Trumbull, Connecticut
Trumbull is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 34,243 at the 2000 census. RelocateAmerica.com currently ranks Trumbull as one of the top 100 best cities to live in the U.S.. Money Magazine ranked Trumbull #68 in their top 100 best places to live rankings of U.S. cities in 2007 and #77 in 2009 . Trumbull is situated between Monroe, Shelton, Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield and Easton.
History
The territory of Trumbull was originally entirely a part of Stratford, settled in 1639, and was owned by Stratford inhabitants eighty six years before the first village within Trumbull, called Unity, was set-off in 1725. Hence, all of Trumbull's early history and public records are intermingled with those of the town of Stratford.After the Revolutionary War, citing their well-established population and the inconvenient distance to attend town meetings in Stratford, they petitioned the Connecticut General Assembly for status as an incorporated town. After several denials, the legislature granted their petition in October, 1797. On November 20, 1797, the first town meeting was held.The new town was named for Jonathan Trumbull, Connecticut governor during the Revolutionary War and a valued advisor to George Washington, who respectfully referred to him as Brother Jonathan.
Notable sport teams
The National Little League of Trumbull, Connecticut defeated the Kang-Tu Little League of Kaohsiung, Taiwan in the championship game of the 1989 Little League World Series.
Geography
ThePequonnock Riveris the only major waterway in Trumbull, beginning northwest of Old Mine Park at the Monroe border and flowing southeasterly through Trumbull Center and Twin Brooks Park.The river leaves Trumbull and continues into Beardsley Park inBridgeport.
Major bodies of water include Canoe Brook Lake,Pinewood Lake, Tashua Hills Golf Club Pond, and the (6) Twin Brooks Park Ponds.
Minor bodies of water include Dogwood Lake, Frog Pond, Kaatz Pond, Kaechele Pond, Porters Pond, Secret Pond, Thrush Wood Lake, and Unity Park Pond.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 23.5 square miles (60.9 km²), of which, 23.3 square miles (60.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (0.98%) is water. According to the USGS survey of 1986, the lowest surveyed point in town is approximately 40 feet (12 m) above sea level at Beach Park. The highest specific documented point is the top of Tashua Hill at 587 feet (179 m) above sea level.Trumbull has several neighborhoods:Booth Hill
Chestnut Hill
Daniel's Farm
Long Hill
Madison
Nichols (includingNichols Farms Historic District)
Sterling Park
Tashua
Trumbull Center
Trumbull has set aside over 1,600 acres (6.5 km2) of town land as recreational areas and open space. These areas include:Abraham Nichols Park/Wood's Estate (13.8 acres)
Aldo Memorial Park (Westwind Road) (7.0 acres)
Robert G. Beach Memorial Park (331.0 acres)
Davidow Park (15.2 acres)
Great Oak Park (69.9 acres)
Gunther Pond Park (1.3 acres)
Indian Ledge Park (104.6 acres)
Island Brook Park (47.0 acres)
Kaatz Pond Park ( 17.5 acres)
Kaechele Property Soccer Fields Complex on Madison Avenue. (12.23 acres)
Long Hill Green (0.1 acre)
Middlebrooks Park (13.7 acres)
Mischee Brook Park (16.6 acres)
Nothnagle Memorial Field (4.0 acres)
Old Mine Park (Historic Mine Area Dedication) (72.1 acres)
Parlor Rock Historic Amusement Area ( 2.5 acres)
Strawberry Brook Estates (4.4 acres)
Tashua Recreation Area (20 acres)
Twin Brooks Park (83.2 acres)
Unity Park (35.1 acres)
The current Superintendent of Parks is Dmitri Paris.Route 8runs through the southeast part of town. Route 8 is a freeway that leads toWaterburyandI-84, and continues intoMassachusettsasNew England Interstate Route 8and finally terminates inSearsburg, Vermont.
Route 15, also known as theMerritt Parkway, goes north (east) toNew Haven(eventually connecting toI-91) and south (west) towardsNew York City. Route 15 was built through Nichols center displacing the old Nichols Store and Trinity Episcopal Church in 1939.
Route 25runs north to south, merging with Route 8 at theBridgeportline and continues overlapped with Route 8 (commonly known as the Route 8/25 connector) into Bridgeport ending atInterstate 95. Continuing north on Route 25, the freeway ends as it crosses Route 111 and continues as a surface road towards I-84 inNewtownleading toDanbury.
Route 108, also known as Nichols Avenue and Huntington Turnpike, heads north into southeastern Trumbull from Stratford at Hawley Lane. The Nichols Avenue portion in Trumbull was laid out in 1696 and is considered to be the third oldest documented highway in Connecticut. It terminates in Shelton at the intersection with Route 110 (Howe Avenue). Route 108 can be reached via exit 52 from Route 15 or exit 8 from Route 8.
Route 111, also known as Main Street in Trumbull and Bridgeport, runs north to south. Continuing north on Route 111, the road crosses Route 25 and eventually heads intoMonroe, terminating atRoute 34. Main Street continues south past Route 15 (where it is exit 48 from Route 15) and pastWestfield Shopping Town Trumbullinto the North End of Bridgeport.
Route 127, also known as White Plains Road and Church Hill Road, runs through the town center from south to north from the East Side of Bridgeport. The section in Trumbull was laid out toPulpit Rockin 1705. Route 127 ends at the intersection of (Main Street)Route 111at the Town Hall.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,243 people, 11,911 households, and 9,707 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,470.6 people per square mile (567.7/km²). There were 12,160 housing units at an average density of 522.2/sq mi (201.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.02% White, 1.88% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 2.38% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.71% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.70% of the population.There were 11,911 households out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living within them, 71.7% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.5% were non-families. 16.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.17.In the town the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.As of the 2000 Census, males had a median income of $62,201 versus $41,384 for females. The per capita income for the town was $34,931. About 1.4% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those over age 65.According to the American Community Survey (ACS) 2008 estimate there were 37,134 people, 12,338 households, and 10,021 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,593.73 people per square mile. There were 12,651 housing units (93% ownership, 7% rental) with an average density of 542.9/sq mi.There were 12,338 households out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living within them, 69% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.8% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.31.In the town the population includes 25.5% under the age of 18 and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.4 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.The median income for a household in the town was $103,082, and the median income for a family was $115,686.The per capita income for the town was $46,307. About 1.7% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those over age 65.The racial makeup of the town was 92.0% White, 4.1% Asian, 2.9% Black or African American, 0.5% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.70% of the population. The ten largest ethnicities were Italian 11,025 (29.70%), Irish 9,166 (24.70%), German 4,363 (11.70%), English 3,112 (8.40%), Polish 2,762 (7.40%), Russian 1,558 (4.20%), Hungarian 1,447 (3.90%), French (except Basque) 1,087 (2.90%), Portuguese 885 (2.40%), & Slovak 881 (2.40%).
Notable locations
The town's Bicentennial fountain is located at the corner of Quality Street and Church Hill Road (Connecticut Route 127), near the main branch of the library and the town hall. It features the Trumbull town seal and a memorial plaque of donors. In 1997 a time capsule was laid at the base of the Bicentennial Fountain with an opening date of October 12, 2097, Trumbull's tricentennial.
On the National Register of Historic Places
Christ Episcopal Church and Tashua Burial Ground— 5170 Madison Ave. (added May 25, 2001)
David Mallett Jr. House— 420 Tashua Road (added March 20, 1986)
Kaatz Icehouse— 255 Whitney Ave. (added October 19, 1977), demolished
Nichols Farms Historic District— Center Road, 1681-1944 Huntington Turnpike, 5-34 Priscilla Place, and 30-172 Shelton Road (added September 20, 1987)
Old Mine Park Archeological Site(added 1990)
Notable people, past and present
Dick Allen(b. 1939), noted American poet.
John W. Beach(b. 1825), 7th President ofWesleyan University..
Truman Bradley(1826–1900),American Indianpresumed to be of theSchaghticoketribe.
Craig Breslow, pitcher for theOakland Athletics&Boston Red Soxgraduated Trumbull High School in 1998.
Joseph DiMenna, hedge-fund manager and patron of the arts.
Chris Drury,New York RangersForward,Stanley CupWinner with theColorado Avalanche, 2-timeOlympic silvermedalist, and member of 1989Little League World SeriesChampions from Trumbull, CT.
Will Geer, (1902–1978), American actor, activist and folklorist, maintained a vacation home calledGeer-Gore Gardens, portrayed Grandpa Walton in the 1970sTV series,The Waltons.
Nero Hawley, (1742–1817),Negroslave, served in theContinental Armyunder GeneralGeorge WashingtonatValley Forgeduring theAmerican Revolutionary Warearning his freedom.
Robert Hawley, (1729–1799), Captain of North Stratford Train Band, suppliedContinental Armyduring theAmerican Revolutionary War.
Carolyn Hax(b. 1966), a writer and columnist for theWashington Postand the author of the advice column 'Tell Me About It,' was born in Bridgeport and grew up in Trumbull.
Tony Horton, actor, bodybuilder & creator of p90x home fitness program
Lisa Lampanelli, comedian, actress and writer.
January LaVoy, Broadway and television actress most recognized asNoelle Ortizon the ABC daytime dramaOne Life to Live.
Mark Longwell- All-New England soccer player atFairfield Universitywho went on to compete for theUnited States men's national soccer teamandTampa Bay Rowdies. Graduated from Trumbull High School in 1977.
Manya Makoski, three time state champion and professional soccer player for theLos Angeles Sol.
Wayne Norman, morning radio host atWILI-AM, Willimantic, CT since 1970, radio announcer of University of Connecticut basketball and football, and author (Hoop Tales: UConn Huskies Men's Basketball). Graduated Trumbull High in 1966.
Henry E. Pardee(1831–1889), prominent New Haven lawyer & judge.
Igor Sikorsky, (25 May 1889 – 26 October 1972), invented theHelicopter, lived in Trumbull from 1928 to 1953.
Benjamin Silliman, (1779–1864), mother fled British troops during theAmerican Revolutionary War, firstYaleprofessor of Science and first to distillpetroleum
Chris Soule, Olympicskeleton (sport)athlete.
Economics
The revised town budget for 2009-2010 is $140,054,187.23.For 2009, Trumbull maintained a AA bond rating on $26.3 million in new general obligation issues. The total of Trumbull GOs is $98.1 million. Trumbull has approximately 1400 businesses.ShoppingThe southwestern corner of Trumbull is home to the Westfield Trumbull Mall with over 180 stores including Abercrombie & Fitch, J.C. Penney and Macy's. There is also the Hawley Lane Mall in the southeastern corner of town near the Route 8 and Route 15 interchange, which features stores such as Best Buy, Kohl's and Target.Trumbull's Corporate and Industrial ParksLocated north and east of the Hawley Lane Mall, 93,000 square feet (8,600 m2) of commercial space is zone and includes offices for large firms such as Helicopter Support, Sun Products, Unilever, and United Healthcare. It is also home to the Market Integrity office of the NASDAQ OMX Group.The town's grand list assesses the taxable value in Trumbull at $5.114 billion, with a mill rate of 23.86. The cumulative value of Trumbull real estate is $4.615 billion.
Education
Public schools are managed by the Trumbull Public Schools System and include approximately 6,955 students, 450 teachers and 240 staff. The district has been ranked 18th (of 164) in Connecticut by the National Center for Education Statistics.The system includes Trumbull High School, which is also home to an Agriscience & Biotechnology program, the Alternative High School, and REACH. Trumbull also has two middle schools: Hillcrest Middle School and Madison Middle School. The six elementary schools in town include Booth Hill Elementary, Daniels Farm Elementary, Frenchtown Elementary, Jane Ryan Elementary School, Middlebrook Elementary, & Tashua Elementary. The Trumbull Early Childhood Education Center serves as the town's pre-school.Trumbull has several private schools, including the (nondenominational Christian) Christian Heritage School (K-12) and (Catholic) St. Catherine of Sienna School (K-8), St. Joseph High School , & St. Theresa's School (K-8). Additionally a private pre-school, the Montessori Center for Early Learning is located in Trumbull.Trumbull also provides adult education in a variety of subjects at Trumbull High School, typically in the early evening.
Emergency services
Trumbull EMS is an all-volunteer organization founded in 1976. Trumbull EMS Headquarters is located at 250 Middlebrooks Avenue. EMT-B and EMT recertification classes are regularly offered.Firefighting in the Town of Trumbull is served by three independent and all-volunteer fire departments. Each fire department handles its own tax structure and fundraising but receives no funding from the town. There are a total of 7 Fire Stations, equipped with and an apparatus fleet of 9 Engines, 3 Trucks(Including 1 Ladder Tender/Air Truck), 1 Quint, 3 Rescues, 1 Squad Engine, 1 Satellite Maxi-Water Unit, 1 Fire Boat, 1 Town-Wide Command Trailer, 5 Utility Units, and numerous Support Units. The current Town Fire Marshall is Megan Murphy.Long Hill Fire District(Since 1921)
Nichols Fire District(Since 1917)
Trumbull Center Fire District(Since 1925)
The Trumbull Police Department was created in 1941 through an act of the State Legislature. It is under the jurisdiction of a six member Board of Police Commissioners appointed by the First Selectman. The department currently has seventy officers and ten civilian workers, including the dog warden. The current Chief of Police is Thomas Kiely. The police department is located at 158 Edison Road. The 2009-2010 revised departmental budget is $6,819,421.00.
Activities and organizations
Tashua Recreation Facility, at 268 acres (1.08 km2) in size, includes basketball, tennis courts, swimming pool, playground, picnic area, multi-purpose field and Tashua Knolls, an 18 hole golf course built in 1976 and designed by noted golf architect Al Zikorus. The course features a driving range, two putting greens, pro shop, locker rooms, Eagle's Nest Grille restaurant and banquet facility. There is also Tashua Glen, a 9 hole 'Executive style' course opened in 2004. Both courses feature cart paths. There is a Men's Club, Senior Men's Club, Ladies 9-holer, and Ladies 18-holer organizations active at the course.
The Trumbull Community Women is a group dedicated to promoting civic service. It is open to all women over 18, and runs a Young Women's Club as well. They meet at the Trumbull Library Community Room, generally on the first Tuesday of the month September through June.
The Town Hall Gazebo is host to concerts most summer Tuesday nights.
The Nichols Improvement Association gazebo is a fine spot for wedding pictures and social gatherings. Every year Christmas trees are sold at this gazebo.
The Trumbull Historical Society, founded in 1964, maintains a museum of Trumbull's past at 1856 Huntington Turnpike on the site of Abraham Nichols farm.
The Trumbull Nature & Arts Center is located at 7115 Main Street and coordinate trips for fishing, butterfly searches, gardening, outdoor photography and other nature related activities.
Trumbull Teen Center is located at the barn at Indian Ledge Park and features activities such as air hockey, foosball, local band concerts, ping pong and basketball for Trumbull resident's
Trumbull's Senior Center is located at 23 Priscilla Place. The senior transportation department continues to provide effective door-to-door services to seniors age 60 and over with out transportation or unable to drive. Services include doctor’ s appointments, shopping, nutrition program, dentist appointments and legal appointments. It provides a variety of resources such as Continuing Education and Social Services as well as activities.
The Trumbull Library System (TLS) is the town's main lending library with a staff of fifteen and two locations. The library features online book searches & renewal, statewide interlibrary loan, adult & youth sections, and several meeting rooms. Internet terminals and photocopy machines are also available for use. Various groups utilize the library for meetings and workshops. The catalogue of the library includes over 148,000 printed materials, 10,000 video materials, 4,500 audio materials and 200 subscriptions available as audio books on CD/tape/MP3, books, DVDs, graphic novels, magazines, music CDs, and VHS tapes. Annual circulation exceeds 373,000 transactions.There are two branches of the library:The Trumbull Library (main branch) is adjacent to Town Hall at 33 Quality Street.
The Fairchild-Nichols Memorial Library is located at 1718 Huntington Turnpike.
The town of Trumbull features over twenty houses of worship representing numerous faiths.Armenian Church Of The Holy Ascension -Armenian Apostolic Church
Calvary Evangelical Free Church -Non-denominational Christian
Christ Church Tashua, Episcopal Church -Episcopal
Christ the King Parish -Roman Catholic
Christ Redeemer Lutheran Church -Lutheran
Congregation B'Nai Torah -Jewish
Crossroads Community Church -Non-denominational Christian
Grace Episcopal Church -Episcopal
Holy Cross Lutheran Church -Lutheran
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church -Lutheran
Long Hill Baptist Church -Baptist
Hill United Methodist Church -United Methodist
New Life Assembly Of God Church World -Assemblies of God
Nichols United Methodist Church -United Methodist
Saint Catherine Of Siena Roman Catholic Church -Roman Catholic
Saint George Albanian Orthodox Church -Eastern Orthodox Church
Saint Stephen Roman Catholic Church -Roman Catholic
Saint Theresa Roman Catholic Church -Roman Catholic
Trinity Episcopal Church -Episcopal
Trumbull Church of Christ -Church of Christ
Trumbull Congregational Church -Congregationalist
Unity Hill United Church Of Christ -Church of Christ
Media
Trumbull is served by the following local media outlets:Trumbull Educational Access Television(“TEC') is available exclusively via Charter Cable on channel 17 with hours of operation from 8AM - 12AM daily.The station's programming features coverage of school-specific and school system-wide events and programs, town governmental commissions, boards & legislative meetings, and provides emergency announcements, information and event schedules, and meeting schedules for governmental departments, commissions, boards and committees as well as community information and announcements regarding town services. TEC began operations in 1996.
The Trumbull Timesis the local community newspaper, published weekly on Thursdays.
A Dance for Grace(2010)
Revolutionary Road(2008)
Oprah Winfrey presentsFor One More Daywhich aired on ABC in December 2007
Sister cities
Ephraim Hawley House
Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation
Gregory's Four Corners Burial Ground
Little League World SeriesTrumbull 1989 World Champions
Nichols Farms Historic District
Unity Burial Ground
Xinyi, Jiangsu(China)since 2008