Woodstock, Connecticut

Woodstock, Connecticut
Town
View from Roseland Park in Woodstock
FIPS code		09-88190
GNIS feature ID	0213541
Website	www.woodstockct.gov

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.^[1]

In the mid-17th century,

In 1675, when King Philip's War broke out, some of the town's Indians, (especially in the southern part of the town) sided with the Mohegans and the English while others sided with the Indians led by Philip, rallying to arms on what is now Curtis Island in present Holland, Massachusetts and Brimfield, Massachusetts. During the war, the Praying town became deserted, and the English with their Indian allies marched through Woodstock to present day Thompson in the summer of 1676 burning any crops or stored corn they could find.^[2]

In 1682, Massachusetts bought a tract of land, which included Woodstock, from the Mohegans. A group of 13 men from

A farming town in the 18th century, Woodstock began attracting industry after the War of 1812. "By 1820, there were 2 distilleries, 2 wheel wrights, an oil mill, fulling mill, carding machines, grist mills, saw mills, a goldsmith, and twine and cotton batting operations. Woodstock Valley was known for its shoe factories," according to the history page at the Woodstock town government Web site.^[2]

By the middle of the 19th century, industry almost ceased, and Woodstock reverted to a rural state. The town then became a summer destination for wealthy city dwellers from around the East coast of the United States.^[2]

Bowen hosted July 4 celebrations in Woodstock at his Roseland Park during the latter part of the 19th century. These festivities attracted as many as 10,000 people who heard speeches, saw fireworks, and drank pink lemonade. Bowen, often called "Mr. Fourth of July," eventually gave Roseland Park, which included a man-made lake, to the community.^[4]

Several U.S. Presidents visited Bowen's summer home on Woodstock Hill:

Roseland Cottage, also known as the Pink House or the Bowen House, was a summer home built by wealthy businessman Henry C. Bowen in 1846. This is where Bowen hosted U.S. Presidents for his then-famous Independence Day celebrations at Roseland Park. Ulysses S. Grant bowled his first strike in the bowling alley located in the carriage barn.^[4]

The pink-colored house features "tall, angular gables, gingerbread trim, and 21 formal flower gardens outlined by dwarf boxwood hedges," according to a Hartford Courant article. Roseland is an example of Victorian Gothic Revival style, which can be seen in its pointed gables, scrolled bargeboards, many tall chimneys, and leaded glass windows in diamond shapes. The outside walls, of board and batten wood siding, have been painted 13 different colors over the past 150 years—all shades of pink. As of the summer of 2006, the house was a coral or salmon color. The house still includes the owners' original furniture and knickknacks.^[4]

Roseland was designed (under Bowen's direction) by architect Joseph C. Wells. The design was influenced by the design books of architectural critic Andrew Jackson Downing.^[4]

Fine Homebuilding magazine named Roseland one of the 25 most important houses in America in its 2006 Fine Homebuilding Houses Annual Issue.^[4]

Roseland Cottage was purchased by Historic New England in 1970 and is currently open to the public for tours.^[4]

• The Woodstock Fair, run by the Woodstock Agricultural Society (established in 1846) has been held since 1860.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 61.8 square miles (160 km²), of which 60.5 square miles (157 km²) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km² or 2.10%) is water. It is the second-largest town in Connecticut in terms of land area (after New Milford). The 42nd parallel north and the 72nd meridian west meet in the north central part of town.

• East Woodstock
• Harrisville
• Kenyonville
• Lake Bungee
• North Woodstock
• Quasset Lake
• South Woodstock
• West Woodstock
• Witches Woods
• Woodstock Hill (town center)
• Woodstock Valley

As of the

Of the 3,151 households: 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 22.1% from 25 to 44, 35.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $81,705, and the median income for a family was $102,008. Males had a median income of $61,500 versus $43,750 for females. The

Woodstock is served by the Woodstock School District. Woodstock Elementary School (Pre-Kindergarten through 4) and Woodstock Middle School (5–8) serve Woodstock. Dr. Francis Baran is the Superintendent. Woodstock Elementary School serves children in pre-Kindergarten through fourth grade. Enrollment exceeded 500 as of 2006.^[9] Woodstock Middle School, acquired in 1996, has an enrollment of more than 400 in Grades 5–8.^[9]

The town has an "Independent New England Academy" (a special public / private school governed by a 30-member Board of Trustees)^[10] called Woodstock Academy.

From 1941 to 1980, Woodstock was home to Annhurst College, a private, Catholic institution.

Today the school serves the towns of Woodstock, Eastford, Pomfret, Union, Canterbury, and Brooklyn with a student population of over 1100.^[11] The school is often described as "independent" as it is not controlled by any of the municipalities that it serves or by a regional high school board.

Presently the Woodstock Board of Education is in the process of negotiating a new contract with the school, but negotiations have been at an impasse these last two years as the Woodstock Board of Education has been trying to get more financial control over Woodstock Academy, a school which, as of 2009, is administered by itself with oversight by the state of Connecticut.

• Roseland Cottage
• Woodstock Academy
• Camp Meet (Tyott Road)
• Solair Recreation League, a family nudist resort and campground

• Town Government Web site