East Granby, Connecticut
Town
Town of East Granby
East Granby Town Hall
East Granby Town Hall
Official seal of East Granby, Connecticut
Seal
East Granby's location within Hartford County and Connecticut
East Granby's location within the Capitol Planning Region and the state of Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°56′48″N 72°44′28″W / 41.94667°N 72.74111°W / 41.94667; -72.74111
Country United States
U.S. state Connecticut
CountyHartford
RegionCapitol Region
Incorporated1858
HamletsEast Granby
Floydville
Granbrook Park
Granby Station
Government
 • TypeSelectman-town meeting
 • First selectmanEden Wimpfheimer (R)
 • SelectmanJoe Doering (D)
 • SelectmanSteven Hall (R)
Area
 • Total17.7 sq mi (45.8 km2)
 • Land17.6 sq mi (45.5 km2)
 • Water0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Elevation
[1]
348 ft (106 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total5,214
 • Density297/sq mi (114.6/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code
06026
Area code(s)860/959
FIPS code09-22070
GNIS feature ID0213421[1]
U.S. Routes
Websitewww.eastgranbyct.org

East Granby is a town in the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,214 at the 2020 census.[2]

History

Original inhabitants of the current East Granby area were Native American peoples, including the Algonquin/Poquonock, the Massaco, and the Agawam.[3]

The East Granby area was first settled by Europeans in 1664, which was one of the four Congregational parishes in Simsbury.[4] The Turkey Hills Ecclesiastical Society in 1786 became a section of Granby, and in 1858 was incorporated as the Town of East Granby.

The first incorporated copper mine in America resided in what is now East Granby. The mine later became Old Newgate Prison, a Revolutionary War jail and the first state prison in the United States (1790).

Farming was the mainstay of the town for much of its history. The early twentieth century saw local farmers specializing in dairy product and tobacco.

East Granby experienced a housing boom that started in 1951 and resulted in a rise in population.[5]

The town celebrated its 150th anniversary with a three-day festival June 7–9, 2008.

Geography

Old Newgate Prison from Peak Mountain
Black oak tree in East Granby

East Granby is in the Farmington valley, with the Farmington River passing along the southern border of the town. The Metacomet Ridge, a mountainous trap rock ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound to nearly the Vermont border, runs through the center of the town, cutting off Salisbury Plain to the east, which used to lie under the ancient, glacial Lake Hitchcock. High points on the Metacomet Ridge in East Granby include Hatchet Hill and Peak Mountain; the latter offers a bird's eye view of the historic Old Newgate Prison. The 51-mile (82 km) Metacomet Trail traverses the ridge.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1860833—
18708532.4%
1880754−11.6%
1890661−12.3%
19006843.5%
191079716.5%
19201,05632.5%
19301,003−5.0%
19401,22522.1%
19501,3278.3%
19602,43483.4%
19703,53245.1%
19804,10216.1%
19904,3024.9%
20004,74510.3%
20105,1618.8%
20205,2141.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] CERC Town Profile[7]

As of the census[8] of 2014, there were 5,055 people (2012) and 2,129 households (2012). The population density was 289 inhabitants per square mile (112/km2) (2012). There were 2,186 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 86.7% White, 5.28% African American, 0% Native American, 5.66% Asian, 2.35% from other races or multi-race residents. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.9% of the population.

The town the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 4.85% from 18 to 24, 35.55% from 25 to 49, 22.5% from 50 to 64, and 6% who were 65 years of age or older. 47.85% of the population is female (52.15% male). Residents that were 18 years or older compromised 77.47% of the population. 49.46% of residents that were 18 years or older were female (50.52% male). For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males. In 2000,[9] the median age was 39 years.

As of 2000, there were 1,848 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families.[9] 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.

Income and unemployment

As of 2000, the median income for a household in the town was $68,696, and the median income for a family was $77,621.[9] Males had a median income of $48,992 versus $37,450 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,805. About 0.9% of families and 1.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Unemployment rates in 2013 were at 5.8% for East Granby residents, which was less than the state's unemployment rate of 7.8%.[10] In 2014, 6 families were receiving temporary assistance and 154 individuals were receiving food stamps.

Education

As of 2012,[11] residents' educational attainment was: 23% high school graduate, 12% associate degree, and 37% bachelor's degree or higher.

During the 2010–2011 School Year,[12] total town school enrollment was at 939. Most public school students in East Granby attend the East Granby School District, which had 889 students.

Historic sites and buildings

Historical buildings

Ezekiel Phelps House

East Granby has six historical buildings. The East Granby Historical Society can be found on North Main Street.[13]

Town cemeteries

East Granby has seven cemeteries.[14] The oldest graves of East Granby can be found in the East Granby Center Cemetery, and dates back to 1737.

  • East Granby Center Cemetery – Located Near East Granby Center On School Street. The East Granby Cemetery was established in 1722, and it is no longer active.[15]
  • Copper Hill Cemetery – Located In The Northwest Part Of Town
  • Elmwood Cemetery – Located On Windsor Locks Road, 3/4 Mile East Of Town Center
  • Holcomb Cemetery – Located Near The Granby Railroad Station
  • Prisoners' Cemetery – Located near Old Newgate Prison.
  • Smallpox Cemetery – Located at the top of the hill off Tariffville Road. The cemetery is on top of the "Manitank Mt." between Turkey Hill and Hatchett Hill, the property is owned by Tilcon-Roncari.
  • Viets Cemetery – Located Near Old Newgate Prison. This cemetery is in a clump of trees and bushes in a field in back of the farmhouse belonging to Jenny W. Kellogg. It is about a mile down the road leading from the prison towards 107-3. The plot is perhaps twenty feet square. There are about twenty stones in it. Not one of them is inscribed. The prisoners were taken down here from the prison and buried according to the story told around here.

Old schoolhouses

East Granby has six old schoolhouses that are no longer in use.[16]

  • Center District Schoolhouse
  • Copper Hill Schoolhouse
  • Falls Schoolhouse
  • Hazelwood Schoolhouse
  • North Schoolhouse
  • South Schoolhouse

Government and politics

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 30, 2012[17]
Party Active Voters Inactive Voters Total Voters Percentage
Democratic 1,086 114 1,200 28.80%
Republican 936 115 1,051 25.22%
Unaffiliated 1601 227 1,828 43.87%
Minor Parties 80 8 88 2.11%
Total 3,703 464 4,167 100%

Once strongly Republican, East Granby has become friendlier to Democrats in recent elections, similar to other suburban areas.[18] In 2016, this was one of ten Connecticut towns to flip from Republican to Democrat, albeit giving Hillary Clinton a victory of only 18 votes.[19][20] In 2020, Joe Biden won East Granby by a margin of more than 10 points.[21]

East Granby town vote
by party in presidential elections[22][23]
Year Democratic Republican Third Parties
2020 54.81% 1,789 43.05% 1,405 2.14% 70
2016 47.08% 1,389 46.47% 1,371 6.44% 190
2012 48.26% 1,389 50.31% 1,448 1.43% 41
2008 54.53% 1,612 44.08% 1,303 1.39% 41
2004 48.81% 1,353 49.71% 1,378 1.48% 41
2000 49.49% 1,254 44.75% 1,134 5.76% 146
1996 44.91% 1,093 39.11% 952 15.98% 389
1992 36.87% 952 38.92% 1,005 24.21% 625
1988 41.20% 950 58.24% 1,343 0.56% 13
1984 31.62% 720 68.07% 1,550 0.31% 7
1980 33.58% 739 47.84% 1,053 18.58% 409
1976 39.20% 815 60.27% 1,253 0.53% 11
1972 33.84% 619 64.74% 1,184 1.42% 26
1968 43.19% 628 51.44% 748 5.37% 78
1964 60.12% 814 39.88% 540 0.00% 0
1960 45.09% 533 54.91% 649 0.00% 0
1956 35.01% 257 64.99% 477 0.00% 0

Notable people

Education

Education in East Granby is through the East Granby Public School System, including East Granby High School, the smallest public high school in the state of Connecticut. The high school mascot is a crusader, and the middle school's is The Purple Wave. Both the high school's and the middle school's colors are purple and white.

Average class size for students in kindergarten in the East Granby school system was 13.8, second grade 23.7, fifth grade 23, seventh grade 20.5, and high school 17.1.[24] The students per computer ratios were: elementary 3.8, middle school 1.4, and secondary school 1.8. East Granby School students performed high on both the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) and SATs, where students' averages were higher than state averages in all grades (grade 4, 6, and 8 for CMT) and test subjects (Reading, Math, and Writing for both tests).

East Granby was noted in the book The Black Box, a record of airplane CVR recordings. East Granby was the site of the American Airlines Flight 1572 incident, which clipped the tops of trees in East Granby as it came in for a landing at Bradley International Airport.

References

  1. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: East Granby, Connecticut
  2. 1 2 "Census - Geography Profile: East Granby town, Hartford County, Connecticut". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  3. ↑ M.J., Patitucci. "General Archives". East Granby Historical Society. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  4. ↑ Patitucci, M. J. "Home". East Granby Historical Society. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  5. ↑ Springman, Mary Jane (1983). East Granby the Evolution of a Connecticut Town. NH: East Granby Historical Committee.
  6. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ "East Granby, CT CERC Town Profile 2014" (PDF). Connecticut Economic Resource Center. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  8. ↑ "East Granby, CT CERC Town Profile 2014" (PDF). Connecticut Economic Resource Center. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  10. ↑ "East Granby, CT CERC Town Profile 2014" (PDF). Connecticut Economic Resource Center. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  11. ↑ "East Granby, CT CERC Town Profile 2014" (PDF). Connecticut Economic Resource Center. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  12. ↑ "East Granby, CT CERC Town Profile 2014" (PDF). Connecticut Economic Resource Center. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  13. ↑ Patitucci, M.J. "Old Historical Buildings". East Granby Historical Society. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  14. ↑ Patitucci, M. J. "Cemeteries of East Granby". East Granby Historical Society. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  15. ↑ Santore, Beth. "East Granby Cemetery". Grave Addiction. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  16. ↑ Patitucci, M. J. "Old Schoolhouses". East Granby Historical Society.
  17. ↑ "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 30, 2012" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 30, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2006.
  18. ↑ https://authoring.ct.gov//SOTS/Election-Services/Statement-Of-Vote-PDFs/General-Elections-Statement-of-Vote-1922
  19. ↑ https://authoring.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2012StatementofVoteBookpdf.pdf
  20. ↑ https://authoring.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2016StatementofVotepdf.pdf
  21. ↑ https://authoring.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2020-SOV.pdf
  22. ↑ "General Elections Statement of Vote 1922".
  23. ↑ "Election Night Reporting". CT Secretary of State. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  24. ↑ "East Granby, CT CERC Town Profile 2014" (PDF). Connecticut Economic Resource Center. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
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