Pomfret is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

in Windham County,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The population was 4,266 in 2020 according to the

2020 United States Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

. The land was purchased from Native Americans in 1686 (the "Mashmuket Purchase" or "Mashamoquet Purchase") and the town was incorporated in 1713 and named after

Pontefract Pontefract is a historic market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the towns in the City of Wake ...

in West Yorkshire, England.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (0.64%) is water. Pomfret is bordered on the north by

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...

, on the east by Putnam and

Killingly Killingly is a New England town, town in Windham County, Connecticut, Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 17,752 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It consists of the borough of Danielson, Connecticut, Dani ...

, on the west by Eastford, and on the south by

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

and

Hampton Hampton may refer to: Places Australia *Hampton bioregion, an IBRA biogeographic region in Western Australia *Hampton, New South Wales *Hampton, Queensland, a town in the Toowoomba Region * Hampton, Victoria Canada * Hampton, New Brunswick *Ha ...

Villages

Pomfret includes several villages, neighborhoods, or sections: * Abington * Elliotts * Pomfret * Pomfret Center * Pomfret Landing

Other geographic features

The principal roads through the town are

U.S. Route 44 U.S. Route 44 (US 44) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that runs for through four states in the Northeastern United States. The western terminus is at US 209 and New York State Route 55 (NY 55) in Kerhonkson, ...

(running east–west) and Routes 169 (running north–south), and 101 (running east–west). Mashamoquet State Park and Wolf Den State Park are both located in Pomfret, near the intersection of US 44 and CT 101. Wolf Den State Park is the alleged site of General

Israel Putnam Israel Putnam (January 7, 1718 – May 29, 1790), popularly known as "Old Put", was an American military officer and landowner who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). He als ...

's slaying of the last wolf in Connecticut. Rocky paths connect join the small cave which is the actual wolf den with a glacially positioned boulder called the Indian Chair. Camping and cook-out facilities are available for a nominal fee. The Air Line Trail, a former railroad bed, joins the town of Pomfret with its neighbor to the east, Putnam. The Airline Trail runs seven miles (11 km), much of it through an

Audubon Society The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organ ...

property named the Bafflin Sanctuary, a nature preserve. Pomfret has no formal town center due to the town's significant southward expansion after its establishment, first around

Mortlake Mortlake is a suburban district of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes. Historically it was part of Surrey and until 1965 was in the Municipal Borough of Barnes. For many centu ...

, later absorbing that town. The town office is located on US Route 44. The Congregational Church, until its destruction by fire on December 7, 2013, stood on the eastern edge of the old town green on Pomfret Hill, across from the

Pomfret School Pomfret School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory boarding and day school in Pomfret, Connecticut, United States, serving 350 students in grades 9 through 12 and post-graduates. Located in the Pomfret Street Historic District, t ...

, a college preparatory school founded in 1894. About a mile north of the

Congregational Church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

site is Christ Episcopal Church, which contains several windows designed and constructed by

Louis Comfort Tiffany Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January 17, 1933) was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is the American artist most associated with the Art NouveauL ...

. Across from Christ Church on the west side of Route 44 is the Rectory School, founded in 1920. At the divergence point of US 44 and CT 169 is Most Holy Trinity

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. Town House Road is the location of the historic Pomfret Town House, built in 1841 at a location chosen by a committee of Selectmen from neighboring towns when Pomfret citizens could not agree on a location; it is listed on the National Register. Pomfret First Church was established in today's Pomfret Hill area; Pomfret Second Church covered what is largely today's Town of Brooklyn; while Pomfret Third Church was established in today's Abington area.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 4,247 people, 1,582 households, and 1,123 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,684 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.6%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.1% Native American, 1.6%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.3% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 1.9% of the population. Of the 1,582 households: 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% 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 3.05. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 32.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $82,661, and the median income for a family was $96,641. Males had a median income of $54,042 versus $45,526 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $39,712. About 3.8% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Major firms in Pomfret include: * Loos & Co.

Education

Pomfret residents are zoned to the Pomfret Community School for grades Kindergarten through 8. Pomfret students are eligible to attend

Woodstock Academy Woodstock Academy (WA), founded in 1801, is a high school located in Woodstock, Connecticut, United States. The Academy, which describes itself as an independent school, serves residents from the Connecticut towns of Brooklyn, Canterbury, Eastfo ...

, which became Pomfret's zoned high school in 1987 Two private schools, the

and the

Rectory School The Rectory School is an independent, coeducational, junior boarding (5–9) and day school (K–9) in Pomfret, Connecticut. The school was founded by the Rev. Frank H. Bigelow in 1920. It has expanded to , 26 buildings, 250 students, and 65 facu ...

, are also located in Pomfret.

Historic sites

A portion of the town, along Pomfret Street, is listed as a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

on the U.S.

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. The

Pomfret Street Historic District The Pomfret Street Historic District is a historic district roughly along Pomfret Street ( Route 169), from Bradley Road to Woodstock Road in Pomfret, Connecticut, United States. The district represents the core of the village of Pomfret Center. ...

comprises properties along Route 169, from Bradley Road to Woodstock Road. The district was added to the National Register in 1998. Other properties listed on the National Register in the town are: *

Brayton Grist Mill Brayton Grist Mill is an historic grist mill along Mashamoquet Brook, at the entrance to Mashamoquet Brook State Park off United States Route 44 in Pomfret, Connecticut. Built about 1890, it is one of the best-preserved 19th-century rural grist m ...

– US 44 (added 1986) * Gwyn Careg US 44 (added 1994) *

Israel Putnam Wolf Den Israel Putnam Wolf Den is a historic site off Wolf Den Road in Pomfret, Connecticut. At this location in 1742, Israel Putnam shot and killed Connecticut's last known wolf. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Le ...

– Off Wolf Den Road (added 1985) * Pomfret Town House – Town House Road (added 1989)

Notable people

Jim Calhoun James A. Calhoun (born May 10, 1942) is a longtime college basketball coach. He is best known for his tenure as head coach of the University of Connecticut (UConn) men's basketball team. His teams won three NCAA national championships ( 1999, ...

(born 1942), former head coach of the University of Connecticut's men's basketball team, lives in the town *

Effingham Capron Effingham Lawrence Capron (17911859), a Quaker, was a mill owner, and nationally recognized leader of the anti-slavery movement prior to the American Civil War, Civil War. He was known especially in the Northeast United States for his anti-slavery ...

(1791–1859), born in Pomfret, anti-slavery champion at

Uxbridge, MA Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts first colonized in 1662 and incorporated in 1727. It was originally part of the town of Mendon, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. The town is located southwest of Boston and south-southea ...

, state and national anti-slavery leader *

John Capron John Willard Capron (February 14, 1797, at Uxbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts – December 25, 1878, at Uxbridge) was an American military officer in the infantry, state legislator, and textile manufacturer. Famous for being a military unif ...

(1756–1834), "clothier" at Pomfret, built first woolen power looms at

Augustus Sabin Chase Augustus Sabin Chase (August 15, 1828—June 7, 1896) was an American industrialist of the Gilded Age. Augustus Sabin Chase was born in Pomfret, Connecticut, the only son of Capt. Seth Chase (1798-1893) and Eliza Hempstead (Dodge) Chase, who also ...

(1827–1896), industrialist of Waterbury, Connecticut *

Rivers Cuomo Rivers Cuomo ( ; born June 13, 1970) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, guitarist, pianist, and songwriter of the rock band Weezer. Cuomo was raised in a number of Buddhist communities in the Northeast U.S. until the age of 10, wh ...

(born 1970), member of American rock band

Weezer Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Shriner (bass guitar, keyboards, backing v ...

, lived in the town *

Ernest Flagg Ernest Flagg (February 6, 1857 – April 10, 1947) was an American architect in the Beaux-Arts style. He was also an advocate for urban reform and architecture's social responsibility. Early life and education Flagg was born in Brooklyn, New ...

(1857–1947), designer of the

Singer Building The Singer Building (also known as the Singer Tower) was an office building and early skyscraper in Manhattan, New York City. The headquarters of the Singer Manufacturing Company, it was at the northwestern corner of Liberty Street and Broadw ...

designed the main buildings of the

Campus *

Lemuel Goodell Lemuel Goodell (November 27, 1800April 9, 1897) was a farmer and politician in Michigan and Wisconsin who also worked as a teacher, restaurateur and law enforcement officer. Background Goodell was born on November 27, 1800, in Pomfret, Connecticu ...

(1800–1897), Wisconsin politician * Nathan Goodell (1798–1883), Mayor of

Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The county seat of Brown County, it is at the head of Green Bay (known locally as "the bay of Green Bay"), a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It is above sea lev ...

Roswell Eaton Goodell Roswell Eaton Goodell (October 21, 1825 – October 9, 1903) was a politician and businessman who served in several political positions. Among the government positions Goodell held was Sheriff of LaSalle County, Illinois, Secertary of the Illin ...

(1825–1903), politician and businessman *

Bertram Goodhue Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue (April 28, 1869 – April 23, 1924) was an American architect celebrated for his work in Gothic Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival design. He also designed notable typefaces, including Cheltenham and Merrymount for t ...

(1869–1924), an architect renowned for his work in the neo-Gothic style and the designer of notable typefaces, was born in town *

Robert Hillyer Robert Silliman Hillyer (June 3, 1895 – December 24, 1961) was an American poet and professor of English literature. He won a Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1934. Early life Hillyer was born in East Orange, New Jersey to an old Connecticut fa ...

(1895–1961), poet, novelist, and critic, lived in the town * Asa Lyon (1763–1841) a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from Vermont was born in town *

Louise Chandler Moulton Louise Chandler Moulton (April 10, 1835 - August 10, 1908) was an American poet, story-writer and critic. Contributing poems and stories of power and grace to the leading magazines, '' Harper's Magazine'', ''The Atlantic'', '' The Galaxy'', the ...

(1835–1908), poet, story-writer, and critic, was born in town *

(1718–1790), a major general serving George Washington, lived in the town *

Swami Satchidananda Satchidananda Saraswati (; 22 December 1914 – 19 August 2002), born C. K. Ramaswamy Gounder and usually known as Swami Satchidananda, was an Indian yoga guru and religious teacher, who gained fame and following in the West. He founded his own ...

(1914–2002), Indian religious figure, lived in the town *

Solomon Spalding Solomon Spalding (February 20, 1761 – October 20, 1816) was an American author who wrote two related texts: an unfinished manuscript entitled ''Manuscript Story – Conneaut Creek'', and an unpublished historical romance about the lost civilizati ...

(1761–1816), is believed to have authored the Manuscript Story while staying at the Post Road Tavern in the town * Warren L. Wheaton (1812–1903) philanthropist and co-founder and namesake of Wheaton College and

Wheaton, Illinois Wheaton is a suburban city in Milton and Winfield Townships and is the county seat of DuPage County, Illinois. It is located approximately west of Chicago. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 52,894, which was estimated ...

, was born in Pomfret *

James Abbott McNeill Whistler James Abbott McNeill Whistler (; July 10, 1834July 17, 1903) was an American painter active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom. He eschewed sentimentality and moral allusion in painting and was a leading pr ...

(1834–1903), a painter and printmaker, lived in the town *

Renée Zellweger Renée Kathleen Zellweger (; born April 25, 1969) is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards, she was one of the world's highest-paid ...

(born 1969),

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-winning actress, owned a home in the town

References

External links

Town government Web site
{{authority control Towns in Windham County, Connecticut Towns in Connecticut 1713 establishments in Connecticut Populated places established in 1713