Roxbury, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Roxbury is a town
in Litchfield County, Connecticut
, United States. The population was 2,136 at the 2000 census.
name signifiying "rocky water", was settled about the year 1713. Originally a part of Woodbury
, the town was incorporated in October 1796.
Mine Hill and its minerals have been associated with Roxbury since the middle of the 18th century. A silver mine was opened here and was later found to contain spathic iron, specially adapted to steel making and a small smelting furnace was built. The abundance of granite found in many of Mine Hill's quarries provided the building material for the ore roaster and blast furnace, as well as for such world wonders as the Brooklyn Bridge
and Grand Central Terminal
in New York City.
, the town has a total area of 26.3 square miles (68.1 km²), of which, 26.2 square miles (67.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.23%) is water.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 2,136 people, 848 households, and 620 families residing in the town. The population density
was 81.4 people per square mile (31.4/km²). There were 1,018 housing units at an average density of 38.8 per square mile (15.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.24% White, 0.23% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.66% from other races
, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.31% of the population.
There were 848 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.5% were married couples living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 34.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 104.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $87,794, and the median income for a family was $97,672. Males had a median income of $61,477 versus $45,417 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $56,769. About 3.0% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
is the main thoroughfare in the town, connecting it to New Milford
and Southbury
. The town is also served by secondary highways, Route 199 (to Washington
) and Route 317 (to Woodbury
).
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 Litchfield County, Connecticut
Litchfield County, Connecticut
Litchfield County is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. Litchfield County has the lowest population density of any county in Connecticut but is geographically the state's largest county. As of 2010 the population was 189,927...
, United States. The population was 2,136 at the 2000 census.
History
Roxbury, whose Indian name was "Shepaug", a MahicanMahican
The Mahican are an Eastern Algonquian Native American tribe, originally settling in the Hudson River Valley . After 1680, many moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts. During the early 1820s and 1830s, most of the Mahican descendants migrated westward to northeastern Wisconsin...
name signifiying "rocky water", was settled about the year 1713. Originally a part of Woodbury
Woodbury, Connecticut
Woodbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,198 at the 2000 census. The town center is also designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place . Woodbury was founded in 1672....
, the town was incorporated in October 1796.
Mine Hill and its minerals have been associated with Roxbury since the middle of the 18th century. A silver mine was opened here and was later found to contain spathic iron, specially adapted to steel making and a small smelting furnace was built. The abundance of granite found in many of Mine Hill's quarries provided the building material for the ore roaster and blast furnace, as well as for such world wonders as 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...
and Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
in New York City.
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 26.3 square miles (68.1 km²), of which, 26.2 square miles (67.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.23%) is water.
On the National Register of Historic Places
Three places in Roxbury, Connecticut are included on the National Register of Historic Places listing. They are:- Roxbury Center (CT 67, Weller's Bridge Rd., South and Church Streets); 32 buildings in designated local historic district.
- Roxbury Iron Mine and Furnace Complex
- Roxbury Station Historic District (added 2009) (CT 67, Botsford Hill, Hodge, and Mine Hill Roads)
Demographics
| Historical population of Roxbury http://www.sots.ct.gov/RegisterManual/SectionVII/Population1830.htm http://www.sots.ct.gov/RegisterManual/SectionVII/Population1900.htm http://www.sots.ct.gov/RegisterManual/SectionVII/Population1970.htm |
|
| 1830 | 1,122 |
| 1840 | 971 |
| 1850 | 1,114 |
| 1860 | 992 |
| 1870 | 919 |
| 1880 | 950 |
| 1890 | 936 |
| 1900 | 1,087 |
| 1910 | 837 |
| 1920 | 647 |
| 1930 | 553 |
| 1940 | 660 |
| 1950 | 740 |
| 1960 | 912 |
| 1970 | 1,238 |
| 1980 | 1,468 |
| 1990 | 1,825 |
| 2000 | 2,136 |
As of the 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...
of 2000, there were 2,136 people, 848 households, and 620 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 81.4 people per square mile (31.4/km²). There were 1,018 housing units at an average density of 38.8 per square mile (15.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.24% White, 0.23% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.66% 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 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.31% of the population.
There were 848 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.5% were married couples living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 34.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 104.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $87,794, and the median income for a family was $97,672. Males had a median income of $61,477 versus $45,417 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 $56,769. About 3.0% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Route 67Route 67 (Connecticut)
Route 67 is a secondary state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut, from the town of New Milford in the Greater Danbury area to the town of Woodbridge in the outskirts of New Haven. The route runs for .-Route description:...
is the main thoroughfare in the town, connecting it to New Milford
New Milford, Connecticut
New Milford is a town in southern Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States north of Danbury, on the Housatonic River. It is the largest town in the state in terms of land area at nearly . The population was 28,671 according to the Census Bureau's 2006 estimates...
and Southbury
Southbury, Connecticut
Southbury is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, USA. Southbury is located north of Oxford and Newtown; it also is east of Brookfield. Southbury's population was 18,567 at the 2000 census....
. The town is also served by secondary highways, Route 199 (to Washington
Washington, Connecticut
Washington is a rural town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. The population was 3,596 at the 2000 census. Washington is known for its picturesque countryside, historic architecture, and active civic and cultural life...
) and Route 317 (to Woodbury
Woodbury, Connecticut
Woodbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,198 at the 2000 census. The town center is also designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place . Woodbury was founded in 1672....
).
Roads in Roxbury on the List of Connecticut State Scenic Highways
- Connecticut Route 317; 0.40 from Painter Hill Road, west to Route 67. (added November 14, 1990)
- Connecticut Route 67; 0.87 mile from Ranny Hill Road, south to 0.30 mile south of Route 317. (added November 14, 1990)
- Connecticut Route 67; 2.90 miles from the Roxbury/Bridgewater Town line, east to Ranny Hill Road. (added August 23, 1996)
Notable residents
- Ethan AllenEthan AllenEthan Allen was a farmer, businessman, land speculator, philosopher, writer, and American Revolutionary War patriot, hero, and politician. He is best known as one of the founders of the U.S...
(1738–1789) Early American revolutionary and guerrilla leader, Green Mountain BoysGreen Mountain BoysThe Green Mountain Boys were a militia organization first established in the 1760s in the territory between the British provinces of New York and New Hampshire, known as the New Hampshire Grants...
. - Robert AndersonRobert Anderson-Arts and entertainment:*Robert Anderson , Scottish literary scholar and editor*Robert Rowand Anderson , Scottish architect*Robert Alexander Anderson , American composer...
(1917–2009) Playwright Tea and SympathyTea and SympathyTea and Sympathy is a 1953 stage play in three acts by Robert Anderson.-Broadway premiere:It received its premiere on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on September 30, 1953 in a production by The Playwrights' Company, directed by Elia Kazan and designed by Jo Mielziner. The play starred... - Alexander CalderAlexander CalderAlexander Calder was an American sculptor and artist most famous for inventing mobile sculptures. In addition to mobile and stable sculpture, Alexander Calder also created paintings, lithographs, toys, tapestry, jewelry and household objects.-Childhood:Alexander "Sandy" Calder was born in Lawnton,...
(1898–1976) American sculptor and artist. - Graydon Carter Editor, Vanity Fair.
- Dustin HoffmanDustin HoffmanDustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
Actor. - Denis LearyDenis LearyDenis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
Actor. - Manfred B. Lee, Author & editor (1905–1971), lived on South Street from 1951 until his death in 1971.
- Mercer MayerMercer MayerMercer Mayer is an American children's book writer and illustrator. He has published over 300 books using a wide range of illustrative styles...
Children's book author (Little CritterLittle CritterLittle Critter is an anthropomorphic animal character created by Mercer Mayer. Although his creator has not specified which type of animal the Little Critter is, he resembles a hamster or guinea pig. Little Critter first appeared in the 1975 book Just for You. This book is sometimes mis-titled...
) - Frank McCourtFrank McCourtFrancis "Frank" McCourt was an Irish-American teacher and Pulitzer Prize–winning writer, best known as the author of Angela’s Ashes, an award-winning, tragicomic memoir of the misery and squalor of his childhood....
Author, Angela's AshesAngela's AshesAngela's Ashes is a 1996 memoir by the Irish-American author Frank McCourt. The memoir consists of various anecdotes and stories of Frank McCourt's impoverished childhood and early adulthood in Brooklyn, New York and Limerick, Ireland, as well as McCourt's struggles with poverty, his father's...
. - Arthur MillerArthur MillerArthur Asher Miller was an American playwright and essayist. He was a prominent figure in American theatre, writing dramas that include plays such as All My Sons , Death of a Salesman , The Crucible , and A View from the Bridge .Miller was often in the public eye,...
(1915–2005) American playwright. - Marilyn MonroeMarilyn MonroeMarilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
(1926–1962) Actress. - Stephen SondheimStephen SondheimStephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
Broadway playwright. - William StyronWilliam StyronWilliam Clark Styron, Jr. was an American novelist and essayist who won major literary awards for his work.For much of his career, Styron was best known for his novels, which included...
(1925–2006) Author, Sophie's ChoiceSophie's Choice (novel)Sophie's Choice is a novel by William Styron published in 1979. It concerns a young American Southerner, an aspiring writer, who befriends the Jewish Nathan Landau and his beautiful lover Sophie, a Polish survivor of the Nazi concentration camps...
. - Seth WarnerSeth WarnerSeth Warner was born in Roxbury, Connecticut. In 1763, he removed with his father to Bennington in what was then known as the New Hampshire Grants. He established there as a huntsman....
(1743–1784) Green Mountain BoysGreen Mountain BoysThe Green Mountain Boys were a militia organization first established in the 1760s in the territory between the British provinces of New York and New Hampshire, known as the New Hampshire Grants...
. - Richard WidmarkRichard WidmarkRichard Weedt Widmark was an American film, stage and television actor.He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, Kiss of Death...
(1914–2008) Actor.
External links
- Roxbury official website
- Roxbury Congregational Church official website
- Roxbury Land Trust official website
- Shepaug Regional School District # 12 official website
- Northwest Connecticut Arts Council
- Northwest Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Northwestern Connecticut Community College in Winsted
- Roxbury Road Races almost every Saturday. Free.