Farmington, Connecticut
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Farmington is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 23,641. It is home to Carrier Corporation.
Farmington was settled in 1640 and incorporated in 1645. It is often considered an affluent suburb of Hartford and it is linked to the state capital by public transit. The town of Farmington is located in Central Connecticut, in Hartford County and is the oldest inland settlement west of the Connecticut River. It was first settled in 1640 by residents of Hartford. The town and the river were given their present names in 1645, and that year is considered the incorporation date of the town. The boundaries were enlarged several times after that date, making the town by far the largest in the Connecticut Colony. It has been called the "mother of towns" because its area has been divided to produce nine central Connecticut towns. It is home to the University of Connecticut Health Center, where over 4,000 people work, making it the largest employer in the town.
Farmington is a very historic town. Main Street is lined with many historic and architecturally significant buildings, some dating back to the 17th century. At one point, during the revolutionary war, George Washington stayed in Farmington calling it, "the village of pretty houses." Furthermore, French troops under General Rochambeau camped in Farmington on their way to the Battle of Gettysburg. During the Civil War Farmington was an active abolitionist community. Many homes in the historic village section were safe houses on the underground railroad. Farmington was on one of several routes to the free north and fugitive slaves going north through Connecticut had to pass through Farmington earning the town the nickname "Grand Central Station." In 1841, 38 Mendi Africans and Cinque, the leader of their famous Amistad slave revolt, were housed and educated in Farmington while they awaited their return to Africa. The Hill-Stead Museum, completed in 1901 and designed by Theodate Pope Riddle, is known for its colonial revival architecture. Its 19 rooms hold a nationally-recognized collection of Impressionist paintings by such masters as Manet, Monet, Whistler, Degas and Cassatt. It is a National Historic Landmark. Also, Miss Porter's School, an exclusive college preparatory school for girls, is in Farmington. The school, whose buildings occupy much of the village center, is a significant historic and cultural institution in its own right. Founded in 1843 by educational reformer Sarah Porter, Miss Porter’s has long been considered one of the finest preparatory schools for girls in the country. Farmington was once a prosperous city until the destruction of the Farmington Canal, at which point it became a small suburb of Hartford. The town also includes the entirety of the borough of Unionville.
The rapper 50 Cent purchased a home in Farmington in 2004. At 56,000 square feet (5,200 m²), it is one of the largest private residences in the Connecticut. The mansion formerly belonged to heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson.
Interstate 84 passes through the eastern edge of the town. The sprawling Westfarms mall is also located on this end of town.
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Historical populations
| 1756 | 3,707 |
| 1774 | 6,069 |
| 1782 | 5,542 |
| 1790 | 2,696 |
| 1800 | 2,809 |
| 1810 | 2,748 |
| 1820 | 3,042 |
| 1830 | 1,901 |
| 1840 | 2,041 |
| 1850 | 2,630 |
| 1860 | 3,144 |
| 1870 | 2,616 |
| 1880 | 3,017 |
| 1890 | 3,179 |
| 1900 | 3,331 |
| 1910 | 3,478 |
| 1920 | 3,844 |
| 1930 | 4,548 |
| 1940 | 5,313 |
| 1950 | 7,026 |
| 1960 | 10,813 |
| 1970 | 14,390 |
| 1980 | 16,407 |
| 1990 | 20,608 |
| 2000 | 23,641 |
| 2002 | 24,189 (estimate) |
Sources: Interactive Connecticut State Register & Manual (http://www.sots.state.ct.us/RegisterManual/regman.htm) and U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division (http://eire.census.gov/popest/data/cities.php)
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 74.5 km² (28.8 mi²). 72.7 km² (28.1 mi²) of it is land and 1.9 km² (0.7 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.50% water.
Farmington borders the towns of Avon, Burlington, West Hartford, and Plainville, and the cities of New Britain and Bristol.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 23,641 people, 9,496 households, and 6,333 families residing in the town. The population density is 325.3/km² (842.6/mi²). There are 9,854 housing units at an average density of 135.6/km² (351.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 92.91% White, 1.55% African American, 0.12% Native American, 3.72% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. 2.19% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 9,496 households out of which 32.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% are married couples living together, 7.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% are non-families. 27.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.46 and the average family size is 3.05.
In the town the population is spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $67,073, and the median income for a family is $85,396. Males have a median income of $57,113 versus $39,156 for females. The per capita income for the town is $39,102. 4.5% of the population and 2.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.9% of those under the age of 18 and 7.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External link
Town of Farmington (http://www.farmington-ct.org/)de:Farmington (Connecticut)