Thompson, Connecticut

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Thompson, Connecticut
settlement_type = Town


imagesize =
image_caption =


mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Connecticut
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = 1785
subdivision_type2 =
subdivision_name2 =
government_type = Selectman-town meeting


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = NECTA
subdivision_name = Worcester MA
subdivision_type1 = Region
subdivision_name1 = Northeastern Connecticut
leader_title = First selectman
leader_name = Larry Groh, Jr. [ [http://www.thompsonct.org/Government/gov_1.html Government - Town Officials ] ]
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 126.1
area_land_km2 = 121.6
area_water_km2 = 4.4
area_total_sq_mi = 48.7
population_as_of = 2005
population_total = 9345
population_density_km2 = 77
population_density_sq_mi = 199
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
area_land_sq_mi = 46.9
area_water_sq_mi = 1.7
elevation_m = 143
elevation_ft = 469
latd = 41 |latm = 59 |lats = 04 |latNS = N
longd = 71 |longm = 52 |longs = 40 |longEW = W
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 06255, 06262, 06277
website = http://www.thompsonct.org/
area_code = 860
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 09-75870
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0213516
footnotes =

Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,878 at the 2000 census. The 10 villages of Thompson include: East Thompson, Wilsonville, Fabyan, Quinebaug, Quaddick, Mechanicsville, Grosvenordale, North Grosvenordale, Thompson Hill, and West Thompson. Thompson is located in the northeastern corner of the state and is bordered on the north by Webster, Massachusetts, on the east by Douglas, Massachusetts and Burrillville, Rhode Island and on the south by Putnam.

Thompson has the highest-banked race track (Thompson International Speedway, a 5/8 mile oval) in New England. This speedway holds one of the biggest race programs in New England, "The World Series of Auto Racing", where 14 divisions and about 600 cars show up each fall. Another claim to fame is that the Tri-State Marker is located just on the border of Thompson. The term "Swamp Yankee" is thought to have originated in Thompson during the American Revolution in 1776.

Thompson is also known as the site of the Great East Thompson Train Wreck in 1891, one of the worst train wrecks in American history and the only one to involve four trains.

Ossian Everett Mills, founder of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity, is buried in a small family plot in Thompson.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 48.7 square miles (126.0 km²), of which, 46.9 square miles (121.6 km²) of it is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²) of it (3.51%) is water. It is also home to the wilsonville Fault.

Demographics

of any race were 0.75% of the population.

There were 3,482 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $46,065, and the median income for a family was $53,088. Males had a median income of $38,949 versus $26,504 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,003. About 2.8% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

* [http://www.thompsonct.org/ Town government Web site]
* [http://www.tourism.state.ct.us/tourism_regions/default.asp?region=mysticcountry Mystic Country: The Eastern Regional Tourism District]