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Cromwell, Connecticut
Cromwell (/ˈkrɑːmwɛl/ CRAHM-wel) is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States, located within the Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region. The population was 14,225 at the 2020 census. The town is named after Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of England.
The land where Cromwell is now located, was once named for the Mattabesset, a region and settlement that was once home to Eastern Algonquian language-speaking Native Americans. This may have included the Tunxis, Quinnipiac, Wangunk, and the Wappinger. In 1651, the Mattabesset settlement was incorporated as a town by English settlers. By 1653, the colonists had renamed the settlement Middletown.
The area now known as Cromwell was referred to by many names before separating from Middletown. It was commonly referred to as the Upper Houses or Upper Middletown. Upper Middletown is surrounded by natural barriers; such as, the Connecticut River, Mattabesset River and by ridgelines in the North and West. By 1715, the Upper Houses had 50 households, their own school, church and cemetery. Before the creation of the new cemetery in January 1713, burials took place in Middletown. The earliest burial is that of Martha Gipson, who had died in February of that year. As Middletown began to emerge as one of the busiest ports in New England, the Upper Houses also boasted its own expansion of maritime industries. As industry expanded within the Upper Houses a merchant class grew with it. Some of the village's wealthier families owned slaves. Middletown was then incorporated as a city in 1784.
In the 19th century, the War of 1812 limited maritime trade creating a decline in the Upper Houses. Some continued to pursue maritime industry, the village generally reverted back to its agricultural beginnings. By the mid century, the area was revitalized by the founding of several new industries. John and Elisha Stevens formed the J & E Stevens Company in 1843. The company had intended to manufacture cast-iron hardware, hammers and a few iron toys. The brothers later shifted their business plan after much success with their iron toys. J & E Stevens Company would grow to become the largest manufacturer of cast-iron toys in the county. Today, toys produced by this company are a valuable collectible item. In the early 1870s, Andrew N. Pierson emigrated from Sweden and established A.N. Pierson’s Inc. The company started as a small floral nursery, and later evolved into the largest commercial rose growing enterprise in the country. These new industries and their demand for labor created further opportunities for those immigrating to the area. Irish, German and Italian immigrants found housing along the river on lower Main Street, in areas that were more prone to flooding.
With the expansion of the Upper Houses, and the geographical barriers around the town it became increasingly difficult to maintain connection with the larger city of Middletown. Initially, the Upper Houses was able to meet the needs of its residents with the creation of its own school and church, but by the mid-19th century, a stronger movement to become independent of Middletown had developed. In 1851, the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut recognized Cromwell as a new town with a population of 1,259.
The exact origin of the town's name is debated, but many acknowledge that it was named for either the 17th-century English leader Oliver Cromwell, or for the 18th century 20-gun privateer Oliver Cromwell.
Despite the continuing presence of industry, Cromwell maintained its rural character until the mid-20th century. Post-World War II the town began to change significantly, including growth in population. With the expansion of the highway system in Connecticut during the 1970s, Cromwell became an intersecting point for three major highway systems. The highway system created further retail and population development. By 1980 the population had grown to 10,265, which is over three times the size of 40 years earlier.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 12.9 square miles (33 km2), of which 12.4 square miles (32 km2) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) (4.03%) is water.
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Cromwell, Connecticut
Cromwell (/ˈkrɑːmwɛl/ CRAHM-wel) is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States, located within the Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region. The population was 14,225 at the 2020 census. The town is named after Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of England.
The land where Cromwell is now located, was once named for the Mattabesset, a region and settlement that was once home to Eastern Algonquian language-speaking Native Americans. This may have included the Tunxis, Quinnipiac, Wangunk, and the Wappinger. In 1651, the Mattabesset settlement was incorporated as a town by English settlers. By 1653, the colonists had renamed the settlement Middletown.
The area now known as Cromwell was referred to by many names before separating from Middletown. It was commonly referred to as the Upper Houses or Upper Middletown. Upper Middletown is surrounded by natural barriers; such as, the Connecticut River, Mattabesset River and by ridgelines in the North and West. By 1715, the Upper Houses had 50 households, their own school, church and cemetery. Before the creation of the new cemetery in January 1713, burials took place in Middletown. The earliest burial is that of Martha Gipson, who had died in February of that year. As Middletown began to emerge as one of the busiest ports in New England, the Upper Houses also boasted its own expansion of maritime industries. As industry expanded within the Upper Houses a merchant class grew with it. Some of the village's wealthier families owned slaves. Middletown was then incorporated as a city in 1784.
In the 19th century, the War of 1812 limited maritime trade creating a decline in the Upper Houses. Some continued to pursue maritime industry, the village generally reverted back to its agricultural beginnings. By the mid century, the area was revitalized by the founding of several new industries. John and Elisha Stevens formed the J & E Stevens Company in 1843. The company had intended to manufacture cast-iron hardware, hammers and a few iron toys. The brothers later shifted their business plan after much success with their iron toys. J & E Stevens Company would grow to become the largest manufacturer of cast-iron toys in the county. Today, toys produced by this company are a valuable collectible item. In the early 1870s, Andrew N. Pierson emigrated from Sweden and established A.N. Pierson’s Inc. The company started as a small floral nursery, and later evolved into the largest commercial rose growing enterprise in the country. These new industries and their demand for labor created further opportunities for those immigrating to the area. Irish, German and Italian immigrants found housing along the river on lower Main Street, in areas that were more prone to flooding.
With the expansion of the Upper Houses, and the geographical barriers around the town it became increasingly difficult to maintain connection with the larger city of Middletown. Initially, the Upper Houses was able to meet the needs of its residents with the creation of its own school and church, but by the mid-19th century, a stronger movement to become independent of Middletown had developed. In 1851, the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut recognized Cromwell as a new town with a population of 1,259.
The exact origin of the town's name is debated, but many acknowledge that it was named for either the 17th-century English leader Oliver Cromwell, or for the 18th century 20-gun privateer Oliver Cromwell.
Despite the continuing presence of industry, Cromwell maintained its rural character until the mid-20th century. Post-World War II the town began to change significantly, including growth in population. With the expansion of the highway system in Connecticut during the 1970s, Cromwell became an intersecting point for three major highway systems. The highway system created further retail and population development. By 1980 the population had grown to 10,265, which is over three times the size of 40 years earlier.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 12.9 square miles (33 km2), of which 12.4 square miles (32 km2) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) (4.03%) is water.