Woodstock, Connecticut

Woodstock is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,221 at the 2000 census.

History

In the mid- to late 17th century, John Eliot, a Puritan missionary to the Indians, established "praying towns" where Native Americans took up Christianity and were expected to renounce their languages, ceremonies, traditional dress and customs. One Praying town, called Wabaquasset (Massomuck, Wabiquisset), 6 miles west of the Quinebaug River in present-day Woodstock, was was the largest of the three northeastern Connecticut praying towns.

Fourth of July celebrations

Henry C. Bowen, a native of the town who became wealthy and politically influential, hosted July 4 celebrations in town during the 19th century that attracted as many as 10,000 people who heard speeches, saw fireworks and drank pink lemonade. Bowen, often called "Mr. Fourth of July," was an important benefactor of the town who had a lake and park created and given to the community.

Roseland Cottage

Roseland Cottage, also known as Bowen House, a summer house built by wealthy businessman Henry C. Bowen in 1846, is where he hosted U.S. presidents for his then-famous Independence Day celebrations. Ulysses S. Grant bowled his first strike in the bowling alley located in the carriage barn.

The pink house features "tall, angular gables, gingerbread trim, and 21 formal flower gardens outlined by dwarf boxwood hedges," according to a Hartford Courant article. Roseland is an example of Victorian Gothic Revival style, which can be seen in its pointed gables, scrolled bargeboards, many tall chimneys and leaded glass windows in diamond shapes. The outside walls, of board and batten wood siding, have been painted 13 different colors over the past 150 years -- all shades of pink (as of the summer of 2006 the house was a coral or salmon color). The house still has the owners' original furniture and knickknacks.

Roseland was designed (under Bowen's direction) by architect architect Joseph C. Wells. The design was influenced by the architectural design books of architectural critic Andrew Jackson Downing. Fine Homebuilding magazine named Roseland one of the 25 most important houses in America in its 2006 Fine Homebuilding Houses Annual Issue.

These U.S. presidents visited Roseland (some before they became presidents): Abraham Lincoln, Grant, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley and Rutherford B. Hayes, came as his guests. Grant declined an invitation to spend the night, because Bowen (a teetotaler) forbade drinking and smoking.

Notable people, past and present

• Samuel C. Crafts (1768-1853), who led an extensive botanical investigation of the Mississippi Valley in 1802, was later governor of Vermont and represented the state in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. He was born in Woodstock, but moved away as a child. His father founded Craftsbury, Vermont.
• Brian Dennehy, an actor, lives in town.
• William Eaton (1764–1811) a U.S. Army officer and U.S. Consul at Tunis, led one of the most stirring adventures in American history during the First Barbary War. He was born in Woodstock.
• Caroll Spinney a puppeteer most who played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on the TV show Sesame Street, lives in town.
• Jared Warner Williams (1796–1864) Born in West Woodstock, he represented New Hampshire in the U.S. House and Senate and served for two years as that state's governor.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 160.1 km² (61.8 mi²). 156.8 km² (60.5 mi²) of it is land and 3.4 km² (1.3 mi²) of it (2.10%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 7,221 people, 2,754 households, and 2,048 families residing in the town. The population density was 46.1/km² (119.3/mi²). There were 3,044 housing units at an average density of 19.4/km² (50.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.37% White, 0.17% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.

There were 2,754 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $55,313, and the median income for a family was $65,574. Males had a median income of $46,017 versus $30,222 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,331. About 1.9% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

External Links

• Official Town Government Web site
• Hartford Courant article on Woodstock's Roseland Cottage, July 30, 2006