Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Windsor Locks is a town located in Hartford County
, Connecticut
, United States
. As of the 2000 census, its population was 12,043. It is the site of Bradley International Airport
, which serves the Greater Hartford-Springfield region. It is also the site of the New England Air Museum
. Approximately 1/3 of Windsor Locks is occupied by Bradley International Airport.
Located beside the Connecticut River
and equidistant from the densely populated cities of Springfield, Massachusetts
and Hartford, Connecticut
, Windsor Locks is named for a set of canal locks that opened in 1829. Windsor Locks is situated just south of the first large falls in the Connecticut River, the Enfield Falls, which is the northernmost point that sea-going vessels can reach on the Connecticut River before transferring to smaller ships. The Enfield Falls Canal
circumvents the Enfield Falls and its nearby shallows.
Windsor Locks won the 1965 Little League World Series.
, the town has a total area of 9.4 square miles (24.2 km²), of which, 9.0 square miles (23.4 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.9 km²) of it (3.53%) is water.
of 2000, there are 12,043 people, 4,935 households, and 3,306 families residing in the town. The population density is 1,333.8 inhabitants per square mile (514.9/km²). There are 5,101 housing units at an average density of 218.1 persons/km² (565.0 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town is 92.47% White, 2.67% African American
, 0.12% Native American
, 2.57% Asia
n, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. 2.22% of the population are Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There are 4,935 households out of which 29.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% are married couples living together, 11.7% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 33.0% are non-families. 27.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.43 and the average family size is 2.97.
In the town the population is spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $48,837, and the median income for a family is $59,054. Males have a median income of $41,179 versus $33,641 for females. The per capita income for the town is $23,079. 4.4% of the population and 3.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 4.5% are under the age of 18 and 4.7% are 65 or older.
The Life Sciences division merged with Invitrogen
Corporation. The Specialty Polymers division was sold in part to Akzo Nobel
, and the remaining businesses merged with Loctite Corporation
. The third division, Dexter Nonwoven Materials, located on the company's original site in Windsor Locks, was sold to the Finnish Ahlstrom
Paper Group. The physical plant continues to operate, with offices located nearby at 2 Elm Street.
In 1952 Hamilton Standard
opened its aircraft propeller plant in Windsor Locks. In 1999, Hamilton Standard merged with Sundstrand Corporation
to become Hamilton Sundstrand
, which is headquartered in Windsor Locks.
On 19 September 2008, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston ceased operations at Windsor Locks and moved them to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
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....
, 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...
. As of the 2000 census, its population was 12,043. It is the site of Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
, which serves the Greater Hartford-Springfield region. It is also the site of the New England Air Museum
New England Air Museum
The New England Air Museum is located at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, USA. The museum is housed in three large display buildings consisting of more than of exhibit space...
. Approximately 1/3 of Windsor Locks is occupied by Bradley International Airport.
Located beside the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
and equidistant from the densely populated cities of Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
and Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, 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...
, Windsor Locks is named for a set of canal locks that opened in 1829. Windsor Locks is situated just south of the first large falls in the Connecticut River, the Enfield Falls, which is the northernmost point that sea-going vessels can reach on the Connecticut River before transferring to smaller ships. The Enfield Falls Canal
Enfield Falls Canal
Enfield Falls Canal is a canal that was built to circumvent the shallows at Enfield Falls on the Connecticut River. It is situated along the west side of the river, adjacent to the towns Suffield and Windsor Locks of Hartford County in the state of Connecticut, USA...
circumvents the Enfield Falls and its nearby shallows.
Windsor Locks won the 1965 Little League World Series.
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 9.4 square miles (24.2 km²), of which, 9.0 square miles (23.4 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.9 km²) of it (3.53%) is water.
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 are 12,043 people, 4,935 households, and 3,306 families residing in the town. The population density is 1,333.8 inhabitants per square mile (514.9/km²). There are 5,101 housing units at an average density of 218.1 persons/km² (565.0 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town is 92.47% White, 2.67% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.12% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 2.57% Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. 2.22% of the population are Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There are 4,935 households out of which 29.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% are married couples living together, 11.7% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 33.0% are non-families. 27.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.43 and the average family size is 2.97.
In the town the population is spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $48,837, and the median income for a family is $59,054. Males have a median income of $41,179 versus $33,641 for females. The per capita income for the town is $23,079. 4.4% of the population and 3.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 4.5% are under the age of 18 and 4.7% are 65 or older.
Businesses
Until 2000, Windsor Locks was home to the oldest corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange, The Dexter Corporation. Established in 1767 as C.H. Dexter and Sons, the company grew from a family-owned saw and grist mill and evolved into a multi-national producer of long fiber papers and chemical laminates. In its 233 years of operation, the company grew from manufacturing tissues, toilet paper, and tea bags to marketing more specialized products like medical garments and industrial finishes. Faced with a proposed buyout by International Specialty Products Incorporated in 2000, the Dexter Corporation separated its three divisions and sold them off to avoid a hostile takeover.The Life Sciences division merged with Invitrogen
Invitrogen
Invitrogen Corporation was a large, multinational biotechnology company headquartered in Carlsbad, California. In November 2008, a merger between Applied Biosystems and Invitrogen was finalized...
Corporation. The Specialty Polymers division was sold in part to Akzo Nobel
Akzo Nobel
Akzo Nobel N.V., trading as AkzoNobel, is a Dutch multinational, active in the fields of decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company has activities in more than 80 countries, and employs approximately 55,000 people. Sales in 2010 were EUR...
, and the remaining businesses merged with Loctite Corporation
Loctite
Loctite is a brand of adhesives, sealants and surface treatments that include acrylic, anaerobic, cyanoacrylate, epoxy, hot melt, silicone, urethane and UV/light curing technologies...
. The third division, Dexter Nonwoven Materials, located on the company's original site in Windsor Locks, was sold to the Finnish Ahlstrom
Ahlstrom
Ahlstrom is a Finnish wood processing firm and a global manufacturer of specialty papers and nonwoven materials, using natural and synthetic fibers to produce roll goods for customers who turn them into hundreds of products. Ahlstrom's shares have been traded on the main list of the Helsinki Stock...
Paper Group. The physical plant continues to operate, with offices located nearby at 2 Elm Street.
In 1952 Hamilton Standard
Hamilton Standard
Hamilton Standard, an aircraft propeller parts supplier, was formed in 1929 when United Aircraft and Transport Corporation consolidated Hamilton Aero Manufacturing and Standard Steel Propeller into the Hamilton Standard Propeller Corporation. Other members of the corporation included Boeing,...
opened its aircraft propeller plant in Windsor Locks. In 1999, Hamilton Standard merged with Sundstrand Corporation
Sundstrand Corporation
Sundstrand Corporation was founded in 1926 as a merger of the Rockford Tool Company and Rockford Milling Machine Company in Rockford, Illinois. It was known as Sundstrand Machine Tool Company until 1959 when shareholders voted to change the name to Sundstrand Corporation.Sundstrand is known for...
to become Hamilton Sundstrand
Hamilton Sundstrand
Hamilton Sundstrand, is a global corporation that manufactures and supports aerospace and industrial products for worldwide markets. It was formed from the merger of Hamilton Standard and Sundstrand Corporation in 1999. A subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation, HS is headquartered in Windsor...
, which is headquartered in Windsor Locks.
On 19 September 2008, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston ceased operations at Windsor Locks and moved them to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
Education
Primary and secondary education falls under the oversight ofInterest
- The Windsor Locks High School mascot is the Raider; the colors are maroon and white.
- For many years, Windsor Locks was known as Pine Meadow—a section of neighboring WindsorWindsor, ConnecticutWindsor is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, and was the first English settlement in the state. It lies on the northern border of Connecticut's capital, Hartford. The population was estimated at 28,778 in 2005....
. In 1854, it was formally incorporated as Windsor Locks. - Connecticut's oldest continuously published local weekly newspaper is the Windsor Locks Journal, published in West Hartford by the Journal Register Company.
- Windsor Locks won the Little League World Series in 1965.
- Windsor Locks claims that a Hessian soldier put up a Christmas tree in 1777 while imprisoned at the Noden-Reed House, thus making it the home of the first Christmas tree in New England.
- Windsor Locks High School won the 2005 and 2006 Class S State Championships in Baseball.
- Windsor Locks High School won the 2001 basketball state championship.
On the National Register of Historic Places
- Dave Pinney House and Barn — 58 West St. (added August 25, 1977)
- Enfield Falls Canal — Along Connecticut River from Windsor Locks north to Thompsonville (added May 22, 1976)
- Memorial Hall — Intersection of South Main and Elm Streets (added July 2, 1987)
- Windsor Locks Passenger Station — Main Street (added October 2, 1975)
See also
- Windsor Locks (Amtrak station)Windsor Locks (Amtrak station)Windsor Locks is a train station in Windsor Locks, Connecticut located on the New Haven-Springfield Line. It is the northernmost Amtrak station in the State of Connecticut...
- Bradley International AirportBradley International AirportBradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....