Darien, Connecticut

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Darien, CT)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "Settlement short description".Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".Expression error: Unexpected < operator.

Darien (Template:IPAc-en Script error: No such module "Respell".) is a coastal town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is the smallest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast.[1]

Situated on the Long Island Sound between the cities of Stamford and Norwalk, Darien is a commuter town for New York City.[2] There are two railroad stations in Darien, Noroton Heights and Darien, linking the town to Grand Central Terminal.

History

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". According to early records, the first clearings of land were made by men from the New Haven and Wethersfield colonies and from Norwalk in about 1641. It was not until 1739, however, that the Middlesex Society of the Town of Stamford built the first community church, now the First Congregational Church of Darien, which stands on the original site at the corner of Brookside Road and the Boston Post Road.[3]

Tories raided the town several times during the American Revolution; at one point, they took 26 men in the parish prisoner for five months, including the Reverend Moses Mather, pastor of the parish. The Loyalist-Patriot conflict in Darien is the setting for the novel Tory Hole, the first book by children's author Louise Hall Tharp. Middlesex Parish was incorporated as the Town of Darien in 1820.

File:PostcardDarienCTContentmentIsland1914.jpg
Contentment Island, c. Template:TrimScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

According to the Darien Historical Society,[4] the name Darien was decided upon when the residents of the town could not agree on a name to replace Middlesex Parish, many families wanting it to be named after themselves. Some proposed naming the town "Belleville" in honor of Thaddeus Bell, a veteran of the revolutionary war. He apparently rejected the honor while supporting the Darien option.[5] A sailor who had traveled to Isthmus of Darien,[6] then part of the Spanish Empire, suggested the name Darien, which was eventually adopted by the people of the town. The town name is pronounced Template:IPAc-en (like "Dairy-Ann"), with stress on the last syllable, and has been referred to as such at least as far back as 1913.[7][8]

Darien was mostly white Protestant through the middle of the twentieth century,[9] but by the twenty-first century it had become a multi-ethnic town with residents of many religions and backgrounds. One of seven households report speaking a language other than English at home. The town's exclusive policies in the early 20th century were similar to other segregated suburbs of the time, including Beverly Hills, California, and Tuxedo Park, New York.[10] There were events involving anti-Black racism and anti-Semitism in the 1930s and 1940s, with Darien being a prototypical sundown town.[11][10]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of Script error: No such module "convert"., of which Script error: No such module "convert". is land and Script error: No such module "convert"., or 13.41%, is water.

Darien is bordered on the west by Stamford, on the north by New Canaan, and on the east by Norwalk. On the south it faces Long Island Sound and the North Shore of Long Island. It is part of the Connecticut panhandle jutting into New York state. Highways include Interstate 95. It also has two Metro-North Railroad stations for commuter trains into New York City, Noroton Heights and Darien.

Sections of Darien

File:Darien, Connecticut church.jpg
Noroton Presbyterian Church in Darien
  • Darien Downtown
  • Long Neck Point
  • Noroton
  • Noroton Heights, a neighborhood that historically "housed the European immigrants who serviced the old estates".[12] Noroton Heights' densely populated streets contain "modest Capes and colonials" along with other house styles.[12]
  • Ox Ridge
  • Tokeneke

Climate

Darien has a humid continental climate, similar to that of New York City, with warm to hot summers and cold winters. The highest recorded temperature was 103 °F (39 °C) in July 1966, while the lowest recorded temperature was −15 °F (−26 °C) in 1968.[13] Snowfall is generally frequent in winter while average precipitation is most common in September.

Demographics

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". <templatestyles src="US Census population/styles.css"/>

Historical population
CensusPop.Template:Sronly%±
18201,126—
18501,454—
18601,705Script error: No such module "String".%
18701,808Script error: No such module "String".%
18801,949Script error: No such module "String".%
18902,276Script error: No such module "String".%
19003,116Script error: No such module "String".%
19103,946Script error: No such module "String".%
19204,184Script error: No such module "String".%
19306,951Script error: No such module "String".%
19409,222Script error: No such module "String".%
195011,767Script error: No such module "String".%
196018,437Script error: No such module "String".%
197020,336Script error: No such module "String".%
198018,892Script error: No such module "String".%
199018,196Script error: No such module "String".%
200019,607Script error: No such module "String".%
201020,752Script error: No such module "String".%
202021,499Script error: No such module "String".%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

As of the census of 2000, there were 19,607 people, 6,592 households, and 5,385 families residing in the town. The population density was Script error: No such module "convert".. There were 6,792 housing units at an average density of 203.9 inhabitants/km2 (528.3 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 95.97% White, 0.45% African American, 0.04% Native American, 2.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population. In 2019, the median household income was $232,523 and the per capita income for the town was $116,564.[15]

Arts and recreation

Annual events

  • May – Memorial Day Parade.[16]
  • June – Weed Beach Fest.[17]
  • October – Downtown Halloween Parade.[18]

Library

Darien's library was founded in 1894. Andrew Carnegie offered funds for a library, and was rejected.[19] The Darien Library is the most heavily utilized library in Connecticut.[20]

Landmarks

File:DarienCTStonyBrookParkLookingWest11172007.JPG
Autumn in Stony Brook Park

Parks and recreation

File:Darien, Connecticut main street.jpg
Floral decorations

The Darien Ice House is an ice rink.[21]

Founded in 1928,Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Noroton Yacht Club runs the largest junior sailing program in the United States.[12]

In 2023, the town of Darien finalized the purchase of Great Island, a 60-acre property on Long Island Sound, for $85 million.[22]

Government

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".

Elected bodies in the town government are a five-member Board of Selectmen, a nine-member Board of Education, a seven-member Board of Finance, a six-member Planning and Zoning Commission, three-member Board of Assessment Appeals, and a 100-member, nonpartisan Representative Town Meeting. The town has several elective offices as well: the town clerk, probate judge, registrar of voters, tax collector and treasurer.[23] The Board of Finance approves financial measures, including the town budget; the Board of Education controls the town's public schools; the Representative Town Meeting is the main legislative body of the town.

United States Congress

Senators Name Party Assumed office Level
  Senate Class 3 Richard Blumenthal Democratic 2011 Senior Senator
  Senate Class 1 Chris Murphy Democratic 2013 Junior Senator
Representatives Name Party Assumed office
  District 4 Jim Himes Democratic 2009

Connecticut General Assembly

Connecticut State Senate

District Name Party Assumed office
  25th Bob Duff Democratic 2001
  26th Ceci Maher Democratic 2023
  27th Patricia Billie Miller Democratic 2021

Connecticut House of Representatives

District Name Party Assumed office
  125th Tom O'Dea Republican 2013
  141st Tracy Marra Republican 2023

Education

Script error: No such module "labelled list hatnote". Darien High School was ranked No. 1 in the "U.S. News Best High Schools in Connecticut" in 2019. The school also ranked in the top 150 in the national rankings, and in the top 50 in STEM high schools in the United States.[24] Darien has five elementary schools: Hindley School, Holmes School, Ox Ridge School, Royle School, and Tokeneke School. A $27 million addition was completed in 2000 to the town's middle school, Middlesex Middle School, and a new $73 million campus for Darien High School was completed in the fall of 2005.[12] Darien sports teams go by the name of the "Blue Wave".

Pear Tree Point School, originally named Plumfield School, was a private school on Long Neck, educating students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 5. The school was closed in summer 2018.[25][26]

Media

Darien is served by a local print/online weeklies, the Darien Times, four exclusively online local news websites, Darienite,[27] HamletHub Darien,[28] the Darien Patch,[29] and The Daily Voice, Darien.[30] A monthly magazine known as New Canaan and Darien Magazine is also published covering Darien, New Canaan, and Rowayton (a section of the city of Norwalk).[31] Sound Watch Magazine.[32] is another monthly publication, founded in 2019, dedicated to local news and history of the area. Most public meetings are filmed and broadcast live, and recorded for later broadcast by Cablevision's Channel 79 Government Access.[33]

Film

Films at least partially filmed in Darien with release date include:

Infrastructure

Emergency

Ambulance

File:Post53BldgDarienCT70192007.JPG
Post 53 headquarters

An ambulance service, known as "Darien EMS – Post 53" is the only ambulance service in the nation run by high school student volunteers and responds to over 1,500 emergency calls annually.[37] The service provides emergency care at no cost to the patient, funded entirely by private donations from town residents. Teenagers are allowed to perform patient care because Connecticut is one of the few states in the nation which allows emergency medical technicians to be certified at age 16.[38] Paramedics are contracted from Stamford EMS for advanced life support, and the "young adults" respond alongside adult supervisors.[39]

Fire

Darien is protected by three all-volunteer fire departments:[40] Darien Fire Department,[41] Noroton Fire Department,[42] and Noroton Heights Fire Department.[43]

Transportation

The town is served by two train stations, Noroton Heights and Darien station. The Connecticut Turnpike (Interstate 95) and Post Road (U.S. Route 1) pass through Darien. Interstate 95 has rest stops in Darien for the southbound and northbound lanes.[44]

Notable people

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".

See also

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Adapted from: Script error: No such module "Footnotes".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ "Darien Government Guide: 2006", a brochure published by the League of Women Voters of Darien
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Further reading

  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

External links

Template:Sister project

  • Script error: No such module "Official website".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Template:Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut Script error: No such module "Navbox". Script error: No such module "navbox".

Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Darien,_Connecticut&oldid=4493056"