Madison, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Madison is a town
in the southeastern corner of New Haven County
, Connecticut
, occupying a central location on Connecticut's Long Island Sound
shoreline. The population was 18,812 at the 2000 census.
Madison was first settled in 1641. Throughout the 18th century, Madison was known as East Guilford
until it was incorporated as a town in 1826. Since then, Madison and Guilford have shared many cultural and economic similarities despite an unofficial high school rivalry.
Bill Clinton
favorably mentions the town in his autobiography
, My Life
.
on peak days.
Surf Club Beach is the town's major public beach with lifeguards, recreational facilities for baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball and horseshoes. Play grounds for children and picnic tables for families, as well as sailboat racks and kayak racks.
East Wharf sometimes referred to as the "purple sand beach" has life guards, a pier, kayak and sailboat racks in addition to a fantastic gazebo.
West Wharf has a pier, rock formations to the west, a small sunbathing beach and boat spaces.
The Madison Beach Club has its own beach and is a private country club.
, the town has a total area of 36.8 square miles (95.3 km²) of which, 36.2 square miles (93.8 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.5 km²) of it (1.58%) is water.
. The center preserves its old village charm by keeping large franchises out. The center has many boutiques and coffee shops. Although it is called "the center" it is not the actual geographic center of Madison, but is actually located on the south eastern part of town nearer to Clinton
.
and include Ryerson Elementary School, Island Avenue Elementary School, Jeffery Elementary School, Brown Middle School, Polson Middle School, and Daniel Hand High School
. Year-round residents boast of a superior school system, an expansive recreational program and many opportunities for volunteer work.
Private elementary Schools in Madison include Our Lady of Mercy School and The Country School.
, who later designed the Lincoln Memorial
. Currently this popular library features 114,000 volumes and has an average of 360 visits per day, 860 programs per year. The 1906 postcard below shows the library as it appears at that time. After an expansion in 1989, the main building (the one in the postcard) became the children's section and the expansion to the right of the main door became the main entrance and the adult
of 2000, there were 17,858 people, 6,515 households, and 5,120 families residing in the town. The population density
was 493.3 people per square mile (190.5/km²). There were 7,386 housing units at an average density of 204.0 per square mile (78.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.62% White, 0.40% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.71% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races
, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.
There were 6,515 households out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.8% were married couples
living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $87,497, and the median income for a family was $101,297. Males had a median income of $73,525 versus $41,058 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $40,537. About 0.9% of families and 1.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.5% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.
provides public transportation between Madison center and Old Saybrook along Route 1 through its 9 Town Transit Service. Services include connections to the Old Saybrook Train Station, served by Amtrak
and Shoreline East railroads. The CT Public Transit S bus travels between Madison and New Haven for $1.25 each way.
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 the southeastern corner of New Haven County
New Haven County, Connecticut
New Haven County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2010 Census, the county population is 862,477 making it the third most populated county in Connecticut. There are 1,340 people per square mile...
, 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...
, occupying a central location on Connecticut's Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
shoreline. The population was 18,812 at the 2000 census.
Madison was first settled in 1641. Throughout the 18th century, Madison was known as East Guilford
Guilford, Connecticut
Guilford 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...
until it was incorporated as a town in 1826. Since then, Madison and Guilford have shared many cultural and economic similarities despite an unofficial high school rivalry.
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
favorably mentions the town in his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, My Life
My Life (Bill Clinton autobiography)
My Life is a 2004 autobiography written by former President of the United States Bill Clinton, who left office on January 20, 2001. It was released on June 22, 2004. The book was published by the Knopf Publishing Group; the book sold in excess of 2,250,000 copies...
.
Beaches
Hammonasset State Park possesses the state's longest public beach, with campsites, picnic areas, and a fishing pier, and is extremely popular in the summer causing traffic jams on I-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...
on peak days.
Surf Club Beach is the town's major public beach with lifeguards, recreational facilities for baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball and horseshoes. Play grounds for children and picnic tables for families, as well as sailboat racks and kayak racks.
East Wharf sometimes referred to as the "purple sand beach" has life guards, a pier, kayak and sailboat racks in addition to a fantastic gazebo.
West Wharf has a pier, rock formations to the west, a small sunbathing beach and boat spaces.
The Madison Beach Club has its own beach and is a private country club.
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 36.8 square miles (95.3 km²) of which, 36.2 square miles (93.8 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.5 km²) of it (1.58%) is water.
Madison Center
Madison's center of town is the main area for businesses and the location of the town library and Madison GreenMadison Green
Madison Green is the town green of the New England town of Madison, Connecticut. The Green is centrally located in the Madison Green Historic District, located just west of the commercial strip of Madison. The Green is bounded by the Boston Post Road on the south, Meeting House Lane on the east...
. The center preserves its old village charm by keeping large franchises out. The center has many boutiques and coffee shops. Although it is called "the center" it is not the actual geographic center of Madison, but is actually located on the south eastern part of town nearer to Clinton
Clinton, Connecticut
Clinton is a town located on Long Island Sound in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,094 at the 2000 census. The town center along the shore line was listed as a census-designated place by the U.S...
.
Education
Madison Public Schools serve grades K-12K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
and include Ryerson Elementary School, Island Avenue Elementary School, Jeffery Elementary School, Brown Middle School, Polson Middle School, and Daniel Hand High School
Daniel Hand High School
Daniel Hand High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Madison, Connecticut, serving grades 9 - 12, with an enrollment of approximately 1,276 students.- External links:* *...
. Year-round residents boast of a superior school system, an expansive recreational program and many opportunities for volunteer work.
Private elementary Schools in Madison include Our Lady of Mercy School and The Country School.
E.C. Scranton Memorial Library
The E.C. Scranton Memorial Library was a 1901 gift to the townspeople from Mary Scranton. The original building was designed by the architect Henry BaconHenry Bacon
Henry Bacon was an American Beaux-Arts architect who is best remembered for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. , which was his final project.- Education and early career :...
, who later designed the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
. Currently this popular library features 114,000 volumes and has an average of 360 visits per day, 860 programs per year. The 1906 postcard below shows the library as it appears at that time. After an expansion in 1989, the main building (the one in the postcard) became the children's section and the expansion to the right of the main door became the main entrance and the adult
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 17,858 people, 6,515 households, and 5,120 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 493.3 people per square mile (190.5/km²). There were 7,386 housing units at an average density of 204.0 per square mile (78.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.62% White, 0.40% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.71% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.25% 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 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.
There were 6,515 households out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.8% 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, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $87,497, and the median income for a family was $101,297. Males had a median income of $73,525 versus $41,058 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 $40,537. About 0.9% of families and 1.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.5% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Active Voters | Inactive Voters | Total Voters | Percentage |
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... |
4,459 | 48 | 4,507 | 33.91% |
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... |
2,842 | 37 | 2,879 | 21.66% |
Unaffiliated | 5,759 | 78 | 5,837 | 43.91% |
Minor Parties | 69 | 0 | 69 | 0.52% | |
| Total | 13,129 | 163 | 13,292 | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||
Transportation
The Estuary Transit DistrictEstuary Transit District
Estuary Transit District is the public transit provider for Connecticut River Estuary region. ETD provides public transit service through its 9 Town Transit service to the towns of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook, Connecticut...
provides public transportation between Madison center and Old Saybrook along Route 1 through its 9 Town Transit Service. Services include connections to the Old Saybrook Train Station, served by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
and Shoreline East railroads. The CT Public Transit S bus travels between Madison and New Haven for $1.25 each way.
List of National Historic Sites in Madison
- Allis-Bushnell HouseAllis-Bushnell HouseAllis-Bushnell House is a historic house at 853 Boston Post Road in Madison, Connecticut.It was built in 1785 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982....
, added February 25, 1982 - Hammanasset Paper Mill Site, added February 23, 1996
- Madison Green Historic District, added June 28, 1982
- Meigs-Bishop HouseMeigs-Bishop HouseThe Meigs–Bishop House, located at 45 Wall St., Madison, Connecticut was built in 1690 and is currently used in the commercial operations of a tea room called the Front Parlour ....
, added June 16, 1988 - Jonathan Murray HouseJonathan Murray HouseJonathan Murray House is a historic house at 76 Scotland Road in Madison, Connecticut.It was built in 1690 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.-References:...
, added April 12, 1982 - Shelley House, added February 9, 1989
- State Park Supply Yard, added September 4, 1986
Notable people, past and present
- Jill AbramsonJill AbramsonJill Ellen Abramson is the executive editor of The New York Times. Assuming the position in September 2011, she became the first woman in this role in the paper's 160-year history.-Early life and education:...
, editor of the New York Times. - Sally BensonSally BensonSally Benson was an American screenwriter, who was also a prolific short story author, best known for her semi-autobiographical stories collected in Junior Miss and Meet Me in St...
, screenwriter "Meet Me in St. LouisMeet Me in St. LouisMeet Me in St. Louis is a 1944 musical film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer which tells the story of an American family living in St. Louis at the time of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair in 1904...
". - Elizabeth BentleyElizabeth BentleyElizabeth Terrill Bentley was an American spy for the Soviet Union from 1938 until 1945. In 1945 she defected from the Communist Party and Soviet intelligence and became an informer for the U.S. She exposed two networks of spies, ultimately naming over 80 Americans who had engaged in espionage for...
, Soviet Spy. - Cornelius Bushnell, Financier for the American Civil War ironclad ship USS MonitorUSS MonitorUSS Monitor was the first ironclad warship commissioned by the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She is most famous for her participation in the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862, the first-ever battle fought between two ironclads...
and a railroad pioneer and investor. - Jim CalhounJim CalhounJames A. Calhoun is the head coach of the University of Connecticut's men's basketball team. His teams have won three national championships , played in four Final Fours , won the 1988 NIT championship, and have won seven Big East tournament championships...
(b. 1942) head coach of the Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team, owns a home in Madison. - Thomas ChittendenThomas ChittendenThomas Chittenden was an important figure in the founding of Vermont.Chittenden was born in East Guilford, Connecticut and moved to Vermont in 1774, where he founded the town of Williston. During the American Revolution, Chittenden was a member of a committee empowered to negotiate with the...
, Founder of the independent Vermont RepublicVermont RepublicThe term Vermont Republic has been used by later historians for the government of what became modern Vermont from 1777 to 1791. In July 1777 delegates from 28 towns met and declared independence from jurisdictions and land claims of British colonies in New Hampshire and New York. They also...
and first Governor to the State of Vermont. - Ranulf ComptonRanulf ComptonRanulf Compton was a United States Representative from Connecticut.He attended the public schools at Indianapolis, Indiana and was graduated from the Howe Military School, Howe, Indiana in 1899. After graduation, he attended Harvard University. He engaged in banking and finance in New York and...
(1878–1974) a United States Representative from Connecticut. - Frank Duryea, invented the gasoline engine and developed the first commercially manufactured automobile.
- Peter Hastings Falk, expert on American art.
- John GuntherJohn GuntherJohn Gunther was an American journalist and author whose success came primarily in the 1940s and 1950s with a series of popular sociopolitical works known as the "Inside" books...
, author "Death Be Not Proud", "Inside Europe". - Arnold JacksonArnold JacksonBrigadier-General Arnold Nugent Strode Strode-Jackson CBE DSO & Three Bars was a British athlete, British Army officer, and a barrister. He was the winner of the 1500m at the 1912 Summer Olympics, in what was hailed at the time as "the greatest race ever run"...
, 1500 metres gold medalist in the 1912 Olympics and World War I Brigadier General in the British army. - Dr. Edwin D. KilbourneEdwin D. KilbourneEdwin Dennis Kilbourne was an American research scientist. Born in Buffalo, New York, he received his AB and MD degrees from Cornell University. After completion of service in the Medical Corps of the Army of the United States at the end of World War II, he trained in virus research at The...
, developed vaccine to treat the Influenza virus & principal adviser to President Ford during the swine fluSwine fluSwine influenza, also called pig influenza, swine flu, hog flu and pig flu, is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus or S-OIV is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs...
epidemic. - Charles KullmanCharles KullmanCharles Kullman , originally Charles Kullmann, was an American tenor who enjoyed a wide-ranging career, both in Europe and America.- Life and career :...
, tenor with the Metropolitan Opera. - Rob MorosoRob MorosoRob Moroso was a NASCAR racing driver who was champion of the NASCAR Busch Series in 1989, was posthumously awarded the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year award...
, NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver. - Westbrook PeglerWestbrook PeglerFrancis James Westbrook Pegler was an American journalist and writer. He was a popular columnist in the 1930s and 1940s famed for his opposition to the New Deal and labor unions. Pegler criticized every president from Herbert Hoover to FDR to Harry Truman to John F. Kennedy...
, anti-New Deal columnist. - Jacques PépinJacques PépinJacques Pépin is an internationally recognized French chef, television personality, and author working in the United States. Born in Bourg-en-Bresse, Lyon in France, Pepin was raised by a father and mother who jointly owned a restaurant, where he later credited the start of his love for food. He...
, Celebrity chef - Edgar SnowEdgar SnowEdgar P. Snow was an American journalist known for his books and articles on Communism in China and the Chinese Communist revolution...
, journalist, author, and Cold War-era China expert who knew Mao. - Karlheinz StockhausenKarlheinz StockhausenKarlheinz Stockhausen was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Another critic calls him "one of the great visionaries of 20th-century music"...
, German composer. - Grover WhalenGrover WhalenGrover Aloysius Whalen was a prominent politician, businessman, and public relations guru in New York City during the 1930s and 1940s.-Early years:Grover A. Whalen was born on June 2, 1886 in New York City...
, politician and public relations genius known as "Mr. New York". - Wheeler WilliamsWheeler WilliamsWheeler Williams was an American sculptor, born in Chicago, Illinois.-Life and career:Williams studied sculpture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He attended Yale where he graduated Magna cum Laude in 1919. He received a Master of Architecture degree from Harvard in 1922...
(1897–1972), Sculptor. - Laurence Witten, antiquarian bookseller who sold the Vinland MapVinland mapThe Vinland map is claimed to be a 15th century mappa mundi with unique information about Norse exploration of America. It is very well known because of the publicity campaign which accompanied its revelation to the public as a "genuine" pre-Columbian map in 1965...
to Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.