Branford, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Landmarks and attractions
Branford has six historic districts that are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
(NRHP). These include buildings in Federal, Arts and Crafts
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
, and Queen Anne
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
styles of architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. Five NRHP-listed districts are: Branford Center Historic District
Branford Center Historic District
The Branford Center Historic District is an irregularly-shaped historic district in Branford, Connecticut's Branford Center neighborhood. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. In 1987, the district included 557 contributing buildings out of a total of 706 buildings...
, Branford Point Historic District
Branford Point Historic District
Branford Point Historic District is a historic district in Branford, Connecticut. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. It includes much of the Branford Point neighborhood....
, Canoe Brook Historic District, Route 146 Historic District, and Stony Creek-Thimble Islands Historic District
Stony Creek-Thimble Islands Historic District
The Stony Creek-Thimble Islands Historic District is a historic district in Branford, Connecticut that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988....
.
More than 20 historic homes and other properties are separately listed on the National Register. In total, 30 properties or districts in Branford appear in the New Haven County's NRHP listings. One example is Harrison House and Museum, a 1724 structure, which has period furnishings, local historical items, archives, a barn and an herb garden.
Cruises of the Thimble Islands depart from the Stony Creek dock, and seal-watch cruises take place in March.
Branford's recreational facilities include several town-maintained parks and beaches owned by private foundations, hiking trails along Lake Saltonstall and a stretch of the Shoreline Greenway Trail, and 20 miles (30 km) of coastline with more than 12 marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
s.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 28,683 people, 12,543 households, and 7,663 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,305.2 people per square mile (503.8/km²). There were 13,342 housing units at an average density of 607.1 per square mile (234.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.05% white, 1.35% African American, 0.10% Native American, 2.72% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.57% of the population.
There were 12,543 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.7% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $58,009, and the median income for a family was $69,510. Males had a median income of $46,927 versus $35,947 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $32,301. About 3.3% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under the age of 18 and 4.0% of those 65 and older.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 28, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Active Voters | Inactive Voters | Total Voters | Percentage |
Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
6,524 | 242 | 6,766 | 33.36% |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
2,911 | 153 | 3,064 | 15.11% |
Unaffiliated | 9,852 | 572 | 10,424 | 51.40% |
Minor Parties | 25 | 0 | 25 | 0.12% | |
| Total | 19,312 | 967 | 20,279 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||
Branford Center
Branford Center is home to many small stores, restaurants, and coffee houses, which line Main Street, with the Green at the center. The Branford Green has churches as well as the town hall and other government facilities and hosts concerts and other events, such as the annual Branford Festival.Branford Hills
Branford Hills sits on the western end of town and centers on the heavily commercialized strip of Route 1. Fast-food and sit-down restaurants, auto dealers, grocery stores, and several strip malls are located there. The more southern section features less dense areas with woodlands and farm featuring trails that the Branford Land Trust preserves that connect the Shoreline Greenway trail from New Haven to Madison. The northern section also features a less dense area with woodlands that surround Lake SaltonstallLake Saltonstall
Lake Saltonstall is a long narrow lake located in south-central Connecticut. It covers an area of approximately and is nestled in the center of the trap rock Saltonstall Mountain...
which also feature trail systems maintained by the Regional Water Authority as the Lake is a resiviour for Branford.
Branford Hills features many condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
and apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
complexes, most of which house middle and lower-middle-class residents. The original sites of Connecticut Hospice and St. Elizabeth Roman Catholic Church are in Branford Hills.
Indian Neck
Indian Neck is in the south-central section of Branford, dominated by a peninsula bordering Branford Harbor. Both Foote Park and John B. Sliney Memorial Park are located within Indian Neck.Back in the early to mid 20th century Indian Neck was a tourist destination. Trolley service came down to Sybil and Limewood Ave which had its own commercial area. These included Harry's General Store, Bud's Bait Box, The Waverly Inn, Madelyn's Restaurant, Surfside Restaurant, a Candy Store, and Dairy Joy Ice Cream. Much of the area contained second homes, so the beach was an active place. As the area became more year round the commercial business slowly shut-down. In fact the landmark Waverly Inn burned to the ground in the early 70's truly marking the end of an era.
Pine Orchard
Pine Orchard is situated between Indian Neck and Stony Creek. The Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club (P.O.Y.C.C.), The Pine Brook School (formerly Wightwood School), a private institution, and Francis Walsh Intermediate School are found here.Stony Creek
Stony Creek is a shorefront section in the southeastern section of Branford, centered on a harbor on Long Island Sound. Stony Creek, an affluent section of Branford along with Pine Orchard, has an ambience of a small seaside village. It is famous for the archipelago of islands knowns as the Thimble IslandsThimble Islands
Ghost Island redirects here. For the island in Japan, see Hashima Island.The Thimble Islands is an archipelago consisting of small islands in Long Island Sound, located in and around the harbor of Stony Creek in the southeast corner of Branford, Connecticut.The archipelago of islands made up of...
.
The Thimbles are a jumble of glacial rocks, ranging from 17 acres (69,000 m²) down to stepping stone size, at the mouth of the harbor. Despite their small size, they possess a wealth of history and local lore, as well as providing pleasant scenery for a summer cruise.
Stony Creek is also home to the all-male Stony Creek Fife & Drum Corps, and the only all-female fife and drum corps Totoket Ancient Fife & Drum Corps. A large quarry is still working, and supplied the distinctive pink/orange Stony Creek granite for the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
, the Stony Creek library and the newest House Office Building in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Short Beach
Short Beach is a beach neighborhood in the western end of town, south of Branford Hills. It is home to many small islands, the largest being Kelsey Island, which has a few small cabins used as summer homes. Short Beach is home to half of the famous Shoreline Trolley MuseumShore Line Trolley Museum
The Shore Line Trolley Museum, located in East Haven, Connecticut, is the oldest operating trolley museum in the United States. It was founded to preserve the heritage of the trolley car. The museum includes exhibits on trolley history in the visitors' center and offers rides on restored trolleys...
, which is also in neighboring East Haven. Also in Short Beach are the Yale Corinthian Yacht Club
Yale Corinthian Yacht Club
Yale Corinthian Yacht Club is the home yacht club for the Yale University Coed and Women's Sailing Teams. It is located at 179 Clark Avenue in Branford, Connecticut...
(YCYC), Short Beach Union Church and three parks, the largest being Pardee Park. Short Beach's population is about 1,500 and features a three-day festival at the end of summer called Short Beach Days. Short Beach is known for the population of monk parakeet
Monk Parakeet
The Monk Parakeet, also known as the Quaker Parrot, is a species of parrot, in most treatments the only member of the genus Myiopsitta. It originates from the temperate to subtropical areas of Argentina and the surrounding countries in South America...
s that live there (referred to as the "Short Beach Parrots"), a non-native bird.
Hotchkiss Grove
Hotchkiss Grove of Branford is located between Indian Neck and Pine Orchard and consists of 9 Avenues, Hotchkiss Grove Road, and Dudley Road. It has a small beach used for swimming and keeping boats with a raft to swim out to. The point is a small peninsula going out into the water with a small dock and grass, where parties are held sometimes. Every first Saturday of August, Hotchkiss Grove Day is held, with the day starting with a costume parade, with prizes. Then are beach games, in which kids compete with one another on the beach. There is live music at that time and a clam bar.Other communities
Other minor communities and geographic features in the town are: Branford Point, Brocketts Point, Brushy Plain, Cherry Hill, Clam Island, Double Beach, Goodsell Point, Granite Bay, Haycock Point, High Island, Jepson Island, Johnson's Point, Kidd's Island, Killam's Point, Lamphier's Cove, Little Pumpkin, Money Island, Pawson Park, Potato Island, Rockland Park, Sagamore Cove, Scotch Cap, Sumac Island, Summer Island, Sunset Beach, Thimble IslandsThimble Islands
Ghost Island redirects here. For the island in Japan, see Hashima Island.The Thimble Islands is an archipelago consisting of small islands in Long Island Sound, located in and around the harbor of Stony Creek in the southeast corner of Branford, Connecticut.The archipelago of islands made up of...
, Todd's Hill, Vedder's Point, Wheeler Island.
Industry
Now that Malleable Iron Fittings has been largely demolished and the site turned into housing, Branford is known for high-technology companies such as Curagen and 454 Life Sciences454 Life Sciences
454 Life Sciences, is a biotechnology company based in Branford, Connecticut. It is a subsidiary of Roche, and specializes in high-throughput DNA sequencing.-History and Major Achievements:...
. Also with offices and manufacturing space in Branford is American Polyfilm, Inc. which specializes in the manufacture of Polyurethane film for a number of industries including industrial and high performance fabrics and medical products to name a few. It is also home to Wilson Arms, which produces small-caliber rifles and parts, and Islander East Pipeline Co., which seeks to build a controversial natural gas pipeline from North Haven
North Haven, Connecticut
North Haven is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut on the outskirts of New Haven, Connecticut.North Haven is less than ten miles from downtown New Haven and Yale University. It is near Sleeping Giant State Park and home the Quinnipiac University School of Health Sciences, the School of Nursing,...
to Yaphank
Yaphank, New York
Yaphank is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 5,025 at the 2000 census.Yaphank is a community in the south part of the Town of Brookhaven...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Education
Schools in Branford:- Branford High SchoolBranford High School (Connecticut)Branford High School is a public high school in Branford, Connecticut. It currently has about 1,250 students in grades 9-12.Former principal, Dr. Edmund Higgins, retired at the end of the 2007-2008 school year. During his tenure, Higgins was instrumental in the school's adoption of performance...
- Francis Walsh Intermediate School
- John B. Sliney School
- Linda Chipkin School
- Mary R. Tisko School
- Mary T. Murphy School
- Saint Mary Catholic School
Transportation
The main artery through the town is Interstate 95Interstate 95 in Connecticut
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
, running along the eastern coast of the United States. The town has a station
Branford (Shore Line East station)
Branford is a station along the Shore Line East commuter railroad between Stamford and New London, Connecticut. Branford is also a station on the northern section Northeast Corridor. Amtrak does not stop at this station but Amtrak trains can often be seen passing this station...
on the Shore Line East
Shore Line East
Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation , SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with continuing service to Bridgeport...
commuter rail line from New London to New Haven.
The Branford Steam Railroad
Branford Steam Railroad
Branford Steam Railroad is an industrial railroadserving the Tilcon Connecticut stone quarry inNorth Branford, Connecticut in the United States.It exchanges freight with the Providence and Worcester Railroad and withthe Buchanon Marine Company....
carries quarried trap rock
Trap rock
Trap rock is a form of igneous rock that tends to form polygonal vertical fractures, most typically hexagonal, but also four to eight sided. The fracture pattern forms when magma of suitable chemical composition intrudes as a sill or extrudes as a thick lava flow, and slowly cools.Because of the...
from North Branford
North Branford, Connecticut
North Branford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,906 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.6 square miles , of which 24.9 square miles is land and 1.7 square miles is water...
to barges at Juniper Point near Stony Creek. Tweed New Haven Regional Airport is located three miles (5 km) west of Branford.
Major roads
- West Main Street/North Main Street/East Main Street (US Route 1U.S. Route 1 in ConnecticutIn the U.S. state of Connecticut, U.S. Route 1 is a major east–west state highway along Long Island Sound. It has been replaced by Interstate 95 as a through route, which it closely parallels, and now primarily serves as a local business route...
) - parallels I-95Interstate 95 in ConnecticutInterstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
. - Main Street passes through the town center
- Route 142Route 142 (Connecticut)Route 142 is a state highway in Connecticut that serves as an alternate route of US 1, passing through the village of Short Beach on the Branford shoreline. It starts at US 1 in East Haven and ends at US 1 in Branford, running for .- Route description:...
(Short Beach Road/Shore Drive) serves the community of Short BeachShort BeachShort Beach is a beach neighborhood situated in Branford, Connecticut and a small part of East Haven, Connecticut. It is the westernmost of Branford's seven neighborhoods, the others being: The Hill, The Center, Pine Orchard, Stony Creek, Indian Neck, and Brushy Hill. Short Beach's population is...
in the southwestern part of the town - Route 146 is a scenic route that passes through various coastal communities in the southeastern part of the town and into GuilfordGuilford, ConnecticutGuilford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the coast. The population was 21,398 at the 2000 census...
. The route runs closely parallel to the Amtrak/Shore Line East railroad tracks. - Cedar Street/Brushy Plain Road, which runs from Main Street into North BranfordNorth Branford, ConnecticutNorth Branford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,906 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.6 square miles , of which 24.9 square miles is land and 1.7 square miles is water...
. The section north of Route 1 is an unsigned state road (SR 740). A large number of condominium complexes are located on SR 740 or one of its side roads. Mary T. Murphy Elementary School, Veterans Memorial Park and Lidyhites Pond are also located on the section known as Brushy Plain Road. The road takes a winding route over a hill popularly known as "Snake Hill," site of numerous traffic accidents, as it heads north into North Branford.
Culture
One of the largest events in Branford every year is the Branford Festival on Father's Day weekend, which features food, crafts, children's rides, music and a 5 miles (8 km) road race.Notable people
Notable natives and residents of Branford include:- Bob BarthelsonBob BarthelsonRobert Edward Barthelson was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Giants in 1944. The 6'0", 185 lb. right-hander was a native of New Haven, Connecticut, where he graduated from Hillhouse High School....
, major league baseball player who resided in Branford at the time of his death - Harlan J. BrothersHarlan J. BrothersHarlan J. Brothers is an inventor, mathematician, and musician based in Branford, Connecticut.- Life and work :In 1997, while examining the sequence of counting numbers raised to their own power , Brothers discovered some simple algebraic formulas that yielded the number 2.71828..., the universal...
, mathematician and inventor - Bob DuPuyBob DuPuyRobert A. "Bob" DuPuy is an attorney and former President and Chief Operating Officer of Major League Baseball . He assumed both titles on March 7, 2002. Prior to joining Major League Baseball in 1998, he was a partner and management committee member of Foley & Lardner, a large Milwaukee-based...
, president and chief operating officer of Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB) - Ron GlickRon GlickRon Glick is an Israeli professional football player currently contracted by Maccabi Petah Tikva.- Playing career :Glick made his senior debut in a Toto Cup match during the 2004/05 season. The next season, he made his Israeli Premier League debut against Beitar Jerusalem as a substitute in the...
, Israeli soccer player - Edward Kennedy, Jr.Edward Kennedy, Jr.Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy, Jr. is an American entrepreneur, investment banker and lawyer. He is a co-founder and the president of the , a financial-services firm headquartered in New York City, New York....
(Ted), son of late Senator Ted KennedyTed KennedyEdward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
, lives in Branford. - Henry Lee, notable for his forensic investigations of famous crimes.
- Beauty McGowanBeauty McGowanFrank Bernard "Beauty" McGowan , was a Major League Baseball player who played outfielder from -. He would play for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Braves, and Philadelphia Athletics. McGowan died at the age of 80 in 1982.-External links:...
, MLB baseball player, was born in Branford in 1901. - Henry Bradley Plant, railroad magnate
- Ollie SaxOllie SaxErik Oliver Sax was a Major League Baseball player. Sax played third base for the St. Louis Browns in the 1928 season. In 16 games, he had three hits in 17 at-bats, with four runs scored. Sax batted and threw right-handed.He was born in Branford, Connecticut and died in Newark, New...
, MLB baseball player, was born in Branford in 1904. - Thomas Steitz, 2009 Nobel laureate in chemistry, who lives in Branford.
Government
- Town of Branford official web site
- Town of Branford Police Department
- Town of Branford Fire Department
Other
- Branford Chamber of Commerce
- Branford Historical Society
- Connecticut Hospice, first hospice in the United States
- Branford Festival
- James Blackstone Memorial Library
- Stony Creek Museum