Old Saybrook 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 o ...

in Middlesex County,

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

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. The population was 10,481 at the 2020 census. It contains the incorporated borough of Fenwick, as well as the census-designated places of

Old Saybrook Center Old Saybrook Center is the primary village and a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Old Saybrook, Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,278 at the 2020 census, out of 10,481 in the entire town of Old Saybro ...

and Saybrook Manor.

History

In 1624, shortly after establishing their first settlement at Governors Island, Dutch settlers established a short-lived

factory A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. ...

at present day Old Saybrook. The trading post was named Kievits Hoek, or "Plover's Corner". Kievits Hoek was soon abandoned as the Dutch consolidated settlement at

New Amsterdam New Amsterdam ( nl, Nieuw Amsterdam, or ) was a 17th-century Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland. The initial trading ''factory'' gave rise ...

. In 1633, Fort Goede Hoop (Huys de Goede Hoop), was established at present-day Hartford. The Pequot siege of Saybrook Fort took place from September 1636 to March 1637 during the

Pequot War The Pequot War was an armed conflict that took place between 1636 and 1638 in New England between the Pequot tribe and an alliance of the colonists from the Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Saybrook colonies and their allies from the Narraga ...

. Following the August 1636 Massachusetts Bay attack on Manisses, Pequot, and Western Niantic villages, the Pequot retaliation fell on the settlers at Saybrook. During an eight-month time period, the Pequot killed and wounded more than twenty settlers at and near Saybrook Fort. The settlers were attacked when they ventured far from their palisade, and the Pequot destroyed their provisions and burned warehouses while they attempted to interrupt river traffic to Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford. During the Siege and Battle of Saybrook Fort, the Pequot and New England colonists assessed each other's military capabilities, and adjusted counter-tactics. Each side's tactical modifications show a high degree of sophistication, planning, and ingenuity. Lessons learned during the siege of Saybrook escalated the Pequot War in

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 ...

, and indirectly resulted in the attack and destruction of Mistick Fort (May 1637). The Saybrook Colony was established in late 1635 at the mouth of 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 Islan ...

, in what is today Old Saybrook and environs. John Winthrop, the Younger, son of the Governor of the

Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around the Massachusetts Bay, the northernmost of the several colonies later reorganized as th ...

, was designated Governor by the group that claimed possession of the land via a deed of conveyance from Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick. Winthrop was aided by Colonel

George Fenwick Sir George Fenwick (2 February 1847 – 23 September 1929) was a New Zealand newspaper proprietor and editor. He is best known for his time as manager and editor of the ''Otago Daily Times'', during which time he supported the campaign initiated ...

and Captain

Lion Gardiner Lion Gardiner (1599–1663) was an English engineer and colonist who founded the first English settlement in New York, acquiring land on eastern Long Island. He had been working in the Netherlands and was hired to construct fortifications on th ...

. As the principals of the group who had planned to settle the colony were supporters of

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three ...

and remained in England during the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I (" Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of r ...

, the colony struggled. In 1644, Fenwick agreed to merge the colony with the more vibrant

a few miles up river which purchased the land & fort from him. The design of the

Flag of Connecticut The flag of the state of Connecticut is a white baroque shield with three grapevines, each bearing three bunches of purple grapes on a field of royal blue. The banner below the shield reads " Qui Transtulit Sustinet", Latin for "He who transpl ...

comes from the seal of Saybrook Colony. The seal was brought from England by Colonel George Fenwick, and depicted 15 grapevines and a hand in the upper left corner with a scroll reading "

Qui Transtulit Sustinet The Great Seal of the State of Connecticut has been the coat of arms of the U.S. state of Connecticut since May 1784. It depicts three grapevines and a ribbon below with the Latin motto: ''Qui Transtulit Sustinet'' (English: He who transplante ...

". In 1647 Major John Mason assumed command of Saybrook (Colony) Fort which controlled the main trade and supply route to the upper river valley. The fort promptly and mysteriously burned to the ground but another improved fort was quickly built nearby on the Battery Mound. He spent the next twelve years there and also served as Commissioner of the

United Colonies The "United Colonies" was the name used by the Second Continental Congress for the emerging nation comprising the Thirteen Colonies in 1775 and 1776, before and as independence was declared. Continental currency banknotes displayed the name 'T ...

, the chief military officer,

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judic ...

and peacekeeper. In 1659, almost all settlers from Saybrook under the leadership of Mason, purchased land from

Uncas Uncas () was a '' sachem'' of the Mohegans who made the Mohegans the leading regional Indian tribe in lower Connecticut, through his alliance with the New England colonists against other Indian tribes. Early life and family Uncas was bor ...

, sachem of the

Mohegan The Mohegan are an Algonquian Native American tribe historically based in present-day Connecticut. Today the majority of the people are associated with the Mohegan Indian Tribe, a federally recognized tribe living on a reservation in the east ...

tribe, removed to and founded

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the Episcopal see, See of ...

. This second fort was eventually abandoned after 200 years and the battery mound remained until 1871 when the Valley Railroad leveled it and other hills on the point to provide needed fill for their tracks across the north and south coves. In 1661 there was a witch trial of Saybrook residents Margaret Jennings and her husband Nicholas, who were accused of causing the deaths of Marie Marvin and others. The trial resulted in a finding that they were probably witches, but there was not sufficient proof to execute them. On October 9, 1701, the Collegiate School of Connecticut was chartered in Old Saybrook. It moved to

New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...

in 1716, and was later renamed

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...

. ''Turtle''—the first American submarine—was invented in Westbrook, Connecticut in 1775 by David Bushnell; a replica is housed at the Connecticut River Museum in

Essex Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...

. The General Assembly created the separate town of Old Saybrook from Saybrook in 1852. Old Saybrook was partitioned again in 1854 when the northern part became the town of

. A 1964 meeting at Old Saybrook, the First Invitational Conference on Humanistic Psychology, was key to the early development of humanistic psychology.

Saybrook University Saybrook University is a private university in Pasadena, California. It was founded in 1971 by Eleanor Camp Criswell and others. It offers postgraduate education with a focus on humanistic psychology. It features low residency, master's, and ...

in California, established in 1971, is named after the conference.

Later development

In early 2007, plans were established to return the former town hall building to its original use as a theater. The theater was completed in 2009 and is named " Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center and Theater". Katharine-Hepburn-Cultural-Arts-Center

The town has committed spending almost $2 million on the renovation, and at least $810,000 is to be contributed by the state. A committee is attempting to raise another $2.5 million, partly for the renovation and to add two wings, but also for an endowment. The structure was originally built in 1901 and was a theater until the 1940s. After renovations, the theater will seat 250, and Hepburn memorabilia will be displayed there.

Geography

According to the

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

, the town has a total area of 21.6 square miles (56.0 km), of which, 15.0 square miles (39.0 km) of it is land and 6.6 square miles (17.0 km) of it (30.45%) is water.

Principal communities

*Chalker Beach *Cornfield Point *District of Fencove *Borough of Fenwick *District of Fenwood *Indian Town *Knollwood * Old Saybrook Center (includes Saybrook Point) *District of Otter Cove * Saybrook Manor *North Cove

Flora

Coastal Connecticut (including Old Saybrook) is the broad transition zone where so-called "subtropical indicator" plants and other broadleaf evergreens can successfully be cultivated. Old Saybrook averages about 90 days annually with freeze (temperatures of 32 F/0 C) – about the same as Baltimore, Maryland, or Albuquerque, NM, for example. As such, Southern Magnolias, Needle Palms, Windmill palm, Loblolly Pines, and Crape Myrtles are grown in private and public gardens.

Education

Old Saybrook is home to a district educational system. Kathleen E. Goodwin School is for grades Pre-K through 4, Old Saybrook Middle School is for grades 5 through 8, and Old Saybrook Senior High School is for grades 9 through 12. The high school competes in the Shoreline Conference. In 2018 and 2019, the boys' soccer team won back-to-back state championships. Old Saybrook is also home to Pre-K through grade 8 St John's Catholic School and Toddler–6th grade, The Children's Tree Montessori School. The town also has a number of students who travel to private schools, including nearby parochial schools such as Xavier High School and Mercy High School.

Demographics

2010 U.S. Census

As of the 2010 census, the total population was 10,242. There were 4,247 households and 2,923 families living in the town. 1,108 households had children under the age of 18. The population density was . There were 5,602 housing units at an average density of . The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the town was 93.9% White, 0.9% African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.0003% Pacific Islander, 1.2% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3% of the population. Of the 4,247 households 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 28.9% of households were one person and 14.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.71. The age distribution was 21.4% under the age of 20, 3.4% from 20 to 24, 16.4% from 25 to 44, 33.5% from 45 to 64, and 25.3% 65 or older. The median age was 50.1 years. The population consisted of 4,852 (47.4%) males and 5,390 (52.6%) females. The median household income was $80,347 and the median family income was $97,399. Males had a median income of $74,298 versus $49,913 for females. The per capita income for the town was $43,266. About 4.5% of families and 5.9% 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 ...

, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

2000 U.S. Census

At the 2000 census, there were 10,367 people, 4,184 households, and 2,920 families in the town. The population density was . There were 5,357 housing units at an average density of . The

of the town was 95.75% White, 1.01% African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.72% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.87% of the population. Of the 4,184 households 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 25.4% of households were one person and 12.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.90. The age distribution was 21.7% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% 65 or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males. The median household income was $62,742 and the median family income was $72,868. Males had a median income of $48,527 versus $36,426 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,720. About 1.5% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the

, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Old Saybrook's train station opened in 1873 and was rebuilt in 2002.

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...

, the national rail passenger system, provides daily service along the

Northeast Corridor The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston through Providence, New Haven, Stamford, New York City, Philadelphia, Wilmington, ...

to Boston, New York and points south. The high-speed ''

Acela Express The ''Acela'' ( ; originally the ''Acela Express'' until September 2019) is Amtrak's flagship service along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in the Northeastern United States between Washington, D.C. and Boston via 13 intermediate stops, inclu ...

'' passes through Old Saybrook but does not stop; service is provided by the conventional ''

Northeast Regional The ''Northeast Regional'' is an intercity rail service operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. In the past it has been known as the ''NortheastDirect'', ''Acela Regional'', or ''Regional''. It is Amtrak's busi ...

''. The Connecticut Department of Transportation provides regular commuter service to New Haven, New London, and Stamford via the Shore Line East as well as connecting service to the MetroNorth Railroad which runs to

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 ...

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

. The

Estuary Transit District Estuary Transit District, doing business as 9 Town Transit, is the public transit provider for the Connecticut River Estuary region. ETD provides public transit bus service through its 9 Town Transit service to the towns of Chester, Clinton, De ...

provides public transportation services throughout Old Saybrook and the surrounding towns through its 9 Town Transit services. Old Saybrook is served by two freeways that intersect within the town's borders.

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...

runs across the town from west to east (though it is signed north–south), and connects Old Saybrook to New Haven and New London along the Connecticut shoreline. Connecticut Route 9 has its southern terminus at I-95, and extends to the northwest to ultimately reach Middletown and Hartford.

Media

One radio station is licensed to Old Saybrook: WLIS AM 1420 (variety). The town is also covered by Shore Publishing and the local newspaper the Harbor News.

National Register of Historic Places in Old Saybrook

* Black Horse Tavern, added December 1, 1978 *

Elisha Bushnell House The Elisha Bushnell House is a historic house at 1445 Boston Post Road in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. With a construction history dating to 1678, it is one of Connecticut's oldest surviving buildings, exhibiting an evolutionary construction hist ...

, added November 29, 1978 * Connecticut Valley Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable Site, added April 28, 1994 * Jedidiah Dudley House, added April 12, 1982 *

Samuel Eliot House The Samuel Eliot House is a historic house at 500 Main Street in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Probably built in 1737, it is a well-preserved example of Georgian residential architecture, and one of Old Saybrook's older buildings. The house was l ...

, added November 9, 1972 * General William Hart House, added November 9, 1972 * James Pharmacy, added August 5, 1994 *

Lynde Point Light The Lynde Point Light or Lynde Point Lighthouse, also known as Saybrook Inner Lighthouse, is a lighthouse in Connecticut, United States, on the west side of the mouth of the Connecticut River on the Long Island Sound, Old Saybrook, Connecticu ...

house, added May 29, 1990 * Old Saybrook South Green, added September 3, 1976 *

Parker House Parker may refer to: Persons * Parker (given name) * Parker (surname) Places Place names in the United States * Parker, Arizona *Parker, Colorado *Parker, Florida * Parker, Idaho * Parker, Kansas * Parker, Missouri * Parker, North Carolina *Parke ...

, added November 29, 1978 * Humphrey Pratt Tavern, added November 7, 1972 *

Saybrook Breakwater Light Saybrook Breakwater Lighthouse is a sparkplug lighthouse in Connecticut, United States, at Fenwick Point at the mouth of the Connecticut River near Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It is featuredAssociated Press news article, titled "Old Saybrook lig ...

house, added May 29, 1990 * William Tully House, added March 15, 1982 * Ambrose Whittlesey House, added August 23, 1985 * John Whittlesey Jr. House, added October 26, 1984

Notable people

* Vin Baker (born 1971), professional basketball player in the NBA (1993–2006) * Virginia Biddle (1910–2003), American

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own dur ...

performer and

showgirl A showgirl is a female dancer or performer in a stage entertainment show intended to showcase the performer's physical attributes, typically by way of revealing clothing, toplessness, or nudity. History Showgirls date back to the late 180 ...

(1599–1663) *

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

(1907–2003), Four time Academy Award-winning actress and Hollywood legend, lived in the borough of Fenwick *

John Clellon Holmes John Clellon Holmes (March 12, 1926, Holyoke, Massachusetts – March 30, 1988, Middletown, Connecticut) was an American author, poet and professor, best known for his 1952 novel '' Go''. Considered the first "Beat" novel, ''Go'' depicted event ...

(1926–1988), writer and poet associated with the "

Beat Generation The Beat Generation was a literary subculture movement started by a group of authors whose work explored and influenced American culture and politics in the post-war era. The bulk of their work was published and popularized by Silent Genera ...

" * Anna Louise James (1886–1977), first female African American

pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...

in Connecticut. * Ann Petry (1908–1997), novelist, journalist and biographer *

Maria Sanford Maria Louise Sanford (December 19, 1836 – April 21, 1920) was an American educator. She was a professor of history at Swarthmore College from 1871 to 1880 and a professor of rhetoric and elocution at the University of Minnesota from 1880 to 19 ...

(1836–1920), American educator and professor at

Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a private liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the earliest coeducational colleges in the United States. It was established as ...

and

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...

Elmer Eric Schattschneider Elmer Eric Schattschneider (August 11, 1892 – March 4, 1971) was an American political scientist. Life and career Schattschneider was born in Bethany, Minnesota. He received his B.A. and M.A. at the University of Pittsburgh and his Ph.D. at ...

(1892–1971), prominent political scientist and former president of the

American Political Science Association The American Political Science Association (APSA) is a professional association of political science students and scholars in the United States. Founded in 1903 in the Tilton Memorial Library (now Tilton Hall) of Tulane University in New Orle ...

Simon Willard Simon Willard (April 3, 1753 – August 30, 1848) was a celebrated American clockmaker. Simon Willard clocks were produced in Massachusetts in the towns of Grafton and Roxbury, near Boston. Among his many innovations and timekeeping improvement ...

(1605–1676)

Image gallery

File:Old Saybrook, Connecticut 2016 175.jpg, File:Old Saybrook, Connecticut 2016 176.jpg, Justin Smith Sweet House, 1710 File:Old Saybrook, Connecticut 2016 177.jpg, File: GENERAL WILLIAM HART HOUSE.jpg , Gen. William Hart House, 1767 File: JOHN WHITTLESEY JR HOUSE, OLD SAYBROOK.jpg , John Whittlesey Jr. House, 1693

Notes

External links

* *
Town government Web siteOld Saybrook Historical Society

History of Old Saybrook at the Old Saybrook Historical Society
{{Authority control Towns in Middlesex County, Connecticut Connecticut populated places on the Connecticut River Towns in Connecticut Populated coastal places in Connecticut Greater Hartford 1624 establishments in the Dutch Empire Populated places established in 1624