Hazardville, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Hazardville is a section of the town
of Enfield
, Connecticut
, in Hartford County
. It is a census-designated place
(CDP) that had a total population of 4,900 as of the 2000 census.
centered around the manufacture of gunpowder
using water power from the Scantic River
. The first small black powder mill was established in 1835 by Allen Loomis in an area then known as Powder Hollow. A company called Loomis, Denslow and Company, named for Loomis and his business partner, was established the following year. The company manufactured powder from saltpeter
, sulfur
, and charcoal
.
Hazardville takes its name from Colonel Augustus George Hazard
(1802-1868), who bought into the company in 1837 and eventually built it to become a major producer of gunpowder. The company changed its name to Loomis, Hazard & Company in 1837, and became the Hazard Powder Company in 1843 when Hazard bought Loomis' share of the business. Production increased over the years in response to the needs of the U.S. military for gunpowder during the Mexican War
(1846-1848), demand for blasting powder during the California gold rush
of 1849, and the Crimean War
(1850s), when the Hazard Powder Company supplied both Britain
and Russia
with gunpowder, shipping a total of 500 tons to Britain. During the American Civil War
, the mill was one of the three chief sources of gunpowder for the Union forces, producing up to 12,500 lb/day. At its peak the Hazard Powder Company operated in 125 buildings occupying hundreds of acres of land with 25 water wheels and 3 steam engines along a mile of Scantic River frontage. There were additional mills in East Hartford
and Canton
. The business declined after the Civil War. However, Hazardville still had a relatively large population of 1,500 in the 1890s. Hazard Powder Company was one of the three largest (with DuPont
and Laflin & Rand) among the six companies of the United States Gunpowder Trade Association popularly known as the powder trust. DuPont gained majority stock control of the company in 1876 after Colonel Hazard died in 1868. The plant became part of Hercules Powder Company
when DuPont assets were divided in 1912 under provisions of the Sherman Antitrust Act
, and it closed permanently after a major explosion on January 14, 1913 destroyed much of the plant.
in 1980 as the Hazardville Historic District
The district is an irregularly shaped area that surrounds two interior areas that are not historical and are not included in the district.
The district is dominated by four public buildings constructed of brick
with brownstone
trim: a public school, the Hazardville Institute, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, and the Hazardville United Methodist Church. The school and the institute are both of Italian Renaissance
design and were built in 1864 and 1869, respectively. The Episcopal church is a Gothic style structure built in 1863. The Methodist church, built in 1872, is of Romanesque Revival style architecture.
The public school is now used as a day care center. A former horse barn of the Hazard Powder Company, located at 32 South Maple Avenue, was turned into a square dancing hall in 1959 and is now used as a venue for special events. The foundations of 21 buildings of the original gunpowder factory complex (originally 200 buildings) can still be found near the Scantic River within Scantic River State Park
.
The Hazardville Institute building, at the corner of Hazard and Maple Avenues, was used for many years as a public hall and community center. It was abandoned in the 1970s and was saved from demolition when it was leased to the Hazardville Institute Conservancy. The building is currently undergoing renovation. When renovation is complete, there are plans for the building to include an exhibit about the history of the Hazard Powder Company.
, the CDP has a total area of 8.5 km² (3.3 mi²), all of which is land.
One parcel of the Scantic River State Park
is in Powder Hollow portion of Hazardville.
of 2000, there were 4,900 people, 1,832 households, and 1,337 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 575.0/km² (1,487.6/mi²). There were 1,876 housing units at an average density of 220.2/km² (569.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.45% White, 1.41% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.41% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,832 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples
living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $54,596, and the median income for a family was $61,183. Males had a median income of $40,606 versus $28,806 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $22,293. 3.7% of the population and 2.1% of families were below the poverty line. 2.1% of those under the age of 18 and 2.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
of Enfield
Enfield, Connecticut
Enfield is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 45,212 at the 2000 census. It sits on the border with Longmeadow, Massachusetts and East Longmeadow, Massachusetts to the north, Somers to the east, East Windsor and Ellington to the south, and the...
, 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...
, in Hartford County
Hartford County, Connecticut
Hartford County is a county located in the north central part of the US state of Connecticut. The 2010 Census records show that the county population is at 894,014 making it the second most populated county in Connecticut....
. It is a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) that had a total population of 4,900 as of the 2000 census.
History
Hazardville originated as an industrial villageIndustrial district
Industrial district was initially introduced as a term to describe an area where workers of a monolithic heavy industry live within walking-distance of their places of work...
centered around the manufacture of gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
using water power from the Scantic River
Scantic River
The Scantic River is a river that flows through the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut and is tributary to the Connecticut River.The Scantic River's tributaries rise in the towns of Hampden, Wilbraham, East Longmeadow and Monson in Massachusetts, and in Stafford and Somers, Connecticut,...
. The first small black powder mill was established in 1835 by Allen Loomis in an area then known as Powder Hollow. A company called Loomis, Denslow and Company, named for Loomis and his business partner, was established the following year. The company manufactured powder from saltpeter
Potassium nitrate
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula KNO3. It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitrate ions NO3−.It occurs as a mineral niter and is a natural solid source of nitrogen. Its common names include saltpetre , from medieval Latin sal petræ: "stone salt" or possibly "Salt...
, sulfur
Sulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
, and charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
.
Hazardville takes its name from Colonel Augustus George Hazard
Augustus George Hazard
Augustus George Hazard , known as Colonel Augustus Hazard, was an American manufacturer of gunpowder and the namesake of Hazardville, Connecticut....
(1802-1868), who bought into the company in 1837 and eventually built it to become a major producer of gunpowder. The company changed its name to Loomis, Hazard & Company in 1837, and became the Hazard Powder Company in 1843 when Hazard bought Loomis' share of the business. Production increased over the years in response to the needs of the U.S. military for gunpowder during the Mexican War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
(1846-1848), demand for blasting powder during the California gold rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
of 1849, and the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
(1850s), when the Hazard Powder Company supplied both Britain
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and Russia
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
with gunpowder, shipping a total of 500 tons to Britain. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The 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...
, the mill was one of the three chief sources of gunpowder for the Union forces, producing up to 12,500 lb/day. At its peak the Hazard Powder Company operated in 125 buildings occupying hundreds of acres of land with 25 water wheels and 3 steam engines along a mile of Scantic River frontage. There were additional mills in East Hartford
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
and Canton
Canton, Connecticut
Canton is a rural town, incorporated in 1806, in Hartford County, Connecticut. The population was 8,840 at the 2000 census, and has grown to 10,292 as of the 2010 census. It is bordered by Granby on the north, Simsbury on the east, Avon and Burlington on the south, New Hartford on the west, and...
. The business declined after the Civil War. However, Hazardville still had a relatively large population of 1,500 in the 1890s. Hazard Powder Company was one of the three largest (with DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
and Laflin & Rand) among the six companies of the United States Gunpowder Trade Association popularly known as the powder trust. DuPont gained majority stock control of the company in 1876 after Colonel Hazard died in 1868. The plant became part of Hercules Powder Company
Hercules Inc.
Hercules, Inc., was a chemical and munitions manufacturing company based in Wilmington, Delaware, which was formed in 1912 as the Hercules Powder Company. Hercules was spun-off from the DuPont Corporation as a result of U.S. federal government actions in the field of antitrusts...
when DuPont assets were divided in 1912 under provisions of the Sherman Antitrust Act
Sherman Antitrust Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act requires the United States federal government to investigate and pursue trusts, companies, and organizations suspected of violating the Act. It was the first Federal statute to limit cartels and monopolies, and today still forms the basis for most antitrust litigation by...
, and it closed permanently after a major explosion on January 14, 1913 destroyed much of the plant.
Historic district
A 1075 acres (4.4 km²) area of Hazardville was listed on the 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...
in 1980 as the Hazardville Historic District
Hazardville Historic District
Hazardville Historic District in the Hazardville section of Enfield, Connecticut dates from 1835. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980....
The district is an irregularly shaped area that surrounds two interior areas that are not historical and are not included in the district.
The district is dominated by four public buildings constructed of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
with brownstone
Brownstone
Brownstone is a brown Triassic or Jurassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States to refer to a terraced house clad in this material.-Types:-Apostle Island brownstone:...
trim: a public school, the Hazardville Institute, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, and the Hazardville United Methodist Church. The school and the institute are both of Italian Renaissance
Italian Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 13th century to about 1600, marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe...
design and were built in 1864 and 1869, respectively. The Episcopal church is a Gothic style structure built in 1863. The Methodist church, built in 1872, is of Romanesque Revival style architecture.
The public school is now used as a day care center. A former horse barn of the Hazard Powder Company, located at 32 South Maple Avenue, was turned into a square dancing hall in 1959 and is now used as a venue for special events. The foundations of 21 buildings of the original gunpowder factory complex (originally 200 buildings) can still be found near the Scantic River within Scantic River State Park
Scantic River State Park
Scantic River State Park is a Connecticut state park in the towns of Enfield, East Windsor and Somers. It consists of several separated parcels....
.
The Hazardville Institute building, at the corner of Hazard and Maple Avenues, was used for many years as a public hall and community center. It was abandoned in the 1970s and was saved from demolition when it was leased to the Hazardville Institute Conservancy. The building is currently undergoing renovation. When renovation is complete, there are plans for the building to include an exhibit about the history of the Hazard Powder Company.
Geography
The Hazardville CDP includes, in addition to the original Hazardville village, newer suburban developments east of the Central New England Railroad line to the Somers town line. 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 CDP has a total area of 8.5 km² (3.3 mi²), all of which is land.
One parcel of the Scantic River State Park
Scantic River State Park
Scantic River State Park is a Connecticut state park in the towns of Enfield, East Windsor and Somers. It consists of several separated parcels....
is in Powder Hollow portion of Hazardville.
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 4,900 people, 1,832 households, and 1,337 families residing in the CDP. 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 575.0/km² (1,487.6/mi²). There were 1,876 housing units at an average density of 220.2/km² (569.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.45% White, 1.41% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.41% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,832 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% 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, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $54,596, and the median income for a family was $61,183. Males had a median income of $40,606 versus $28,806 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 CDP was $22,293. 3.7% of the population and 2.1% of families were below the poverty line. 2.1% of those under the age of 18 and 2.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
External links
Further reading
- Arthur Pine Van Gelder and Hugo Schlatter (1927). History of the Explosives Industry in America. New York: Columbia University Press.