Woodbridge, Connecticut
Encyclopedia
Woodbridge is a town
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 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...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The population was 8,983 at the 2000 census. It is one of the wealthiest towns in 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...

, ranking 16th in the state in terms of per capita income, and is home to many of the faculty of Yale University
Yale University
Yale 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...

. The town center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National 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...

 as Woodbridge Green Historic District
Woodbridge Green Historic District
Woodbridge Green Historic District is a historic district in the town center of Woodbridge, Connecticut, in the block bounded on the south by Center Road , on the east by Newton Road, and on the north and west by Meetinghouse Lane...

.

History

Woodbridge was originally called "Amity", having been carved out of land originally belonging to New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...

 and Milford
Milford, Connecticut
Milford is a coastal city in southwestern New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between Bridgeport and New Haven. The population was 52,759 at the 2010 census...

 as an independent parish in 1739. In 1742, the Rev. Benjamin Woodbridge was ordained in Amity, and it is after him that the modern town was named.

In 1661, the town was the location of one of the hideouts of the "Regicides" -- three of the judges who signed the death warrant for King Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...

. The ruins of their hideout can be found on the nearby West Rock ridge, which run along the town's eastern border.

Thomas Darling
Thomas Darling
Thomas Darling was a businessman and elected official in 18th century Connecticut who was acquainted with Benjamin Franklin, Ezra Stiles, Roger Sherman, and Benedict Arnold.-Life:...

 (1720–1789), a tutor at Yale College and later an entrepreneur in New Haven, moved to town in 1774. His home is now the Darling House Museum
Darling House Museum
The Darling House Museum is a historic house museum located in Woodbridge, Connecticut, and is owned and operated by the Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society. The house is open by appointment and during special events....

, operated by the Amity & Woodbridge Historical Association.

In the modern era, Woodbridge has undergone significant suburbanization.

Government

Woodbridge is governed by a 6-member Board of Selectmen.

In April 2006, Edward Sheehy (Democrat) became First Selectman. Sheehy served on the Board of Selectmen for 27 years as a regular selectman. The Board of Selectmen elected Sheehy First Selectman by a 3 to 2 vote, along party lines, to replace Amey Marella (Republican), who stepped down to accept a job as Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Department of Environmental Protection
Department of Environmental Protection is a name used by several states in the United States of America for the agency charged with proposing and enforcing environmental law...

. Before becoming First Selectwoman in 2001, Marella was an attorney with the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...

. Edward Sheehy was reelected in May 2009 to another two year term.

Recent First Selectmen elections

2011: Edward Sheehy (Democrat) defeated Laura Ferrante-Fernandes (Republican);

2009: Edward Sheehy (Democrat) defeated Ken Colabella (Republican);

2007: Edward Sheehy (Democrat) defeated Chris Dickerson (Republican);

2006: Edward Sheehy (Democrat) elected by Board of Selectmen, 3 to 2;

2005: Amy Marrella (Republican) defeated Laurence Grotheer (Democrat);

2003: Amy Marrella (Republican) defeated Janice Horowitz (Democrat);

2001: Amy Marrella (Republican) defeated Susan Lora Jacobs (Democrat)

Grammar School

Beecher Road School is the town's pre Kindergarten - Grade 6 school. In 2001, the Board of Education split the school into two schools (one preK-2 and multi-age; and one 3-6).

Kevin Brennan was Beecher Road School principal from 1992-1999. Since the Board of Education declined to renew Brennan's contract, Beecher Road School has gone through nine principals in seven years.

Middle School

As part of the Amity school system, Woodbridge shares a middle school with the town of Bethany
Bethany, Connecticut
Bethany is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,040 at the 2000 census. Bethany was first settled in 1717 but it was not until May 1832 that Bethany separated from Woodbridge to become incorporated as a town. This slightly remote, sparsely populated,...

, which is located north of Woodbridge.

High School

Woodbridge also shares the Amity Regional High School
Amity Regional High School
Amity High School is a regional public high school located in Woodbridge, Connecticut, USA. It provides high school education for the children in the towns of Woodbridge, Orange, and Bethany...

 with the neighboring towns of Bethany
Bethany, Connecticut
Bethany is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,040 at the 2000 census. Bethany was first settled in 1717 but it was not until May 1832 that Bethany separated from Woodbridge to become incorporated as a town. This slightly remote, sparsely populated,...

 and Orange
Orange, Connecticut
Orange is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,233 at the 2000 census. A 2007 Census Bureau estimate puts the population at 13,813. The town is governed by a Board of Selectmen.-History:...

. The high school is located in Woodbridge's town center area. It has recently undergone extensive renovations in order to accommodate the extra ninth grade coming in from all three towns.

Private Schools

Woodbridge is also home to Ezra Academy, a Jewish day school. Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...

 attended Ezra Academy. Ezra Academy is a regional Jewish day school whose students reside in 21 towns throughout New Haven and Fairfield Counties. Ezra’s kindergarten through eighth grade curriculum integrates secular and Judaic studies, arts enrichment and values-based programming in a stimulating academic environment. Ezra Academy is accredited by the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools and affiliated with the Solomon Schechter Day School Association.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 19.2 square miles (49.7 km²), of which, 18.8 square miles (48.7 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it is water. The total area is 2.03% water..

Woodbridge is informally divided into two distinct parts—central Woodbridge, which occupies the western hilly side of town, and the area known as The Flats
The Flats, Woodbridge
The Flats is a neighborhood located in the southeastern end of Woodbridge, Connecticut, in the valley Amity area that runs between the hilly western part of town and the rock formation known as West Rock. The Flats also borders the city of New Haven, and specifically the neighborhood of Westville...

, which occupies the eastern slice of town bordering the less wealthy West Rock and the New Haven neighborhood of Westville
Westville, Connecticut
Westville is a neighborhood of the city of New Haven, Connecticut located in the western part of the city west of the West River. The official neighborhood planning area for Westville is defined to be the area bordered by the neighboring town of Woodbridge, Connecticut on the west , by the Amity...

.

Neighboring towns are Bethany
Bethany, Connecticut
Bethany is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,040 at the 2000 census. Bethany was first settled in 1717 but it was not until May 1832 that Bethany separated from Woodbridge to become incorporated as a town. This slightly remote, sparsely populated,...

 to the north, Hamden
Hamden, Connecticut
Hamden is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town's nickname is "The Land of the Sleeping Giant." Hamden is home to Quinnipiac University. The population was 58,180 according to the Census Bureau's 2005 estimates...

 to the east, New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...

 to the southeast, Orange
Orange, Connecticut
Orange is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,233 at the 2000 census. A 2007 Census Bureau estimate puts the population at 13,813. The town is governed by a Board of Selectmen.-History:...

 to the south, and Derby
Derby, Connecticut
Derby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,391 at the 2000 census. With of land area, Derby is Connecticut's smallest municipality.The city has a Metro-North railroad station called Derby – Shelton.-History:...

, Ansonia
Ansonia, Connecticut
Ansonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, on the Naugatuck River, immediately north of Derby and about northwest of New Haven. The population was 19,249 at the 2010 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is serviced by the Metro North railroad...

, and Seymour
Seymour, Connecticut
Seymour is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named for Governor Thomas H. Seymour. The population was 15,454 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...

 to the west.

Parks and Hiking Trails

Woodbridge is home to several organizations that protect undeveloped land and historic sites, including the Woodbridge Land Trust and the Woodbridge Park Association. The town has an extensive system of preserved hiking trails open to the public; notably the 93 acres (376,358 m²) Alice Newton Street Memorial Park and the 22 acres (89,030.9 m²) Wepawaug Falls area. Some of the land has been donated by residents.

Demographics

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 8,983 people, 3,103 households, and 2,553 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 477.0 people per square mile (184.2/km²). There were 3,189 housing units at an average density of 169.3 per square mile (65.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.34% White, 1.50% African American, 0.04% Native American, 5.10% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. 1.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,103 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.7% 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, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.17.

27.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $102,121, and the median income for a family was $111,729. Males had a median income of $75,965 versus $41,731 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 $49,049. 2.3% of the population and 1.4% of families were below the poverty line. 2.7% of those under the age of 18 and 5.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005
Party Active Voters Inactive Voters Total Voters

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...

1,436 72 1,508

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...

1,767 125 1,892

Unaffiliated 2,951 253 3,204

Minor Parties 7 0 7
Total 3,766 138 3,904

Other

  • The sulfur match
    Match
    A match is a tool for starting a fire under controlled conditions. A typical modern match is made of a small wooden stick or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by frictional heat generated by striking the match against a suitable surface...

     was invented in Woodbridge by Samuel Beecher and Thomas Sanford in 1835.
  • Is often talked about on the CW show Gilmore Girls
    Gilmore Girls
    Gilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...

    , as Stars Hollow's (a fictional CT town) rival.
  • Because of its proximity to Yale and its good school district, Woodbridge is considered one of the most educated towns in Connecticut. Woodbridge has one of the highest percentages of residents with Graduate or professional degrees in Connecticut.

Notable Residents, past and present

  • Guido Calabresi, Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Yale Law School
    Yale Law School
    Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...

     professor.
  • David Gelernter
    David Gelernter
    David Hillel Gelernter is a professor of computer science at Yale University. In the 1980s, he made seminal contributions to the field of parallel computation, specifically the tuple space coordination model, as embodied by the Linda programming system...

    , Yale University
    Yale University
    Yale 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...

     professor, noted author, painter and computer scientist.
  • Boone Guyton
    Boone Guyton
    Boone Tarleton Guyton United States Navy, was a Naval Aviation Cadet, experimental test pilot, author and businessman...

    , business man, author and WWII test pilot who flew the F4U Corsair
    F4U Corsair
    The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...

     and Vought V-173
    Vought V-173
    |-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Chant, Christopher. Fantastic Aircraft. New York: Gallery Books, 1984. ISBN 0-8317-3-189-3.* Ginter, Steve. Chance Vought V-173 and XFU-1 Flying Pancakes . Simi Valley, CA: Steve Ginter Publishing, 1992. ISBN 0-942612-21-3.* Guyton, Boone T...

    .
  • John Hollander
    John Hollander
    John Hollander is a Jewish-American poet and literary critic. As of 2007, he is Sterling Professor Emeritus of English at Yale University...

    , poet and literary critic, lives in town.
  • David Aaron Kessler
    David Aaron Kessler
    David Aaron Kessler is an American pediatrician, lawyer, author, and administrator...

    , former FDA Commissioner, university medical dean
  • Jeremy Leven
    Jeremy Leven
    Jeremy Leven is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and novelist. Born in South Bend, Indiana, Leven lives in Woodbridge, Connecticut, Nantucket, and Paris....

    , Hollywood screenwriter, director, producer, and novelist.
  • Jonathan Mostow
    Jonathan Mostow
    Jonathan Mostow is an American film director, writer and producer.-Biography:A graduate of Hopkins School in New Haven, Connecticut and Harvard, Mostow also trained at the American Repertory Company and New York City's Lee Strasberg Institute...

    , director of Terminator 3.
  • Paul Roessler
    Paul Roessler
    Paul Roessler was a prominent member of the L.A. punk scene during the late 1970s and '80s. He played keyboards in bands such as The Screamers, Twisted Roots, 45 Grave, Nervous Gender, SAUPG, Geza X and the Mommymen, Mike Watt and the Secondmen, Nina Hagen and The Deadbeats...

    , noted musician, composer, and producer.
  • Louise Shaffer
    Louise Shaffer
    -Biography:Shaffer was born in Woodbridge, Connecticut, where she showed an interest in acting early on in her life. After finishing high school, she attended Connecticut College for Women, then Yale Drama School...

    , actress, script writer, and author was born in Woodbridge.
  • Maury Yeston
    Maury Yeston
    Maury Yeston is an American composer, lyricist, educator and musicologist.He is known for writing the music and lyrics to Broadway musicals, including Nine in 1982, and Titanic in 1997, both of which won Tony Awards for best musical and best score. He also won a Drama Desk Award for Nine...

    , Tony Award-winning Broadway composer and lyricist. His works include "Titanic
    Titanic (musical)
    Titanic is a musical with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and a book by Peter Stone that opened on Broadway in 1997. It won five Tony Awards including the award for Best Musical...

    ", "Grand Hotel
    Grand Hotel (musical)
    Grand Hotel is a musical with a book by Luther Davis and music and lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest, with additional lyrics and music by Maury Yeston....

    ", and "Nine
    Nine (musical)
    Nine is a musical with a book by Arthur Kopit, music and lyrics by Maury Yeston. The story is based on Federico Fellini's semi-autobiographical film 8½...

    ". Nine
    Nine (film)
    Nine is a 2009 musical-romantic film directed and produced by Rob Marshall. The screenplay, written by Michael Tolkin and Anthony Minghella, is based on Arthur Kopit's book for the 1982 musical of the same name, which was itself suggested by Federico Fellini's semi-autobiographical film 8½...

     was adapted and released as a musical film starring Daniel Day-Lewis
    Daniel Day-Lewis
    Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis is an English actor with both British and Irish citizenship. His portrayals of Christy Brown in My Left Foot and Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood won Academy and BAFTA Awards for Best Actor, and Screen Actors Guild as well as Golden Globe Awards for the latter...

     in December 2009. Yeston wrote and composed several new songs for the project.
  • Tarek Saleh
    Tarek Saleh
    Tarek Muhammad Saleh is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played for the Carolina Panthers and the Cleveland Browns . He was born in Woodbridge, Connecticut; he attended Notre Dame High School , and the University of Wisconsin.- External links :*...

    , former stand-out football player for the University of Wisconsin and then the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns of the NFL, was born in and grew up in town.

On the National Register of Historic Places

  • Darling House Museum
    Darling House Museum
    The Darling House Museum is a historic house museum located in Woodbridge, Connecticut, and is owned and operated by the Amity & Woodbridge Historical Society. The house is open by appointment and during special events....

     - added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979
  • Woodbridge Green Historic District
    Woodbridge Green Historic District
    Woodbridge Green Historic District is a historic district in the town center of Woodbridge, Connecticut, in the block bounded on the south by Center Road , on the east by Newton Road, and on the north and west by Meetinghouse Lane...

    - added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK