Coventry, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Coventry is a town
in Tolland County
, Connecticut
, United States
. The population was 11,504 at the 2000 census. The birthplace of Captain Nathan Hale
, Coventry is home to the Nathan Hale Homestead
, which is now a museum open to the public.
Coventry was incorporated in May 1712.
, the town has a total area of 38.4 square miles (99.5 km²) of which 37.7 square miles (97.6 km²) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) (1.67%) is water.
in the West Midlands
, United Kingdom
.
, man, originally from Northampton, Massachusetts
. The entire Rust family is said to have made their final move to Coventry from Massachusetts in a group of a dozen families in 1709. Along with Nathaniel Rust, the names of some of the earliest settlers were David Lee, Thomas Root, Samuel Gurley, Ebenezer Searl, Joseph Petty, Benjamin James and Benjamin Carpenter. Four other settlers were also from Northampton and two from Reading.
The land was said to have originally been given to men from Hartford by Joshua, Indian sachem. The Connecticut General Assembly
, held in Hartford in 1706, appointed William Pitkin, Joseph Tallcot, William Whiting and Richard Lord, as a committee with full power to lay out the bounds of the town and divisions of the land, to admit inhabitants. A 1711 revision added Nathaniel Rust to the committee and the task of procuring a minister of the gospel. The first church was established in October 1714.
) and Stonehouse Road (Route 275). In the 19th century, there was a small industrial center including mills powered by the water from Coventry Lake Brook as it flowed towards the Willimantic River
. South Coventry Village, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, also includes several Victorian
houses, a museum, the main branch of the public library and the Bidwell Tavern, a bar/restaurant established in 1822. The Bidwell used to keep Coventry's town records in the "vault" area behind the bar, as well as hosting town meetings. A few doors away is the W.L Wellwood General Store, which under new ownership has been renamed "Coventry Country Store". The general store was originally built in 1787 making it one of, if not the oldest General Store in America (a past owner claimed to have not found an older store). In all, the area has over 100 historical buildings on the national register.
North Coventry's settlement is less dense, and its housing and businesses are of more recent construction. In the 18th century, this section of the town was largely used for dairy and vegetable farming. As the United States expanded westward, many farming families left the rocky fields of Connecticut for the more fertile land of the Ohio River
valley. Most of the farms in North Coventry were abandoned, and the land reclaimed by second-growth forest. In the 1960s and 1970s, tract housing developments were built on some of this land, mainly raised ranch or split-level houses on one acre (4,000 m²) lots. Development slowed from the mid-1970s through the 1990s, but several new developments were constructed in North Coventry after 1990. These tend to feature larger houses on two acre (8,000 m²) lots.
At the 2000 census
, there were 11,504 people, 4,261 households and 3,191 families residing in the town. The population density
was 305.0 per square mile (117.8/km²). There were 4,486 housing units at an average density of 118.9 per square mile (45.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.95% White, 0.57% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races
, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.
There were 4,261 households which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were married couples
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.09.
27.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 102.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.
The median household income
was $64,680, and the median family income was $72,674. Males had a median income of $48,164 versus $36,514 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,143. About 2.0% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Tolland County
Tolland County, Connecticut
Tolland County is a county located in the northeastern part of Connecticut. As of 2010, the population was 152,691.Counties in Connecticut have no governmental function: all legal power is vested in the state, city, and town governments...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 11,504 at the 2000 census. The birthplace of Captain Nathan Hale
Nathan Hale
Nathan Hale was a soldier for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission in New York City but was captured by the British...
, Coventry is home to the Nathan Hale Homestead
Nathan Hale Homestead
The Nathan Hale Homestead is a historic home located at 2299 South Street in Coventry, Connecticut. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and was also known as Deacon Richard Hale House.-Nathan Hale:...
, which is now a museum open to the public.
Coventry was incorporated in May 1712.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 38.4 square miles (99.5 km²) of which 37.7 square miles (97.6 km²) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) (1.67%) is water.
Principal communities
- South CoventrySouth Coventry Historic DistrictThe South Coventry Historic District is a historic district in the town of Coventry, Connecticut that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991...
(town center) - Coventry Lake
History
Coventry was named in October 1711, the first town in the colonies to be named "Coventry" for CoventryCoventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
in the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Settlement and founding
The first house in Coventry was said to have been built near the shore of Lake Wangumbaug by Nathaniel Rust, a Hartford, ConnecticutHartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, man, originally from Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
. The entire Rust family is said to have made their final move to Coventry from Massachusetts in a group of a dozen families in 1709. Along with Nathaniel Rust, the names of some of the earliest settlers were David Lee, Thomas Root, Samuel Gurley, Ebenezer Searl, Joseph Petty, Benjamin James and Benjamin Carpenter. Four other settlers were also from Northampton and two from Reading.
The land was said to have originally been given to men from Hartford by Joshua, Indian sachem. The Connecticut General Assembly
Connecticut General Assembly
The Connecticut General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is a bicameral body composed of the 151-member House of Representatives and the 36-member Senate. It meets in the state capital, Hartford. There are no term limits for either chamber.During...
, held in Hartford in 1706, appointed William Pitkin, Joseph Tallcot, William Whiting and Richard Lord, as a committee with full power to lay out the bounds of the town and divisions of the land, to admit inhabitants. A 1711 revision added Nathaniel Rust to the committee and the task of procuring a minister of the gospel. The first church was established in October 1714.
To the present
The old center of the town is in South Coventry, near the intersection of Main Street (Route 31Route 31 (Connecticut)
Route 31 is an east–west state highway in Connecticut running for from Route 74 in Vernon to Route 32 in Mansfield.- Route description:...
) and Stonehouse Road (Route 275). In the 19th century, there was a small industrial center including mills powered by the water from Coventry Lake Brook as it flowed towards the Willimantic River
Willimantic River
The Willimantic River is a tributary of the Shetucket River, approximately 25 mi long in northeastern Connecticut in the New England region of the United States....
. South Coventry Village, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National 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...
, also includes several Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
houses, a museum, the main branch of the public library and the Bidwell Tavern, a bar/restaurant established in 1822. The Bidwell used to keep Coventry's town records in the "vault" area behind the bar, as well as hosting town meetings. A few doors away is the W.L Wellwood General Store, which under new ownership has been renamed "Coventry Country Store". The general store was originally built in 1787 making it one of, if not the oldest General Store in America (a past owner claimed to have not found an older store). In all, the area has over 100 historical buildings on the national register.
North Coventry's settlement is less dense, and its housing and businesses are of more recent construction. In the 18th century, this section of the town was largely used for dairy and vegetable farming. As the United States expanded westward, many farming families left the rocky fields of Connecticut for the more fertile land of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
valley. Most of the farms in North Coventry were abandoned, and the land reclaimed by second-growth forest. In the 1960s and 1970s, tract housing developments were built on some of this land, mainly raised ranch or split-level houses on one acre (4,000 m²) lots. Development slowed from the mid-1970s through the 1990s, but several new developments were constructed in North Coventry after 1990. These tend to feature larger houses on two acre (8,000 m²) lots.
Places of interest
- Wangumbaug Lake, also known as Coventry Lake, covers 373 acres (1.5 km²). The lake is fed by springs, and has one natural outlet, known as Coventry Lake Brook. The brook flows towards South Coventry center and ultimately into the Willimantic River. Patriots Park, located on Wangumbaug Lake, contains a guarded beach, playground, picnic area, lodge facilities, Community Center, and band shell for summer concerts. It is also home of the Coventry Lake Water Ski Team and UConn Men and Women’s Crew Teams. The boat launch is run by the State of Connecticut. Occasionally, during the winter months, the lake will freeze over and residents have the opportunity to skateIce skatingIce skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
or fishIce fishingIce fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice anglers may sit on the stool in the open on a frozen lake, or in a heated cabin on the ice, some with bunks and amenities.-Locations:It is a popular pastime...
on the ice. - Nathan Hale Homestead, first established around 1740 by Deacon Richard Hale (1717–1802), the present structure has been standing since 1776 and was built to house the combined family of Deacon Hale and his second wife Abigail (Cobb) Adams. The original house, birthplace of Nathan Hale in 1755, is said to have been on the property, just southeast of the 1776 house. The original 450 acres (1.8 km²) of the Hale farm now make up a large portion of the Nathan Hale State Forest. Today the Hale’s family home, located on South Street, is a museum open seasonally for tours and education programs. http://www.hartnet.org/als/nathanhale/homestead.htm
- The Strong-Porter Museum, circa 1730, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as the Coventry Historical Society's museum. Five rooms of the house, as well as several outbuildings, including a carpenter shop, carriage sheds, and barn are open to the public.
- The Brick Schoolhouse, second construction completed in 1825 after original burned, it is one of the four remaining district schoolhouses in Coventry and was used until 1954.
- Caprilands Herb Farm, c.1740 colonial farmstead, home for over 65 years to the late famed herbalist and author, Adelma Grenier SimmonsAdelma Simmons"The First Lady of Herbs"Adelma Grenier Simmons was one of the leading herbal figures in America in the 20th century. A legend for her knowledge of herbal lore and history, she was also a prolific author and sparked an interest in herb gardening across the country...
, an herbal mecca open to the public. Visitors can enjoy one of many themed herbal and floral gardens, including the Cook's Garden, Saint's Garden, Shakespeare Garden, Medieval Garden and Bride's Garden. - Hytone Farm, owned and operated by the Peracchio family since the early 1940s and a fully operational dairy farm since 1960, they raise all their own Holstein cows, currently have 165 young stock and use over 350 acres (1.4 km²) of corn and grass for silage. Hytone Farm has received many Distinguished Farming awards through their years.
- Museum of Connecticut Glass is a new museum focusing on glassmaking in the state.
On the National Register of Historic Places
- Brigham's TavernBrigham's TavernBrigham's Tavern is a property in Coventry, Connecticut that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.The listing included two contributing buildings on an area of .It served historically as a hotel....
— 12 Boston Tpke. (added April 25, 1982) - Capron-Phillips HouseCapron-Phillips HouseThe Capron-Phillips House is an Italianate style house in the village of South Coventry, Connecticut, in the town of Coventry, that was built c. 1864. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982....
— 1129 Main St. (added May 27, 1982) - Captain Nathan Hale MonumentCaptain Nathan Hale MonumentThe Captain Nathan Hale Monument, is a obelisk in Coventry, Connecticut, built in 1846 in honor of Nathan Hale, the Revolutionary War hero, who was born in Coventry....
— 120 Lake St. (added February 28, 2002) - Coventry Glass Factory Historic DistrictCoventry Glass Factory Historic DistrictCoventry Glass Factory Historic District is a historic district in Coventry, Connecticut that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987....
— US 44 and N. River Rd. (added September 27, 1987) - Elias Sprague HouseElias Sprague HouseElias Sprague House is a property in Coventry, Connecticut that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. It is claimed to be "significant as a representative example of the ordinary vernacular house of early 19th-century Connecticut."...
— 2187 South St. (added December 2, 1987) - Loomis-Pomeroy HouseLoomis-Pomeroy HouseLoomis-Pomeroy House is a property in Coventry, Connecticut that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.It was built in Federal and Greek Revival style.The listing included four contributing buildings on an area of ....
— 1747 Boston Tpk. (added May 26, 1994) - Nathan Hale HomesteadNathan Hale HomesteadThe Nathan Hale Homestead is a historic home located at 2299 South Street in Coventry, Connecticut. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and was also known as Deacon Richard Hale House.-Nathan Hale:...
— 229 South St. (added November 22, 1970) - Parker-Hutchinson FarmParker-Hutchinson FarmThe Parker-Hutchinson Farm is a property on Parker Bridge Road in Coventry, Connecticut, in Tolland County. It includes the Samuel Parker House which dates from 1850. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982...
— Parker Bridge Rd. (added May 29, 1982) - South Coventry Historic DistrictSouth Coventry Historic DistrictThe South Coventry Historic District is a historic district in the town of Coventry, Connecticut that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991...
— Roughly, Main St. and adjacent streets from Armstrong Rd. to Lake St. and Lake from High St. to Main (added June 6, 1991) - Strong-Porter House — 2382 South St. (added February 15, 1988)
Miscellaneous information
- The center of North Coventry is at the intersection of Main Street (CT Route 31) and U.S. Route 44 (section officially known as the Boston Turnpike, but usually referred to simply as "Route 44"). Near this intersection are two shopping plazas. The first contains a large Highland Park MarketHighland Park MarketHighland Park Market is a grocery chain based in Manchester, Connecticut, which operates six stores in Hartford and Tolland counties.-History:...
. One can buy most any type of common foodstuffs here, as well as freshly baked bread in the morning. This plaza also contains the Meadow Brook Package Store and the Coventry office of Rockville Bank. The second plaza had a NewAlliance BankNewAlliance BankNewAlliance Bancshares , doing business as NewAlliance Bank, was the second largest Connecticut-based savings bank. It was formed in 2004 through the union of The Savings Bank of Manchester, New Haven Savings Bank, and Tolland Bank....
now a First Niagara BankFirst Niagara BankFirst Niagara Bank is a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-insured regional banking corporation headquartered in the historic Larkin Terminal Warehouse in Buffalo, New York.-History:...
, as well as a CVSCVS CorporationCVS Pharmacy, or simply CVS, is the second largest pharmacy chain in the United States , with over 7,000 stores in 41 states and Puerto Rico...
and a Dunkin' DonutsDunkin' DonutsDunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
. Recently a Wallgreens was added across the street from CVSCVS CorporationCVS Pharmacy, or simply CVS, is the second largest pharmacy chain in the United States , with over 7,000 stores in 41 states and Puerto Rico...
- The Middle Post Road, one of the three Boston Post RoadBoston Post RoadThe Boston Post Road was a system of mail-delivery routes between New York City and Boston, Massachusetts that evolved into the first major highways in the United States.The three major alignments were the Lower Post Road The Boston Post Road was a system of mail-delivery routes between New York...
s declared in 1671 with the creation of the Colonial post, ran through Coventry. The Post Roads were meant to connect the colony of New YorkNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, formerly New AmsterdamNew AmsterdamNew Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
, with the Massachusetts Bay ColonyMassachusetts Bay ColonyThe Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
. Middle Post Road connected Hartford and Boston, MA via Coventry and Pomfret, CTPomfret, ConnecticutPomfret is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,798 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, and MendonMendon, MassachusettsMendon is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,839 at the 2010 census.Mendon is very historic and is now part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, the oldest industrialized region in the United States.- Early history :The Nipmuc people...
and Roxbury, MARoxbury, MassachusettsRoxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868...
. http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1380&Q=259692&dotPNavCtr=
- American portrait painter Benoni IrwinBenoni IrwinBenoni Irwin was an American portraitist.A pupil of the National Academy of Design in New York City, USA, he trained in Paris with the famous French portraitist Emile Auguste Carolus-Duran . His work was shown in the Exposition Universelle at Paris in 1889, and the Chicago World's Fair in 1893...
(1840–1896) drowned in Coventry Lake. Irwin, a YonkersYonkers, New YorkYonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, New YorkNew YorkNew 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...
resident, had a summer home on the shore of Coventry Lake. On the evening of August 26, 1896, Irwin lost his balance and fell from a boat while trying to adjust the focus on his camera. He had been taking photographs of the lake at sunset. His head hit the edge of the boat as he fell, knocking him unconscious. His body was immediately recovered. He is buried in Nathan Hale Cemetery with his wife, Adela, and daughter, Edith.
Twinned cities
| City | State | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coventry Coventry Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although... |
 West MidlandsWest Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The... |
United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
1962 |
| Coventry Coventry, New York Coventry is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The population was 1,589 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Coventry, Connecticut by settlers from New England.... |
 New YorkNew 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... |
 United StatesUnited States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
|
| Coventry Coventry, Rhode Island Coventry is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 35,014 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of . of it is land and of it is water... |
 Rhode IslandRhode Island The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area... |
United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Annual events
Memorial Day-Memorial Day Parade—Capt. Nathan Hale is recognized along with members of the Armed Forces- CoventryFest -- with fireworks, food and live music. Held at Patriot's Park on the lake.
- June 6 -- Captain Hale's Birthday Party -- held at the Hale Homestead
- Early July -- Coventry Fest-- July—fireworks over Coventry Lake
- July -- Colonial Encampment and Muster -- July—held by the Nathan Hale Ancient Fife & Drums at the Hale Homestead.
- December--"Old-Fashioned Christmas in Coventry". Main Street first Saturday in December.
Demographics
| Town of Coventry Population by year |
||
|---|---|---|
| Census year | Population | |
| 1790 | 2,130 | |
| 1800 | 2,021 | |
| 1810 | 1,938 | |
| 1820 | 2,058 | |
| 1830 | 2,119 | |
| 1840 | 2,081 | |
| 1850 | 1,984 | |
| 1860 | 2,085 | |
| 1870 | 2,057 | |
| 1880 | 2,043 | |
| 1890 | 1,875 | |
| 1900 | 1,632 | |
| 1910 | 1,606 | |
| 1920 | 1,582 | |
| 1930 | 1,554 | |
| 1940 | 2,102 | |
| 1950 | 4,043 | |
| 1960 | 6,358 | |
| 1970 | 8,140 | |
| 1980 | 8,895 | |
| 1990 | 10,063 | |
| 2000 | 11,504 | |
At the 2000 census
Census
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...
, there were 11,504 people, 4,261 households and 3,191 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 305.0 per square mile (117.8/km²). There were 4,486 housing units at an average density of 118.9 per square mile (45.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.95% White, 0.57% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.40% 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 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.
There were 4,261 households which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% 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, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.09.
27.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 102.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.
The median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was $64,680, and the median family income was $72,674. Males had a median income of $48,164 versus $36,514 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 $27,143. About 2.0% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
2,045 | 59 | 2,104 | 26.66% |
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... |
1,481 | 37 | 1,518 | 19.23% |
Unaffiliated | 4,128 | 132 | 4,260 | 53.98% |
Minor Parties | 9 | 1 | 10 | 0.13% | |
| Total | 7,663 | 229 | 7,892 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||
Education
- Coventry Grammar School, K - Grade 2
- G. H. Robertson Intermediate School, Grade 3 - Grade 5
- Capt. Nathan Hale Middle School, Grade 6 - Grade 8
- Coventry High SchoolCoventry High School (Connecticut)Coventry High School is a public high school for grades 9 through 12 located in Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut. It is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.-History:...
, Grade 9 - Grade 12
Notable people, past and present
- Jesse RootJesse RootJesse Root was an American minister and lawyer from Coventry, Connecticut. During the American Revolution he served on the Connecticut Council of Safety and in the Connecticut militia...
(1736–1822) was a Coventry resident who served in the Continental CongressContinental CongressThe Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
representing Connecticut from 1778 until 1782 and sat as chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme CourtConnecticut Supreme CourtThe Connecticut Supreme Court, formerly known as the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors, is the highest court in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. The seven justices sit in Hartford, across the street from the Connecticut State Capitol...
from 1796 to 1807. Buried in Nathan Hale Cemetery. http://www.infoplease.com/biography/us/congress/root-jesse.html - Nathan HaleNathan HaleNathan Hale was a soldier for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission in New York City but was captured by the British...
(1755–1776), captain in the Continental ArmyContinental ArmyThe Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
during the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and official State Hero of Connecticut, was born in town. Empty grave in Nathan Hale Cemetery. http://www.connecticutsar.org/patriots/hale_nathan.htm - Lorenzo DowLorenzo DowLorenzo Dow was an eccentric itinerant American preacher, said to have preached to more people than any other preacher of his era. He was an important figure in the Second Great Awakening. He was also a successful writer...
(1777–1834), an important figure in the Second Great AwakeningSecond Great AwakeningThe Second Great Awakening was a Christian revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1800, had begun to gain momentum by 1820, and was in decline by 1870. The Second Great Awakening expressed Arminian theology, by which every person could be...
, an eccentric, itinerant minister, was born in town.http://www.curbstone.org/index.cfm?webpage=56 - George N. Barnard (1819–1902), photographer who joined Mathew BradyMathew BradyMathew B. Brady was one of the most celebrated 19th century American photographers, best known for his portraits of celebrities and his documentation of the American Civil War...
in recording the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, worked briefly with photographic pioneer George EastmanGeorge EastmanGeorge Eastman was an American innovator and entrepreneur who founded the Eastman Kodak Company and invented roll film, helping to bring photography to the mainstream...
, and the Eastman Kodak Company, was born in town.http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAPbarnard.htm - Benoni IrwinBenoni IrwinBenoni Irwin was an American portraitist.A pupil of the National Academy of Design in New York City, USA, he trained in Paris with the famous French portraitist Emile Auguste Carolus-Duran . His work was shown in the Exposition Universelle at Paris in 1889, and the Chicago World's Fair in 1893...
(1840–1896), American portrait painter and summer resident, drowned in Coventry Lake. Buried in Nathan Hale Cemetery. - Adelma Grenier SimmonsAdelma Simmons"The First Lady of Herbs"Adelma Grenier Simmons was one of the leading herbal figures in America in the 20th century. A legend for her knowledge of herbal lore and history, she was also a prolific author and sparked an interest in herb gardening across the country...
(1903–1997), author and one of the leading herbal figures in America in the 20th century, owned and operated Caprilands Herb Farm for over 65 years, lived in town. - David HayesDavid Hayes (sculptor)-Life:David Hayes received an A.B. degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1953, and a M.F.A. degree from Indiana University in 1955 where he studied with David Smith....
(born 1931), artist, American ModernModernismModernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
Master of painted steel sculptures, lives in town.