Winchester, Connecticut
Town
Town of Winchester
Winchester Town Hall
Winchester Town Hall
Official seal of Winchester, Connecticut
Seal
Winchester's location within Litchfield County and Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°55′30″N 73°06′11″W / 41.92500°N 73.10306°W / 41.92500; -73.10306
Country United States
U.S. state Connecticut
CountyLitchfield
RegionNorthwest Hills
Incorporated1771
Government
 • TypeBoard of Selectmen - Town Manager
 • Town Manager/CEOJoshua Steele Kelly
 • Board of SelectmenTodd Arcelaschi (R), Mayor
Althea C. Perez (D)
Steven Sedlack (D)
Jack Bourque (D)
Linda Groppo (D)
Candace Bouchard (R)
Jonathan W. Morhardt (R)
Area
 • Total33.8 sq mi (87.6 km2)
 • Land32.5 sq mi (84.2 km2)
 • Water1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2)
Elevation
1,017 ft (310 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total10,224
 • Density314/sq mi (121.4/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP codes
06094, 06098
Area code(s)860/959
FIPS code09-86440
GNIS feature ID0213536
Websitewww.townofwinchester.org

Winchester is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,224 at the 2020 census.[1] The city of Winsted is located in Winchester. The town is part of the Northwest Hills Planning Region.

History

Winchester was incorporated on May 21, 1771, and named after Winchester in England.[2]

Geography

The town is in northeastern Litchfield County and is bordered to the south by the city of Torrington. It is 28 miles (45 km) northwest of Hartford, the state capital, and 27 miles (43 km) north of Waterbury. Winsted, with a population of 7,321 by far the largest community in Winchester, is in the eastern part of the town.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 33.8 square miles (87.6 km2), of which 32.5 square miles (84.2 km2) are land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2), or 3.87%, are water.[3] Highland Lake, Crystal Lake, and Winchester Lake are three of the larger water bodies in the town. The Still River, a tributary of the Farmington River, flows from south to north through the eastern side of the town.

Principal communities

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18201,601—
18502,179—
18603,51361.2%
18704,09616.6%
18805,14225.5%
18906,18320.2%
19007,76325.6%
19108,67911.8%
19209,0193.9%
19308,674−3.8%
19408,482−2.2%
195010,53524.2%
196010,496−0.4%
197011,1065.8%
198010,841−2.4%
199011,5246.3%
200010,664−7.5%
201011,2425.4%
202010,224−9.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]

At the 2000 census there were 10,664 people, 4,371 households, and 2,849 families living in the town. The population density was 330.4 inhabitants per square mile (127.6/km2). There were 4,922 housing units at an average density of 152.5 per square mile (58.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 94.44% White, 1.24% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.69% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.17%.[5]

Of the 4,371 households 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 28.0% of households were one person and 11.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.97.

The age distribution was 23.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median household income was $46,671 and the median family income was $57,866. Males had a median income of $41,076 versus $28,058 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,589. About 4.3% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Highland Lake, c. 1905

The town is served by buses of the Northwestern Connecticut Transit District.

The city of Winsted is located at the junction of Connecticut Route 8 and U.S. Route 44. Route 263 connects Winchester Center and Winsted.

Education

Winchester Public Schools is the public school district for grades K-6, while The Gilbert School serves as the public school for grades 7-12. Prior to 2011, middle school students went to schools operated by the Winchester district.[6]

Northwestern Regional School District No. 7 maintains Northwestern Regional High School, which is partly in Winsted.[7] However, the school does not act as the public school for Winsted.[8] Students who live in Winchester can attend Northwestern Regional High School through their Agricultural Education Program.

Also located in the town, is Explorations Charter School. Created to serve a diverse body of students, the school was designed to accommodate the unique educational, social, and emotional needs of its students.[9]

Prior to closing in 2020,[10] the town also had a parochial Catholic school called St. Anthony School, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hartford. The school opened in 1865,[11] and maintained a class of around 200 students. Experiencing a large decrease in enrollment, the school dropped from serving around 200 students, to just 90. When in operation, it was the oldest school continually operated by the archdiocese.[12]

Northwestern Connecticut Community College is in Winsted.

Notable people

  • Ralph Nader, author and activist
  • Phineas Miner (1777–1839), congressman from Connecticut; born in Winchester
  • Guy Gilchrist, cartoonist

References

  1. ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Winchester town, Litchfield County, Connecticut". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  2. ↑ The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly. Connecticut Magazine Company. 1903. p. 335.
  3. ↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Winchester town, Litchfield County, Connecticut". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. ↑ "History". Gilbert School. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Winsted Zoning Map" (PDF). Town of Winchester. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  8. ↑ "About Us". Northwestern Regional School District No. 7. Retrieved May 19, 2021. Regional School District No. 7 is composed of four rural-suburban towns: Barkhamsted, Colebrook, New Hartford and Norfolk.[...]
  9. ↑ "Schools". Town of Winchester. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Home". St. Anthony School. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  11. ↑ "150th Anniversary Celebration". St. Anthony School. August 7, 2018. Archived from the original on August 7, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  12. ↑ Gugliotti, Elio (March 17, 2020). "St. Anthony School in Winsted to close". Republican American. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
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