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Southbury is a town in western
New Haven County New Haven County is a county in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2020 census, the population was 864,835, making it the third-most populous county in Connecticut. Two of the state's top 5 largest cities, New ...
, Connecticut, United States. Southbury is north of Oxford and Newtown, and east of
Brookfield Brookfield may refer to: Australia *Brookfield, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane *Brookfield, Victoria Canada * Brookfield, Manitoba, on Manitoba Highway 11 *Brookfield, Newfoundland and Labrador *Brookfield, Nova Scotia *Brookfield, Ontario ...
. Its population was 19,879 at the 2020 census. Southbury comprises sprawling rural country areas, suburban neighborhoods, and historic districts. It is a short distance from major business and commercial centers, and is within of New York City and of Hartford; the latter the capital of Connecticut. Southbury is the only community in the country with the name "Southbury", which is why the town seal reads ''Unica Unaque'', meaning "The One and Only."


History

The town of Southbury was one of several towns formed out of parcels of land purchased from the
Pootatuck The Potatuck were a Native American tribe in Connecticut. They were related to the Paugussett people, historically located during and prior to the colonial era in western Connecticut. They lived in what is now Newtown, Woodbury and Southbury o ...
Native Americans. Southbury was originally part of
Woodbury Woodbury may refer to: Geography Antarctica *Woodbury Glacier, a glacier on Graham Land, British Antarctic Territory Australia * Woodbury, Tasmania, a locality in Australia England * Woodbury, Bournemouth, an area in Dorset *Woodbury, East Devo ...
, which was settled in 1673. A meetinghouse for the Southbury Ecclesiastical Society was built in 1733, and in 1787 the town of Southbury was incorporated. Although incorporated as part of
Litchfield County Litchfield County is in northwestern Connecticut. As of the 2020 census, the population was 185,186. The county was named after Lichfield, in England. Litchfield County has the lowest population density of any county in Connecticut and is the ...
, Southbury has been in
New Haven County New Haven County is a county in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2020 census, the population was 864,835, making it the third-most populous county in Connecticut. Two of the state's top 5 largest cities, New ...
for most of its existence. In the 1800s, water power became essential to the growth of Southbury's industries, which included mills, tanneries, and distilleries. The power for these industries came primarily from the
Pomperaug River The Pomperaug River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 river in the US state of Connecticut. The two main tributaries to the Pomperaug are the Nonnewaug Ri ...
and 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 ...
. As the industrial revolution progressed, many of these businesses left for Waterbury. In the 1920s, Russian expatriates Count
Ilya Tolstoy Count Ilya Lvovich Tolstoy (; 22 May 1866 – 11 December 1933) was a Russian writer, and the third child and second son of Leo Tolstoy. Early life Ilya was born at Yasnaya Polyana and spent most of his young life there, until the family took ...
(son of the author Leo Tolstoy) and
George Grebenstchikoff George Dmitrievich Grebenstchikoff (russian: Георгий Дмитриевич Гребенщиков; 6 May 4 April Old Style1883 – 11 January 1964) was a writer and professor of Russian literature. Personal life Grebenstchikoff was born in ...
founded an artists' colony at one end of Main Street, known as ''Churaevka'' (or "Russian Village"). At its peak,
Churaevka The Russian Village Historic District, also known as Churaevka (russian: Чураевка), is a historic summer colony founded by George Grebenstchikoff and Ilya Tolstoy in Southbury, Connecticut. The colony was founded in the 1920s by Russian ...
had a printing press used by Russian and
Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...
scholars and novelists. Visitors to the colony included the composer
Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one o ...
. Most of its immigrant population is now gone; however, St. Sergius Chapel, designed by Nicholas Roerich and built in 1932–1933, remains. Churaevka is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In November 1937 residents of the farming outpost got word that a man by the name of Wolfgang Jung had purchased in the town. Residents looking into his plans discovered that he was a member of the
German American Bund The German American Bund, or the German American Federation (german: Amerikadeutscher Bund; Amerikadeutscher Volksbund, AV), was a German-American Nazi organization which was established in 1936 as a successor to the Friends of New Germany (FoN ...
, an organization of ethnic Germans living in the United States who supported Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. Its leader,
Fritz Kuhn Fritz Kuhn (born 29 June 1955) is a German politician who served as Mayor of Stuttgart from 2012 until 2021. He was co-chairman of Alliance '90/The Greens, the German Green party, in 2002 and its parliamentary group from 2002 to 2013. Early li ...
, was considered the leading
anti-Semite Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...
in the country. Word soon got out that they were, in fact, planning to build their largest training facility in the country. Residents objected by calling a town meeting and set up a zoning department with one simple rule, no military activity excluding the United States Army. The law was adopted December 14 and the Bund stopped work and eventually sold the land. Southbury was a rural farming town for most of its history. However, with the development of the Interstate Highway System, that changed. With the opening of Interstate 84 through Southbury by 1963, the town gained easy access to New York and Hartford, also improving its access to
Danbury 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 ...
and Waterbury. Heritage Village opened in 1967, on a site. In 1987, IBM built an extensive office and research building in Southbury, employing over 2,500 workers. Southbury transitioned from a primarily rural community into the varied town it is today, with the commercial downtown and residential neighborhoods sharing the town with farming communities and extended rural acreage. Today, Southbury has approximately 17% open space, with a goal of 20%. In the early 1990s, Southbury was the subject of a lawsuit by the Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation. The 100-member tribe sought to take the land of roughly 1,200 property holders in the town. The lawsuit was thrown out in 1993 based on the fact that the man who brought the suit was not a chieftain, contrary to his claims, and had no standing to bring the suit.


Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, Southbury has a total area of , of which is land and , or 2.69%, is water. Towns that border Southbury are Middlebury to the northeast, Oxford to the east and southeast, Newtown to the southwest, Bridgewater to the west, and
Roxbury Roxbury may refer to: Places ;Canada * Roxbury, Nova Scotia * Roxbury, Prince Edward Island ;United States * Roxbury, Connecticut * Roxbury, Kansas * Roxbury, Maine * Roxbury, Boston, a municipality that was later integrated into the city of Bosto ...
and
Woodbury Woodbury may refer to: Geography Antarctica *Woodbury Glacier, a glacier on Graham Land, British Antarctic Territory Australia * Woodbury, Tasmania, a locality in Australia England * Woodbury, Bournemouth, an area in Dorset *Woodbury, East Devo ...
to the north. South Britain and Southford are included in the incorporated township of Southbury.


Demographics

As of the 2000 census, there were 18,567 people comprising 7,225 households, including 4,833 families residing in Southbury. The population density was . There were 7,799 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.34% White, 0.45% African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.15%
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 ...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.62% from multiple races. Hispanic or
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 1.59% of the population. Of Southbury's 7,225 households, 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% 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, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. About 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41, and the average family size was 3.02. Southbury's population consisted of 22.8% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 26.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males. The median income for a household in Southbury is $75,970 in 2007, compared to $61,919 in 1999; the median income for a family in 1999 was $81,109. In 1999, males had a median income of $87,365 versus $68,657 for females. The per capita income for the town was $62,731. About 1.9% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those 65 or over. The median home value was $532,650. In July 2008, it was estimated that there were 19,702 (+6.1% from 2000) people in Southbury. The estimated median household income was $75,970 (+22.7% from 2000). The estimated median home (or
condominium A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership structure whereby a building is divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas that are jointly owned. The term can be applied to the building or complex ...
) value was to $374,178 (+92.6% from 2000).


Heritage Village

Southbury is home to a variety of retirement facilities, including Heritage Village, one of New England's largest retirement communities. Heritage Village sits on and includes approximately 2,580 homes with 4,000 people. It is billed as being an "active retirement" community, offering many activities. Heritage Village was planned in the 1960s, as I-84 was completed in the area. Potential Heritage Village residents must be 55 years of age or older. By 2013, about 30% of the population of Southbury is expected to be 60 years of age or older. By 2020, about 40% will be 60 or older. Southbury has developed a three-phase plan to increase services for the aging population. The former Southbury Library was converted into a senior center; it also houses the new home of the area Parks & Recreations Department. In addition to the "active living" area of Heritage Village, Southbury contains several "assisted living facilities", including: * The Hearth at Southbury * Lutheran Home of Southbury * River Glen Health Care Center Other "active senior living" options that provide independent living, assisted living, and memory care in Southbury includes: * Pomperaug Woods * Watermark at East Hill


Government and voting

Southbury has a six-member Board of Selectmen, including First Selectman, Jeff Manville (R).


Method of voting

Southbury used mechanical voting machines until 2007 when it switched to optical scanning machines. The new system has been criticized for several reasons, including a lack of privacy. Southbury utilizes up to three polling stations. for machine vote as required by a town meeting or per charter, only the firehouse is used. Consistent with Connecticut law, citizens have the ''option'' of choosing a party when they register to vote. A citizen may join or change, their affiliation later. Primary voting is limited to members of that party. Next general election for will be in November 2019 for town officials.


Voting results for Connecticut and federal elected officials

In 2006, veteran U.S. House Representative Nancy Johnson was ousted in favor of
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
Christopher Murphy, who carried Southbury, 51–49%. Junior U.S. Senator
Joseph Lieberman Joseph Isadore Lieberman (; born February 24, 1942) is an American politician, lobbyist, and attorney who served as a United States senator from Connecticut from 1989 to 2013. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was its nominee for Vi ...
dropped his Democratic party affiliation, but was re-elected as an independent, carrying Southbury with 57% of the vote; his closest opponent, Democrat Ned Lamont, had only 32% of Southbury's support. In the 2008 Presidential Election, Southbury supported Republican
John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
over
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
Barack Obama. For the U.S. House, the town narrowly supported Republican
David Cappiello David J. Cappiello (born August 15, 1968) is a businessman and former State Senator representing Connecticut’s 24th Senate District, which includes the communities of Danbury, New Fairfield, Sherman, and part of Bethel. In the Senate, he serve ...
over Murphy, the Democratic incumbent who ultimately won in a landslide. In 2010, Southbury voted in favor of Republican candidates Tom Foley for Governor and Linda McMahon for U.S. Senate. Though neither of the Republicans won statewide, they carried Southbury with 61% and 56% of the vote, respectively. Southbury again supported the Republican for U.S. House, voting for
Sam Caligiuri Sam S. F. Caligiuri (born August 23, 1966) is an American lawyer and former Connecticut State Senator. In 2010, he ran for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, but switched for a House seat in Connecticut's 5th congressional district. ...
over the Democrat Murphy by a 56–44% margin. Current Federal Elected Official for U.S. Congress: * U.S. Senators: Chris Murphy, Richard Blumenthal * U.S. Congressman: Jahana Hayes Current State Elected Official for Connecticut General Assembly * State Senator:
Eric Berthel Eric Berthel (born March 28, 1967) is an American politician and a Republican member of the Connecticut Senate, representing the 32nd District since 2017. Berthel has been the State Senator for the 32nd Senate District since 2017, representing p ...
(32) * State Representatives
Cindy Harrison
(69), David Labriola (131)


Political parties

*Southbury Democratic Town Committee, 2,967 members (+283 from previous totals) *Southbury Republican Town Committee, 4,583 members (+57 from previous totals) – Members are elected to serve two-year terms on the RTC.


Education

Southbury is part of the Pomperaug Regional School District, region 15, a school system that includes the towns of Southbury and Middlebury. The system contains four elementary, two middle and one high school. There has been a debate between the two towns over the amount each pays towards the system. Schools located in Southbury include: *Gainfield Elementary School *Pomperaug Elementary School *Rochambeau Middle School *
Pomperaug High School Pomperaug High School (PHS) is a public high school in Southbury, Connecticut. It is part of Regional School District 15 which serves Southbury in addition to Middlebury. History Pomperaug was built in 1979 on the border between Southbury and M ...
Students from Region 15 also have the option to attend: *W.F. Kaynor Technical High School (Waterbury) *Henry Abbot Technical High School (Danbury) *
Nonnewaug High School Nonnewaug High School is a public school in Woodbury, Connecticut, United States, which serves the towns of Woodbury and Bethlehem, Connecticut Bethlehem is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,385 at th ...
(Region 14, Woodbury, accessible as an agricultural school for Region 15 students)


Recreation

The Southbury Parks & Recreations Department moved into the old Southbury Library in 2007. Southbury town sports include: * Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken baseball * Basketball * Pop Warner football * Soccer * Lacrosse Controversy has arisen over town sports since the Parks and Recreation Department began enforcing a policy banning out-of-town players from participating in town-sanctioned sports in 2006. This policy stems from the fact of overcrowding at town fields, a problem which is plaguing Southbury.


Local media

*
Waterbury Republican-American The ''Republican-American'' is a conservative-leaning, family-owned newspaper based in Waterbury, Connecticut established in 1990 through merger of two newspapers under the same ownership: ''Waterbury American'' and ''Waterbury Republican''. The ...
– A Waterbury-based independent daily newspaper * The Danbury News-Times – A Danbury-based daily newspaper * ''Voices'' – A local newspaper serving Southbury, Middlebury, Oxford, Seymour, Naugatuck, Woodbury, Bethlehem, New Preston, Washington, Washington Depot, Roxbury, Bridgewater, Monroe, Sandy Hook, and Newtown * WTCH – A local student & staff run television station broadcast by
Pomperaug High School Pomperaug High School (PHS) is a public high school in Southbury, Connecticut. It is part of Regional School District 15 which serves Southbury in addition to Middlebury. History Pomperaug was built in 1979 on the border between Southbury and M ...
in Southbury. Channel 17 in Southbury, Channel 16 in Middlebury.


Infrastructure

Only a small area of Southbury is covered by water or sewer systems, with the vast majority left to wells and septic. Southbury is generally concerned with its water table, to the point where the only car wash in town is required to recycle all of their water used, an expensive process. The town water provider is Aquarion. The gas provider is Yankee Gas Company. The cable (TV, internet, and, phone) provider is Charter Communications. The electric provider is Eversource Energy (a Northeast Utilities Company). The phone provider (POTS & DSL) is Frontier Communications.


Notable features


National Historic Registry

*
Aaron Bronson House The Aaron Bronson House is a historic house at 846 Southford Road in Southbury, Connecticut. Built in around the year 1785, it is a good local example of a Colonial-style Cape, noted for its particularly fine and well-preserved interior. It wa ...
 – 846 Southford Rd. *
Adin Wheeler House and Theodore F. Wheeler Wheelwright Shop The Adin Wheeler House and Theodore F. Wheeler Wheelwright Shop is a historic property at 125 Quaker Farms Road in Southbury, Connecticut. It includes two well-preserved and little-altered buildings: the house, built in the late 18th century, is a ...
 – 125 Quaker Farms Rd. *
Bullet Hill School The Bullet Hill School is a historic school building on Main Street in Southbury, Connecticut. Built in the last decade of the 18th century, it is one of the oldest brick school buildings in the state of Connecticut. With It was listed on the N ...
 – Main St. and Seymour Rd. * Hurley Road Historic District – 6 and 17 Hurley Rd. *
Little Pootatuck Brook Archeological Site The Little Pootatuck Brook Archeological Site is a prehistoric/historic archaeological site in Southbury, Connecticut. Located near the banks of the Housatonic River, the site is believed to represent one of the last habitation sites of the Poot ...
*
Plaster House The Plaster House is a historic house at 117 Plaster House Road in Southbury, Connecticut. Probably built in the mid-18th century, it is an extremely rare example of 18th-century stone residential construction in the state. The small structure ...
 – 117 Plaster House Rd. *
Reuben Curtiss House The Reuben Curtiss House is a historic house at 1770 Bucks Hill Road in Southbury, Connecticut, United States. With a construction and alteration history dating from the late 18th to 20th centuries, the house is one of Southbury's finest example ...
 – 1770 Bucks Hill Rd. *
Russian Village Historic District The Russian Village Historic District, also known as Churaevka (russian: Чураевка), is a historic summer colony founded by George Grebenstchikoff and Ilya Tolstoy in Southbury, Connecticut. The colony was founded in the 1920s by Russian ...
 – Roughly Kiev Dr. and Russian Village Rd. between US 6 and the Pomperaug River * Sanford Road Historic District – 480 and 487 Sanford Rd. *
South Britain Historic District The South Britain Historic District encompasses the core of the unincorporated village of South Britain in Southbury, Connecticut, United States. The village arose in the 18th century as an industrial center serving the surrounding agricultural ...
 – E. Flat Hill, Hawkins, Library, and Middle Rds., and 497-864 S. Britain Rd. *
Southbury Historic District No. 1 The Southbury Historic District No. 1 encompasses a well-preserved 19th-century village landscape along Main Street North (United States Route 6) in Southbury, Connecticut. This area includes the historic town center of Southbury, and is part of ...
 – Main St. from Woodbury Town Line to Old Waterbury Rd. *
Southbury Training School Southbury Training School is a large residential facility in the towns of Southbury and Roxbury, Connecticut. It was built in the 1930s as a large state-funded and state-operated residential and habilitative facility for adults with intellectu ...
 – 1484 S. Britain Rd., a section of Southbury developed as a facility for mentally handicapped adults. *
William Hurd House The William Hurd House is a historic house at 327 Hulls Hill Road in Southbury, Connecticut. Built in the late 18th century and enlarged about 1820, it is a good local example of Federal period architecture, with well-preserved outbuildings. It ...
 – 327 Hulls Hill Rd


Southbury Training School Southbury Training School is a large residential facility in the towns of Southbury and Roxbury, Connecticut. It was built in the 1930s as a large state-funded and state-operated residential and habilitative facility for adults with intellectu ...

The Southbury Training School is a residential facility for individuals with developmental disabilities and other mental handicaps. The 1,400-acre campus contains a mix of large acreages of farmland still occasionally used by patients and 125 residential cottages. Southbury Training School's future is strongly contested, with some advocating the complete closure of the facility, and others suggesting expanding the facility's population to house more patients.


Southbury Public Library

The Southbury Public Library is a department of the town, with its own 9-member Board of Directors. On May 1, 2006, Southbury officially opened its new library (its 3rd, though no two have ever been in use concurrently) at 100 Poverty Road. This $6 million project was the first public building constructed in Southbury in 30 years. It is a , 2 floor, state-of-the-art facility. It contains around 90,000 books. It has computers, audiobooks, DVDs, recording rooms for recording books for the blind, meeting rooms, internet, a fireplace and a coffee bar. Selections recorded for the blind at the Southbury Public Library become part of the National Library Service catalog. Planning for the library began in 1998, with an original projected bond issue of $7.35m. The planning committee solicited donations from the public, which resulted in two single donations of $100,000 or more, and five more of between $25,000 and $99,000, in addition to smaller donations. The old library building, at 561 Main Street South, has been converted to hold offices for the Parks and Recreation Department, as well as a new senior center. The old library was built in 1969 and expanded in 1979. The oldest library building was located in South Britain (a section and
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 ...
of Southbury) and was replaced in 1969. It was built in 1904 and contained approximately 1,000 volumes.


Shepaug Dam and eagle observation area

The
Shepaug Dam Shepaug Dam (National ID # CT00232) is a dam located between Newtown in Fairfield County and Southbury in New Haven County, Connecticut. The concrete dam was constructed in 1955 by the Connecticut Light and Power Company, with a height of 14 ...
on the Housatonic River is part of a hydroelectric power plant, operated by FirstLight Power Resources, capable of a peak power output of 42,600 kW. This dam is a popular nesting and feeding ground for wintering eagles and hawks, including
bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...
s. Near the power station, FirstLight also operates an eagle observation area first opened by the utility's predecessor, Northeast Utilities, in the mid-1980s.Associated Press, "Popular eagle-watching spot set to welcome visitors today",
The Advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. The Advocate, The Advocates or Advocate may also refer to: Magazines * ''The Advocate'' (LGBT magazine), an LGBT magazine based in the United States *''The Harvard Advocate'', a literary magazin ...
'' of Stamford, Connecticut, December 26, 2007, page A13
Access is free, and some telescopes are provided. Utility company employees and volunteers from the Connecticut Audubon Society and other groups are at the observation area to assist visitors. Advanced reservations are required. Eagles are attracted to the spot because the water churning through the dam's hydroelectric turbine keeps the surface from icing over, allowing the birds to fish. Red-tailed hawks,
goshawks Goshawk may refer to several species of birds of prey, mainly in the genus ''Accipiter'': * Northern goshawk, ''Accipiter gentilis'', often referred to simply as the goshawk, since it is the only goshawk found in much of its range (in Europe and N ...
,
great blue herons The great blue heron (''Ardea herodias'') is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North America and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the Galápagos Isl ...
and other waterfowl are also attracted to the spot. The dam flooded an area now known as
Lake Lillinonah Lake Lillinonah is a manmade lake located in Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven counties of Western Connecticut, approximately northeast of New York City. It is the second largest lake in Connecticut, smaller only than Candlewood Lake. The ...
. FirstLight Power Resources has submitted a plan to the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control to build a new peak-power plant next to the existing hydroelectric facility.


Parks

*
Kettletown State Park Kettletown State Park is a public recreation area on the eastern shore of the Housatonic River's Lake Zoar in the towns of Oxford and Southbury, Connecticut. Park activities include camping, hiking, picnicking, and fishing. The state park is ma ...
, a state park on the Housatonic River that includes campgrounds located off I-84 Exit 15 *
Southford Falls State Park Southford Falls State Park is a public recreation area covering in the towns of Oxford and Southbury, Connecticut. The state park offers fishing, hiking, waterfalls, a fire tower, and a covered bridge over Eight Mile Brook. It is managed by t ...
, a state park off I-84 Exit 15 and I-84 Exit 16 * George Waldo State Park, a state park located on the Housatonic River, off Purchase Brook Road *
Ballentine Park Ballentine may refer to: People with the surname *Chris Ballentine, British geochemist *Corey Ballentine, Jamaican American football player *Ella Ballentine, Canadian actress *John Goff Ballentine, American politician * Lonnie Ballentine, American ...
, a town park with fields, basketball courts and a public pool (town residents only) * George Ewald Park, a town park consisting of little league baseball fields * Audubon Center at Bent of the River, a nature sanctuary with about of hiking trails, an extensive nature library, and a bird-watching balcony *
Community House A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...
, a park consisting of newly renovated basketball courts, soccer field, football field, baseball field, and multiple tennis courts


Businesses


IBM Southbury

The largest corporate complex in Southbury is that of IBM. IBM located its facilities between Kettletown Road and Bullet Hill Road, up a hill from Main Street on a site. Access to the site is restricted to authorized personnel only. Its original design and construction allowed for of office space, intended for 2,500 people (later increased as around-the-clock operations began). It also had of "raised floor" data center space, originally designed for large-scale water-cooled mainframe operations. It is an "off the grid" facility, with its power plant taking advantage of jet turbine technology to generate power for the entire site. In 2006, this power plant was replaced with a larger one as power demands increased. IBM Southbury was originally designed to be one of IBM's new corporate headquarters buildings, as IBM's "North Castle" facility in Armonk became outdated. It was never used for this purpose and has been primarily used as an IBM Global Services facility. There are four buildings, labeled A, B, C, and Central Services. Due to decreasing demand for office space, buildings A and C are currently shut down.


Southbury Corporate Park

Southbury Corporate Park is a largely theoretical site between
I-84 Interstate 84 may refer to: * Interstate 84 (Oregon–Utah), passing through Idaho, formerly known as Interstate 80N * Interstate 84 (Pennsylvania–Massachusetts) Interstate 84 (I-84) is an Interstate Highway in the Northeaster ...
exits 13 and 14. It is approved for roughly of zone R60-C compliant corporate offices. The town purchased the site for a total of $5 million. It is designed to attract large corporate partners, or at worst, non-"big box" retailers. An arts center has also been proposed for the site, though this proposal was later revoked in favor of a possible location inside the
Southbury Training School Southbury Training School is a large residential facility in the towns of Southbury and Roxbury, Connecticut. It was built in the 1930s as a large state-funded and state-operated residential and habilitative facility for adults with intellectu ...
.


Community organizations


Southbury Volunteer Firemen's Association

The Southbury Volunteer Firemen's Association, Inc. is a private, member-governed corporation, operating as a non-profit organization and is chartered for the purpose of providing emergency service to the community. Serving a rural territory which includes several miles of Interstate 84, single family homes, industrial, heavy commercial, institutional, and some multi-family occupancies. Founded in 1932, they operate out of 4 facilities, with 16 specialty fire vehicles, and 107 department members. They provide services including Fire Suppression, Motor Vehicle Extrication, Operations level HAZMAT, Confined Space, and Water Rescue to the community.


Southbury Ambulance Association

The Southbury Ambulance Association was started as a volunteer organization in 1953 by the Southbury Lions Club, handling both Southbury and Woodbury. The SAA had some of the first EMT's in the state in the 1970s. Until 1978, only SLC members were allowed to join the SAA, which caused difficulties in finding sufficient crew for the ambulance service. As of 1997, the SAA was responding to more than 1,500 service calls a year. Today, the SAA still operates as a volunteer organization which receives zero funding from the town. It currently operates three ambulances.


Southbury Land Trust

The Southbury Land Trust is a "private nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of Southbury Connecticut's natural resources for the enjoyment and benefit of all present and future generations." Basically, the SLT purchases or is gifted with land which it places development restrictions on. They currently control more than of land in Southbury. Much of this land is open to the public.


Notable people

* Howard Malcolm Baldrige (1894–1985), politician and lawyer; father of
Howard M. Baldrige, Jr. Howard Malcolm "Mac" Baldrige Jr. (October 4, 1922July 25, 1987) was an American businessman. He served as the United States Secretary of Commerce from 1981 until his death in 1987. He was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1988. Biog ...
and Letitia Baldrige * Polly Bergen (1930–2014), actress, recording artist and entrepreneur. Bergen called a vintage house on several wooded acres in the South Britain area her home * Victor Borge (1909–2000), comedian, owned the Colonial House in Southbury, which now serves as a community center. His estate and Cornish hen game farm is now Heritage Village * Linda Cohn (born 1959), sportscaster on the ESPN network *
Philip Evergood Philip Howard Francis Dixon Evergood (born Howard Blashki; 1901–1973) was an American painter, etcher, lithographer, sculptor, illustrator and writer. He was particularly active during the Depression and World War II era. Life Philip Evergoo ...
(1901–1973), painter, etcher, lithographer, sculptor, illustrator, and writer *
Joel Hinman Joel Hinman (January 27, 1802February 21, 1870) was born to Colonel Joel Hinman in Southbury, New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. He was the grandson of Benjamin Hinman. Connecticut Supreme Court After serving as a Connecticut State Se ...
(1802–1870), Chief Justice,
Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors The Connecticut Supreme Court, formerly known as the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors, is the highest court in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. The seven justices sit in Hartford, acr ...
* James Ledbetter, author and editor based in New York City *
Dave Longstreth David Longstreth (born December 17, 1981) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and guitarist for the band Dirty Projectors. Biography Longstreth was born in Southbury, Connecticut. Longstreth attended Yale University and ...
, singer and guitarist for the Brooklyn-based band, Dirty Projectors *
Jake Longstreth John Pullman "Jake" Longstreth, Jr. (born February 3, 1977), is an American painter, musician, and internet radio personality. He is currently the co-host of the Apple Music 1 show, ''Time Crisis with Ezra Koenig'' and member of a Grateful Dead co ...
, American painter, musician, and internet radio personality *
Jan Miner Jan Miner (October 15, 1917 – February 15, 2004) was an American actress best known for her role as the character "Madge", the manicurist in Palmolive dish-washing detergent television commercials beginning in the 1960s. Biography Early life ...
(1917–2004), actress, most likely to be remembered as "Madge the Manicurist" in dozens of TV commercials for Palmolive dishwashing soap *
Wallace Nutting Wallace Nutting (November 17, 1861 – July 19, 1941) was an American minister, photographer, artist, and antiquarian, who is most famous for his landscape photos of New England. He also was an accomplished author, lecturer, furniture maker, ...
(1861–1941), famed photographer (and also a minister, author, lecturer, furniture maker), moved his photography studio to a farm in town from New York City in 1899. In 1912, he moved again to Framingham, Massachusetts *
Katie Stevens Katherine Mari Stevens (born December 8, 1992) is an American actress and singer, known for finishing in eighth place on the ninth season of ''American Idol'' and starring as Karma Ashcroft in '' Faking It'' and Jane Sloan in ''The Bold Type' ...
(born 1992), actress and singer, known for her role in the MTV series Faking it * Leland Stowe (1899–1994), Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and one of the first to recognize the expansionist character of the German Nazi regime * Ed Sullivan (1901–1974), iconic television personality and columnist; had a country home in town *
Gladys Taber Gladys Bagg Taber (1899–1980), author of 59 books, including the Stillmeadow books, and columnist for ''Ladies' Home Journal'' and ''Family Circle''. Biography Gladys Bagg Taber was born in Colorado Springs on April 12, 1899,http://www.gladys ...
(1899–1980), author of 59 books and columnist in the ''Lady's Home Journal'', lived in "Stillmeadow", a 1690 farmhouse off Jeremy Swamp Road, starting in 1933 (summers only) and 1935 (full-time) * Sada Thompson (1927–2011), an actress of stage, screen, and television, perhaps best known for her role on the long-running ABC drama '' Family''


References


External links


Town of Southbury official websiteThe Southbury Historical Society
{{authority control Towns in New Haven County, Connecticut Populated places established in 1787 Towns in the New York metropolitan area Towns in Connecticut