Lyme, Connecticut

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Lyme, Connecticut
settlement_type = Town


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mapsize =
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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location in Connecticut
subdivision_type = NECTA
subdivision_name = Norwich-New London
subdivision_type1 = Region
subdivision_name1 = Connecticut River Estuary
established_title = Named
established_date = 1667
subdivision_type2 =
subdivision_name2 =
government_type = Selectman-town meeting
leader_title = First selectman
leader_name = William T. Koch, Jr.
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 89.4
area_land_km2 = 82.5
area_water_km2 = 6.8
area_total_sq_mi = 34.5
population_as_of = 2005
population_total = 2099
population_footnotes = [ [http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/files/SUB-EST2005_9.csv U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates] ]
population_density_km2 = 25
population_density_sq_mi = 66
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
area_land_sq_mi = 31.9
area_water_sq_mi = 2.6
elevation_m = 8
elevation_ft = 26
latd = 41 |latm = 23 |lats = 51 |latNS = N
longd = 72 |longm = 20 |longs = 48 |longEW = W
region =
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 06371 (Old Lyme)
website = http://www.twnlyme.org/
area_code = 860
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 09-44210
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0213453
footnotes =

Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,016 at the 2000 census. Lyme and its neighboring town Old Lyme are the namesake for Lyme disease.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.5 square miles (89.3 km²), of which, 31.9 square miles (82.5 km²) of it is land and 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²) of it (7.63%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,016 people, 854 households, and 613 families residing in the town. The population density was 63.3 people per square mile (24.4/km²). There were 989 housing units at an average density of 31.0/sq mi (12.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.02% White, 0.05% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.05% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.

There were 854 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.76.

In the town the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 3.1% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 34.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $73,250, and the median income for a family was $82,853. Males had a median income of $56,188 versus $44,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $43,347. None of the families and 1.2% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

On the National Register of Historic Places

* Cooper Site (added November 15, 1987)
* Hamburg Bridge Historic District — Joshuatown Road and Old Hamburg Road (added April 10, 1983)
* Hamburg Cove Site (added November 15, 1987)
* Lord Cove Site (added November 15, 1987)
* Selden Island Site (added November 15, 1987)

Notable people, past and present

It should be noted that some of the earlier notables were residents of the portion of the town that later became Old Lyme. [Burton, K. "Old Lyme, Lyme, and Hadlyme." Arcadia Publishing,Charleston, SC, 2003 pp. 7-8..]
*Robert Ballard (1942- ), resident, Oceanographer who is famous for finding the wrecks of the RMS Titanic,and the battleship Bismarck.
*Joan Bennett (1910-1990), a film and television actress, was buried in Pleasant View Cemetery in town after her death in Scarsdale, New York.
*Zebulon Brockway (1827-1920) a penologist some have called the "Father of prison reform" in the United States, was born in town.
*Matthew Griswold (1714-1799) governor of the state (1784-1786), was born in Lyme.
*Harry Holtzman (1912-1987), an abstract artist who lived in town
*Jonathan Parsons (1705-1776), prominent "New Light" clergyman who was influenced by Jonathan Edwards when Edwards taught him at Yale. When prominent Evangelical George Whitfield died, it was when visiting Parsons' church in Massachusetts. He married the sister of Matthew Griswold and is the father of Samuel Holden Parsons.
*Samuel Holden Parsons (1737-1789), active Patriot before and during the American Revolution and brigidier general in the Continental Army, was born in town.
*Jedediah Peck (1748–1821), called the "Father of the Common School System" of the State of New York.
*Ansel Sterling (1782 - 1853), a United States Representative from Connecticut.
*Morrison Remick Waite (1816–1888) a chief justice of the United States (1874-1888) was born in town.

References

External links

* [http://www.twnlyme.org/ Town government Web site]
* [http://www.region18.org/ Lyme-Old Lyme Public Schools Web site (Regional District 18)]
* [http://www.tourism.state.ct.us/tourism_regions/default.asp?region=mysticcountry Mystic Country: The Eastern Regional Tourism District]
* [http://www.eightmileriver.org/index.htm Eightmile River Study Committee Web site]