Milford, Connecticut

Milford, Connecticut
—  City  —
Milford City Hall, 110 River Street, sits along the Wepawaug River downtown. Built in 1916, it is the fifth town hall to occupy the site.
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): A Small City with a Big Heart
Location in New Haven County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°13′27″N 73°03′35″W / 41.22417°N 73.05972°W / 41.22417; -73.05972
Country	United States
State	Connecticut
NECTA	Bridgeport-Stamford
Region	South Central Region
Settled	1639
Incorporated (city)	1959
Government
– Type	Mayor–Board of Aldermen
– Mayor	Benjamin G. Blake (D)
Area
– Total	23.7 sq mi (67.9 km2)
– Land	22.3 sq mi (58.5 km2)
– Water	1.5 sq mi (9.3 km2)
Population (2010)
– Total	52,759
– Density	2,424.2/sq mi (936/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code	06460, 06461
Area code(s)	203
FIPS code	09-47515
Website	http://www.ci.milford.ct.us/

Milford is a coastal city in southwestern New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between Bridgeport and New Haven. The population was 52,759 at the 2010 census. The city contains the incorporated borough of Woodmont and the unincorporated village of Devon.

Further information: Economic development of Milford, Connecticut

History

Early history

Oyster Huts on Milford Point a sketch by John Warner Barber for his Historical Collections of Connecticut (1836). Barber wrote that he found 15 or 20 of these seaweed-covered huts along the shore when he visited the town in 1836. Oystermen used the huts in the winter.

The land which today comprises Milford, Orange and West Haven, Connecticut was "purchased" on February 1, 1639 from Ansantawae, chief of the local Paugussets (an Algonquian tribe) by English settlers affiliated with the contemporary New Haven Colony. Originally, the area was known as "Wepawaug", after the small river which runs through the town, and which has given its name to several streets in both Milford and Orange.

During the Revolutionary War the Milford section of the Boston Post Road, a vital route connecting Boston, New York and other major coastal cities, was blockaded by Continental forces and Fort Trumbull was constructed to protect the town. The site of the blockade is commemorated by the Liberty Rock monument.

By 1822, the town had grown large enough that residents in the northern and eastern sections of Milford chartered their own independent course as the town of Orange. During the next century and a half, the remaining section of Milford was known for shipbuilding, farming and oystering, although a small subset of industrial facilities also developed in town. During this time, Milford also became known as a beach resort for residents of New Haven and Bridgeport.

Interestingly, the boundaries of the final town charter granted by the State of Connecticut in 1899 to Laurel Beach are contained entirely within Milford. Residents of Laurel Beach must therefore pay taxes to both Laurel Beach as well as Milford, and all mail to Laurel Beach residents is mailed to Milford.

In 1903 the southeastern portion of the town was incorporated as the Borough of Woodmont. In 1959, the town of Milford including the Borough of Woodmont was incorporated as the City of Milford.

Towns created from Milford

Map showing Milford and neighboring towns

Milford was one of the early settlements in south central Connecticut and, over time, gave rise to several new towns that broke off and incorporated separately. The following is a list of towns created from parts of Milford.

• Woodbridge in 1784 (also partly from New Haven)
  • Bethany created from Woodbridge in 1832
• Orange (originally North Milford) in 1822 (also partly from New Haven)
  • West Haven created from Orange in 1921

The "oatmeal lots" of Liberty Park

Starting in 1902, Quaker Oats oatmeal boxes came with a coupon redeemable for the legal deed to a tiny lot in Milford. The lots, sometimes as small as 10 feet by 10 feet, were carved out of a 15-acre tract in a never-built subdivision called "Liberty Park." A small number of children (or their parents), often residents living near Milford, collected the deeds and started paying the extremely small property taxes on the "oatmeal lots." The developer of the prospective subdivision hoped the landowners would hire him to build homes on the lots, although several lots would need to be combined before building could start. Since the subdivision into small lots predated Milford's planning and zoning regulations, the deeds were entirely legal, although they created a large amount of paperwork for town tax collectors, who frequently couldn't find the property owners and received almost no tax revenue from the lots.^[1]

In the mid-1970s, when the town wanted to develop the area, town officials put an end to the oatmeal lots in a "general foreclosure" that avoided the enormous expense of individual foreclosures by condemning nearly all of the property in one legal filing. One of the streets in the Liberty Park subdivision plans, Shelland Street, was later built in the late 1990s as an access road to the Milford Power Company. The site is currently home to the BIC Corporation's lighter factory at 565 Bic Drive. (In a separate land giveaway in 1955 tied to the Sergeant Preston of the Yukon television show, Quaker Oats offered in its Puffed Wheat and Puffed Rice cereal boxes genuine deeds to land in the Klondike.)^[1]

Post-World War II development

In the post-World War II period, Milford—like many other New England towns—underwent significant suburbanization. Interstate 95 was routed through town and the Milford section was completed in 1958.

The 1960s and '70s witnessed the construction of the Connecticut Post Mall, one of the state's largest shopping malls, and the extensive commercial development of the town's stretch of the Boston Post Road. One notable small business located on the Boston Post Road during the 1970s was SCELBI Computer Consulting, credited by many as being the world's first personal-computer manufacturer. Starting in 1975, the city began hosting the Milford Oyster Festival, which has since become firmly established as an annual Milford tradition that is held "rain or shine."^[2][3]

The city became host to several headquarters of multinational corporations, including the Schick Shaving company,^[4] Doctor's Associates, Inc., owners of the Subway chain of fast-food restaurants. The US operations of BIC were headquartered in Milford, but in March 2008, moved most of its operations to Shelton. Milford Hospital has also developed into an important health care resource for the area.

Government

Government in the city is set up with the mayor as chief executive and the Board of Aldermen as a legislative body. The mayor is permitted to propose legislation to the Board of Aldermen and introduces the city budget, but possesses no veto power over what the Aldermen choose to pass.

Elected positions

See also: List of mayors of Milford, Connecticut

The following is a list of city government positions elected by city residents and the terms thereof:^[5]

• Mayor: The mayor is the city's chief executive and is elected in odd-numbered years. The mayor receives compensation for his or her services.
• Board of Aldermen: The Board of Aldermen consists of 15 members elected in odd-numbered years, three from each of the city's five political districts. Per City Charter requirements, only two of the three aldermen elected from each district may be from one political party to allow for minority representation on the board; voters are permitted to vote for any three aldermen in their district. Members of the Board of Aldermen receive no compensation for their services.
• Board of Education: The Board of Education deals with educational matters in the city and consists of 10 members elected in odd-numbered years, two from each of the city's five political districts. Members receive no compensation for their services.
• Planning & Zoning Board: The Planning & Zoning Board deals with development and land use issues and consists of 10 members, two from each of the city's five political districts. Members serve a four-year term, with one of the two members of each political district up for election during each odd-numbered year's election cycle, ensuring that no more than half of the board is made up of new members at the start of a new session. Members of the Planning & Zoning Board receive no compensation for their services.
• City Clerk: The city clerk is elected in odd-numbered years and receives a compensation for services provided.
• Constables: Seven constables are elected in odd-numbered years, though individual voters are only permitted to vote for any four of their choosing on the ballot. They are compensated on a case-by-case basis.
• Registrars of Voters: Pursuant to Connecticut state law, each town must have a Republican and Democratic registrar of voters to serve as election administrators, though an additional third party registrar is permitted if they receive more votes than either of the major parties' registrar. Registrars in Milford are elected to two-year terms, their election taking place during each even-year state election cycle. Registrars are compensated for their services. Voters may only vote for one choice for registrar.

Emergency services

Fire department

The city of Milford is protected 24/7, 365 by the professional firefighters of the Milford Fire Department. The department operates six fire stations located throughout the city. The MFD responds to approximately 7,500 emergency calls annually and is one of three fire departments in New England to be rated by the ISO as a Class 1 Fire Department.^{[citation needed]}

Police department

The Milford Police Department is lead by Chief Keith L. Mello, a 1981 graduate of the town's police academy.^[6] On May 12, 2011 the Police Officer Standards & Training Council Re-accedited the department's Tier I & II State Accreditation. ^[7]

Principal communities of Milford

Seaside Avenue, 1911 postcard

• Milford center (downtown website)
• Devon (Official Village of Devon Web site)
  • Rivercliff
• Morningside
• Walnut Beach
• Wildermere Beach
• Woodmont borough, Also known as "Woodmont On the Sound" ([2])

Other minor communities and geographic features are: Anchor Beach, Bayview, Bayview Heights, Burwells Beach, Cedar Beach, Ettadore Park, Far View Beach, Forest Heights, Fort Trumbull, Great River, Gulf Beach, Laurel Beach, Lexington Green, Merwin's Beach, Merwin's Point, Milford Lawns, Milford Point, Myrtle Beach, Naugatuck Gardens, Point Lookout, Pond Point Beach, Silver Beach, South of the Green, Wheelers Farms.

Culture

See also: Milford Oyster Festival

2006 Milford Oyster Festival Banner

Every year in August, Milford celebrates its annual Oyster Festival, which serves as a combination of a typical town fair with a culinary celebration of the town's location on historically shellfish-rich Long Island Sound. This festival takes place in and around the Milford Green, near the center of town, as well as in various locations throughout the downtown area, and features a wide variety of events including canoe and kayak races, musical performances, and classic car shows.

The Milford Oyster Festival has drawn large musical acts over the years including Joan Jett, The Marshall Tucker Band, John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, Soul Asylum and many more.

Milford is home to a substantial arts community. The Milford Cultural Center, operated by the Milford Council for the Arts, offers various events throughout the year. The Firehouse Art Gallery was recently opened in Devon. The beach resort quality of the town lives on, with several beaches, Silver Sands State Park, the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point, Charles Island, two golf courses, and numerous other recreational facilities available for residents and tourists.

Economy

Top employers

According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,^[8] the top employers in the city are:

#	Employer	Employees
1	City of Milford, Board of Education	1,251
2	Milford Hospital	850
3	Subway	660
4	Schick	580
5	City of Milford	561
6	Macy’s	336
7	A&A Drywall	271
8	Hasler Neopost	260
9	Alinabal	259
10	ShopRite of Milford	251

Geography and environment

Aerial view of Milford including Charles Island

According to the United States Census Bureau, Milford has a total area of 23.7 square miles (61.5 km²), of which 22.3 square miles (57.7 km²) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.8 km²) (6.15%) is water.

Milford's Devon neighborhood^[9] is located at the mouth of the Housatonic River near Stratford, and features the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center overlooking the estuary.

Islands and coastline

Milford has over 14 miles of shoreline facing Long Island Sound, the most of any town in Connecticut.^[10] A large portion of Milford's shoreline forms the Silver Sands State Park. A newly built mile-long boardwalk was opened in 2011 that connects Silver Sands to Walnut Beach in Devon. Charles Island is also a part of the park and is a protected bird nesting ground. There is a sand bar (called a tombolo since it is perpendicular, not parallel to the coast) accessible during low tide that people can walk on from Silver Sands Beach to Charles Island.

The island is a part of the Hamonasset-Ledyard Moraine and was formed as glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age. The Wisconsin glaciation formed drumlins in Milford: Clark, Burwell, Eels, Bryan and Merwin hills.^[11]

Milford also owns three islands in the Housatonic River: Fowler Island, just to the south of the Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Bridge, Duck Island and Nells Island, both near the mouth of the river.

In addition to Silver Sands State Park, Milford has five public beaches with lifeguard services for its residents - Gulf Beach, Anchor Beach, Hawley Avenue Beach, Walnut Beach, and Middle Beach - as well as seven private beaches.

Transportation

Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 pass through the southern part of Milford. The Wilbur Cross Parkway cuts across the northern part of the city and is connected to I-95 and Route 1 via the Milford Parkway, AKA as the Daniel S. Wasson connector. Named for the first police officer to die in the line of duty in the city of Milford. He was killed on April 12,1987, when he was shot by a motorist he had pulled over. The Metro-North New Haven Line also has a station stop in downtown Milford (Milford station). The Milford Transit District provides in-town service to major attractions. Connections with the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority and Connecticut Transit New Haven are also available.

Demographics

Historical population of Milford [3]
1756	1,633
1774	2,127
1782	2,195
1790	2,098
1800	2,417
1810	2,674
1820	2,785
1830	2,256
1840	2,455
1850	2,465
1860	2,828
1870	3,405
1880	3,347
1890	3,811
1900	3,783
1910	4,366
1920	10,193
1930	12,660
1940	16,439
1950	26,870
1960	41,662
1970	50,858
1980	50,898
1990	49,938
2000	52,212
2002	53,472 (est.)[4]

As of the census^[12] of 2000, there were 52,212 people, 20,138 households, and 13,613 families residing in Milford. The population density was 2,270.7 people per square mile (876.8/km²). There were 21,145 housing units at an average density of 949.0 per square mile (366.4/km²). The racial makeup of Milford was 93.55% White, 1.91% African American, 0.13% Native American, 2.36% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population.

There were 20,138 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04.

In Milford the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median income for a household was $51,167, and the median income for a family was $61,175 (these figures had risen to $71,818 and $85,902 respectively as of a 2007 estimate^[13]). Males had a median income of $48,368 versus $36,770 for females. The per capita income was $28,773. About 2.4% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 28, 2008[14]
Party		Active voters	Inactive voters	Total voters	Percentage
	Democratic	9,421	276	9,697	27.98%
	Republican	7,223	236	7,459	21.52%
	Unaffiliated	16,788	638	17,426	50.28%
	Minor parties	62	6	68	0.20%
Total		33,494	1,156	34,650	100%

On the National Register of Historic Places

• Buckingham House — 61 North St. (added in 1977)
• Eells-Stow House — 34 High St. (added in 1977)
• Hebrew Congregation of Woodmont — 15 and 17 Edgefield Ave. (added in 1995)
• Housatonic River Railroad Bridge — Amtrak right-of-way at Housatonic River (added in 1987)
• Milford Point Hotel — Milford Point Road (added in 1988)
• River Park Historic District — Roughly bounded by Boston Post Road, Cherry St. and Amtrak, and High St. (added in 1986)
• St. Peter's Episcopal Church — 61, 71, 81 River St. (added in 1979)
• Taylor Memorial Library — 5 Broad St. (added in 1979)
• US Post Office-Milford Main — 6 W. River St. (added in 1986)
• Washington Bridge (Connecticut) — Spans the Housatonic River to Stratford. (added in 2004)

Notable residents

• Dylan Bruno, actor.^[15]
• Anne Griffin, actress.^[16]
• Doug Henry, National Champion motocross & snowmobile racer.^[17]
• Simon Lake (1866–1945), inventor and naval engineer.^[18]
• Jonathan Law (1674–1750), colonial era judge, Governor of the Colony of Connecticut between 1741-1750.^[19]
• Brad Lockerman, actor.^[20]
• Joseph Plumb Martin (1760–1850), a Revolutionary War Soldier, was raised by his grandparents in Milford.^[21]
• Abigail Merwin (1759–1786), a Colonial-era wife and mother who alerted the local militia of a raid by British forces arriving from the warship HMS Swan (1767).^[22]
• David Miles (1871–1915), early movie actor & director.^[23]
• Ellen Muth, actress.^[24]
• Erin Pac, 2010 women’s bobsled Olympic bronze medalist^[25]
• Dan Patrick (Pugh), NBC's Football Night in America co-host, senior writer for Sports Illustrated, and former ESPN SportsCenter anchor.^[26]
• Jason Peter, Collegiate All-American defensive tackle (1997) & defensive end for the Carolina Panthers attended Milford Academy.^[27]
• Catherine Pollard (c. 1918 - 2006), first female Scoutmaster in the Boy Scouts of America
• Peter Pond (1739/40?–1807), the first explorer of the Athabasca region of North America in the 1780s & founding member of the North West Company.^[28]
• Peter L. Pond (1933–2000), human rights activist and philanthropist who adopted 16 Cambodian orphans.^[29]
• Charles H. Pond (1781–1861), judge of the New Haven County Court, sheriff of New Haven, Lieutenant Governor & 37th Governor of Connecticut.^[30]
• Christy Carlson Romano, actress.^[31]
• Dan Rusanowsky, NHL radio broadcaster for the San Jose Sharks.^[32]
• Ryan Sartor, actor, director, writer & producer.^[33]
• Al Scaduto (1928–2007), cartoonist They'll Do It Every Time^[34]
• Frank J. Sprague (1857–1934), inventor who helped develop the electric motor, electric railways, and electric elevators.^[35]
• Robert Treat (1624?-1710), colonial era deputy & military officer, Governor of the Colony of Connecticut between 1683-1698.^[36]
• Jonathan Quick, NHL goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings.^[37]
• Heidi Alice Voight, Miss Connecticut 2006.^[38]

Movies filmed in Milford

Movies filmed at least in part in Milford include:^[39]

• The Light That Failed (1916) - Smith's Point was used in a desert battle scene using camels from Barnum's circus in Bridgeport.^[40]
• Man on a Swing (1974)
• Daylight (1996)
• Furious Fish (2005)
• Save the Forest (2005)
• December Plans (2007)
• Righteous Kill (2008)
• Sad Sack Sally (2009)
• A Dance for Grace (2010)
• This Wretched Life (2010)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Juliano, Frank (October 3, 2010). "'Oatmeal lots' gave officials indigestion". Connecticut Post: pp. A1, A12. http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Oatmeal-lots-gave-officials-indigestion-687006.php. Retrieved October 23, 2010. 
2. ^ "Milford Oyster Festival 2010." Daily Postal. August 21, 2010
3. ^ Misur, Susan. "Annual Oyster Festival draws thousands in Milford." New Haven Register. Sunday, August 22, 2010
4. ^ [1]
5. ^ An Act Concerning a Charter for the City of Milford, Articles II-III. City of Milford, Connecticut. Effective November 9, 1959. Revised November 8, 1983.
6. ^ http://www.ci.milford.ct.us/public_documents/FOV1-0001066B/Chief%20Of%20Police
7. ^ http://www.ci.milford.ct.us/Public_Documents/MilfordCT_Police/Public%20Announcements
8. ^ City of Milford CAFR
9. ^ Village of Devon Official Web Site
10. ^ Charles, Eleanor "If You're Thinking of Living In/Milford, Conn.; Long Shoreline and a Wealth of Activities", The New York Times,April 07, 2002, accessed July 3, 2011.
11. ^ Skehan, James W., Roadside Geology of Connecticut and Rhode Island, p 218, Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Co., 2008, ISBN 9780828425471
12. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
13. ^ http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=16000US0947515&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=milford&_cityTown=milford&_state=04000US09&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=
14. ^ "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 28, 2008" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. http://www.sots.ct.gov/sots/lib/sots/electionservices/registration_and_enrollment_stats/2008_registration_and_enrollment_statistics.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-13. 
15. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0116465/
16. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1662443/
17. ^ http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=377
18. ^ http://www.simonlake.com/html/inventor___engineer.html
19. ^ http://www.cslib.org/gov/lawj.htm
20. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0516830/bio
21. ^ http://www.ci.milford.ct.us/Public_Documents/FOV1-0000F6DA/aldermenmeetings/BOAMinutes080607.pdf
22. ^ http://oceanvoyaging.com/SnippetPages/Snippets2009/SnippetsOctober2009.html
23. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0587097/bio
24. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0616091/bio
25. ^ http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/milfordmirror/news/localnews/50528-olympic-bobsledder-from-milford-in-second-place-so-far.html
26. ^ http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/06/10/news/milford/a1_--_man_caves.txt^{[dead link]}
27. ^ Finley, Bill (February 12, 2006). "IN PERSON; When the Cheers Aren't Enough". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B01E1D6143EF931A25751C0A9609C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all. Retrieved May 12, 2010. 
28. ^ http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=2615
29. ^ Mooney, Tom, "Peter Pond's War," Providence Journal, Oct 15, 1989 p. M-06.
30. ^ http://www.cslib.org/gov/
31. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005579/
32. ^ http://sharks.nhl.com/club/page.htm?bcid=29683
33. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2463516/
34. ^ http://www.edwardsanddowdle.com/_mgxroot/page_10780.php?id=483319
35. ^ http://www.theelevatormuseum.org/e/e-1.htm
36. ^ http://www.cslib.org/gov/treatr.htm
37. ^ http://kings.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8471734#&navid=lak-keymatch
38. ^ http://www.miap.us/media.htm
39. ^ Internet Movie DataBase Web site's page for Milford, Connecticut
40. ^ Dooling, Michael C. Milford Lost & Found, The Carrollton Press, 2009

External links

Connecticut portal

Laurel Beach, 1910

• City of Milford
• Woodmont Civic & Recreation Association
• Village of Devon
• Milford, Connecticut at the Open Directory Project
• History of Milford, CT
• Milford Living Magazine
• 1646 Map of Milford, CT
• Downtown Milford Business Association
• MilfordRadio.com

Coordinates: 41°13′34″N 73°03′45″W / 41.22623°N 73.06263°W / 41.22623; -73.06263