NEW MILFORD, CONNECTICUT

'New Milford' (Incorporated 1712) is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States 14 miles (23 km) north of Danbury, on the Housatonic River. The real-life home of "Mr. Blanding's Dream House", New Milford has also been host to many real-life motion picture and television locations. It is the largest Town in CT in terms of area at nearly 70 square miles. It is also the fastest growing town in terms of population and by current estimates will surpass Torrington as the most populated town in Litchfield County by 2020.
New Milford is the home of Canterbury School, a well known Roman Catholic boarding school. The school's Chapel of Our Lady is also home to the Jose M. Ferrer Memorial Carillon.

Contents

History

Colonial times

American Revolution

The prominent Boardman family

19th and 20th centuries

Geography

Principal communities

Demographics

Transportation

On the National Registry of Historic Sites

Notable New Milford residents, past and present

Movies filmed in New Milford

References

External links

History

Colonial times

In 1707, John Noble, Sr., previously of Westfield, Massachusetts and his eight-year-old daughter, Sarah, were the first white settlers in 1707, but they were soon joined by others who had also bought land there.[1]Web site of the Historical Society of New Milford; "Learning Zone" section; "New Milford History" subsection, accessed August 2, 2006
On October 17, 1711, 12 families including about 70 people petitioned the General Assembly to create the town, together with the associated privilege of levying a tax to support a minister. With the legislature's approval, the town was organized the next year. Shortly thereafter Daniel Boardman was secured to preach and was ordained as the minister of the Congregational Church on November 21, 1716.

American Revolution

Roger Sherman's house was near the present Town Hall until he moved to New Haven in 1761. He later became a member of the Continental Congress and signed both the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution.
During the American Revolution, the 7th Connecticut Regiment (also known as 19th Continental Regiment) was raised in town on September 16, 1776. The regiment, and the New Milford men in it, would see action in the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown and the Battle of Monmouth. In total, the town "sent 285 men to fight in the War out of a total population of 2,776."

The prominent Boardman family

Elijah Boardman in 1789 by Ralph Earle

★ David Sherman Boardman (1786-1864), was the youngest child of Deacon Sherman and Sarah (Bostwick) Boardman. He became a lawyer in town and later chief judge in Litchfield County Court. He then served as judge of probate for the district of New Milford in 1805, and held the place by successive annual appointments for sixteen years. He was elected Representative to the General Assembly eight times.

★ Elijah Boardman (1760-1823) was a U.S. Senator representing Connecticut. Born in New Milford, he was educated by private tutors, and served in the American Revolutionary War.

★ William Whiting Boardman (1794-1871), a U.S. Representative born in town, was the son of Elijah Boardman. He was a Connecticut state senator in the fourth district, 1830-32, a member of the Connecticut State House of Representatives, 1836-39, 1845, and 1849-51, Speaker of the Connecticut State House of Representatives, 1836, 1839, and 1845, United States Representative from Connecticut's second district, 1840-43. He died in New Haven, Connecticut, and is interred at Grove Street Cemetery.

19th and 20th centuries

In the second half of the 19th century many new industries came to town. The Water Witch Engine Company, local telephone and electricity companies, and newspapers were all founded. Factories in town made buttons, paint and varnish, hats, furniture, pottery, lime, dairy products and pasteboard, among other goods. Tobacco became the major crop in the area, and tobacco warehouses sprang up.
In 1942 Buck's Rock Camp was founded off of Bucks Rock Road, and has remained in operation ever since.
The population of New Milford was only 4,804 in 1900, however by 1910 the population had grown to 5,010. As of 2002, the town had a population of approximately 28,000.

Geography

New Milford is located on the eastern shore of Lake Candlewood. Both the Aspetuck River and Housatonic River flow through the town.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 165.0 km² (63.7 mi²), making it the largest town in Connecticut. 159.5 km² (61.6 mi²) of it is land and 5.5 km² (2.1 mi²) of it (3.31%) is water.

Principal communities

★ Boardman Bridge

★ Gaylordsville (has its own post office)

★ Lower Merryall

★ Merwinsville

★ New Milford Center

★ Northville

★ Park Lane

★ Still River

★ Upper Merryall

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 27,121 people, 10,018 households, and 7,273 families residing in the town. The population density was 170.0/km² (440.4/mi²). There were 10,710 housing units at an average density of 67.1/km² (173.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.33% White, 1.41% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.91% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.77% of the population.
There were 10,018 households out of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $65,354, and the median income for a family was $75,775. Males had a median income of $50,523 versus $34,089 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,630. About 2.1% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Being a suburb of Danbury, New Milford is served by fixed bus routes of the Housatonic Area Regional Transit. The main highways of the town are Route 7 and Route 202

On the National Registry of Historic Sites

'Historical population of New Milford'[2]
1756	1,137
1774	2,776
1782	3,015
1790	3,167
1800	3,221
1810	3,537
1820	3,830
1830	3,979
1840	3,974
1850	4,058
1860	3,535
1870	3,586
1880	3,907
1890	3,917
1900	4,804
1910	5,010
1920	4,781
1930	4,700
1940	5,559
1950	5,799
1960	8,318
1970	14,601
1980	19,420
1990	23,629
2000	27,121

★ 'Boardman's Bridge' — Boardman Rd. at Housatonic River, NW of New Milford (added June 13, 1976)

★ 'Carl F. Schoverling Tobacco Warehouse' — 1 Wellsville Ave. (added May 12, 1982)

★ 'E. A. Wildman & Co. Tobacco Warehouse' — 34 Bridge St. (added November 20, 1988)

★ 'Hine-Buckingham Farms' — 44,46, 48 Upland Rd., 78,81 Crossman Rd. (added June 7, 2004)

★ 'Housatonic Railroad Station' — Railroad St. (added April 1, 1984)

★ 'J. S. Halpine Tobacco Warehouse' — West and Mill Sts. (added 1982)

★ 'John Glover Noble House' (added September 29, 1977)

★ 'Lover's Leap Bridge' — S of New Milford on Pumpkin Hill Rd. (added June 13, 1976)

★ 'Merritt Beach & Son Building' — 30 Bridge St. (added May 28, 1992)

★ 'Merryall Union Evangelical Society Chapel' — Chapel Hill Rd. (added July 5, 1986)

★ 'New Milford Center Historic District' — Bennett and Elm Sts., Center Cemetery, East, S. Main, Mill, and Railroad Sts. (added July 13, 1986)

★ 'United Bank Building' — 19-21 Main St. (added May 12, 1982)

Notable New Milford residents, past and present

★ 'Roger Sherman' Signer of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, was born in Newton, Massachusetts but moved to New Milford after his father's death in 1743 and helped his brother set up the first store in town.

★ 'Fortunato Depero' was an Italian futurist painter, writer, sculptor and graphic designer who lived in a cottage in town from the winter of 1947 to late October 1949. His host was William Hillman, an associate of the then-President, Harry S. Truman.

★ 'Léonie Fuller Adams' Poetry consultant to the Library of Congress (now referred to as Poet Laureate) from 1948–1949. She died in town at the age of 88.

★ 'Florence Maybrick' Accused murderess whose trial and imprisonment became an international cause célèbre for the Women’s Movement in the period before World War I lived the last years of her life in the Gaylordsville section of New Milford near the South Kent border.

★ 'Hap Moran' NFL football player and former star of the New York Giants lived in New Milford for the last five years of his life.

★ 'M. Scott Peck' Self-help author, was a psychiatrist with a private practice in town.

★ 'Skitch Henderson' Pianist, composer and conductor; founder of the New York Pops Orchestra. From 1972 until his death, he and his wife, Ruth, owned and operated ''The Silo'' - a store, cooking school and art gallery.

★ 'Diane von Furstenberg' Fashion Designer

★ 'Joan Rivers' Comedienne and writer

★ 'Peter Gallagher' Film, stage and TV actor

★ 'Kenny Coolbeth' 2006 AMA Grand National Flat Track champion (U.S.)

★ 'Theodore H. White' Political author of the 1960s/1970s

★ 'Jean Simmons' Film, stage and television actress

★ 'Mia Farrow' Film and stage actress; human rights activist

★ 'Lillian Hellman' American playwright

★ 'Frederick March' American film and stage actor

★ 'Henry Kissinger' Diplomat & former U. S. Secretary of State

★ 'John Oswald' Designer

★ 'Christopher Meloni' Film and television actor

Movies filmed in New Milford

The following movies have been filmed in New Milford^[2]:

★ 'The Ballad of Jack and Rose' (2005)

★ 'BlackMale' (2000)

★ 'The Brass Ring' (1983) (TV)

★ 'The Case of the Cosmic Comic' (1976)

★ 'Mr. Deeds' (2002)

★ 'Psychoanalysis Changed My Life' (2003)

★ 'Retribution' (2006/II)

★ 'Seepage!' (2005)

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates
2. [3] "Internet Movie DataBase" Web site, "New Milford, Connecticut" Web page, accessed August 2, 2006

External links

★ Official website

★ New Milford Chamber of Commerce

★ New Milford First Congregational Church

★ New Milford Historical Society

★ New Milford Public Library

★ New Milford Public Schools

★ New Milford Tricentennial Celebration in 2007

★ Northwest Connecticut Convention & Visitors Bureau

★ Online reprint of "History of the Towns of New Milford and Bridgewater, Connecticut, 1703-1882" by Samuel Orcutt