Somers 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 ...

Tolland County Tolland County is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2020 census, its population was 149,788. It is incorporated into 13 towns and was originally formed on 13 October 1785 from portions of eastern H ...

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 ...

. The population was 10,255 at the 2020 census. The

town center A town centre is the commercial or geographical centre or core area of a town. Town centres are traditionally associated with shopping or retail. They are also the centre of communications with major public transport hubs such as train or bus st ...

is listed by the U.S. Census Bureau as a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

(CDP). In 2007, ''

Money Magazine ''Money'' is an American personal finance brand and website owned by Ad Practitioners LLC and formerly also a monthly magazine, first published by Time Inc. (1972–2018) and later by Meredith Corporation (2018–2019). Its articles cover the g ...

'' listed Somers 53rd on its "100 Best Places to Live", based on "economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, things to do and a real sense of community." Bordering

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, Somers is considered part of the city of

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...

NECTA. Somers is southeast of Springfield and considered more oriented toward it than the city of

Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

, which lies to the southwest.

History

Somers was originally part of the Agawam Plantation in the 17th century. Agawam Plantation became

, in 1641 and in 1682, the Enfield Parish broke off from the Springfield settlement. In 1689, the first settler, Benjamin Jones, came to Somers in what was then East Enfield about a half mile from the current town center, it was only a summer house and in the winter, he and his family returned to Enfield. In 1711, several more families settled the Somers area to help start a village. The families of Kibbe, Pease, Root, and Megregory were the first to settle the area. The Village was given the name Wallop but was changed to East Enfield shortly after. In the year 1734, East Enfield became a town and was renamed Somers, after

John Somers, 1st Baron Somers John Somers, 1st Baron Somers, (4 March 1651 – 26 April 1716) was an English Whig jurist and statesman. Somers first came to national attention in the trial of the Seven Bishops where he was on their defence counsel. He published tracts on ...

. In the year 1749, Somers joined the

Connecticut Colony The ''Connecticut Colony'' or ''Colony of Connecticut'', originally known as the Connecticut River Colony or simply the River Colony, was an English colony in New England which later became Connecticut. It was organized on March 3, 1636 as a settl ...

. The Four Town Fair, which is usually held after the third weekend in September, is one of the oldest fairs in the country. Little Sorrel, the favorite horse of Confederate general Stonewall Jackson, was born at a farm in Somers.

Geography

Somers is at . 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 is land and (0.49%) is water. The town center CDP has a total area of , all land. The town's highest point, Bald Mountain, at is the highest point along the

Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island ...

Valley in Connecticut. The rounded hill summit was recently purchased by the town and can be seen for many miles around.

Neighborhoods

* Somers Center, location of

Somers Historic District The Somers Historic District encompasses the historic civic and social center of the town of Somers, Connecticut. It stretches along Main Street, with extensions along Springfield Road and Battle Street, and includes a significant number of vern ...

* Somersville *North Somers *Hall Hill *Gulf Road *Billings Rd *Woodcrest Village *Osborn Place

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 2000, there were 10,417 people, 2,925 households, and 2,337 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 3,012 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 82.97%

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 ...

, 9.82%

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 ...

, 0.55% Native American, 0.62%

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 ...

, 0.06%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 4.00% 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 1.98% 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 8.10% of the population. There were 2,925 households, out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% 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, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.11. In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 154.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 171.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $65,273, and the median income for a family was $71,757. Males had a median income of $49,766 versus $35,329 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 $23,952. About 3.7% of families and 4.6% 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 3.3% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Town center

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,626 people, 628 households, and 457 families living in the town center CDP. The population density was . There were 645 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.15%

, 0.18%

, 0.55%

, 0.06%

, 0.12% from

, and 0.92% from two or more races.

of any race were 1.05% of the population. There were 628 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were

living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.05. In the CDP the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $54,625, and the median income for a family was $64,107. Males had a median income of $45,893 versus $31,736 for females. The

for the CDP was $24,874. About 4.0% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the

, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

Two

Connecticut Department of Corrections The Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC) is the agency responsible for corrections in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The agency operates 18 correctional facilities. It has its headquarters in Wethersfield. History The correctional syste ...

prisons,

Northern Correctional Institution Northern Correctional Institution (NCI) was a high-security state prison in Somers, in the northern part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. Until its closure, the prison housed the state's male convicts serving long sentences for violent crimes; ...

and

Osborn Correctional Institution Osborn Correctional Institution (OCI), formerly known as the Connecticut Correctional Institution – Somers, is a medium security state prison that includes a high security mental health unit for men of the Connecticut Department of Correction lo ...

,Northern Correctional Institution
"

Connecticut Department of Correction The Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC) is the agency responsible for corrections in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The agency operates 18 correctional facilities. It has its headquarters in Wethersfield. History The correctional syste ...

. Retrieved on August 16, 2010. are in Somers. Northern housed the state's death row for men. Osborn housed the state's execution chamber.

Education

Somers School DistrictSomers Elementary (SES)Mabelle B. Avery Middle SchoolSomers High School

Recreation

The Town of Somers maintains several recreation facilities, the largest being the facility on Field Road which features a pavilion, playscape, tennis courts and ball fields. The Shenipsit State Forest along with the

Shenipsit Trail The Shenipsit Trail is a '' Blue-Blazed'' hiking trail located in Central Connecticut between 3.5 and 7 miles (11 km) east of the Connecticut River. It runs 50 miles (80 km) in a north-south direction. The southern trailhead is on Gadpo ...

is also partially in Somers, along with Soapstone Mountain, the highest point in the state forest. The Scantic River State Park is also partially in Somers. The Northern Connecticut Land Trust also has several properties in town.

Notable people

George Abbe George Bancroft Abbe (January 28, 1911 – March 15, 1989) was an American poet and novelist. Life He was graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1933 and from the University of Iowa in 1938. He taught at Mount Holyoke College, Yale ...

(1911–1989),

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

and winner of

Shelley Memorial Award The Shelley Memorial Award of the Poetry Society of America, was established by the will of Mary P. Sears, and named after the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. The prize is given to a living American poet selected with reference to genius and need, and is ...

S. Prestley Blake Stewart Prestley Blake (November 26, 1914 – February 11, 2021) was an American restaurateur. He was a co-founder of the Friendly Ice Cream Corporation (known more commonly as "Friendly's"). Early life Blake was born in Jersey City, New Jers ...

(1914–2021), long time resident, co-founder of the

Friendly's Friendly's is a restaurant chain on the East Coast of the United States. Friendly's was founded in 1935 in Springfield, Massachusetts, by the brothers S. Prestley Blake and Curtis Blake. It has 10,000 employees; George Michel is the CEO. It offe ...

restaurant chain * William O. Collins, (1809-1881)American Attorney General, Civil War general *

Christopher Houlihan Christopher Mark Houlihan (born October 6, 1987) is an American concert organist noted for his clarity, flexibility of rhythm, and technical achievement. His Vierne 2012 tour in which he performed Louis Vierne's complete organ symphonies in six ...

(born 1987), professional organist *

Claire Labine Claire Vaughn Labine (née Wood; June 28, 1934 – November 11, 2016) was an American soap opera writer and producer.

, (1934-2016) Writer and Producer *

Gene Pitney Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, inclu ...

(1940–2006), internationally famous singer/composer, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, was a longtime resident of Somers * William Strong (1808–1895),

U.S. 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 c ...

from Pennsylvania and

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States An associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States is any member of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the chief justice of the United States. The number of associate justices is eight, as set by the Judiciary Act of 18 ...

was born in Somers * Loren P. Waldo (1802–1881),

References

External links

The Town of Somers Home PageThe Town of Somers Government Page
{{authority control Towns in Tolland County, Connecticut Towns in Connecticut Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts Greater Hartford