Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2022 was 87,642. It is the seventh largest city in Connecticut. Danbury is nicknamed the "Hat City" because it was the center of the American hat industry for a period in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The mineral danburite is named for Danbury while the city itself is named for Danbury in Essex, England. Danbury is home to Danbury Hospital, Western Connecticut State University,

Danbury Fair Mall Danbury Fair (also referred to as Danbury Fair Mall) is an upscale shopping mall located in Danbury, Connecticut. As of 2011, it is the second largest shopping mall in Connecticut, as well as the fifth largest in New England. It is located off of I ...

and Danbury Municipal Airport. In November 2015, '' USA Today'' ranked Danbury as the second best city to live in the United States. In April 2021, '' WalletHub'' ranked Danbury as the 10th most diverse city in the United States, the most diverse city in New England, and the third most diverse city in the New York metropolitan area (behind

Jersey City Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.New York City). The ranking considers socioeconomic, cultural, economic, household, and religious diversity.

History

Danbury was settled by colonists in 1685, when eight families moved from what are now Norwalk and

Stamford, Connecticut Stamford () is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut, outside of Manhattan. It is Connecticut's second-most populous city, behind Bridgeport. With a population of 135,470, Stamford passed Hartford and New Haven in population as of the 2020 ...

. The Danbury area was then called ''Pahquioque'' by its namesake, the Algonquian-speaking Pahquioque Native Americans (they are believed to have been a band of the

Paugusset The Golden Hill Paugussett is a state-recognized Native American tribe in Connecticut. Granted reservations in a number of towns in the 17th century, their land base was whittled away until they were forced to reacquire a small amount of territor ...

people), who occupied lands along the Still River. Bands were often identified by such geographic designation but they were associated with the larger nation by culture and language). One of the original settlers in Danbury was Samuel Benedict, who bought land from the Paquioque in 1685, along with his brother James Benedict, James Beebe, and Judah Gregory. This area was also called Paquiack ("open plain" or "cleared land") by the Paquioque. In recognition of the wetlands, the settlers chose the name Swampfield for their town. In October 1687, the general court decreed the name Danbury. The general court appointed a committee to lay out the new town's boundaries. A survey was made in 1693, and a formal town patent was granted in 1702. During the Revolutionary War, Danbury was an important military supply depot for the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

Sybil Ludington Sybil (or Sibbell) Ludington (April 5, 1761 – February 26, 1839) is recognized as a heroine of the American Revolutionary War; the accuracy of these accounts is questioned by modern scholars. On April 26, 1777, the 16-year-old daughter of a c ...

, 16-year-old daughter of American Colonel Henry Ludington, is said to have made a 40-mile ride in the early hours of the night on April 26, 1777, to warn the people of Danbury and her father's forces in Putnam County, New York, of the approach of British regulars, helping them muster in defense; these accounts, originating from the Ludington family, are questioned by modern scholars.Paula D. Hunt, "Sybil Ludington, the Female Paul Revere: The Making of a Revolutionary War Heroine." ''New England Quarterly'' (2015) 88#2, pp. 187–222, quote p 18
online
/ref> During the following day on April 26, 1777, the British, under Major General William Tryon, burned and sacked Danbury, but fatalities were limited due to Ludington's warning. The central motto on the seal of the City of Danbury is ''Restituimus'', ( Latin for "We have restored"), a reference to the destruction caused by the Loyalist army troops. The American General David Wooster was mortally wounded at the Battle of Ridgefield by the British forces which had raided Danbury, but at the beginning of the battle, the Americans succeeded in driving the British forces down to Long Island Sound.Sybil Ludington: a Revolutionary Hero
traverseforwomen.com; accessed February 23, 2015. Wooster is buried in Danbury's Wooster Cemetery; the private

Wooster School Wooster School is a private, co-educational, college-preparatory school (grades 5 through 12) in Danbury, Connecticut. It is a member of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools. Overview The Wooster School motto is ''Ex Quoque Potestate ...

in Danbury also was named in his honor. In 1802, President Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, a group expressing fear of persecution by the

Congregationalists 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 ...

of that town, in which he used the expression " Separation of Church and State". It is the first known instance of the expression in American legal or political writing. The letter is on display at the

Unitarian-Universalist Unitarian Universalism (UU) is a liberal religion characterized by a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning of life, meaning". Unitarian Universalists assert no creed, but instead are unified by their shared search for spiritual grow ...

Congregation of Danbury. The first

Danbury Fair The Danbury Fair (also known as The Great Danbury State Fair) was a yearly exhibition in Danbury, Connecticut. It was begun in 1821 as an agricultural fair, but did not have a regular schedule until 1869 when hat manufacturers Rundle and White ...

was held in 1821. In 1869, it became a yearly event; the last edition was in 1981. The fairgrounds were cleared to make room for the

, which opened in autumn 1986. TerribleDisasterAtDanburyHarpers1869

In 1835, the Connecticut Legislature granted a rail charter to the

Fairfield County Railroad The Danbury and Norwalk Railroad, chartered in 1835 as the Fairfield County Railroad, was an independent American railroad that operated between the cities of Danbury and Norwalk, Connecticut from 1852 until its absorption by the Housatonic Rai ...

, but construction was delayed because of lack of investment. In 1850, the organization's plans were scaled back, and renamed the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad. Work moved quickly on the railroad line. In 1852, the first railroad line in Danbury opened, with two trains making the 75-minute trip to Norwalk. The central part of Danbury was incorporated as a borough in 1822. The borough was reincorporated as the city of Danbury on April 19, 1889. The city and town were consolidated on January 1, 1965. The first dam to be built on the river, to collect water for the hat industry, impounded the

Kohanza Reservoir The Kohanza Reservoir was a reservoir in Danbury, Connecticut. Construction was completed in 1866. It was the first of many reservoirs built to supply Danbury's hat factories. The dam broke on January 31, 1869. The ensuing flood of ice and water ...

. This dam broke on January 31, 1869, under pressure of ice and water. The ensuing flood of icy water killed 11 people within 30 minutes, and caused major damage to homes and farms. As a busy city, Danbury attracted traveling shows and tours, including

Buffalo Bill William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), known as "Buffalo Bill", was an American soldier, Bison hunting, bison hunter, and showman. He was born in Le Claire, Iowa, Le Claire, Iowa Territory (now the U.S. state of Iowa), but ...

's Wild West Show in 1900. It featured young men of the Oglala Sioux nation, who re-enacted events from frontier history. Oglala Sioux Albert Afraid of Hawk died on June 29, 1900, at age 21 in Danbury during the tour. He was buried at

Wooster Cemetery Wooster may refer to: Places India * Wooster Nagar, a small fishing village in the state of Tamil Nadu United States * Wooster, Arkansas, a town in Faulkner County * Wooster, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Wooster, Kosciusko Count ...

. In 2012, employee Robert Young discovered Afraid of Hawk's remains. The city consulted with Oglala Sioux leaders of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and arranged repatriation of the remains to the nation. This meeting occurred in the Health Sciences Library of Danbury Hospital with assistance of the Chaplain. Wrapped in a bison skin, the remains were transported to Manderson, South Dakota, to Saint Mark's Episcopal Cemetery, for reburial by tribal descendants. In 1928 local plane pilots bought a tract near the Fairgrounds, known as Tucker's Field, and leased it to the town. This was developed as an airport, which is now Danbury Municipal Airport . Connecticut's largest lake,

Candlewood Lake Candlewood Lake is a manmade lake located in Fairfield and Litchfield counties of Western Connecticut, in the northeastern United States. At , it is the largest lake in Connecticut and the largest lake within a 60 mile radius of New York City. ...

(of which the extreme southern part is in Danbury), was created as a

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

power facility in 1928 by building a dam where Wood Creek and the Rocky River meet near the

Housatonic River The Housatonic River ( ) is a river, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United S ...

in New Milford. During World War II, Danbury's

federal prison A federal prison is operated under the jurisdiction of a federal government as opposed to a state or provincial body. Federal prisons are used for convicts who violated federal law (U.S., Mexico), inmates considered dangerous (Brazil), or those s ...

was one of many sites used for the incarceration of

conscientious objector A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to object ...

s. One in six inmates in the United States' federal prisons was a conscientious objector, and prisons like Danbury found themselves suddenly filled with large numbers of highly educated men skilled in social activism. Due to the activism of inmates within the prison, and local laborers protesting in solidarity with the conscientious objectors, Danbury became one of the nation's first prisons to desegregate its inmates. On August 18–19, 1955, the Still River, which normally meandered slowly through downtown Danbury, overflowed its banks when Hurricane Diane hit the area, dropping six inches of rain on the city. This was in addition to the nine inches that fell from Hurricane Connie five days earlier. The water flooded stores, factories and homes along the river from North Street to Beaver Brook, causing $3 million in damages. Stores downtown on White Street between Main and Maple were especially hard hit. On October 13–16, another 12 inches of rain fell on Danbury, causing the worst flooding in the city's history. This time, the river damaged all bridges across it, effectively cutting the city in half for several days. Flooding was more widespread than in August, and the same downtown areas hit in August were devastated once again. The resulting damage was valued at $6 million, and two people lost their lives. The City determined the river in the downtown area had to be tamed. $4.5 million in federal and state funding were acquired as part of a greater urban renewal project to straighten, deepen, widen, and enclose the river in a concrete channel through the downtown. At the same time, roads were relocated and rebuilt, 123 major buildings were razed and 104 families were relocated. This began various efforts by the City through 1975 towards urban renewal, using another $22 million of federal funding. However, these efforts failed to reinvigorate the central business district. On February 13, 1970, brothers James and John Pardue detonated time bombs (injuring 26 people) at the police station,

Union Savings Bank Union Savings Bank, is a full-service Community bank and wealth management institution serving customers in Western Connecticut. The bank is headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United S ...

and in their getaway car to cover their escape from robbing the bank at gunpoint, the culmination of a two-year crime spree that included four bank robberies and five murders. The flawed primary mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope was ground and polished in Danbury by Perkin-Elmer's Danbury Optical System unit from 1979 to 1981. It was mistakenly ground to the wrong shape due to the use of a miscalibrated testing device. The mistake was not discovered until after the telescope was in orbit and began to be used. The effects of the flaw were corrected during the telescope's first servicing mission in 1993. In the August 1988 issue of ''Money'' magazine, Danbury topped the magazine's list of the best U.S. cities to live in, mostly due to low crime, good schools, and location. PostcardCentralBizSectDanburyCT1907

A case that would make national headlines and play out for over four years began on September 19, 2006, when eleven day laborers, who came to be known as the "Danbury 11", were arrested in Danbury. A sting operation had been set up where day laborers were lured into a van whose driver, a disguised Danbury police officer posing as a contractor, promised them work. The laborers were driven to a parking lot where, if it was determined they were in the US illegally, were arrested by agents of ICE and the Danbury police. Yale University law students represented the men pro bono and filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city on their behalf. On March 8, 2011, it was confirmed a settlement had been reached in the case whereby Danbury agreed to pay the laborers $400,000 (Danbury's insurance carrier paid the settlement plus legal fees of close to $1,000,000, less a $100,000 deductible). The federal government agreed to pay them $250,000. As part of the settlement, the City did not admit any wrongdoing and there were no changes in the city's policies or procedures.

Hatmaking in Danbury

In 1780, what is traditionally considered to be the first hat shop in Danbury was established by

Zadoc Benedict Zadoc Benedict was a hat manufacturer who established the first hat factory on Main Street in Danbury, Connecticut in 1780. It had 3 employees, and made 18 hats weekly. Legend holds that Benedict plugged a hole in his shoe with rabbit fur, and fou ...

. (

Hatmaking Hat-making or millinery is the design, manufacture and sale of hats and other headwear. A person engaged in this trade is called a milliner or hatter. Historically, milliners, typically women shopkeepers, produced or imported an inventory of g ...

had existed in Danbury before the Revolution.) The Benedict shop had three employees, and they made 18 hats weekly. By 1800, Danbury was producing 20,000 hats annually, more than any other city in the U.S. Due to the fur felt hat coming back into style for men and increasing mechanization in the 1850s, by 1859 hat production in Danbury had risen to 1.5 million annually. By 1887, thirty factories were producing 5 million hats per year. Around this time, fur processing was separated from hat manufacturing when the

P. Robinson Fur Cutting Company The P. Robinson Fur Cutting Company is a historic industrial building on Oil Mill Road in Danbury, Connecticut. Also known as the Oil Mill Road building, it is a large multi-section -story brick structure set on the banks of the Still River. Bui ...

(1884) on Oil Mill Road and the White Brothers' factory began operation. By 1880, workers had unionized, beginning decades of labor unrest. They struggled to achieve conditions that were more fair, going on strike; with management reacting with lockouts. Because of the scale of the industry, labor unrest and struggles over wages affected the economy of the entire town. In 1893, nineteen manufacturers locked out 4000 union hatters. In 1902, the

American Federation of Labor The American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States that continues today as the AFL-CIO. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions eager to provide mutu ...

union called for a nationwide boycott of Dietrich Loewe, a Danbury non-union hat manufacturer. The manufacturer sued the union under the Sherman Antitrust Act for unlawfully restraining trade. In the 1908

Danbury Hatters' Case ''Loewe v. Lawlor'', 208 U.S. 274 (1908), also referred to as the Danbury Hatters' Case, is a United States Supreme Court case in United States labor law concerning the application of antitrust laws to labor unions. The Court's decision effectivel ...

the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the union was liable for damages. In the 1930s and 1940s, there were a number of violent incidents during several strikes, mostly involving scab workers brought in as strikebreakers. Beginning in 1892, the industry was revolutionized when the large hat factories began to shift to manufacturing unfinished hat bodies only, and supplying them to smaller hat shops for finishing. While Danbury produced 24% of America's hats in 1904, the city supplied the industry with 75% of its hat bodies. The turn of the century was the heyday of the hatting industry in Danbury, when it became known as the "Hat City" and the "Hatting Capitol of the World". Its motto was "Danbury Crowns Them All".

Mercury poisoning

The use of

mercuric nitrate Mercury(II) nitrate is an inorganic compound with the formula Hg(NO3)2.xH2O. These colorless or white Solubility, soluble crystalline Salt (chemistry), salts are occasionally used as a reagent. It is made by treating mercury (element), mercury w ...

in the felting process poisoned many workers in the hat factories, creating a condition called erethism, also called "mad hatter disease." The condition, known locally as the "Danbury shakes", was characterized by slurred speech, tremors, stumbling, and, in extreme cases, hallucinations. The effect of mercury on the workers' health was first noted in the late 19th century. While workers in the Danbury factories lobbied for controls on mercury in the early 20th century, a government study on the health effects of mercury was not conducted until 1937. The State of Connecticut announced a ban on mercury in hatmaking in 1941. While Danbury hat factories stopped using mercury in the 1940s, the mercury waste has remained in the Still River and adjacent soils, and has been detected at high levels in the 21st century.

Industry decline

By the 1920s, the hat industry was in decline. By 1923, only six manufacturers were left in Danbury, which increased the pressure on workers. After World War II, returning GIs went hatless, a trend that accelerated through the 1950s, dooming the city's hat industry. The city's last major hat factory, owned by

Stetson Stetson is a brand of hat manufactured by the John B. Stetson Company. "Stetson" is also used as a generic trademark to refer to any campaign hat, in particular, in Scouting. John B. Stetson gained inspiration for his most famous hats when he ...

, closed in 1964. The last hat was made in Danbury in 1987 when a small factory owned by Stetson closed.

Historic pictures

File:PostcardMainStFromWhiteStDanburyCT1907.jpg, Main Street looking east from White Street, 1907 File:PostcardDanburyCTNatlHatFactry1912.jpg, National Hat Factory, about 1912 File:PostcardDanburyCTViewOfTheHatFactory1911.jpg, View of a hat factory, 1911 File:Danbury CT.png, Danbury station, File:Revolutionary Sycamore, Danbury, CT - July 14, 2012.jpg, Revolutionary Sycamore

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Danbury has a total area of , of which is land and , or 4.94%, is water. The city is located in the foothills of the

Berkshire Mountains The Berkshires () are a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and northwest Connecticut. The term "Berkshires" is normally used by locals in reference to the portion of the Vermont-based Green Mountains that ex ...

on low-lying land just south of

(the City includes the southern parts of the lake). It developed along the Still River, which flows generally from west to east through the city before joining the

. The city's terrain includes rolling hills and not-very-tall mountains to the west and northwest called the Western Highland. Ground elevations in the city range from 378 feet to 1,050 feet above sea level. A geologic fault known as Cameron's Line runs through Danbury.

Neighboring towns

Pollution

The hatmaking fur-removal process was based on the use of mercury nitrate. The waste caused serious water pollution as the hat manufacturers dumped it into the Still River throughout the late 19th century and into the 1940s. This toxic product flowed into the

and

Long Island Sound Long Island Sound is a marine sound and tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies predominantly between the U.S. state of Connecticut to the north and Long Island in New York to the south. From west to east, the sound stretches from the Eas ...

, affecting water quality and various fish and other organisms. Field studies conducted in the Still River basin in the 21st century have detected the continuing presence of high levels of mercury in the river sediments and nearby soils.

Climate

Danbury has a humid continental climate ( Köppen ''Dfa''), with four distinct seasons, resembling Hartford more than coastal Connecticut or New York City. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are cold with significant snowfall. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from in January to in July; on average, temperatures reaching occur on 18 and 3.1 days of the year, respectively. The average annual precipitation is approximately , which is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year; snow averages per season, although this total may vary considerably from year to year. Extremes in temperature range from on July 22, 1926, and July 15, 1995 (the highest temperature recorded in Connecticut) down to on February 9, 1934.

Demographics

It's estimated that the population of Danbury as of 2015 is 84,657. As of the 2010 census, there were 80,893 people and 29,046 households in the city, with 2.73 persons per household. 44.1% of the population spoke a language other than English at home. The population density was 1,921.4 people per square mile. There were 31,154 housing units at an average density of 740.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 68.2% White, 25.0% Hispanic or Latino (of any race), 7.2% African American, 0.40% Native American, 6.8% Asian, less than 0.10% Pacific Islander, 7.6% from other races, and 4.5% from two or more races. 32% of the population was foreign born. Of particular note is a sizeable population of residents of Portuguese and Brazilian heritage. They are served by locally based Portuguese-language print and broadcast media. 6.7% of the population was under the age of 5, and 21.1% was under the age of 18. 11.1% of the population was 65 years of age or older. 50.9% of the population was female. The per capita income for the city was $31,411. 11.1% of the population was below the poverty line. The median gross monthly rent was $1,269. In 2015 the median income for a household in the city was approximately $66,676. When ZIP codes were introduced in 1963, the 06810 code was given to all of Danbury; it was shared with a then-still-rural New Fairfield to its north. In 1984, the 06810 Zip Code was cut back to areas of Danbury south of Interstate 84. A new 06811 ZIP code was created for areas north of Interstate 84. New Fairfield received its own code, 06812.

Economy

In 2016 Danbury's workforce was approximately 79,400 workers. 12,200 (15.4%) of them worked in goods producing industries. 67,200 (84.6%) of them worked in service providing industries which includes: trade, transportation and utilities (17,300), professional and business services (9,400), leisure and hospitality (7,300), government (10,200) and all other (23,000). In Nov. 2016, the unemployment rate for the Danbury Labor Market Area was 3.0%, compared to 3.7% for the State and 4.6% nationally. The top employers in the city in 2020 were:

Government

The chief executive officer of Danbury is the Mayor, who serves a two-year term. The current mayor is Dean Esposito (R). The Mayor is the presiding officer of the City Council, which consists of 21 members, two from each of the seven city

wards Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a priso ...

, and seven at-large. The City Council enacts ordinances and resolutions by a simple majority vote. If after five days the Mayor does not approve the ordinance (similar to a veto), the City Council may re-vote on it. If it then passes with a two-thirds majority, it becomes effective without the Mayor's approval. The current City Council consists of 14 Republicans and 7 Democrats. Danbury has six state representatives as of 2021;

Raghib Allie-Brennan Raghib Ismail Allie-Brennan (born July 20, 1991) is an American politician and former political aide serving as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 2nd district. Early life and education Allie-Brennan was born in Quee ...

D-2,

Stephen Harding Stephen Harding (french: Étienne Harding) ( 106028 March 1134) was an English-born monk and abbot, who was one of the founders of the Cistercian Order. He is honoured as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. Life There is little archival ev ...

R-107, Patrick Callahan R-108,

David Arconti David Arconti (born September 22, 1986) is an American politician who has served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 109th district since 2013. References 1986 births Living people Politicians from Danbury, Connecticut ...

D-109, Bob Godfrey D-110 and

Kenneth Gucker Ken Gucker is an American Democratic Party politician formerly serving as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 138th district, which included part of the city of Danbury, as well as parts of the towns of New Fairfield a ...

D-138. There is one state senator,

Julie Kushner Julie Kushner (born c. 1952) is an American politician and retired trade unionist. She worked for United Auto Workers, and was elected to the Connecticut State Senate in 2018. Early life and family Julie Kushner's parents were Sheldon and Marci ...

D-24. Danbury is represented in the United States Congress by U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes (D). Danbury's Fiscal Year 2020–2021

mill rate A property tax or millage rate is an ad valorem tax on the value of a property.In the OECD classification scheme, tax on property includes "taxes on immovable property or net wealth, taxes on the change of ownership of property through inheri ...

is 27.60.

Infrastructure

Education

Public schools

Danbury Public Schools operates most public schools, with Danbury High School belonging to the district. The other public high school, Henry Abbott Technical High School, is within the Connecticut Technical High School System. Each high school is grades 9 through 12. An alternative school by the name of Alternative Center for Excellence is housed off-campus, and its graduates receive Danbury High School diplomas upon completion of their studies. Danbury also has 3 public middle schools for grades 6 through 8: Broadview Middle School, Rogers Park Middle School and WestSide Middle School Academy. There are 13 elementary schools in Danbury. These schools are Academy for International Studies Magnet School (K–5), Ellsworth Avenue (K–5), Great Plain (K–5), Hayestown (K–5), King Street Primary (K–3) and King Street Intermediate (4–5), Mill Ridge Primary (K–3), Morris Street (K–5), Park Avenue (K–5), Pembroke (K–5), Shelter Rock (K–5), South Street (K–5) and Stadley Rough (K–5).

Parochial schools

Roman Catholic schools in Danbury reside within the administration of the

Diocese of Bridgeport The Diocese of Bridgeport is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church located in the southwestern part of the state of Connecticut, and its boundaries are the same as that of Fairfield County, Connecticut. Ther ...

and include: * 1 high school: Immaculate High School (9–12) * 3 elementary schools: St Peter-Sacred Heart School (Pre-K–8), St. Gregory the Great School (Pre-K–8), an
St. Joseph School
(Pre-K–8) Other parochial schools in Danbury are: * Colonial Hills Christian Academy * Immanuel Lutheran School

Private schools

* Hudson Country Montessori School * New England Country Day School *

Post-secondary schools

Danbury is home to Western Connecticut State University and a campus of

Naugatuck Valley Community College Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) is a public community college in Waterbury, Connecticut. It is one of the 13 colleges in the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities system. NVCC grants a variety of associate degrees and certificates. ...

Danbury Federal Correctional Institution

Danbury is the site of a low-security men's and women's prison, the

Danbury Federal Correctional Institution The Federal Correctional Institution, Danbury (FCI Danbury) is a low-security United States federal prison for male and female inmates in Danbury, Connecticut. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Depar ...

, located near the border with New Fairfield. Built in the 1940s to house men, the facility was converted to a women's prison in 1994 to address a shortage of beds for low-security female inmates in other facilities. However, overcrowding at federal facilities for low-security males prompted a reconversion to a male prison, beginning in 2013, and relocation of the female inmates from the low-security Pembroke Road facility to other locations. As of 2016, an adjacent satellite camp houses up to 193 women. A new $25 million women's facility was completed and began accepting female inmates in December 2016.

Libraries

The Danbury Public Library was established in 1869. The Long Ridge Library is a small library occupying an old schoolhouse on Long Ridge Road in Danbury. It was founded in 1916.

Places of worship

Danbury is home to numerous churches, two synagogues, and two mosques.

Mass media

Danbury is in the New York City TV market and receives its TV stations. Some TV stations in the Hartford-New Haven are also available to Danbury viewers. * '' The News-Times'' – a daily newspaper owned by

Hearst Communications Hearst Communications, Inc., often referred to simply as Hearst, is an American multinational mass media and business information conglomerate based in Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Hearst owns newspapers, magazines, televi ...

. *''Tribuna Newspaper'' – a biweekly, bilingual (Portuguese/English) news publication. *''HamletHub Danbury'' – a local news publication. * WFAR-FM, 93.3 MHz, low-power – religious (Christian) and ethnic/Portuguese-language programming. * WLAD-AM, 800 kHz, 1000 watts (daytime), 287 watts (nighttime) – news/talk format, owned by the Berkshire Broadcasting Corporation. * WDAQ-FM 98.3 MHz, 1300 watts – hot adult contemporary format, owned by the Berkshire Broadcasting Corporation. * WDAQ-HD2 FM, 103.7 MHz – alternative rock format, owned by the Berkshire Broadcasting Corporation. * WDAQ-HD3 FM, 107.3 MHz – new country music, owned by the Berkshire Broadcasting Corporation. * WDAQ-HD4 FM, 94.5 MHz – "The Hawk" – classic rock format, owned by the Berkshire Broadcasting Corporation. * WAXB, 850 kHz AM / 94.5 MHz FM, 2500 watts (daytime only) – Spanish-language adult hits, owned by the Berkshire Broadcasting Corporation. * WXCI-FM, 91.7 MHz, 3000 watts – non-profit, college radio station, owned by Western Connecticut State University and operated by past and present students; receives funding from the Western Connecticut State University Student Government Association. * WRKI-FM, 95.1 MHz, 50000 watts – classic rock music, owned by Townsquare Media; debuted on December 24, 1976. * WDBY-FM, 105.5 MHz ("Kicks 105.5") – contemporary country music, owned by Townsquare Media. * WINE-AM, 940 kHz –

CBS Sports Radio CBS Sports Radio is a sports radio network that debuted with hourly sports news updates on September 4, 2012, and with 24/7 programming on January 2, 2013. CBS Sports Radio is owned by Paramount Global and distributed by Westwood One. Programmin ...

, owned by Townsquare Media.

Public utilities

The Public Utilities Division operates and maintains the City of Danbury's Water Division, water utility infrastructure, sanitary sewer infrastructure, which includes several large water supply dams, a closed landfill, landfill gas collection system, and administer programs for recycling and disposal of solid waste. The Division oversees a Water Pollution Control Plant, operated by Veolia Water North America, and a public yard waste management processing center, located on Plumtrees Road, in accordance with an agreement between the City of Danbury and Total Landscaping and Tree Service. The sewer fund makes up 80 percent of Danbury's 2019–2020 Adopted Capital Projects Budget, accounting for $103 million of the $127 million budget to maintain the plant. In October 2020, the city renamed its water pollution control plant the

John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant The John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant is a sewage treatment plant in Danbury, Connecticut, named after the British-American comedian and political satirist John Oliver. The plant was completely renovated in response to a 2008 order from state an ...

after John Oliver, the host of the late-night comedy program ''

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'' (often abridged as ''Last Week Tonight'') is an American late-night talk and news satire television program hosted by comedian John Oliver. The half-hour-long show premiered in April 2014 on HBO. ''Last Wee ...

'' jokingly insulted the city. Oliver attended the unveiling ceremony in person as a condition of Mayor Boughton.

Transportation

Highways

Interstate 84 and U.S. Route 7 are the main highways in the city. I-84 runs west to east from the lower Hudson Valley region of New York to Waterbury and Hartford. US 7 runs south to north from Norwalk (connecting to I-95) to the Litchfield Hills region. The two highways overlap in the downtown area. The principal surface roads through the city are Lake Avenue, West Street, White Street, and Federal Road. Other secondary state highways are U.S. Route 6 in the western part of the city, Newtown Road, which connects to US 6 east of the city, Route 53 (Main Street and South Street), Route 37 (North Street, Padaranam Road, and Pembroke Road), and Route 39 (Clapboard Ridge Road and Ball Pond Road). Danbury has 242 miles of streets.

Buses

Local bus service is provided by Housatonic Area Regional Transit (HART), and connects the entire

Greater Danbury Greater Danbury, also known as the Housatonic Valley Region, is a region in the state of Connecticut centered on the city of Danbury. It consists of the city of Danbury and adjacent towns in the areas around the Housatonic River and the Still Ri ...

region as well as various train stations along the Harlem Line in Putnam County and Westchester County. A shuttle also operates between Downtown Danbury and Norwalk.

Railroad

Danbury is the terminus of the Danbury branch line of the

MTA Metro-North Railroad Metro-North Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, is a suburban commuter rail service run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public authority of the U.S. state of New York and under contract with the Connecticut De ...

which begins in Norwalk. The line was first built by the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad which was later bought by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company. Danbury was an important junction between the Danbury Branch and the Maybrook Line. The Maybrook line was the New Haven's main freight line which terminated in Maybrook, New York, where the New Haven exchanged traffic with other railroads. After the ill-fated Penn Central took over the New Haven, the Maybrook line was shut down when a fire on the Poughkeepsie Bridge made the line unusable. Today, the historic station is part of the Danbury Railway Museum. The Providence and Worcester Railroad, along with the Housatonic Railroad provide local rail freight service in Danbury. Frequent direct rail access to New York City is also available from

Brewster station Brewster station is a commuter rail stop on the Metro-North Railroad's Harlem Line, located in Brewster, New York. A sizable amount of the station's ridership comes from across the Connecticut state line given the quicker trips, shorter headways ...

along Metro-North's Harlem Line. The station is located just over the New York state line, roughly 8 miles from downtown. Plans are also being made to connect Danbury station to the Harlem Line, utilizing existing Maybrook Line track which is owned by the MTA. This plan has been dubbed the "Fast track to NYC", as it will provide more frequent access between Danbury and

Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Grand Central is the southern terminus ...

. In June 2022, a $2 million federal grant was approved to study the environmental impacts of the project.

Airports

Danbury is within reasonable distance of 11 airports: four general aviation, two regional, five international. The city is also the location of Danbury Municipal Airport ( DXR).

Sites of interest

Hiking trails

* Bear Mountain Reservation * The Old Quarry Nature Center has two short educational trails on * Tarrywile Mansion and Park has of trails and several ponds on , as well as a Victorian mansion and gardens. The

Ives Trail The Ives Trail and Greenway is a hiking trail in the Housatonic Valley Region (also known as Greater Danbury). Its route connects Ridgefield, Danbury, Bethel and Redding. The Ives Trail is named after Charles Ives, a Danbury-born American modern ...

runs through the park. * The

is a 20-mile stretch of trail that runs from Bennett's Pond in Ridgefield through Danbury to Redding. The Charles Ives House and Hearthstone Castle are located along this trail.

Parks

* Bear Mountain Park * Blind Brook Park * Candlewood Town Park * Danbury Dog Park at

Margerie Lake Reservoir Margerie Lake Reservoir is a 244 acre lake in New Fairfield, Connecticut. It is a source of drinking water for the Danbury Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City ...

* Danbury Dog Park at Miry Brook * Elmwood Park * Farrington Woods * Hatters Park * Highland Playground * Joseph Sauer Memorial Park * Kennedy Park * Lake Kenosia Park * Lions Club Children's Park on Rowan Street * Memorial Park * Old Quarry Nature Center * Richter Park * Rogers Park * Rogers Park Playground * Stephen A. Kaplanis Field * Still River Greenway * Tarrywile Park * Tom West Park

Museums

* Danbury Museum and Historical Society * Danbury Railway Museum

Other

* The Connecticut 9/11 Memorial by sculptor Henry Richardson is located in Danbury in Elmwood Park. * The

was built on the old fairgrounds in 1986. * Danbury is also home to an Army Reserve Special Operations unit, the

411th Civil Affairs Battalion 411th Civil Affairs Battalion (Tactical) is a civil affairs (CA) unit of the United States Army. It is based at Danbury, Connecticut. The unit includes Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta and Headquarters (HHC) Companies, all located in Danbury. The ba ...

. * Danbury Hospital is a 456-bed hospital, serving patients in Fairfield County, Connecticut and Putnam County, New York. The hospital is the home of the new Praxair Regional Heart and Vascular center, providing state of the art cardiovascular care to this growing region including open heart surgery and coronary angioplasty. * Richter Park Golf Course is Danbury's municipal golf course and hosts numerous tournaments such as the annual Danbury Amateur and American Junior Golf Association majors. It has won a variety of awards, including being a "Top 10 Connecticut Course" and the "#2 Best Public Course in the NY Metropolitan Area". * The Summit at Danbury is one of the largest office complexes in Connecticut * Danbury Ice Arena * The

National Register of Historic Places

Sports

Ice hockey

The United Hockey League (UHL) expanded to Danbury in 2004. The Danbury Trashers played their first season at the Danbury Ice Arena in October 2004. Among those on the roster included Brent Gretzky (brother of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky) and Scott Stirling (son of former

New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...

coach Steve Stirling). Scott's older brother, Todd, coached the Trashers in the 2004–2005 season. The team folded in 2006 after its owner, coach and management were charged (and later convicted) of several charges of wire fraud and racketeering. On December 27, 2009, Danbury was named the first city to officially have a team in the newly formed Federal Hockey League (FHL). The team was named the

Danbury Whalers The Danbury Whalers were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the Federal Hockey League that began play in the 2010–11 season. Based in Danbury, Connecticut, the Whalers played at the Danbury Ice Arena, located in CityCenter Danbury ...

, bringing back the name "Whalers" to Connecticut for the first time since 1997 when the Hartford Whalers of the WHA/NHL moved to North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes. At the end of the 2014–2015 season, the Danbury Ice Arena evicted the Danbury Whalers. However, a new FHL Danbury team called the Danbury Titans was approved for the 2015–2016 season, owned by local car dealership owner Bruce Bennett. The Titans folded after two seasons. The Danbury Ice Arena was sold and put under new management in 2019. The arena then added a third FPHL franchise called the Danbury Hat Tricks, a Tier III junior team called the

Danbury Colonials The Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks are a USA Hockey-sanctioned junior ice hockey organization based in Danbury, Connecticut. The organization has junior teams in the Tier II North American Hockey League and the Tier III North American 3 Hockey Leag ...

, and the relocation of the Premier Hockey Federation's Connecticut Whale. In 2020, the arena added a Tier II junior team called the

Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks The Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks are a USA Hockey-sanctioned junior ice hockey organization based in Danbury, Connecticut. The organization has junior teams in the Tier II North American Hockey League and the Tier III North American 3 Hockey League, ...

and the Tier III team also rebranded to the same name.

Other sports

The Danbury Westerners, a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, play their home games at Rogers Park in Danbury.

AC Connecticut AC Connecticut is an American amateur soccer team based in Newtown, Connecticut, playing in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. The team colors are blue, black and white. History CFC Azul was founded as a USL PDL t ...

is a soccer team based in the Danbury suburb of Newtown. The team plays in the Northeast Division of the USL League Two, the fourth tier of the

American soccer pyramid The United States soccer league system is a series of professional and amateur soccer leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. Sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, teams and leagues are not linked by the system of prom ...

. Danbury High School carries a strong athletic tradition in wrestling, boys and girls track and field, boys cross country, baseball, tennis, basketball, and football. The wrestling, boys cross country, and boys track teams have all numerous state titles and New England championships. All three programs are considered to be nationally ranked annually. Western Connecticut State University is a member of the NCAA Division III, the Eastern College Athletic Conference, and the Little East Conference. The university fields teams in baseball, basketball, lacrosse, football, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, and volleyball. WestConn also fields several nationally competitive club sports on campus including Men's Rugby, Women's Rugby, Dance Team, Cheerleading, and Men's Hockey. The Danbury Hatters Cricket Club formed in 2001 and has been playing cricket in Southern Connecticut along with other cities such as Norwalk, Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Waterbury and West Haven. Their home ground is Broadview Middle School. The Western Connecticut Militia is a semi-professional football team that played in the New England Football League from 2011 to 2016, winning the league championship the last year. The team played its home games in Danbury during that period. After taking 2017 off, the team joined Major League Football for the 2018 season, playing its home games in

New Fairfield, CT New Fairfield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,579 at the 2020 census. New Fairfield is one of five towns that surround Candlewood Lake, the largest lake in Connecticut. The town is located no ...

. Danbury is home to Teixeira MMA & Fitness, a Mixed Martial Arts gym owned and operated by former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Glover Teixeira and his wife Ingrid. In addition to Glover Teixeira, the gym is also home to reigning UFC Middleweight champion Alex Peirera.

Notable people

* Renata Adler, author, journalist and film critic *

Willard H. Allen Willard Harry Allen (January 19, 1893 – February 25, 1957) was an American poultry scientist who served as New Jersey secretary of agriculture from 1938 to 1956. Life and career Allen was born in Danbury, Connecticut, and graduated from ...

(1893–1957), New Jersey secretary of agriculture * Marian Anderson (1897–1993), singer * James Montgomery Bailey, 19th century ''Danbury News'' editor * Matt Barnes, professional baseball player *

, the first hat maker of Danbury * Jonathan Brandis (1976–2003), actor * Peter Buck (1930–2021), co-founder, Subway sandwich restaurants *

Austin Calitro Austin Calitro (born January 10, 1994) is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Villanova. College career Calitro was selected to the All-CAA Football first-team. He also led Villanova in total ta ...

, professional football player * Ray Cappo, singer * Neil Cavuto, television anchor * Frank Conniff (1914–1971),

1956 Pulitzer Prize The following are the Pulitzer Prizes for 1956. Journalism awards *Public Service: ** ''Watsonville Register-Pajaronian'' for courageous exposure of corruption in public office, which led to the resignation of a district attorney and the convict ...

–winning journalist *

Mackenzie Fierceton Mackenzie Fierceton (born Mackenzie Terrell on August 9, 1997; later Mackenzie Morrison,) is an American activist and graduate student currently studying at Oxford University. Raised in Chesterfield, Missouri, a West County suburb of St. Louis, ...

, activist * Ken Green, professional golfer *

Lee Hartell Lee Ross Hartell (August 23, 1923 – August 27, 1951) was a soldier in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 27, 1951 during the Battle of Bloody Ridge. He joined the Army fr ...

, Medal of Honor recipient *

Charles Ives Charles Edward Ives (; October 20, 1874May 19, 1954) was an American modernist composer, one of the first American composers of international renown. His music was largely ignored during his early career, and many of his works went unperformed f ...

(1874–1954), composer * Joe Lahoud, professional baseball player * Steven Kaplan, American economist and professor *

Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...

, singer-songwriter * Rose Wilder Lane, author, writer, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder * Jimmy Monaghan, Irish musician and former boxer * Jerry Nadeau, professional auto racing driver * Steven Novella, neurologist and noted skeptic * Laura Nyro (1947–1997), musician, songwriter, bandleader, singer *

Elizabeth Peyton Elizabeth Joy Peyton (born 1965) is an American contemporary artist working primarily in painting, drawing, and printmaking. Best known for figures from her own life and those beyond it, including close friends, historical personae, and icons of ...

, painter *

Chet Powers Chester William Powers, Jr. (October 7, 1937 – November 16, 1994) was an American singer-songwriter, and under the stage names Dino Valenti or Dino Valente, one of the lead singers of the rock group Quicksilver Messenger Service. As a songwri ...

a.k.a. Dino Valenti (1937–1994), musician and songwriter *

George Radachowsky George Joseph Radachowsky Jr. (born September 7, 1962) is a former American football defensive back who played five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams ...

, professional football player *

William R. Ratchford William Richard Ratchford (May 24, 1934 – January 2, 2011) was an American politician from Connecticut. He served six terms in the Connecticut House of Representatives, including two as speaker, and three terms in the United States House of Rep ...

, three term U.S. Congressman * Allen Ritter, music producer *

Delvin Rodríguez Delvin Antonio Rodríguez (born May 4, 1980) is a Dominican professional boxer who has challenged three times for a world title (once at welterweight and twice at light middleweight). Professional career Welterweight Delvin defeated Shamone Al ...

, professional boxer * Neil Rudenstine, past president of Harvard University *

Chauncey Foster Ryder Chauncey Foster Ryder (29 February 1868 – 18 May 1949) was an early 20th century American Postimpressionist landscape painter known for a green-gray palette termed 'Ryder green'. Education and personal life Ryder was born in 1868 in Danbury, Co ...

, Postimpressionist painter * Trevor Siemian, professional football player *

Christian Siriano Christian Vincent Siriano (born November 18, 1985) is an American fashion designer and member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Siriano first gained attention after winning the fourth season of American design competition ...

, fashion designer * Ian Smith, panelist on

VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...

's Celebrity Fit Club * Lee Smith, Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Relief Pitcher * Ronnie Spector, singer * Glover Teixeira, Professional MMA Fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and former champion of the Light heavyweight (MMA) division. *

Roy M. Terry Roy M. Terry (July 15, 1915 – May 12, 1988) was Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Terry later moved to Danbury, Connecticut and was an ordained Methodist pastor. He was a graduate of Syracuse Unive ...

, Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force * John Toland (1912-2004),

1971 Pulitzer Prize The 1971 Pulitzer Prize went to the following: Journalism awards *Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, Public Service: ** ''Winston-Salem Journal, Winston-Salem Journal and Sentinel'', for investigation of environmental problems, particularly blocki ...

-winning historian * TJR (birth name Thomas Joseph Rozdilsky), musician * John Hubbard Tweedy, U.S. Congressional Delegate from the Wisconsin Territory *

Samuel Tweedy Samuel Tweedy (March 8, 1776 – July 1, 1868) was a United States representative from Connecticut. Born at Nine Partners, New York in 1776, he later moved to Danbury, Connecticut. He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives i ...

(1776–1868), U.S. Representative from Connecticut * Jenna von Oÿ, actress *

William A. Whittlesey William Augustus Whittlesey (July 14, 1796 – November 6, 1866) was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as a U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1849 to 1851. He was the nephew of Elisha Whittlesey. Biography Born in Danbur ...

, former U.S. Congressman *

Zalmon Wildman Zalmon Wildman (February 16, 1775 – December 10, 1835) was an American businessman and banker who served several months as a United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Repr ...

(1775–1835), U.S. Representative from Connecticut

Cultural references

* Danbury's sewage plant has been named the "John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant" in honor of comedian John Oliver after a lighthearted social media exchange between Oliver and mayor Mark Boughton following Oliver's satirical criticism of Danbury on ''

'' in August 2020. Oliver donated $55,000 to local charities in exchange for the renaming. In October 2020, Oliver visited Danbury for the official unveiling of the renamed plant. * In Robert Lawson's children's novel '' Rabbit Hill'', the story's anthropomorphic rabbit characters preserve by oral tradition the memory of Danbury being burned by the British during the

American War of Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

and later of the town's young men going off to fight in the American Civil War and many of them not coming back.

References

External links

* {{authority control Cities in Connecticut Cities in Fairfield County, Connecticut Cities in the New York metropolitan area Hatmaking Populated places established in 1685