Old Saybrook, Connecticut Article Index for
Old Saybrook
Limousines in
Old Saybrook
Website Links For
Old Saybrook
 

Information About

Old Saybrook, Connecticut




  established Date 1854
  government Type Selectman-town Meeting
  subdivision Type NECTA
  subdivision Name New Haven
  subdivision Type1 Region
  subdivision Name1 Connecticut River Estuary
  leader Title First selectman
  leader Name Michael A Pace
  area Land Km2 388
  area Land Sq Mi 150
  area Total Km2 559
  area Total Sq Mi 216
  population As Of 2005
  population Total 10512
  population Density Km2 271
  population Density Sq Mi 701
  timezone Eastern
  utc Offset -5
  timezone DST Eastern
  utc Offset DST -4
  latd 41 latm=17 lats=38 latNS=N
  longd 72 longm=22 longs=57 longEW=W
  postal Code Type ZIP code
  postal Code 06475
  website http://wwwoldsaybrookctorg/


Old Saybrook is a Town in Middlesex County , Connecticut , United States . The population was 10,367 at the 2000 census. It contains the borough of Fenwick .


HISTORY


The Saybrook Colony was established in late 1635 at the mouth of the Connecticut River , in what is today Old Saybrook and environs. John Winthrop, The Younger , son of the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony , was designated Governor by the group that claimed possession of the land via a deed of conveyance from the Earl Of Warwick . Winthrop was aided by Colonel George Fenwick and Captain Lion Gardiner. As the principals of the group who had planned to settle the colony were supporters of Oliver Cromwell and remained in England during the English Civil War , the colony struggled. In 1644 , Fenwick agreed to merge the colony with the more vibrant Connecticut Colony a few miles up river, which purchased the land and fort from him.

The design of the Flag Of Connecticut 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 "Sustinet qui transtulit".

In 1659, settlers from Saybrook purchased land from Chief Uncas, leader of the Mohegan Native American tribe, to found Norwich, Connecticut .

On October 9 , 1701 the Collegiate School of Connecticut was chartered in Old Saybrook. It moved to New Haven in 1716, and was later renamed Yale University .

The Turtle - the first American submarine - was invented in Connecticut in 1775 by David Bushnell; a replica is housed at the Old Saybrook High School .

In recent years, the value of property on and near Long Island Sound has skyrocketed. While welcomed by some residents, the increase in property taxes has become very unwelcome by others, especially persons that are retired.


RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

As of early 2007, plans were underway to return the former town hall building back to its original use as a theater. The building is to be named the " Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center and Theater". 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 268, and Hepburn memorabilia will be displayed there.Wojtas, Joe, "Hepburn's Town to Honor Her With a Theater", ''The New York Times'', "Connecticut" section, page 2, February 18 , 2007


TRIVIA


  • The comic book character Hellboy worked with the character Father Edward Kelly on an unnamed mission located in Saybrook, Connecticut in 1961 as mentioned in the comic.


  • The 1994 movie "The Ref" with Denis Leary, Judy Davis, and Kevin Spacey was set in a town called Old Baybrook. A take of of Old Saybrook, right down to the old green lighthouse lights that the police cars had atop of their siren array.



NOTABLE RESIDENTS

  • Vin Baker — Professional basketball player in the NBA

  • Katharine Houghton Hepburn — (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003), a four-time Academy Award-winning American star of film, television and stage, lived in the Fenwick section of town.

  • Ann Petry — An African American novelist, journalist and biographer.

  • Elmer Eric Schattschneider — a prominent political scientist and former president of the American Political Science Association from 1956 to 1957



GEOGRAPHY

According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 56.0 Km&2 (21.6 Mi&2 ). 39.0 km&2 (15.0 mi&2) of it is land and 17.0 km&2 (6.6 mi&2) of it (30.45%) is water.


DEMOGRAPHICS

As of the Census 2 of 2000, there were 10,367 people, 4,184 households, and 2,920 families residing in the town. The Population Density was 266.1/km&2 (689.5/mi&2). There were 5,357 housing units at an average density of 137.5/km&2 (356.3/mi&2). The racial makeup 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.

There were 4,184 households out of which 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 all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the town the population was spread out with 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% who were 65 years of age 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 income for a household in the town was $62,742, and the median income for a family 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 Poverty Line , including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.


LIST OF NATIONAL HISTORIC SITES IN OLD SAYBROOK




SEE ALSO




EXTERNAL LINKS