Woodbury, Connecticut

Woodbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,975 at the 2010 census,[1] up from 9,198 at the 2000 census. The town center, comprising the adjacent villages of Woodbury and North Woodbury, is designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as the Woodbury Center census-designated place (CDP). Woodbury was founded in 1673.

Woodbury, Connecticut
Town
Seal
Location in Litchfield County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°33′43″N 73°12′34″W
CountryUnited States
StateConnecticut
NECTANone
RegionCentral Naugatuck Valley
Named1673
Government
 • TypeSelectman-town meeting
 • First selectmanBarbara Perkinson (R)
 • SelectmanGeorge Hale (D)
 • SelectmanMike Gransky (R)
Area
 • Total36.6 sq mi (94.9 km2)
 • Land36.4 sq mi (94.3 km2)
 • Water0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2)
Elevation
243 ft (74 m)
Population
 (2010)[1]
 • Total9,975
 • Density274/sq mi (105.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
06798
Area code(s)203/475
FIPS code09-87910
GNIS feature ID0213540
Websitewww.woodburyct.org

The center of Woodbury is distinctive because, unlike many New England towns, it is not nucleated. In Woodbury, the older buildings are arrayed in linear fashion along both sides of a road that stretches for over a mile. The public buildings in the National Register Historic District include the First Congregational Church (1818), the Old Town Hall (1846), the United Methodist Church, the St. Paul's Episcopal Church (1785), and the North Congregational Church (1816).

The most notable of the public buildings is the Masonic Temple (1839). It is a modest, clapboard, Greek Revival temple, notable less for its architecture than for its dramatic location, situated atop a high cliff accessed by a long flight of steps (there is a modern road at the rear). It is visible from a distance and is especially dramatic at night, when it is illuminated by spotlights. The Woodbury Temple echoes the many temples of the Greek world that were perched at the edge of high places from which they could be seen from miles around and from far out at sea.

Originally, the many historic houses on the street were residential. In the late twentieth century they were occupied by a series of antique shops. Woodbury is often referred to as Connecticut's antiques capital.[2]

Woodbury is one of the two towns in Litchfield County, along with Bethlehem, served by the area code 203/area code 475 overlay.

Geography

Woodbury is in southern Litchfield County and is bordered to the south by New Haven County. It is 10 miles (16 km) west of Waterbury and 21 miles (34 km) northeast of Danbury. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.6 square miles (94.9 km2), of which 36.4 square miles (94.3 km2) are land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km2), or 0.67%, are water.[1] The CDP covering the town center has a total area of 1.9 square miles (5.0 km2), all land.[3]

Woodbury lies in the Pomperaug River valley, a tributary of the Housatonic River. The Pomperaug River is formed in Woodbury by the confluence of the Nonnewaug River and the Weekeepeemee River.

Principal communities
  • Hotchkissville
  • Minortown
  • Neufa
  • North Woodbury
  • Pomperaug
  • Woodbury Center
  • Woodlake

Climate

Woodbury has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb).[4]

Climate data for Woodbury, Connecticut
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 63
(17)		 67
(19)		 81
(27)		 93
(34)		 96
(36)		 96
(36)		 100
(38)		 98
(37)		 94
(34)		 88
(31)		 78
(26)		 68
(20)		 100
(38)
Average high °F (°C) 34
(1)		 37
(3)		 46
(8)		 58
(14)		 70
(21)		 78
(26)		 83
(28)		 81
(27)		 73
(23)		 62
(17)		 50
(10)		 38
(3)		 59
(15)
Average low °F (°C) 13
(−11)		 14
(−10)		 23
(−5)		 33
(1)		 43
(6)		 53
(12)		 58
(14)		 56
(13)		 48
(9)		 36
(2)		 28
(−2)		 19
(−7)		 35
(2)
Record low °F (°C) −22
(−30)		 −18
(−28)		 −11
(−24)		 0
(−18)		 22
(−6)		 32
(0)		 38
(3)		 35
(2)		 23
(−5)		 14
(−10)		 5
(−15)		 −14
(−26)		 −22
(−30)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.03
(102)		 3.3
(84)		 4.57
(116)		 4.29
(109)		 4.5
(110)		 4.2
(110)		 4.2
(110)		 4.44
(113)		 4.63
(118)		 4.44
(113)		 4.39
(112)		 4.17
(106)		 51.16
(1,303)
Source: The Weather Channel[5]

History

The founders of Woodbury came from Stratford, Connecticut, in the early 1670s. Ancient Woodbury consisted of the present towns of Woodbury, Southbury, Roxbury, Bethlehem, most of Washington and parts of Middlebury and Oxford.

Two groups of settlers came from Stratford. The first group, religious dissidents unhappy with the church in Stratford, was led by Woodbury's first minister, the Reverend Zachariah Walker. The second group, led by Deacon Samuel Sherman, had been given approval by the general court to purchase land from local Native Americans in order to establish a new settlement. The two groups, consisting of fifteen families (about fifty people), arrived in ancient Woodbury, known as "Pomperaug Plantation", early in 1673.

In 1673, these original settlers drew up an agreement called the "Fundamental Articles", which proclaimed that as many settlers as could be accommodated would be welcomed to the new settlement. The Fundamental Articles stated that expenses of establishing the settlement would be shared by its inhabitants, and that no one was to be given more than twenty-five or less than ten acres of land. Other sections of the articles provided for common land and for land saved to be divided up for future inhabitants of the settlement.[6]

Signers of the Fundamental Articles:

  • Samuel Sherman, Sr.
  • Joshua Curtiss
  • Lt. Joseph Judson, Sr.
  • Titus Hinman
  • Israel Curtiss
  • David Jenkins
  • John Wheeler
  • John Judson
  • Roger Terill
  • Barry Bonds
  • Moses Johnson
  • John Wyatt
  • Samuel Munn
  • John Sherman
  • Samuel Stiles
  • John Minor
  • Eleazur Knowles
  • Thomas Fairchild

The settlement was named Woodbury, which means "dwelling place in the woods", and was first recognized as a town in 1674. Deacon and captain John Minor was the first leader of the community during Woodbury's early years. Minor was the first town clerk and, along with Lieutenant Joseph Judson, served as the first deputy to the Connecticut General Court from the town of Woodbury. On October 9, 1751, the town of Woodbury was transferred from Fairfield County at the formation of Litchfield County.

On March 25, 1783, a meeting of ten Episcopal clergy in Woodbury elected Samuel Seabury the first American Episcopal bishop, the second presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, and the first bishop of Connecticut.

The Woodbury Songbook
Cover of a library copy of the Woodbury Songbook (which contains a spelling error of Woodbury's name)

The German composer Hanns Eisler, who had taken asylum in the United States after fleeing from the Nazi rule in Germany, spent three and a half months (from June 15 to September 30, 1941) in Woodbury as the guest of another German refugee, Dr. Joachim Schumacher, and his wife Sylvia. Joachim Schumacher taught classes in art history, musicology, philosophy, and other subjects at the Westover School in Middlebury. Sylvia Schumacher taught piano at Westover School and privately in her home.[7] Joachim Schumacher enticed Eisler to compose 20 songs on 16 US children's verses or nursery rhymes and four texts in the German language by Goethe, Eduard Mörike and Ignazio Silone. The songs were composed for female voices and suitable for a school chorus.[8] This was published as The Woodbury Songbook, or, in German, Das Woodbury Liederbüchlein with the lyrics in English and German, unfortunately with a wrong spelling of Woodbury (with two "r"s). The German translations are by Wieland Herzfelde.[9]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18201,885—
18502,150—
18602,037−5.3%
18701,931−5.2%
18802,14911.3%
18901,815−15.5%
19001,9889.5%
19101,860−6.4%
19201,698−8.7%
19301,7442.7%
19401,99814.6%
19502,56428.3%
19603,91052.5%
19705,86950.1%
19806,94218.3%
19908,13117.1%
20009,19813.1%
20109,9758.4%
Est. 20149,719[10]−2.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
See also: List of Connecticut locations by per capita income

At the 2010 census there were 9,984 people, 4,219 households, and 2,772 families in the town. The population density was 252.2 people per square mile (97.4/km²). There were 3,869 housing units at an average density of 106.1 per square mile (41.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.25% White, 0.53% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.65%.[12]

Of the 3,715 households 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 25.4% of households were one person and 8.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.99.

The age distribution was 24.0% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

The median household income was $68,322 and the median family income was $82,641. Males had a median income of $53,246 versus $35,298 for females. The per capita income for the town was $37,903. About 2.3% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

CDP

At the 2000 census, there were x people, 618 households, and 336 families in the CDP. The population density was 668.8 inhabitants per square mile (258.3/km²). There were 644 housing units at an average density of 331.8 per square mile (128.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.07% White, 0.85% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 0.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.16% of the population.

Of the 618 households 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.5% were non-families. 39.3% of households were one person and 15.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.82.

The age distribution was 20.6% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males.

The median household income was $51,136 and the median family income was $65,227. Males had a median income of $50,625 versus $40,729 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $30,277. None of the families and 4.6% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 8.9% of those over 64.

Government and Politics

Woodbury is currently located in Connecticut's 5th congressional district, and is represented by Democrat Jahana Hayes.

Hartland town vote
by party in presidential elections[13]
Year Democratic Republican Third Parties
2016[14] 42.05% 2,466 54.07% 3,171 3.89% 228
2012[15] 43.82% 2,434 55.06% 3,058 1.12% 62
2008[16] 48.00% 2,926 51.12% 3,116 0.89% 54
2004[17] 43.00% 2,519 55.64% 3,260 1.37% 80
2000[18] 41.93% 2,175 52.09% 2,702 5.98% 310
1996[19] 39.54% 1,779 49.19% 2,213 11.27% 507
1992[20] 31.97% 1,574 44.40% 2,186 23.62% 1,163

Education

Woodbury is part of the Region 14 School District consisting of Nonnewaug High School, Woodbury Middle School, Bethlehem Elementary School, Mitchell Elementary School, and STAR Preschool Program.[21]

Infrastructure

Transportation

U.S. Route 6 is the main thoroughfare in the town, leading northeast 7 miles (11 km) to Watertown and south 5 miles (8 km) to Southbury. Connecticut Route 64 is a main highway leading east five miles to Middlebury and 10 miles (16 km) to Waterbury. Other highways in the town include Route 47, leading northwest to Washington; Route 61, leading north from the eastern part of town to Bethlehem; Route 132, leading north from the center of Woodbury to Bethlehem; and Route 317, leading west to Roxbury.

Notable locations
Town Hall, about 1907

Notable people

Local media
  • Waterbury Republican-American, independent daily newspaper
  • Voices, a local newspaper serving Southbury, Middlebury, Oxford, Seymour, Naugatuck, Woodbury, Bethlehem, New Preston, Washington, Washington Depot, Roxbury, Bridgewater, Monroe, Sandy Hook and Newtown

References
  1. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Woodbury town, Litchfield County, Connecticut". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  2. https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/connecticut/connecticuts-antiques-capital-ct/
  3. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Woodbury Center CDP, Connecticut". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  4. "Average Weather for Woodbury, CT – Temperature and Precipitation". Weather.com. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  5. "Average Weather for Woodbury, CT – Temperature and Precipitation". Weather.com. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  6. History of Ancient Woodbury, Connecticut, William Cothren, 1872
  7. Westover School - Giving Girls a Place of Their Own, Laurie Lisle, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT (2009), page 106
  8. Meyer, Günter (1996). Chorlieder, Kinderlieder, Volkslieder [Chorus songs, children songs, folk songs] (CD Booklet). Berlin Classics (in German). Berlin: edel Gesellschaft für Produktmarketing. 0092322BC, LC6203.
  9. Hanns Eisler. Eisler: Woodburry-Liederbüchlein (musical scores). Breitkopf & Härtel. p. 32. ISMN: 979-0-2004-7043-7, UPC 9790200470437. ISNM = International Standard Music Number
  10. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  13. https://authoring.ct.gov//SOTS/Election-Services/Statement-Of-Vote-PDFs/General-Elections-Statement-of-Vote-1922
  14. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2016StatementofVotepdf.pdf?la=en
  15. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2012StatementofVoteBookpdf.pdf?la=en
  16. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2008SOVpdf.pdf?la=en
  17. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2004SOVpdf.pdf?la=en
  18. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2000SOVpdf.pdf?la=en
  19. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/1996SOVpdf.pdf?la=en
  20. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/1992SOVpdf.pdf?la=en
  21. http://www.ctreg14.org/page.cfm?p=3364
  22. http://ctmonuments.net/2009/05/soldiers%E2%80%99-monument-woodbury/
  23. https://www.woodburyparksandrec.org/info/facilities/details.aspx?FacilityID=13819
  24. http://www.leroyandersonfoundation.org/woodbury.php
  25. http://www.leroyandersonfoundation.org/eleanor_anderson.php
  26. William Robert Taylor, Wisconsin Historical Society

Further reading
  • Committee, Woodbury Bicentennial (1976). Old Woodbury in the Revolution: The Five Parishes and their Soldiers. Woodbury, Connecticut: J.P. Sturges and S.J. Shepard.
  • Stiles, Dan (1959). Town of Woodbury Connecticut. Concord, New Hampshire: The Sugar Ball Press.
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