1781 during the Revolutionary War.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 25,031 people, 8,325 households, and 6,776 families residing in the town. The population density was 167.3/km² (433.4/mi²). There were 8,601 housing units at an average density of 57.5/km² (148.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.14% White, 1.75% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 2.36% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 8,325 households out of which 44.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.3% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.6% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 104.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $90,193, and the median income for a family was $99,192. Males had a median income of $68,965 versus $42,217 for females. The per capita income for the town was $37,786. 3.1% of the population and 2.2% of families were below the poverty line. 3.0% of those under the age of 18 and 3.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Famous people
Newtown is the home of former ER and Top Gun star Anthony Edwards and former home to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? champion David McCarthy. Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner attended Newtown High School, and the track there was previously named in his honor. Following renovations in 2002, Jenner failed to return for the rededication ceremony and, subsequently, the track is now simply a part of "Blue and Gold Stadium."
Parks & Recreation
The town of Newtown offers a great deal of programs for area residents and there are numerous parks and fields offering playgrounds, swimming, tennis, softball, baseball, volleyball, lacrosse, soccer, as well as a nature center and trails. Prominent Newtown parks include, Treadwell Park, Dickinson Park, and Collis P. Huntington State Park.
See also
Newtown (borough), Connecticut
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