Eastford, Connecticut

Eastford is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 1,649 at the 2020 census.[1]

Eastford, Connecticut
Town
Town of Eastford
The Union Society of Phoenixville House
The Union Society of Phoenixville House
Official seal of Eastford, Connecticut
Seal
Eastford's location within Windham County and Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°53′37″N 72°05′49″W
Country United States
U.S. state Connecticut
CountyWindham
RegionNortheastern CT
Incorporated1847
Government
 • TypeSelectman-town meeting
 • First selectmanJacqueline Dubois (R)
 • State SenatorDan Champaigne
(R-35th District)
 • State Rep.Pat Boyd
(D-50th District)
Area
 • Total29.2 sq mi (75.6 km2)
 • Land28.9 sq mi (74.8 km2)
 • Water0.3 sq mi (0.9 km2)
Elevation
653 ft (199 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,649
 • Density56/sq mi (22/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
06242
Area code(s)860/959
FIPS code09-21860
GNIS feature ID213420
Major highways
Websitewww.eastfordct.org/townofeastford

History

Eastford was formed in 1847 when it was broken off from Ashford, Connecticut. The name "Eastford" is locational, for the town is east of Ashford.[2]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 29.2 square miles (76 km2), of which, 28.9 square miles (75 km2) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) of it (1.20%) is water.

Principal communities
  • Phoenixville—A 1930s book describes it as "a small crossroads hamlet on Still River, which grew up around a twine mill (1831), now abandoned."[3]
  • East Phoenixville
  • North Ashford

On the National Register of Historic Places

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18501,127—
18601,005−10.8%
1870984−2.1%
1880855−13.1%
1890561−34.4%
1900523−6.8%
1910513−1.9%
1920496−3.3%
19305296.7%
1940496−6.2%
195059820.6%
196074624.7%
197092223.6%
19801,02811.5%
19901,31427.8%
20001,61823.1%
20101,7498.1%
20201,649−5.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]
See also: List of Connecticut locations by per capita income

At the 2000 census there were 1,618 people, 618 households, and 451 families living in the town. The population density was 56.0 inhabitants per square mile (21.6/km2). There were 705 housing units at an average density of 24.4 per square mile (9.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.78% White, 0.43% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36%.[5]

There were 618 households, out of which 100 have children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.1% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 21.8% of households were one person, and 9.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.06.

The age distribution was 26.3% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.0 males.

The median household income was $57,159 and the median family income was $62,031. Males had a median income of $45,000 versus $31,964 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,364. About 4.4% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

Eastford is a strongly Republican town. The town has voted for the Republican candidate every time since the 1856 election and since its founding in 1847 has never voted for a Democrat for president, the only town in Connecticut with this distinction. Even during President Lyndon B. Johnson's landslide in 1964, Eastford voters still preferred Barry Goldwater, the Republican candidate, by a comfortable 11.2% margin. Since 1992, however, the Democratic candidate has been more competitive. President Barack Obama only lost to Mitt Romney by 1 vote in 2012.[6]

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 27, 2009[7]
Party Active Voters Inactive Voters Total Voters Percentage
Republican 391 25 416 34.84%
Democratic 290 9 299 25.04%
Unaffiliated 437 38 475 39.78%
Minor Parties 0 0 0 0.0%
Total 1,121 73 1,194 100%
Presidential Election Results[6][8]
Year Democratic Republican Third Parties
2020 43.5% 464 53.6% 572 2.9% 31
2016 38.6% 367 54.0% 513 7.4% 69
2012 49.0% 464 49.1% 465 1.9% 18
2008 48.9% 485 49.2% 488 1.9% 18
2004 44.0% 416 54.3% 513 1.7% 16
2000 44.3% 375 49.7% 421 6.0% 50
1996 38.1% 301 41.7% 329 20.2% 159
1992 32.7% 285 39.5% 344 27.8% 242
1988 34.9% 253 63.8% 463 1.3% 9
1984 26.2% 172 73.1% 479 0.7% 4
1980 29.1% 183 55.7% 350 15.2% 95
1976 36.0% 204 63.4% 359 0.6% 3
1972 29.6% 152 69.9% 359 0.5% 2
1968 24.4% 103 72.4% 305 3.2% 13
1964 44.4% 188 55.6% 236 0.00% 0
1960 21.0% 82 79.0% 309 0.00% 0
1956 15.6% 62 84.4% 335 0.00% 0

Education

Residents are zoned to the Eastford School District for grades Preschool through 8. The only school in the district is Eastford Elementary School. Most high schoolers attend Woodstock Academy. The town is near five alternative high schools: Ellis Vocational Technical School, Windham Technical School, Killingly Vocational Agricultural High School, ACT High School, and Quinebaug Middle College.

Notable people

Trivia

There was another Eastford in the state which was renamed East Windsor shortly after its separation from Windsor.

Eastford is the site of Frog Rock, a rest stop and roadside attraction on U.S. Route 44.[9]

References
  1. "Census - Geography Profile: Eastford town, Windsor County, Connecticut". Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  2. The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly. Connecticut Magazine Company. 1903. p. 332.
  3. Federal Writer's Project for the State of Connecticut (1938). Connecticut; a Guide to Its Roads, Lore, and People. p. 434. ISBN 9781623760076. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  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. "General Election Statements of Vote, 1922 – Current". CT Secretary of State. Archived from the original on May 14, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  7. "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 27, 2009" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 17, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  8. "Election Night Reporting". CT Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  9. Haar, Dan (August 18, 2014). "The Best Of Americana At Frog Rock Rest Stop". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
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