Pomfret, Connecticut | |
---|---|
Town of Pomfret | |
Motto: Picturesque Pomfret | |
Coordinates: 41°52′N71°59′W / 41.867°N 71.983°W | |
Country | United States |
U.S. state | Connecticut |
County | Windham |
Region | Northeastern CT |
Incorporated | 1713 |
Government | |
• Type | Selectman-Town Meeting |
• First selectman | Maureen A. Nicholson (D) |
• State Senator | Mae Flexer (D-29th District) |
• State Rep. | Patrick Boyd (D-50th District) |
Area | |
• Total | 40.6 sq mi (105.2 km2) |
• Land | 40.3 sq mi (104.4 km2) |
• Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2) |
Elevation | 430 ft (131 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 4,266 |
• Density | 106/sq mi (40.9/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) |
ZIP code | 06259, 06258 |
Area code(s) | 860/959 |
FIPS code | 09-61030 |
GNIS feature ID | 0213490 |
Major highways | |
Website | https://www.pomfretct.gov/ |
Pomfret is a town located in Windham County, Connecticut, United States, with a population of 4,266 according to the 2020 United States Census. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The town was incorporated in 1713 and was named after Pontefract in West Yorkshire, England. The land on which Pomfret stands today was purchased from Native Americans in 1686 in a deal known as the "Mashmuket Purchase" or "Mashamoquet Purchase". [1]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 40.6 square miles (105 km2), of which 40.3 square miles (104 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.64%) is water. Pomfret is bordered on the north by Woodstock, on the east by Putnam and Killingly, on the west by Eastford, and on the south by Brooklyn and Hampton.
Pomfret includes several villages, neighborhoods, or sections:
The principal roads through the town are U.S. Route 44 (running east–west) and Routes 169 (running north–south), and 101 (running east–west).
Mashamoquet State Park and Wolf Den State Park are both located in Pomfret, near the intersection of US 44 and CT 101. Wolf Den State Park is the alleged site of General Israel Putnam's slaying of the last wolf in Connecticut. Rocky paths connect the small cave, which is the actual wolf den with a glacially positioned boulder called the Indian Chair. Camping and cook-out facilities are available for a nominal fee.
The Air Line Trail, a former railroad bed, joins the town of Pomfret with its neighbor to the east, Putnam. The Airline Trail runs seven miles (11 km), much of it through an Audubon Society property named the Bafflin Sanctuary, a 700-acre (2.8 km2) nature preserve.
Pomfret has no formal town center due to the town's significant southward expansion after its establishment, first around Mortlake, later absorbing that town. The town office is located on US Route 44. The Congregational Church, until its destruction by fire on December 7, 2013, stood on the eastern edge of the old town green on Pomfret Hill, across from the Pomfret School, a college preparatory school founded in 1894. Approximately one mile north of the Congregational Church site is Christ Episcopal Church, which contains several windows designed and constructed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Across from Christ Church on the west side of Route 44 is the Rectory School, [2] founded in 1920. At the divergence point of US 44 and CT 169 is Most Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church.
Town House Road is the location of the historic Pomfret Town House, built in 1841 at a location chosen by a committee of Selectmen from neighboring towns when Pomfret citizens could not agree on a location; it is listed on the National Register. Pomfret First Church was established in today's Pomfret Hill area; Pomfret Second Church covered what is largely today's Town of Brooklyn; while Pomfret Third Church was established in today's Abington area.
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1820 | 2,042 | — | |
1850 | 1,805 | — | |
1860 | 1,673 | −7.3% | |
1870 | 1,488 | −11.1% | |
1880 | 1,470 | −1.2% | |
1890 | 1,471 | 0.1% | |
1900 | 1,831 | 24.5% | |
1910 | 1,857 | 1.4% | |
1920 | 1,454 | −21.7% | |
1930 | 1,617 | 11.2% | |
1940 | 1,710 | 5.8% | |
1950 | 2,018 | 18.0% | |
1960 | 2,136 | 5.8% | |
1970 | 2,529 | 18.4% | |
1980 | 2,775 | 9.7% | |
1990 | 3,102 | 11.8% | |
2000 | 3,798 | 22.4% | |
2010 | 4,247 | 11.8% | |
2020 | 4,266 | 0.4% | |
U.S. Decennial Census [3] |
As of the census [4] of 2010, there were 4,247 people, 1,582 households, and 1,123 families residing in the town. The population density was 105.4 inhabitants per square mile (40.7/km2). There were 1,684 housing units at an average density of 41.8 per square mile (16.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.7% White, 0.6% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.
Of the 1,582 households: 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 32.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $82,661, and the median income for a family was $96,641. Males had a median income of $54,042 versus $45,526 for females. The per capita income for the town was $39,712. About 3.8% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
Major firms in Pomfret include:
Pomfret residents are zoned to the Pomfret Community School for grades Kindergarten through 8. Pomfret students are eligible to attend Woodstock Academy, [5] which became Pomfret's zoned high school in 1987 [6]
Two private schools, the Pomfret School and the Rectory School, are also located in Pomfret.
A 380-acre (1.5 km2) portion of the town, along Pomfret Street, is listed as a historic district on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The Pomfret Street Historic District comprises properties along Route 169, from Bradley Road to Woodstock Road. The district was added to the National Register in 1998. [7]
Other properties listed on the National Register in the town are:
Windham County is one of the eight historical counties in the U.S. state of Connecticut, located in its northeastern corner. As of the 2020 census, the population was 116,418, making it the least populous county in Connecticut. It forms the core of the region known as the Quiet Corner. Windham County is included in the Worcester, MA-CT Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT Combined Statistical Area. The entire county is within the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor, as designated by the National Park Service.
Barkhamsted is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. It contains seven villages: West Hill, Mallory, Barkhamsted Center, Center Hill, Washington Hill, Pleasant Valley, and Riverton. The population was 3,647 at the 2020 census, down from 3,799 at the 2010 census. The town is part of the Northwest Hills Planning Region. Barkhamsted was first incorporated in 1779, and named after Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England.
Bethlehem is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,385 at the 2020 census, down from 3,607 at the 2010 census. The town is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. The town center is a historic district and a census-designated place (CDP).
Goshen is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,150 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Northwest Hills Planning Region.
New Hartford is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,658 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Northwest Hills Planning Region. The town center is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the New Hartford Center census-designated place (CDP). The town is mainly a rural community consisting of farms, homes, and parks. Brodie Park and Ski Sundown are located in New Hartford.
Norfolk is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,588 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Northwest Hills Planning Region. The urban center of the town is the Norfolk census-designated place, with a population of 553 at the 2010 census.
Griswold is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 11,402 at the 2020 census. Griswold contains the borough of Jewett City and the villages of Doaneville, Kaalmanville, Rixtown, Glasgo, Hopeville, Nathanieltown, and Pachaug.
Andover is a rural town in the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, United States, roughly 10 miles east of Hartford. The population was 3,151 at the 2020 census.
Ashford is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 4,191 at the 2020 census. It was founded in 1714. Eastford was a part of Ashford until 1847, when the former split off to organize its own town. For this reason North Ashford is located in northeast Eastford.
Brooklyn is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 8,450 at the 2020 census. The town center village is listed by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place. The district of East Brooklyn is listed as a separate census-designated place.
Eastford is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 1,649 at the 2020 census.
Hampton is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 1,728 at the 2020 census.
Putnam is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 10,214 at the 2020 census.
Thompson is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,189 at the 2020 census. Thompson is located in the northeastern corner of the state and is bordered on the north by Webster, Massachusetts and Dudley, Massachusetts, on the east by Douglas, Massachusetts and Burrillville, Rhode Island, on the west by Woodstock, Connecticut, and on the south by Putnam, Connecticut.
Woodstock is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 8,221 at the 2020 census.
Bethel is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It comprises the primary village and surrounding residential land within the town of Bethel. As of the 2010 census, the population of the CDP was 9,549, out of 18,584 in the entire town.
Newbury is an incorporated village in the town of Newbury in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 447 at the 2020 census.
Mortlake was a historical place name in what is now Brooklyn, Connecticut.
Mashamoquet Brook State Park is a public recreation area in the town of Pomfret, Connecticut. Notable features of the state park include the Wolf Den national historic site, the Brayton Grist Mill, and the Table Rock and Indian Chair natural stone formations. The state park offers facilities for camping, swimming, fishing, and picnicking. It is managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States, in the northern part of the county, northwest of Kingston. It lies within the borders of the Catskill Park. The population was 6,287 at the 2020 census, up from 5,884 in 2010.