Stafford, Connecticut

Coordinates: 41°59′N 72°19′W / 41.983°N 72.317°W / 41.983; -72.317
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Stafford, Connecticut
Stafford Hollow Historic District
UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code
06076
Area code(s)860/959
FIPS code09-72090
GNIS feature ID0212349
Websitehttp://www.staffordct.org
Staffordville Lake

Stafford is a

2020 United States Census.[1] The community consists of the downtown area of Stafford Springs and the more rural villages of Crystal Lake, Ellithorpe, Hydeville, Orcuttsville, Staffordville, Stafford Hollow
, Village Hill, and West Stafford.

Etymology

The town most likely derives its name from Staffordshire, in England.[2]

History

The Colonial Town of Stafford began as a

railroad to markets across New England, and before the State Highway projects of the 1920s and 1930s, the town had a trolley connection to Rockville
.

During the Civil War, factories in Stafford made cannonballs and other war supplies for the northern forces.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 58.8 sq mi (152.2 km2), of which 58.0 sq mi (150.1 km2) is land and 0.81 sq mi (2.1 km2) (1.38%) is water; it is the fourth largest town in Connecticut based on area.

32, in the northeastern region of the state. The community consists of the downtown area of Stafford Springs and the more rural villages of Crystal Lake, Ellithorpe, Hydeville, Orcuttsville, Staffordville, Stafford Hollow
, Village Hill, and West Stafford.

While the town has managed to maintain its New England mill-town charm and culture, it is also a bedroom commuter town feeding into larger area communities. Many residents drive into Hartford, Manchester, and Enfield, Connecticut, as well as Springfield, Massachusetts, all of which can be reached in roughly a 30-mile auto commute. It is also about a half-hour drive to the University of Connecticut's[3] main campus in Storrs.

The highest point in town is the western slope of Burley Hill at 1,300'.

Burley Hill's "summit" is 1,315'.[4]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18202,269
18502,940
18603,39715.5%
18703,4050.2%
18804,45530.8%
18904,5351.8%
19004,297−5.2%
19105,23321.8%
19205,4073.3%
19305,94910.0%
19405,835−1.9%
19506,47110.9%
19607,47615.5%
19708,68016.1%
19809,2686.8%
199011,09119.7%
200011,3071.9%
201012,0876.9%
202011,472−5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]

In 2011, there were 12,192 people, 4,819 households, and 3,086 families residing in the town. The population density was 210.2 inhabitants per square mile (81.2/km2). There were 4,956 housing units at an average density of 85.4 per square mile (33.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.51%

Latino of any race were 3.04% of the population.[6]

In 2019, there were 11,893 people and 4,707 households residing in the town. The population density was 208.3 inhabitants per square mile (80.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 94.7% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 3.0% Two or More Races, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 92.4% White alone, not Hispanic or Latino.

The age population was evenly spread out, with 18.2% under the age of 18, 64.4% from 18 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males.

The

poverty line.[7]

Most of the town's population is located in seven villages, with nearly half in Stafford Springs. The rest of the town, particularly the northern third, is rural and forested.[8]

Education

Pinney Grammar School, c. 1909

At the present time there are one primary, one elementary, one middle and one high school in Stafford.

The primary school, West Stafford, serves children in Pre-K and kindergarten. Stafford Elementary school serves children in grades one through five. The middle school is for grades 6–8, and the high school is grades 9–12.

extracurricular activities rounds out the school program.[9]

Medical

Johnson Memorial Medical Center is a 90-bed acute care facility, located on Route 190 in Stafford, The Hospital offers inpatient and outpatient services, including medical and surgical,

physical rehabilitation and emergency care. The facility was built in 1975. It has an adjoining professional building which houses the practices of area doctors.[10]

Evergreen Health Care Center opened in 1989, is a nursing facility located on the hospital campus consisting of 120 long term care beds and a 30-bed sub-acute rehabilitation unit and a 30-bed Memory Support Unit for residents with Alzheimer's disease. Evergreen and JMH serve several area towns.[10]

Family Birth Suites at the Nirenberg Center is a state of the art birthing center featuring six private birthing suites designed to accommodate patients throughout their stay, for labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum care.[11]

Evergreen, JMH, and the Nirenberg Center serve several area towns.

Stafford hosts offices of a number of

physical therapists
and other health professionals. The Stafford Veterinary Center serves the needs of large and small animals.

Recreation

The town has several tennis courts, ball fields, soccer fields, and several parks. In addition, there are private hunting and fishing clubs, as well as recreational swimming and tennis clubs. During the spring and summer there is an active

Little League
program, youth softball, adult softball for men and women, and a summer recreational program offering swimming lessons and martial arts instruction for children. There are programs for youth football, basketball, soccer and hockey.

The Stafford Motor Speedway attracts tens of thousands of spectators every year and is a fixture of spring and summer. There is a small public beach on Staffordville Lake which is a summertime destination for many residents.[12] Stafford also has (limited) access to Sandy Beach on Crystal Lake in Ellington. Plans are being developed to provide hiking and multi-use trails within Stafford. There are two bed and breakfasts as well as a few campgrounds (Sun Valley,[13] Roaring Brook[14] and Mineral Springs[15]) that provide accommodation for visitors.

Government

Stafford is governed by a three-member Board of Selectmen, elected by voters in odd-numbered years for two-year terms. The Town has no charter but is governed under the general statutes of the State of Connecticut, and under ordinances specific to the Town which have been adopted by popular vote at town meetings.

Stafford is served by the

Interstate Highway 84 in Tolland
. Full-time and part-time constables also serve with resident troopers.

Two volunteer fire departments cover Stafford with strategically located firehouses (West Stafford Fire,[17] Stafford Fire #1[18]). The Stafford Fire Department has two locations, one in the Staffordville district (Station 145) and the second in the Stafford Springs District (Station 245). The Town also has a volunteer ambulance organization[19] which serves the area.

The Stafford Public Library continually offers public service programs and special events for the community.[20]

A modern sewer plant, constructed in 1972, serves about a third of the Town; the commercial and industrial areas of the Town lie largely in the Service District. Curbside pick-up of municipal refuse and recyclable materials is available within the Stafford Springs Service District.

In the Connecticut General Assembly, Stafford is represented by State Representative Kurt Vail and State Senator Dan Champagne.

Notable people

Climate

Climate data for Stafford Springs, Connecticut
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 66
(19)
70
(21)
81
(27)
93
(34)
95
(35)
95
(35)
100
(38)
99
(37)
93
(34)
84
(29)
79
(26)
72
(22)
100
(38)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 34
(1)
37
(3)
46
(8)
57
(14)
68
(20)
77
(25)
81
(27)
79
(26)
75
(24)
61
(16)
49
(9)
39
(4)
58
(14)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 15
(−9)
15
(−9)
23
(−5)
34
(1)
45
(7)
54
(12)
58
(14)
57
(14)
50
(10)
38
(3)
26
(−3)
21
(−6)
37
(3)
Record low °F (°C) −20
(−29)
−17
(−27)
−8
(−22)
−4
(−20)
19
(−7)
28
(−2)
37
(3)
32
(0)
25
(−4)
14
(−10)
−3
(−19)
−15
(−26)
−20
(−29)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.47
(88)
3.15
(80)
4.13
(105)
3.96
(101)
3.52
(89)
4.20
(107)
4.12
(105)
4.29
(109)
3.92
(100)
4.77
(121)
3.84
(98)
4.04
(103)
47.40
(1,204)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 16.6
(42)
14.7
(37)
11.0
(28)
2.8
(7.1)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0.6
(1.5)
2.9
(7.4)
11.6
(29)
60.2
(153)
Source: NCDC - Stafford Springs COOP Record

References

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Stafford town, Tolland County, Connecticut". Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  2. ^ The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly. Connecticut Magazine Company. 1903. p. 334.
  3. ^ University of Connecticut
  4. ^ http://docs.unh.edu/MA/wale52sw.jpg [bare URL image file]
  5. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  6. ^ "Site Unavailable".
  7. ^ "QuickFacts Stafford town, Tolland County, Connecticut". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  8. ^ "Town of Stafford - CT - About Stafford".
  9. ^ http://www.stafford.ctschool.net/Shs/ Stafford High School
  10. ^ a b Johnson Memorial Medical Center
  11. ^ Family Birth Suites at the Nirenberg Center
  12. ^ Staffordville Lake
  13. ^ Sun Valley
  14. ^ Roaring Brook
  15. ^ Mineral Springs
  16. ^ "Town of Stafford - CT - Resident Troopers Office".
  17. ^ West Stafford Fire
  18. ^ Staffordville Fire #1
  19. ^ http://www.staffordambulance.com
  20. ^ http://www.staffordlibrary.org

External links

Media related to Stafford, Connecticut at Wikimedia Commons