Thompson, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Thompson is a rural town
in Windham County
, Connecticut
, United States
. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census. Thompson is located in the northeastern corner of the state and is bordered on the north by Webster, Massachusetts
, on the east by Douglas, Massachusetts
and Burrillville, Rhode Island
, on the west by Woodstock, Connecticut
, and on the south by Putnam, Connecticut
.
Thompson has the highest-banked race track (Thompson International Speedway
, a 5/8 mile oval) in New England. This speedway holds one of the biggest race programs in New England, "The World Series of Auto Racing", where 14 divisions and about 600 cars show up each fall. Another claim to fame is that the Tri-State Marker is located just on the border of Thompson. The term "Swamp Yankee
" is thought to have originated in Thompson during the American Revolution
in 1776.
Thompson was the site of the Great East Thompson Train Wreck
in 1891, one of the worst train wreck
s in American history and the only one to involve four trains.
, the town has a total area of 48.7 square miles (126.1 km²), of which 46.9 square miles (121.5 km²) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), or 3.51%, is water. Thompson possesses many small ponds, such as Little Pond and Long Pond, as well as two principal lakes: West Thompson Lake and Quaddick Lake. Contained within its borders are several moderately sized rivers, the largest of which is the French River
, a tributary of the Quinebaug River
, which also runs through Thompson. The highest point in Thompson and the surrounding villages is Fort Hill at 649 feet (197.8 m) above sea level.
A minor point of geological interest is the Wilsonville Fault, created during the breakup of Pangaea
nearly 200 million years ago.
of 2000, there were 8,878 people, 3,482 households, and 2,472 families residing in the town. The population density
was 189.1 people per square mile (73.0/km²). There were 3,710 housing units at an average density of 79.0 per square mile (30.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.02% White, 0.42% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races
, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.
There were 3,482 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $46,065, and the median income for a family was $53,088. Males had a median income of $38,949 versus $26,504 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $21,003. About 2.8% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
The original Tourtellotte Memorial High School
building, which exists today as administrative offices for the school system, was built in the Greek Revival style. The cornerstone was laid in 1907 and the school opened in 1909. The school is named in memory of the two daughters of Dr. Jacob F. Tourtellotte and his wife Harriet, both Thompson natives. Tourtellotte was a Ship's Surgeon in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War whose young daughters died of illness. The school also houses a small museum, called the "Memorial Room" which contains portraits of Tourtellotte and his family, and some of their possessions. It is maintained by the local historical society, and is usually open to the public for tours one Sunday per month.
Marianapolis Preparatory School
was established in 1926, sponsored by the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception. The school is located on the former Ream Estate, built by Norman Bruce Ream, a Director of The Pullman Company, U.S. Steel
, and The National Biscuit Company (Nabisco
). The Estate, including the circa 1900 mansion "Carolyn Hall," named after Ream's wife, was sold to the Marians in 1931, but the Mansion burned down in 1964 and a new main school building was built in its place.
The library was started in 1902 with 1,370 books in a small building on Thompson Hill, now known as the Ellen Larned Memorial Library. Two branches were created, the Quinebaug Branch, in operation from 1961 to 1994, and the Grosvenordale Branch, in operation from 1958 to 1966. Thompson was the first small town in Connecticut to have a bookmobile
service, operating from 1966 to 1993. The current library in North Grosvenordale was finished in 1994.
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 Windham County
Windham County, Connecticut
Windham County is a county located in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of 2010, the population was 118,428.The entire county is within the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor, as designated by the National Park Service.-History:Windham...
, 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 town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census. Thompson is located in the northeastern corner of the state and is bordered on the north by Webster, Massachusetts
Webster, Massachusetts
-Media:* Worcester Telegram & Gazette * Webster Times, published every Friday* The Patriot, published every Wednesday* WGFP-AM 940, a country music station* Boston Globe* Boston Herald-Library:...
, on the east by Douglas, Massachusetts
Douglas, Massachusetts
Douglas is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,471 as of the 2010 census. It includes the sizable Douglas State Forest, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation .- History :...
and Burrillville, Rhode Island
Burrillville, Rhode Island
Burrillville is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. It was incorporated as an independent municipality on November 17, 1806 when the Rhode Island General Assembly authorized the residents of then North Glocester to elect its own officers. The population was 15,955 at the 2010...
, on the west by Woodstock, Connecticut
Woodstock, Connecticut
Woodstock is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,221 at the 2000 census.-Annual events:*The Woodstock Fair, run by the Woodstock Agricultural Society has been held since 1860. The current President of the Woodstock Fair is Susan Z. Hibbard...
, and on the south by Putnam, Connecticut
Putnam, Connecticut
Putnam is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,002 as of the 2000 census. It is home to WINY, an AM radio station.-History:...
.
Thompson has the highest-banked race track (Thompson International Speedway
Thompson International Speedway
Thompson International Speedway in Thompson, Connecticut, USA, is a paved oval racetrack that was once known as the Indianapolis of the East. It was the first asphalt-paved racing oval track in the United States and is now under the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series banner...
, a 5/8 mile oval) in New England. This speedway holds one of the biggest race programs in New England, "The World Series of Auto Racing", where 14 divisions and about 600 cars show up each fall. Another claim to fame is that the Tri-State Marker is located just on the border of Thompson. The term "Swamp Yankee
Swamp Yankee
Swamp Yankee is a colloquialism that has a variety of meanings. Generally, it refers to Yankees or WASPs from rural Rhode Island and nearby eastern Connecticut and southeastern Massachusetts...
" is thought to have originated in Thompson during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
in 1776.
Thompson was the site of the Great East Thompson Train Wreck
Great East Thompson Train Wreck
The Great East Thompson Train Wreck was a large rail disaster which occurred in East Thompson, Connecticut, on December 4, 1891. It was one of the most extensive train wrecks in American history, and the only one to involve four trains. It happened on the New York and New England Railroad, which...
in 1891, one of the worst train wreck
Train wreck
A train wreck or train crash is a type of disaster involving one or more trains. Train wrecks often occur as a result of miscommunication, as when a moving train meets another train on the same track; or an accident, such as when a train wheel jumps off a track in a derailment; or when a boiler...
s in American history and the only one to involve four trains.
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 48.7 square miles (126.1 km²), of which 46.9 square miles (121.5 km²) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), or 3.51%, is water. Thompson possesses many small ponds, such as Little Pond and Long Pond, as well as two principal lakes: West Thompson Lake and Quaddick Lake. Contained within its borders are several moderately sized rivers, the largest of which is the French River
French River (Massachusetts)
The French River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and northeastern Connecticut.The river rises near Leicester, Massachusetts, and flows generally southwards through Auburn, Oxford, and Dudley; it then enters Connecticut where it joins the Quinebaug River at Thompson, just northeast of Putnam...
, a tributary of the Quinebaug River
Quinebaug River
The Quinebaug River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, with watershed extending into western Rhode Island. The name "Quinebaug" comes from the southern New England Native American term, spelled variously Qunnubbâgge, Quinibauge, etc., meaning "long pond", from...
, which also runs through Thompson. The highest point in Thompson and the surrounding villages is Fort Hill at 649 feet (197.8 m) above sea level.
A minor point of geological interest is the Wilsonville Fault, created during the breakup of Pangaea
Pangaea
Pangaea, Pangæa, or Pangea is hypothesized as a supercontinent that existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras about 250 million years ago, before the component continents were separated into their current configuration....
nearly 200 million years ago.
Adjacent towns
- Burrillville, Rhode IslandBurrillville, Rhode IslandBurrillville is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. It was incorporated as an independent municipality on November 17, 1806 when the Rhode Island General Assembly authorized the residents of then North Glocester to elect its own officers. The population was 15,955 at the 2010...
- Douglas, MassachusettsDouglas, MassachusettsDouglas is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,471 as of the 2010 census. It includes the sizable Douglas State Forest, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation .- History :...
- Dudley, MassachusettsDudley, MassachusettsDudley is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,390 at the 2010 census.-History:Dudley was first settled in 1714 and was officially incorporated in 1732...
- Webster, MassachusettsWebster, Massachusetts-Media:* Worcester Telegram & Gazette * Webster Times, published every Friday* The Patriot, published every Wednesday* WGFP-AM 940, a country music station* Boston Globe* Boston Herald-Library:...
- Putnam, ConnecticutPutnam, ConnecticutPutnam is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,002 as of the 2000 census. It is home to WINY, an AM radio station.-History:...
- Woodstock, ConnecticutWoodstock, ConnecticutWoodstock is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,221 at the 2000 census.-Annual events:*The Woodstock Fair, run by the Woodstock Agricultural Society has been held since 1860. The current President of the Woodstock Fair is Susan Z. Hibbard...
Villages
Thompson is composed of ten villages:- East Thompson
- Fabyan
- Grosvenordale
- Mechanicsville
- North Grosvenordale, (including the North Grosvenordale Mill Historic District).
- Quaddick
- QuinebaugQuinebaug, ConnecticutQuinebaug is a census-designated place in Thompson, a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,122 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 11.8 km²...
- Thompson Hill (including the Thompson Hill Historic DistrictThompson Hill Historic DistrictThompson Hill Historic District in Thompson, Connecticut is a historic district that was NRHP listed in 1987. It includes The Cottage House, a historic bed and breakfast, as well as the Thompson Congregational Church, the original Thompson Meeting Hall , the Ellen Larned Museum, and several other...
). - West Thompson
- Wilsonville
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 8,878 people, 3,482 households, and 2,472 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 189.1 people per square mile (73.0/km²). There were 3,710 housing units at an average density of 79.0 per square mile (30.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.02% White, 0.42% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.24% 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 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.
There were 3,482 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $46,065, and the median income for a family was $53,088. Males had a median income of $38,949 versus $26,504 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 $21,003. About 2.8% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
- George Whitefield DavisGeorge Whitefield DavisGeorge Whitefield Davis was an engineer and Major General in the United States Army. He also served as a military Governor of Puerto Rico and as the first military Governor of the Panama Canal Zone.-Civil War:...
(1839–1918), engineer and Major General in the United States Army, military governor of Puerto RicoGovernor of Puerto RicoThe Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
and the first military governor of the Panama Canal ZonePanama Canal ZoneThe Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
; born in Thompson - Simon LarnedSimon LarnedSimon Larned was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.Born in Thompson, Connecticut, Larned attended the common schools.Larned served as Sheriff of Berkshire County....
(1753–1817), Revolutionary War captain, War of 1812 colonel and US Congressman for MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
; born in Thompson - Andrew MamedoffAndrew MamedoffAndrew B "Andy" Mamedoff was an American pilot who flew for the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain.-Biography:Born in Thompson, Connecticut, where his White Russian family had settled in the early 1910s. He graduated from Worcester Academy in 1931...
(1912–1941), pilot who fought for the RAF and died during the Battle of BritainBattle of BritainThe Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
; born in Thompson - James Brown MasonJames Brown MasonJames Brown Mason was a U.S. Representative from Rhode Island.Born in Thompson, Connecticut, in January 1775, Mason pursued classical studies.He was graduated from Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, in 1791....
(1775–1819), two-term US Congressman for Rhode IslandRhode IslandThe 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...
; born in Thompson - Ossian Everett MillsOssian Everett MillsOssian Everett Mills was the founder of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts on October 6, 1898.-Life:...
(1846–1920), founder of the Phi Mu Alpha SinfoniaPhi Mu Alpha SinfoniaPhi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
music fraternity; born in town and buried in a small family plot in Thompson - James M. MunyonJames M. MunyonDr. James M. Munyon was known for homeopathic patent medicines, some of which he promoted at his Hotel Hygeia on Munyon Island.- Career :His first career was as a publisher, but he soon moved on to creating homeopathic medicines in the early 1890s. He employed a staff of chemists and physicians...
(1848–1918), publisher and doctor; born in Thompson - General StaffordGeneral StaffordJames Joseph "General" Stafford was a Major League Baseball player from 1890 to 1899. He played for the Buffalo Bisons, New York Giants, Louisville Colonels, Boston Beaneaters, and Washington Senators. Stafford stood at 5' 8" and weighed 165 lbs...
(1868–1923), baseball player; born in Thompson - John E. TourtellotteJohn E. TourtellotteJohn Everett Tourtellotte was a prominent western American architect, whose work included the Idaho State Capitol, the Boise City National Bank, Boise's Carnegie Library, and numerous other buildings for schools, universities, churches, and government institutions in Boise, Idaho.He was associated...
(1869–1939), architect; born in East Thompson - Ithiel TownIthiel TownIthiel Town was a prominent American architect and civil engineer. One of the first generation of professional architects in the United States, Town made significant contributions to American architecture in the first half of the 19th century. He was high-strung, sophisticated, generous,...
(1784–1844), architect and civil engineer; born in Thompson - Anastasy VonsyatskyAnastasy VonsyatskyAnastasy Andreyevich Vonsyatsky , better known in the United States as Anastase Andreivitch Vonsiatsky, was a Russian anti-Bolshevik émigré and fascist leader based in the United States since the 1920s....
(1898–1965), Russian anti-Bolshevik émigré and fascist leader of the All Russian National Revolutionary Party; lived in and is buried in Thompson - Tony WillmanTony WillmanTony Willman was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a midget car accident.-Career awards:*He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1992....
(1907–1941), racecar driver; born in Thompson
Schools
Thompson has a public school system in which the elementary, middle and high school buildings are connected. The Mary R. Fisher Memorial Elementary School has students in pre-K through 4th grade, Thompson Middle School consists of grades 5-8, and Tourtellotte Memorial High School has students in grades 9-12. Also in town are several private schools, the Catholic St Joseph's School, currently serving pre-K - grade 8, and Marianapolis Preparatory, a Marian high school located on historic Thompson Hill.The original Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Tourtellotte Memorial High School, located in North Grosvenordale, Connecticut....
building, which exists today as administrative offices for the school system, was built in the Greek Revival style. The cornerstone was laid in 1907 and the school opened in 1909. The school is named in memory of the two daughters of Dr. Jacob F. Tourtellotte and his wife Harriet, both Thompson natives. Tourtellotte was a Ship's Surgeon in the U.S. Navy during the Civil War whose young daughters died of illness. The school also houses a small museum, called the "Memorial Room" which contains portraits of Tourtellotte and his family, and some of their possessions. It is maintained by the local historical society, and is usually open to the public for tours one Sunday per month.
Marianapolis Preparatory School
Marianapolis Preparatory School
Marianapolis Preparatory School is a private, co-educational, Catholic high school located in rural Thompson, Connecticut.-History:Marianapolis College was established in 1926 under the guidance of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception...
was established in 1926, sponsored by the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception. The school is located on the former Ream Estate, built by Norman Bruce Ream, a Director of The Pullman Company, U.S. Steel
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
, and The National Biscuit Company (Nabisco
Nabisco
Nabisco is an American brand of cookies and snacks. Headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey, the company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Kraft Foods. Nabisco's plant in Chicago, a production facility at 7300 S...
). The Estate, including the circa 1900 mansion "Carolyn Hall," named after Ream's wife, was sold to the Marians in 1931, but the Mansion burned down in 1964 and a new main school building was built in its place.
Libraries
The Thompson Public Library is located at 934 Riverside Drive, North Grosvenordale. It is combined with the town's Community Center, and contains 20400 square feet (1,895.2 m²) holding 55,000 items, including books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, audio tapes, video tapes, and online resources.The library was started in 1902 with 1,370 books in a small building on Thompson Hill, now known as the Ellen Larned Memorial Library. Two branches were created, the Quinebaug Branch, in operation from 1961 to 1994, and the Grosvenordale Branch, in operation from 1958 to 1966. Thompson was the first small town in Connecticut to have a bookmobile
Bookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. It is designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. It usually has enough space for people to sit and read books inside. Mobile libraries are often used to...
service, operating from 1966 to 1993. The current library in North Grosvenordale was finished in 1994.