Connecticut River
Looking north from the French King Bridge at the Erving-Gill town line in western Massachusetts
Country	United States
States	Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire
Tributaries
- left	Chicopee River
- right	White River
Cities	Springfield, Massachusetts, Hartford, Connecticut
Source	Fourth Connecticut Lake
- elevation	2,660 ft (811 m)
- coordinates	45°14′53″N 71°12′51″W / 45.24806°N 71.21417°W / 45.24806; -71.21417
Mouth	Long Island Sound
- location	Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Connecticut[1]
- coordinates	41°16′20″N 72°20′03″W / 41.27222°N 72.33417°W / 41.27222; -72.33417
Length	407 mi (655 km)
Basin	11,250 sq mi (29,137 km2)
Discharge	for Thompsonville, CT
- average	17,070 cu ft/s (483 m3/s)
- max	282,000 cu ft/s (7,985 m3/s)
- min	968 cu ft/s (27 m3/s)
Discharge elsewhere (average)
- West Lebanon, NH	6,600 cu ft/s (187 m3/s)
River map, with major tributaries and selected dams.

The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the states of New Hampshire and Vermont. The river then flows through the fertile Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts and past Springfield, the most populous city on the river.^[2] 4 miles (6 km) south of Springfield, the river enters Connecticut, where it spurred the growth of Hartford, the second largest city (and only state capital) along the river, situated just 24 miles (39 km) miles south of Springfield. From Hartford, the Connecticut River veers southeastward and ultimately discharges into the Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Connecticut. The Connecticut River has a total length of 407 miles (655 km), and a drainage basin extending over 11,250 square miles (29,100 km²). The mean freshwater discharge into Long Island Sound is 19,600 cubic feet (560 m³) per second.

The Connecticut River is tidal up to Windsor Locks, Connecticut, approximately 60 miles (100 km) from the mouth. Major tributaries include the Ashuelot, West, Miller's, Deerfield, White, Westfield, Farmington, and Chicopee rivers. The Swift River, a tributary of the Chicopee, has been dammed and largely replaced by the Quabbin Reservoir which provides water to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority district in eastern Massachusetts.

The river carries a heavy amount of silt, especially during the spring snow melt, from as far north as Quebec. The heavy silt concentration of the river forms a large sandbar near its mouth on Long Island Sound and has historically provided a formidable obstacle to navigation. The difficulty of navigation on the river is the primary reason that it is one of the few important rivers in the United States without a major city at its mouth. The Connecticut River estuary and tidal wetlands complex is listed as one of the 1,759 wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

Satellite image of the Connecticut River spewing muddy sediment into Long Island Sound.

History[link]

The Oxbow, Connecticut River near Northampton, 1836, by Thomas Cole

The Memorial Bridge across the Connecticut River to Springfield, Massachusetts, the river's most populous city

The Connecticut River's name is a French corruption of the Algonquian word quinetucket, which means "long tidal river". The first European to see the Connecticut River was the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block in 1614. As a result of this exploration, the Dutch named the Connecticut River the "Fresh River", and it became the northeastern location of the New Netherland colony. In 1623, the Dutch built a fortified trading post called the Fort Huys de Goede Hoop (Fort House of Good Hope) on the site that would grow to be modern Hartford.

The formation of the Connecticut Colony[link]

The first English colonist to record his visit to the Connecticut River was Edward Winslow from the Plymouth Colony, in 1632. In 1633, the English built their first settlement and trading post at the site of present-day Windsor, Connecticut (then called Matianuck). In 1634, a group of settlers from Watertown, Massachusetts, seeking to practice religion more strictly than it was being practiced near Boston, founded Wethersfield, Connecticut. The following year, in 1635, the renowned Reverend Thomas Hooker led settlers from Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Hooker had been having religious disagreements with that settlement's Reverend John Cotton, and founded the more liberal Hartford (then called Newtowne). Immediately, Newtowne annexed Matianuck, i.e. Hartford annexed Windsor, based on laws supposedly articulated in Connecticut's original settlement charter, the Warwick Patent; however, the "patent" had been physically lost and the annexation was most certainly illegal.^[3] In 1636, after the previous year sending out a scouting party to determine the Connecticut River Valley's most valuable land for trading and agricultural businesses, Puritan iconoclast William Pynchon founded Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield is located on fertile farmland just above the Connecticut River's first large falls, the Enfield Falls. A savvy businessman, Pynchon realized that all northern riverboat trade would necessarily have to change ships in Springfield. Also, the Connecticut River's largest falls at 58 feet (18 m) is located 8 miles (13 km) north of Springfield in present-day Holyoke, so Pynchon realized that he had, for lack of a better term, a 'captive audience' in Springfield.

History during colonial times[link]

In 1640 and 1641, two events took place that would forever change the political boundaries of the Connecticut River Valley. From its founding until that time, Springfield had been administered by Connecticut, along with Connecticut's three other settlements - at Wethersfield, Hartford, and Windsor. In the spring of 1640, grain was very scarce; cattle were dying of starvation. The Connecticut River Valley settlements of Windsor (then called "Matianuck") and Hartford (then called "Newtown") gave power to William Pynchon to buy corn for all three English settlements. If the Natives would not sell their corn at market prices, then Pynchon was authorized to offer more money. The Natives refused to sell their corn at market prices, and then later refused to sell it at "reasonable" prices. Pynchon refused to buy it, believing it best not to broadcast the English colonists' weaknesses, and also wanting to keep market values steady for the benefit of the colonists in the future.^[4]

Leading citizens of (what would become) Hartford were furious with Pynchon. With Windsor's and Wethersfield's consent, the three southerly settlements commissioned the famed Native American-conqueror Captain John Mason to travel to Springfield with "money in one hand and a sword in the other."^[4] On reaching (what would become) Springfield, Mason threatened the Natives with war if they did not sell their corn at a "reasonable price." The Natives capitulated and ultimately sold the colonists' corn; however, Mason's violent approach led to the Natives' deepening distrust of the English colonists. Pynchon, an avowed "man of peace," believed in cooperation with the Natives, whereas Mason – a hero of the Pequot War and conqueror of Connecticut – believed in using force. This philosophical difference led to Mason using "hard words" against Pynchon. Pynchon's settlement, however, agreed with him and that same year voted to separate from the Connecticut Colony. While this local controversy was heating up, the Massachusetts Bay Colony decided to reassert its jurisdiction over land bordering the Connecticut River, believing it to be very valuable. When the dust finally settled, William Pynchon was named magistrate of Agawam by the Massachusetts Bay Colony and, in honor of his importance, the settlement was renamed Springfield after the village of Springfield near Chelmsford, Essex, in England, where William Pynchon was raised.^[4]

The philosophical differences between Springfield and Connecticut were exacerbated by one final confrontation in 1641. Hartford had been keeping a fort at the mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, for protection against the Natives and the New Netherland Colony. After Springfield sided with the Massachusetts Bay Colony over the Connecticut Colony, Connecticut demanded that Springfield's boats pay a toll when passing the fort. Pynchon would have been agreeable to this if Springfield could have had representation at the fort (like Hartford, Wethersfield, and Windsor did); however, Pynchon did not agree with the idea of taxation without representation. Connecticut refused to allow Springfield representation at the fort, so Pynchon refused to pay Connecticut's toll. The Massachusetts Bay Colony took Pynchon's side, and in response, required a toll on Connecticut ships entering Boston Harbor. Connecticut, which was then largely dependent on trade with Boston, immediately dropped the tax on Springfield.^[4]

Only within the first decade of the new millennium have Hartford and Springfield, the two great cities on the Connecticut River, started to work collaboratively again (i.e. with the Knowledge Corridor Partnership).^[5]

As the number of English colonists increased, the Dutch position became untenable, and in 1654 a treaty was negotiated between New Netherland and the New England colonies relocating the boundary between them significantly to the west, near present-day Greenwich, Connecticut. Significantly, the treaty allowed the Dutch to maintain their trading post at Foot Huys de Goede Hoop, which they did until the 1664 British takeover of New Netherland. The Fort at Number 4, now Charlestown, New Hampshire, was the northernmost English settlement on the river until the end of the French and Indian War in 1763.

After the American Revolution and through the 19th century[link]

In the Treaty of Paris (1783), ending the American Revolutionary War, the new border between New Hampshire and what was to become the Province of Canada was defined to include the "northwesternmost headwaters of the Connecticut" . Because there are several streams that could fit that description, a boundary dispute led to the short-lived Indian Stream Republic, which existed from 1832 to 1835.

At first the broad, fertile Connecticut River valley attracted agricultural colonists and colonial traders, but later the high volume and fall of the river led to the rise of manufacturing. During the Industrial Revolution, the cities of Springfield, Massachusetts and Hartford, Connecticut, in particular, became centers of innovation and "intense and concentrated prosperity."^[6] The greatest single drop on the Connecticut, of 58 feet (18 m), is at Holyoke, Massachusetts. 8 miles (13 km) south of Holyoke sits the river's most populous city, Springfield. The second-most populous city on the river is Hartford, the capital of Connecticut. Springfield and Hartford sit only 24 miles (39 km) apart, with Bradley International Airport halfway between them in the town of Windsor Locks, Connecticut. The Hartford-Springfield Knowledge Corridor is New England's second-most populous region, with approximately 1.9 million residents, including 160,000 university students.^[7] Other important centers on the Connecticut River include Northampton, Massachusetts, Middletown, Connecticut, and Brattleboro, Vermont.

In 1829 the Enfield Falls Canal was opened to circumvent shallows near the Connecticut's first falls, the Enfield Falls. The locks built for this canal gave their name to the town of Windsor Locks, Connecticut.^[8]

In the late 19th century the river was used for massive logging drives from the far north, particularly the Nulhegan River basin in Essex County, Vermont. These spring drives were stopped after 1915, when pleasure boat owners complained about the hazards to navigation.^[9]

Flood of 1936[link]

In March 1936, due to a winter with heavy snowfall, an early spring thaw and torrential rains, the Connecticut River flooded, overflowing its banks, destroying numerous bridges and isolating hundreds of people who had to be rescued by boat. The dam at Vernon, Vermont was topped by 19 feet (5.8 m). Sandbagging by the National Guard and local volunteers helped prevent the dam's powerhouse from being overwhelmed, despite blocks of ice breaking through the upstream walls.^[10]

In Northampton, Massachusetts, looting during the flood became a problem, causing the mayor of the city to deputize citizen patrols to protect flooded areas. Over 3000 refugees from the area were housed in Amherst College and the Massachusetts State Agricultural College (now UMass Amherst).

Unprecedented accumulated ice jams compounded the problems created by the flood, diverting water into unusual channels and damming the river, raising water levels even further. When the jam at Hadley, Massachusetts gave way, the water crest overflowed the dam at Holyoke overwhelming the sandbagging there. The town of South Hadley Falls was essentially destroyed, and the southern parts of Holyoke were severely damaged, with 500 refugees.

Downtown Hartford, Connecticut during the 1936 flood

In Springfield, Massachusetts, 5 sq mi (13 km²), and 18 miles (29 km) of streets, were flooded, and 20,000 people lost their homes. The city lost power, and nighttime looting caused the police to issue a "shoot on sight" edict; 800 National Guard troops were brought in to help maintain order. Rescue efforts using a flotilla of boats saved people trapped in upper stories of buildings, bringing them to local fraternal lodges, schools, churches and monasteries for lodging, medical care, and food. The American Red Cross and local, state and Federal agencies, including the WPA and the CCC, contributed aid and manpower to the effort. Flooding of roads isolated the city for a time. When the water receded, it left behind silt-caused mud which in places was 3 feet (1 m) thick; the recovery effort in Springfield, at the height of the American Great Depression, took approximately a decade.

Overall, the flood caused 171 deaths and $500 million in damages in 1936 dollars. Across the northeast, over 430,000 people were made homeless or destitute by flooding that year.^[11]

The Connecticut River Flood Control Compact between the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont was established in 1953 to help prevent serious flooding.^[12]

Diversion for drinking water[link]

The creation of the Quabbin Reservoir in the 1930s diverted the Swift River, which feeds the Chicopee River, a tributary of the Connecticut. This resulted in an unsuccessful lawsuit by the state of Connecticut against the diversion of its riparian waters.^[13]

Demand for drinking water in eastern Massachusetts passed the sustainable supply from the existing system in 1969. Diverting water from the Connecticut River was considered several times,^[14] but in 1986 the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority instead undertook a campaign of water conservation. Demand was reduced to sustainable levels by 1989, reaching approximately a 25% margin of safety by 2009.^[15]

Natural resources[link]

The Connecticut River and its tributaries are known to contain 12 species of freshwater mussels.^[16] Of those, 11 occur in the mainstem of the Connecticut, all but the Brook floater, which is found only in small streams and rivers. Species diversity is higher in the southern part of the watershed (Connecticut and Massachusetts) than in the northern part (Vermont and New Hampshire), largely due to differences in stream gradient and substrate. Eight of the 12 species in the watershed are listed as endangered, threatened, or of Special Concern in one or more of the states in the watershed.^[17]

Pollution and cleanup[link]

Riverbank restoration project in Fairlee, Vermont

The Water Quality Act of 1965 has had a major impact on controlling water pollution in the Connecticut River and its tributaries. Since then, the river has been restored from Class D to Class B (fishable and swimable).^{[clarification needed (Class D & B)]} It was designated as one of the American Heritage Rivers in 1997. The towns along the lower end of the river have enacted a cap on further development along the banks, so that no buildings may be constructed except on existing foundations.

There is now a website which provides water quality reports twice a week, indicating whether various portions of the river are safe for swimming, boating and fishing.^[18][19]

Recreation[link]

Boating[link]

The mouth of the river up to Essex is thought to be one of the busiest stretches of waterway in Connecticut. Some local police departments and the state Environmental Conservation Police patrol the area a few times a week. Some towns keep boats available if needed.^[20] In Massachusetts, the most active stretch of the Connecticut River is centered on The Oxbow, 14 miles (23 km) north of Springfield in the college town of Northampton.^[21]

Fishing[link]

Drift boat fishing guide working the river near Colebrook, New Hampshire

The Connecticut River is a habitat to several species of anadromous and catadromous fish, including the American shad, American eel, striped bass and the sea lamprey. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is undertaking an effort to repopulate the river with another species of migratory fish, the Atlantic salmon. For more than 200 years,^{[citation needed]} Atlantic salmon have been extinct from the river due to damming. Several fish ladders and fish elevators have been built to allow fish to resume their natural migration upriver each spring.

The headwaters of the Connecticut River are at the northern tip of New Hampshire, near the Canadian border. Much of the beginning of the river's course in the town of Pittsburg is occupied by the Connecticut Lakes, a chain of deep, cold water lakes that are home to lake trout and landlocked salmon.

The river itself holds native brook trout, rainbow trout, large brown trout, shad, smallmouth bass, striped bass, carp, catfish, American eel, and several other species of game fish. Landlocked salmon make their way into the river during spring spawning runs of bait fish and during their fall spawn. The river has fly-fishing-only regulations on 5 miles (8.0 km) of river. Most of the river from Lake Francis south is open to lure and bait as well. Two tail-water dams provide cold river water for miles downstream making summer fishing on the Connecticut River excellent.

Tributaries[link]

Near First Connecticut Lake

Near Colebrook, New Hampshire

The river near its mouth

Founders Bridge with a view of the Bulkeley Bridge upstream

Mist upstream of the Bissell Bridge

Listed from south to north by location of mouth:

• Black Hall River (Old Lyme, CT)
• Falls River (Essex, CT)
• Eightmile River (Hamburg, CT)
• Deep River (Deep River, CT)
• Salmon River (Moodus, CT)
• Mattabesset River (Middletown, CT)
• Hockanum River (East Hartford and Hartford, CT)
• Park River (Hartford, CT)
• Farmington River (Windsor, CT)
• Scantic River (South Windsor, CT)
• Westfield River (West Springfield and Springfield, MA)
• Mill River (Springfield, MA)           
• Chicopee River (Chicopee and Springfield, MA)
• Manhan River (The Oxbow of Northampton, MA)
• Mill River (Northampton, MA)
• Fort River (Hadley, MA)
• Mill River (Hatfield, MA)
• Mill River (Amherst, MA)
• Sawmill River (Montague, MA)
• Deerfield River (Deerfield and Greenfield, MA)
• Fall River (Greenfield and Gill, MA)
• Millers River (Millers Falls, MA)
• Ashuelot River (Hinsdale, NH)
• West River (Brattleboro, VT)
• Partridge Brook (Westmoreland, NH)
• Cold River (Walpole, NH)
• Saxtons River (Westminster, VT)
• Williams River (Rockingham, VT)
• Black River (Springfield, VT)
• Little Sugar River (Charlestown, NH)
• Sugar River (Claremont, NH)
• Blow-me-down Brook (Cornish, NH)           
• Ottauquechee River (Hartland, VT)
• Mascoma River (West Lebanon, NH)
• White River (White River Junction, VT)
• Mink Brook (Hanover, NH)
• Ompompanoosuc River (Norwich, VT)
• Waits River (Bradford, VT)
• Oliverian Brook (Haverhill, NH)
• Wells River (Wells River, VT)
• Ammonoosuc River (Woodsville, NH)
• Stevens River (Barnet, VT)
• Passumpsic River (Barnet, VT)
• Johns River (Dalton, NH)
• Israel River (Lancaster, NH)
• Upper Ammonoosuc River (Northumberland, NH)
• Paul Stream (Brunswick, VT)
• Nulhegan River (Bloomfield, VT)
• Simms Stream (Columbia, NH)
• Mohawk River (Colebrook, NH)
• Halls Stream (Beecher Falls, VT)
• Indian Stream (Pittsburg, NH)
• Perry Stream (Pittsburg, NH)

Crossings[link]

The Connecticut River is a significant barrier to travel between western and eastern New England. Several major transportation corridors cross the river including Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, Interstate 95 (Connecticut Turnpike), Interstate 90 (Massachusetts Turnpike), Interstate 89, and Interstate 84. In addition, Interstate 91, whose route largely follows the river north-south, crosses it twice - once in Connecticut and once in Massachusetts.

Sites of interest[link]

• Connecticut River Museum in Essex, Connecticut
• Connecticut Valley Historical Museum in Springfield, Massachusetts

See also[link]

• Lake Hitchcock, post-glacial predecessor to the Connecticut River
• Lake Connecticut, post-glacial predecessor to Lake Hitchcock
• History of Connecticut
• List of rivers of Connecticut
• List of rivers of Massachusetts
• List of rivers of New Hampshire
• List of rivers of Vermont
• The Great Attack - the burning of American ships on the Connecticut River at Essex in 1814
• Equivalent lands

References[link]

Notes

Additional reading

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Connecticut River

• Connecticut River Watershed Council
• Connecticut River Valley Flood Control Commission
• Connecticut River Museum
• Connecticut Riverfest
• Upper Valley Trails Alliance
• Connecticut River Joint Commissions
• Tri-state Connecticut River Watershed Initiative

v t e American Heritage Rivers Rivers Blackstone & Woonasquatucket Connecticut Cuyahoga Detroit Hanalei Hudson Lower Mississippi Potomac New Rio Grande St. Johns Upper Mississippi Upper Susquehanna & Lackawanna Willamette

State of Connecticut
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): The Constitution State The Nutmeg State The Provisions State The Land of Steady Habits[1][2]
Motto(s): Qui transtulit sustinet.[1] (Latin)
Official language(s)	None
Demonym	Connecticuter,[3] Nutmegger[4]
Capital	Hartford
Largest city	Bridgeport[5]
Largest metro area	Greater Hartford[6]
Area	Ranked 48th in the U.S.
- Total	5,543 sq mi (14,357 km2)
- Width	70 miles (113 km)
- Length	110 miles (177 km)
- % water	12.6
- Latitude	40°58′ N to 42°03′ N
- Longitude	71°47′ W to 73°44′ W
Population	Ranked 29th in the U.S.
- Total	3,580,709 (2011 est)[7]
- Density	739/sq mi  (285/km2) Ranked 4th in the U.S.
- Median household income	$68,595 (3rd)
Elevation
- Highest point	Massachusetts border on south slope of Mount Frissell[8][9] 2,379 ft (725 m)
- Mean	500 ft  (150 m)
- Lowest point	Long Island Sound[8][9] sea level
Before statehood	Connecticut Colony
Admission to Union	January 9, 1788 (5th)
Governor	Dannel Malloy (D)
Lieutenant Governor	Nancy Wyman (D)
Legislature	General Assembly
- Upper house	Senate
- Lower house	House of Representatives
U.S. Senators	Joe Lieberman (ID) Richard Blumenthal (D)
U.S. House delegation	5 Democrats (list)
Time zone	Eastern: UTC -5/-4
Abbreviations	CT Conn. US-CT
Website	www.ct.gov

Connecticut (ⁱ/kəˈnɛtɨkət/)^[10] is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south (with which it shares a water boundary in Long Island Sound).

Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately bisects the state. Its capital city is Hartford. Much of southern and western Connecticut (along with the majority of the state's population) is part of the New York metropolitan area; three of Connecticut's eight counties are statistically included in the New York City combined statistical area, the same area is widely referred to as the Tri-State area. Connecticut's center of population is in Cheshire, New Haven County,^[11] which is also located within the Tri-State area.

Connecticut is the 3rd least extensive, the 29th most populous, and 4th most densely populated of the 50 United States. Called the Constitution State, Nutmeg State, and "The Land of Steady Habits",^[1] Connecticut was influential in the development of the federal government of the United States.

Connecticut's first European settlers were Dutch and established a small, short-lived settlement in present-day Hartford at the confluence of the Park and Connecticut rivers, called Huys de Goede Hoop. Initially, half of Connecticut was a part of the Dutch colony, New Netherland, which included much of the land between the Connecticut and Delaware rivers.

The first major settlements were established in the 1630s by the English. Thomas Hooker led a band of followers overland from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and founded what would become the Connecticut Colony; other settlers from Massachusetts founded the Saybrook Colony and the New Haven Colony. Both the Connecticut and New Haven Colonies established documents of Fundamental Orders, considered the first constitutions in North America. In 1662, the three colonies were merged under a royal charter, making Connecticut a crown colony. This colony was one of the Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution.

The Connecticut River, Thames River, and ports along the Long Island Sound have given the state a strong maritime tradition, which continues today. Connecticut's other traditional industry is financial services; for example, insurance companies in Hartford and hedge funds in Fairfield county. As of the 2010 Census, Connecticut features the highest per capita income, Human Development Index (0.962), and median household income in the United States.^[12][13][14] Although Connecticut is a wealthy state by most measures, the income gap between its urban and suburban areas is striking, with several of Connecticut's cities ranking among the nation's poorest and most dangerous.^[15][16]

Geography[link]

New Haven New London Hartford Stamford

Connecticut is bordered on the south by Long Island Sound, on the west by New York State, on the north by Massachusetts, and on the east by Rhode Island. The state capital is Hartford, and other major cities (by population) include Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, Norwalk, Danbury, New Britain, Greenwich and Bristol. There are 169 incorporated towns in Connecticut.

Bear Mountain, highest peak in Connecticut.

The highest peak in Connecticut is Bear Mountain in Salisbury in the northwest corner of the state. The highest point is just east of where Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York meet (42° 3' N; 73° 29' W), on the southern slope of Mount Frissell, whose peak lies nearby in Massachusetts.^[17]

The Connecticut River cuts through the center of the state, flowing into Long Island Sound. The most populous metropolitan region centered within the state lies in the Connecticut River Valley. Despite Connecticut's relatively small size, it features wide regional variations in its landscape; for example, in the northwestern Litchfield Hills, it features rolling mountains and horse farms, whereas in the southeastern New London County, it features beaches and maritime activities.

Although Connecticut has a long maritime history, and a reputation based on that history, Connecticut has no direct access to the sea. The jurisdiction of New York actually extends east at Fishers Island, where New York shares a sea border with Rhode Island dividing Narragansett Bay. Although Connecticut has easy access to the Atlantic, between Long Island Sound and Block Island Sound, Connecticut has no direct ocean coast.

Highest point in Connecticut on slope of Mount Frissell, as seen from Bear Mountain.

Connecticut's rural areas and small towns in the northeast and northwest corners of the state contrast sharply with its industrial cities, located along the coastal highways from the New York border to New London, then northward up the Connecticut River to Hartford. Many towns center around a "green", such as the Litchfield Green, Lebanon Green (the largest in the state), and Wethersfield Green (the oldest in the state). Near the green typically stand historical visual symbols of New England towns, such as a white church, a colonial meeting house, a colonial tavern or "inne", several colonial houses, and so on, establishing a scenic historic appearance maintained for both historic preservation and tourism.

Connecticut consists of temperate broadleaf and mixed forests. Northeastern coastal forests of oaks, hickories, and maple cover much of the state.^[18] In the northwest, these give way to New England-Acadian forests of the Taconic Mountains.^[18]

The northern boundary of the state with Massachusetts is marked by the distinctive Southwick Jog or Granby Notch, an approximately 2.5 mile (4.0 km) square detour into Connecticut. The actual origin of this anomaly is clearly established in a long line of disputes and temporary agreements which was finally concluded in 1804, when southern Southwick, (whose residents sought to leave Massachusetts), was split in half.^[19][20]

The southwestern border of Connecticut, where it abuts New York State, is marked by a panhandle in Fairfield County, containing the towns of Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan, Darien and part of Norwalk. This irregularity in the boundary is the result of territorial disputes in the late 17th century, culminating with New York giving up its claim to the area, whose residents considered themselves part of Connecticut, in exchange for an equivalent area extending northwards from Ridgefield to the Massachusetts border as well as undisputed claim to Rye, New York.^[21]

Areas maintained by the National Park Service include: Appalachian National Scenic Trail; Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor; and Weir Farm National Historic Site.^[22]

The Scoville Memorial Libraries collection began in 1771, when Richard Smith, owner of a local blast furnace, used community contributions to buy 200 books in London. Patrons could borrow and return books on the third Monday of every third month. Fees were collected for damages, the most common being "greasing" by wax dripped from the candles by which the patrons read.

Climate[link]

Interior portions of Connecticut have a humid continental climate, while the Connecticut shoreline (the state's southern four counties) has a borderline humid subtropical climate (sometimes statistically meeting this climate's criteria, sometimes not) with seasonal extremes tempered by proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The city of Bridgeport (on Long Island Sound), like most other areas in metropolitan New York, typically falls within the humid subtropical climate zone under the Köppen Climate Classification system. Hartford (35 miles inland) has a humid continental climate. Consistent with its coastal reputation, Connecticut is a moderately sunny state, averaging between 2,400 and 2,800 hours of sunshine annually.^[23]

Winters are generally considered to be cold, with average temperatures ranging from 38 °F (3 °C) in the maritime influenced southeast to 29 °F (−2 °C) in the northwest in January. The average yearly snowfall is about 20–60"(54–189 cm) across the state, with higher totals in the northwest. Spring has variable temperatures with frequent rainfall. Summer is hot and humid throughout the state, with average highs in New London of 81 °F (27 °C) and 87 °F (31 °C) in Windsor Locks. Fall months are mild and bring colorful foliage across the state in October and November. During hurricane season, tropical cyclones occasionally affect the region. Thunderstorms are most frequent during the summer, occurring on average 30 times annually. These storms can be severe, and the state usually averages one tornado per year.^[24] Connecticut's warmest temperature is 106 °F (41 °C) which occurred in Danbury on July 15, 1995; the coldest temperature is −32 °F (−36 °C) which occurred in Falls Village on February 16, 1943 and Coventry on January 22, 1961.^[25]

History[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2007)

This section requires expansion.

A map of the Connecticut, New Haven, and Saybrook colonies.

The name of the state is an Anglicized version of the Algonquian word "quinatucquet", meaning "upon the long river".^[28] The Connecticut region was inhabited by the Mohegan tribe prior to European colonization. The first European explorer in Connecticut was the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block. After he explored this region in 1614, Dutch fur traders sailed up the Connecticut River (then known by the Dutch as Versche Rivier – "Fresh River") and built a fort at Dutch Point in what is present-day Hartford, which they called "House of Hope" (Dutch: Huis van Hoop).

John Winthrop, then of Massachusetts, received permission to create a new colony at Old Saybrook at the mouth of the Connecticut River in 1635. This was the first of three distinct colonies that later would be combined to make up Connecticut. Saybrook Colony was a direct challenge to Dutch claims. The colony was not more than a small outpost and never matured. In 1644, the Saybrook Colony merged itself into the Connecticut Colony.

The first English settlers came in 1633 and settled at Windsor, and then at Wethersfield the following year.^[29] However, the main body of settlers came in one large group in 1636. The settlers were Puritans from Massachusetts, led by Thomas Hooker. Hooker had been prominent in England and was a professor of theology at Cambridge. He was also an important political writer and made a significant contribution to Constitutional theory. He broke with the political leadership in Massachusetts, and, just as Roger Williams created a new polity in Rhode Island, Hooker and his cohort did the same and established the Connecticut Colony at Hartford in 1636. This was the second of the three colonies.

The third colony was founded in March 1638. New Haven Colony (originally known as the Quinnipiack Colony) was established by John Davenport, Theophilus Eaton, and others at New Haven. The New Haven Colony had its own constitution, "The Fundamental Agreement of the New Haven Colony", which was signed on June 4, 1639.

Because the Dutch were outnumbered by the flood of English settlers from Massachusetts, they left their fort in 1654.

Neither the establishment of the Connecticut Colony or the Quinnipiack Colony was carried out with the sanction of the English Crown, and they were independent political entities. They naturally were presumptively English, but in a legal sense, they were only secessionist outposts of Massachusetts Bay. In 1662, Winthrop took advantage of this void in political affairs and obtained in England the charter by which the colonies of Connecticut and Quinnipiack were united. Although Winthrop's charter favored the Connecticut colony, New Haven remained a seat of government with Hartford until after the American Revolution.

Winthrop was very politically astute and secured the charter from the newly restored Charles II, who granted the most liberal political terms.

Historically important colonial settlements included:

Windsor (1633)

Wethersfield (1634)

Saybrook (1635)

Hartford (1636)

New Haven (1638)

Fairfield (1639)

Guilford (1639)

Milford (1639)

Stratford (1639)

Farmington (1640)

Stamford (1641)

New London (1646)

Its first constitution, the "Fundamental Orders", was adopted on January 14, 1639, while its current constitution, the third for Connecticut, was adopted in 1965. Connecticut is the fifth of the original 13 states. The original constitutions influenced the US Constitution as one of the leading authors was Roger Sherman of New Haven.

View of New London in 1854

The western boundaries of Connecticut have been subject to change over time. According to the Hartford Treaty with the Dutch, signed on September 19, 1650, but never ratified by the British, the western boundary of Connecticut ran north from Greenwich Bay for a distance of 20 miles^[30][31] "provided the said line come not within 10 miles (16 km) [16 km] of Hudson River. This agreement was observed by both sides until war erupted between England and The Netherlands in 1652. No other limits were found. Conflict over uncertain colonial limits continued until the Duke of York captured New Netherland in 1664."^[30][31] On the other hand, Connecticut's original Charter in 1662 granted it all the land to the "South Sea", i.e. the Pacific Ocean.^[32][33] Most colonial royal grants were for long east-west strips. Connecticut took its grant seriously, and established a ninth county between the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers, named Westmoreland County. This resulted in the brief Pennamite Wars with Pennsylvania.

Connecticut's lands also extended across northern Ohio, called the Western Reserve lands. The Western Reserve section was settled largely by people from Connecticut, and they brought Connecticut place names to Ohio. Agreements with Pennsylvania and New York extinguished the land claims by Connecticut within its neighbors, creating the Connecticut Panhandle. The Western Reserve lands were relinquished to the federal government, which brought the state to its present boundaries other than minor adjustments with Massachusetts.

Demographics[link]

Connecticut Population Density Map.

The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Connecticut was 3,580,709 on July 1, 2011, a 0.18% increase since the 2010 United States Census.^[7]

As of 2005, Connecticut has an estimated population of 3,510,297,^[37] which is an increase of 11,331, or 0.3%, from the prior year and an increase of 104,695, or 3.1%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 67,427 people (that is 222,222 births minus 154,795 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 41,718 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 75,991 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 34,273 people. Based on the 2005 estimates, Connecticut moves from the 29th most populous state to 30th.^[37]

6.6% of its population was reported as being under 5 years old, 24.7% under 18 years old, and 13.8% were 65 years of age or older. Females made up approximately 51.6% of the population, with 48.4% male.

In 1790, 97% of the population in Connecticut was classified as "rural". The first census in which less than half the population was classified as rural was 1890. In the 2000 census, it was only 12.3%. Most of western and southern Connecticut (particularly the Gold Coast) is strongly associated with New York City; this area is the most affluent and populous region of the state. Eastern Connecticut is more culturally influenced by the greater New England area, including the cities of Boston and Providence.

The center of population of Connecticut is located in the town of Cheshire.^[38]

Race, ancestry, and language[link]

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Connecticut had a population of 3,574,097. In terms of race and ethnicity, the state was 77.6% White (71.2% Non-Hispanic White Alone), 10.1% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.8% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 5.6% from Some Other Race, and 2.6% from Two or More Races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 13.4% of the population.^[39]

The state's most populous ethnic group, Non-Hispanic White, has declined from 98% in 1940 to 84% in 1990.^[40]

As of 2004, 11.4% of the population (400,000) was foreign-born. In 1870, native-born Americans had accounted for 75% of the state's population, but that had dropped to 35% by 1918.

As of 2000, 81.69% of Connecticut residents age 5 and older spoke English at home and 8.42% spoke Spanish, followed by Italian at 1.59%, French at 1.31% and Polish at 1.20%.^[41]

The largest ancestry groups are:^[42]

• 19.3% Italian
• 17.9% Irish
• 10.7% English
• 10.4% German
• 8.6% Polish
• 6.6% French
• 3.0% French Canadian
• 2.7% American
• 2.1% Russian
• 2.1% West Indian
• 2.0% Scottish
• 2.0% Swedish
• 1.6% Portuguese
• 1.4% Scotch Irish
• 1.2% Hungarian
• 1.0% Lithuanian

Connecticut has large Italian American, Irish American and English American populations, as well as German American and Portuguese American populations, second highest percentage of any state, behind Rhode Island (19.3%). Italian is the largest ancestry group in five of the state's counties, while the Irish are the largest group in Tolland county, French Canadians the largest group in Windham county. African Americans and Hispanics (mostly Puerto Ricans) are numerous in the urban areas of the state. Connecticut is also known for its relatively large Hungarian American population, the majority of which live in and around Fairfield, Stamford, Naugatuck and Bridgeport. Connecticut also has a sizable Polish American population, with New Britain containing the largest Polish American population in the state.

More recent immigrant populations include those from India, Philippines, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala, Panama, Jamaica, Haiti, Cape Verde and former Soviet countries.

Religion[link]

A 2001 survey of Connecticut residents' religious self-identification showed the following distribution of affiliations:^[43]

• Protestant – 40%
  • Baptist – 10%
  • Other Christian – 7%
  • Episcopal – 6%
  • Methodist – 4%
  • Lutheran – 4%
  • Other Protestant or general – 9%
• Roman Catholic – 32%
• Non-religious – 12%
• No answer – 6%
• Other religions (Including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and so on.) – 4%
• Jewish – 3%
• Congregational/United Church of Christ – 2%
• Latter-Day Saint – 2%
• Churches of Christ – 2%
• Presbyterian – 1%
• Pentecostal – 1%
• Assembly of God – 1%
• Non-denominational – 1%
• Muslim – 1%

Jewish congregations had 108,280 (3.2%) members in 2000;^[44] The Jewish population is concentrated in the towns near Long Island Sound between Greenwich and New Haven, in Greater New Haven and in Greater Hartford, especially the suburb of West Hartford. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives, the largest Christian denominations, by number of adherents, in 2000 were: the Catholic Church, with 1,372,562; the United Church of Christ, with 124,770; and the Episcopal Church, with 73,550.^[44]

Recent immigration has brought other non-Christian religions to the state, but the numbers of adherents of other religions are still low.

Connecticut is also home to New England's largest Protestant Church: The First Cathedral in Bloomfield, Connecticut located in Hartford County.

Hartford is seat to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford, which is sovereign over the Diocese of Bridgeport and the Diocese of Norwich.

Economy[link]

The total gross state product for 2010 was $237 billion.^[45] The per capita income for 2007 was $54,117, ranking first among the states.^[46] There is, however, a great disparity in incomes throughout the state; although New Canaan has one of the highest per capita incomes in America, Hartford is one of the ten cities with the lowest per capita incomes in America. As with Bridgeport, New Haven and other cities in the state, Hartford is surrounded by wealthier suburbs. The state's unemployment rate in August 2011 was 9.0%.^[47]

New Canaan is the wealthiest town in Connecticut, with a per capita income of $85,459. Darien, Greenwich, Weston, Westport and Wilton also have per capita incomes over $65,000. Hartford is the poorest municipality in Connecticut, with a per capita income of $13,428 in 2000.^[48] There are other lower-income and blue-collar towns, mostly parts of towns, in the eastern part of the State.

Taxation[link]

Prior to 1991, Connecticut had an investment-only income tax system. Income from employment was untaxed, but income from investments was taxed at 13%, the highest rate in the U.S., with no deductions allowed for costs of producing the investment income, such as interest on borrowing.

In 1991, under Governor Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., an Independent, the system was changed to one in which the taxes on employment income and investment income were equalized at a maximum rate of 4%. Since then, Greenwich, Connecticut, has become the headquarters for a large number of America's largest hedge funds. As of 2011, the income tax rates on Connecticut individuals are divided into six tax brackets of 3%, 5%, 5.5%, 6%, 6.5% and 6.7%.^[49] All wages of Connecticut residents are subject to the state's income tax, even if earned outside the state. However, in those cases, Connecticut income tax must be withheld only to the extent the Connecticut tax exceeds the amount withheld by the other jurisdiction. Since New York and Massachusetts have higher tax rates than Connecticut, this effectively means that Connecticut residents that work in those states have no Connecticut income tax withheld. Connecticut permits a credit for taxes paid to other jurisdictions, but since residents who work in other states are still subject to Connecticut income taxation, they may owe taxes if the jurisdictional credit does not fully offset the Connecticut tax amount.

Connecticut levies a 6.35% state sales tax on the retail sale, lease, or rental of most goods.^[49] Some items and services in general are not subject to sales and use taxes unless specifically enumerated as taxable by statute. A provision excluding clothing under $50 from sales tax was repealed as of July 1, 2011.^[49] There are no additional sales taxes imposed by local jurisdictions. During the summer, there is one week during which sales tax on certain items and quantities of clothing is not imposed in order to assist those with children returning to school.^{[citation needed]}

All real and personal property located within the state of Connecticut is taxable unless specifically exempted by statute. All assessments are at 70% of fair market value. Another 20% of the value may be taxed by the local government though. The maximum property tax credit is $500 per return and any excess may not be refunded or carried forward.^[50] Connecticut does not levy an intangible personal property tax. According to the Tax Foundation, the 2010 Census data shows Connecticut residents paying the 2nd highest average property taxes in the nation with only New Jersey ahead of them.^[51]

Real estate[link]

Homes in Connecticut vary widely with a median price of approximately $226,000. By contrast, the median value for a home in Fairfield County, for example, is about $370,000.^[52][53] Connecticut has the most multi-million dollar homes in the Northeast, and the second most in the nation after California, with 3.3% of homes in Connecticut priced over $1 million in 2003.^[54]

Industries[link]

The agricultural produce of the state includes nursery stock; eggs; clams and lobster (shellfish); dairy products; cattle; and tobacco. Its industrial output includes transportation equipment, especially helicopters, aircraft parts, and nuclear submarines; heavy industrial machinery and electrical equipment; military weaponry; fabricated metal products; chemical and pharmaceutical products; and scientific instruments.

Due to the prominence of the aircraft industry in the state, Connecticut has an official state aircraft, the F4U Corsair, and an official Connecticut Aviation Pioneer, Igor Sikorsky. The state officially recognizes aircraft designer Gustav Whitehead as "Father of Connecticut Aviation" for his research into powered flight in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1901, two years before the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.^[55] Governor John Dempsey also declared August 15 to be "Gustave Whitehead Day".^[56]

A report issued by the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism on December 7, 2006, demonstrated that the economic impact of the arts, film, history and tourism generated more than $14 billion in economic activity and 170,000 jobs annually. This provides $9 billion in personal income for Connecticut residents and $1.7 billion in state and local revenue.^[57]

As of November 2010, the state's unemployment rate is 9%.^[58]

Transportation[link]

Map of Connecticut showing major highways.

Roads[link]

The Interstate highways in the state are I-95 (the Connecticut Turnpike) running southwest to northeast along the coast, I-84 running southwest to northeast in the center of the state, I-91 running north to south in the center of the state, and I-395 running north to south near the eastern border of the state. The other major highways in Connecticut are the Merritt Parkway and Wilbur Cross Parkway, which together form State Route 15, running from the Hutchinson River Parkway in New York State parallel to I-95 before turning north of New Haven and running parallel to I-91, finally becoming a surface road in Berlin, Connecticut. Route 15 and I-95 were originally toll roads; they relied on a system of toll plazas at which all traffic stopped and paid fixed tolls. A series of terrible crashes at these plazas eventually contributed to the decision to remove the tolls in 1988.^[59] Other major arteries in the state include U.S. Route 7 in the west running parallel to the NY border, State Route 8 farther east near the industrial city of Waterbury and running north-south along the Naugatuck River Valley nearly parallel with U.S. 7, and State Route 9 in the east. See List of State Routes in Connecticut for an overview of the state's highway system.

Between New Haven and the New York City, I-95 is one of the most congested highways in the United States. Many people now drive longer distances to work in the New York City area. This strains the three lanes of traffic capacity, resulting in lengthy rush hour delays. Frequently, the congestion spills over to clog the parallel Merritt Parkway. The state has encouraged traffic reduction schemes, including rail use and ride-sharing.^[60]

Connecticut also has a very active bicycling community, with one of the highest rates of bicycling ownership and use in the United States. New Haven's cycling community, organized in a local advocacy group called ElmCityCycling, is particularly active. According to the U.S. Census 2006 American Community Survey, New Haven has the highest percentage of commuters who bicycle to work of any major metropolitan center on the East Coast.

Public transportation[link]

A Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line train at Stamford.

Rail[link]

Southwestern Connecticut is served by MTA's Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line, providing commuter service to New York City and New Haven, with branches servicing New Canaan, Danbury, and Waterbury. Connecticut lies along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor which features frequent Northeast Regional and Acela Express service. Towns between New Haven and New London are also served by the Shore Line East commuter line. Operation of commuter trains from New Haven to Springfield on Amtrak's New Haven-Springfield Line is under consideration.^[61] Amtrak also operates a shuttle service between New Haven and Springfield, Massachusetts, servicing Hartford and other towns on the corridor.

Bus[link]

Statewide bus service is supplied by Connecticut Transit, owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, with smaller municipal authorities providing local service. Bus networks are an important part of the transportation system in Connecticut, especially in urban areas like Hartford, Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport and New Haven. A three-year construction project to build a BRT busway from New Britain to Hartford began in August 2009.^[62][63]

Air[link]

Bradley International Airport is located in Windsor Locks, 15 miles (24 km) north of Hartford. Regional air service is provided at Tweed New Haven Regional Airport. Larger civil airports include Danbury Municipal Airport and Waterbury-Oxford Airport in western Connecticut, and Groton-New London Airport in eastern Connecticut. Sikorsky Memorial Airport is located in Stratford and mostly services cargo, helicopter and private aviation. The Westchester County Airport in Harrison, New York serves much of southwestern Connecticut.

Law and government[link]

The Connecticut State Capitol in downtown Hartford.

Hartford has been the sole capital of Connecticut since 1875. Before then, New Haven and Hartford alternated as capitals.^[64]

Constitutional history[link]

Connecticut is known as the "Constitution State". While the origin on this title is uncertain, the nickname is assumed to refer to the Fundamental Orders of 1638–39. These Fundamental Orders represent the framework for the first formal government written by a representative body in Connecticut. The government has operated under the direction of four separate documents in the course of Connecticut Constitutional History. After the Fundamental Orders, Connecticut was granted governmental authority by King Charles II of England through the Connecticut Charter of 1662.

Separate branches of government did not exist during this period, and the General Assembly acted as the supreme authority. A constitution similar to the modern U.S. Constitution was not adopted in Connecticut until 1818. Finally, the current state constitution was implemented in 1965. The 1965 constitution absorbed a majority of its 1818 predecessor, but incorporated a handful of important modifications. Another possible source of the nickname "constitution state" comes from Connecticut's pivotal role in the federal constitutional convention of 1787, during which Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth helped to orchestrate what became known as the Connecticut Compromise, or the Great Compromise. This plan combined the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan to form a bicameral legislature, a form copied by almost every state constitution since the adoption of the federal constitution.

Executive[link]

The governor heads the executive branch. Dan Malloy is the current Governor and Nancy Wyman is the Lieutenant Governor, both are Democrats. Malloy, the former mayor of Stamford, won the 2010 general election for Governor, and was sworn in on January 5, 2011. From 1639 until the adoption of the 1818 constitution, the governor presided over the General Assembly. In 1974, Ella Grasso was elected as the governor of Connecticut. This was the first time in United States history when a woman was a governor without her husband being governor first.

There are several executive departments: Administrative Services, Agriculture, Banking, Children and Families, Consumer Protection, Correction, Economic and Community Development, Developmental Services, Construction Services, Education, Energy & Environmental Protection, Higher Education, Information Technology, Insurance, Labor, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Military, Motor Vehicles, Public Health, Public Safety, Public Utility Regulatory Authority, Public Works, Revenue Services, Social Services, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs. In addition to these departments, there are other independent bureaus, offices and commissions.^[65]

In addition to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, there are four other executive officers named in the state constitution that are elected directly by voters: Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller and Attorney General. All executive officers are elected to four year terms.^[64]

Legislative[link]

The legislature is the General Assembly. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of an upper body, the State Senate (36 senators); and a lower body, the House of Representatives (151 representatives).^[64] Bills must pass each house in order to become law. The governor can veto the bill, but this veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority in each house. Per Article XV of the state constitution, Senators and Representatives must be at least 18 years of age and are elected to two-year terms in November on even-numbered years. There also must always be between 30 and 50 senators and 125 to 225 representatives. The Lieutenant Governor presides over the Senate, except when absent from the chamber, when the President pro tempore presides. The Speaker of the House presides over the House.^[66] As of 2012, Chris Donovan is the current Speaker of the House of Connecticut.

Connecticut's United States Senators are Richard Blumenthal (Democrat) and Joseph I. Lieberman (Connecticut for Lieberman, Independent Democrat) who is part of the Democratic Caucus. Connecticut currently has five representatives in the U.S. House, all of whom are Democrats. Connecticut and Vermont remain the only two states with Independent Senators.

Judicial[link]

The highest court of Connecticut's judicial branch is the Connecticut Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of Connecticut. The Supreme Court is responsible for deciding on the constitutionality of the law or cases as they relate to the law. Its proceedings are similar to those of the United States Supreme Court, with no testimony given by witnesses, and the lawyers of the two sides each present oral arguments no longer than thirty minutes. Following a court proceeding, the court may take several months to arrive at a judgment. The current Chief Justice is Chase T. Rogers.

In 1818, the court became a separate entity, independent of the legislative and executive branches.^[67] The Appellate Court is a lesser state-wide court and the Superior Courts are lower courts that resemble county courts of other states.

Local government[link]

and several lists: List of municipalities of Connecticut by population, List of towns in Connecticut, List of cities in Connecticut, Borough (Connecticut), List of counties in Connecticut

Connecticut has 169 towns, which serve as the fundamental local political subdivision of the state; the entire state is divided into towns.^[64] Connecticut shares a local form of government with the rest of New England called the New England town. There are also 21 cities,^[64] most of which are coterminous with their namesake towns and have a merged city-town government. There are two exceptions: City of Groton, which is a subsection of the Town of Groton and the City of Winsted in the Town of Winchester. There are also nine incorporated boroughs which may provide additional services to a section of town.^[64][68] One, Naugatuck, is a consolidated town and borough.

Unlike most other states, Connecticut does not have county government. Connecticut county governments were mostly eliminated in 1960, with the exception of sheriffs elected in each county.^[69] In 2000, the county sheriff was abolished and replaced with the state marshal system, which has districts that follow the old county territories. The judicial system is divided, at the trial court level, into judicial districts which largely follow the old county lines.^[70] The eight counties are still widely used for purely geographical and statistical purposes, such as weather reports, and census reporting.

The state is divided into 15 planning regions defined by the state Office of Planning and Management.^[71] The Intragovernmental Policy Division of this Office coordinates regional planning with the administrative bodies of these regions. Each region has an administrative body known as either a regional council of governments, a regional council of elected officials, or a regional planning agency. The regions are established for the purpose of planning "coordination of regional and state planning activities; redesignation of logical planning regions and promotion of the continuation of regional planning organizations within the state; and provision for technical aid and the administration of financial assistance to regional planning organizations."^[71]

Same-sex marriage[link]

On November 12, 2008, Connecticut became the second state (after Massachusetts) to allow marriages of same-sex couples. Connecticut was the third state to do so, but only the second where the decision was not repealed.

Alcohol sold on Sundays[link]

The state has put a new law into effect. On May 20, 2012 Connecticut will begin to sell alcohol on Sundays. Thus, allowing people not having to buy alcohol out of state on Sundays. More importantly the law was created so the state can have another way to generate more revenue in the bad economy. Now residents of the state or visitors do not have to go to a neighboring state to buy alcohol on Sundays. There is a catch to the law; if a major holiday is on a Sunday alcohol will not be sold, e.g. Christmas.

Politics[link]

Currently, Connecticut leans strongly towards the Democratic Party. However, Connecticut has a high percentage of voters who are not registered with a major party. As of 2004, 33.7% of registered voters were registered Democratic, 22.0% were registered Republican, and 44.0% were unaffiliated with any party, with 0.2% registered with a minor party.^[73]

Many Connecticut towns show a marked preference for moderate candidates of either party. The state's Republican-leaning areas are the rural Litchfield County and adjoining towns in the west of Hartford County, the industrial towns of the Naugatuck River Valley, and some of the affluent Fairfield County towns near the New York border.

The suburban towns of New Canaan and Darien in Fairfield County are considered the most Republican areas in the state. Westport, a wealthy town a few miles to the east, is often considered one of the most loyally-Democratic, liberal towns in Fairfield County. The historically Republican-leaning wealthy town of Wilton voted in the majority for Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential Election. Norwalk and Stamford, two larger, affluent communities in Fairfield County, have in many elections favored moderate Republicans including former Governor John G. Rowland and former Congressman Chris Shays, however they have favored Democrats in recent US presidential election years, with Shays being defeated by Democrat Jim Himes in the 2008 election.

Waterbury has a Democratic registration edge, but usually favors conservative candidates in both parties. In Danbury unaffiliated voters outnumber voters registered with either major party. Other smaller cities including Meriden, New Britain, Norwich and Middletown favor Democratic candidates.

In July, 2009 the Connecticut legislature overrode a veto by Governor M. Jodi Rell to pass SustiNet, the first significant public-option health care reform legislation in the nation.^[74]

As of 2011, Democrats controlled all five federal congressional seats. The remaining Republican, Chris Shays, lost his seat to Democrat Jim Himes in the Congressional Election in 2008. Joseph Lieberman and Richard Blumenthal are Connecticut's U.S. senators. The junior Blumenthal is a Democrat while the senior Lieberman serves as an Independent Democrat caucusing with Senate Democrats after his victory on the Connecticut for Lieberman ballot line in the 2006 general election.

Lieberman's predecessor, Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., was the last Connecticut Republican to serve as Senator. Weicker was known as a liberal Republican. He broke with President Richard Nixon during Watergate and successfully ran for governor in 1990 as an independent, creating A Connecticut Party as his election vehicle. Before Weicker, the last Republican to represent Connecticut in the Senate was Prescott Bush, the father of former President George H.W. Bush and the grandfather of former President George W. Bush. He served from 1953–1963.

In April 2012 both houses of the Connecticut state legislature passed a bill (20 to 16 and 86 to 62) that abolished the capital punishment for all future crimes, while 11 inmates who were waiting on the death row at the time could still be executed.^[75]

Education[link]

Connecticut is the home of Yale University, established in 1701, one of the most academically renowned and selective universities in the United States.^[77] Yale is one of the largest employers in the state, and its research activity has recently spun off dozens of growing biotechnology companies.^[78][79]

In addition, Connecticut hosts many other academic institutions, including Trinity College (1823), Wesleyan University (1831), University of Hartford (1877), Post University (1890), Connecticut College (1911), United States Coast Guard Academy (1915) and Quinnipiac University (1929). The University of Connecticut (1881) has been the highest ranked public university in New England from 1998 to 2010, according to U.S. News and World Report.^[80]

Connecticut was home to the nation's first law school, Litchfield Law School, which operated from 1773 to 1833 in Litchfield. Hartford Public High School (1638) is the third-oldest secondary school in the nation after the Collegiate School (1628) in Manhattan and the Boston Latin School (1635). The state also has many noted private day schools, and its boarding schools draw students from around the world.

Sports[link]

Connecticut has been the home to multiple teams in the big four sports leagues, though currently hosts none. Connecticut's longest-tenured and only modern full-time "big four" franchise were the Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League, who played in Hartford from 1979 to 1997 at the Hartford Civic Center. Their departure to Raleigh, North Carolina, over disputes with the state over the construction of a new arena, caused great controversy and resentment. The former Whalers are now known as the Carolina Hurricanes.

Connecticut has hosted teams from the other big four leagues at various times. The Hartford Dark Blues joined the National League for one season in 1876, becoming the state's first and only major league baseball franchise. In 1926, Hartford had a franchise in the National Football League known as the Hartford Blues. The NFL would return to Connecticut from 1973–1974 when New Haven hosted the New York Giants at Yale Bowl while Giants Stadium was under construction.^[81] From 1975 to 1995, the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association played a number of home games at the Hartford Civic Center.

Yale Bowl during "The Game" between Yale and Harvard. The Bowl was also the home of the NFL's New York Giants from 1973–1974.

The Connecticut Sun of the WNBA currently play at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville. From 1996 to 1998, Connecticut was home to another professional woman's basketball team, American Basketball League franchise the New England Blizzard, who played at the Hartford Civic Center

The UConn Huskies play NCAA Division I sports and are popular in the state. Both the men's basketball and women's basketball teams have won multiple national championships, including in 2004, when UConn became the first school in NCAA Division I history to have its men's and women's basketball programs win the national title in the same year. The UConn Huskies football team has played in the Football Bowl Subdivision since 2002, and has played in four bowl games since. Other Connecticut universities which feature Division I sports teams include Yale University, Quinnipiac University, Fairfield University, Central Connecticut State University, Sacred Heart University, and the University of Hartford. Several United States Coast Guard Academy teams compete in Division I as well.

New Haven biennially hosts "The Game" between Yale and Harvard, the country's second-oldest college football rivalry. Yale alum Walter Camp, deemed the "Father of American Football", helped develop modern football while living in New Haven.^[82]

Hartford has hosted two Arena Football League franchises, in the Connecticut Coyotes from 1995–1996 and the New England Sea Wolves from 1999–2000, both playing at the Civic Center. Hartford was home to the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League for one season in 2010.

Connecticut is a battleground between fans of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets.^[83] For the Mets and Red Sox, split allegiances among fans of both teams in the state during the 1986 World Series led to an article in The Boston Globe to coin the phrase "Red Sox Nation".^[84]

The state hosts several major sporting events. Since 1952, a PGA Tour golf tournament has been played in the Hartford area. Originally called the "Insurance City Open" and later the "Greater Hartford Open", the event is now known as the Travelers Championship. The Pilot Pen Tennis tournament is held annually in the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center at Yale University in New Haven. Lime Rock Park is a motorsport track home of American Le Mans Series, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR Camping World East Series races.

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) is the state's sanctioning body for high school sports.

Current professional sports teams[link]

Names and symbols[link]

Connecticut State symbols
The Flag of Connecticut.
Animate insignia
Bird(s)	American Robin
Fish	American shad
Flower(s)	Mountain Laurel
Insect	European Mantis
Mammal(s)	Sperm whale
Tree	Charter White oak
Inanimate insignia
Dance	Square dance
Fossil	Dinosaur tracks
Mineral	Garnet
Shell	Eastern Oyster
Ship(s)	USS Nautilus (SSN-571), Freedom Schooner Amistad
Slogan(s)	Full of Surprises
Song(s)	Yankee Doodle, The Nutmeg
Tartan	Connecticut State Tartan
Route marker(s)
State Quarter
Released in 1999
Lists of United States state insignia

The name "Connecticut" originates from the Mohegan word quonehtacut, meaning "place of long tidal river".^[64] Connecticut's official nickname, adopted in 1959, is "The Constitution State," based on its colonial constitution of 1638–1639 which was the first in America and, arguably, the world.^[1] Unofficially (but popularly) Connecticut is also known as "The Nutmeg State".^[1] The origins of the nutmeg connection to Connecticut are unknown. It may have come from its sailors returning from voyages with nutmeg (which in the 18th and 19th centuries was a very valuable spice). It may have originated in the early machined sheet tin nutmeg grinders sold by early Connecticut peddlers. It is also facetiously said to come from Yankee peddlers from Connecticut who would sell small carved nobs of wood shaped to look like nutmeg to unsuspecting customers.^[85] George Washington gave Connecticut the title of "The Provisions State"^[1] because of the material aid the state rendered to the American Revolutionary War effort. Connecticut is also known as "The Land of Steady Habits".^[1]

The Charter Oak.

The USS Nautilus (SSN-571).

According to Webster's New International Dictionary, 1993, a person who is a native or resident of Connecticut is a "Connecticuter". There are numerous other terms coined in print, but not in use, such as: "Connecticotian" – Cotton Mather in 1702. "Connecticutensian" – Samuel Peters in 1781. "Nutmegger" is sometimes used,^[2] as is "Yankee" (the official state song is "Yankee Doodle"), though this usually refers someone from the wider New England region (and in the Southern United States, to anyone who lives north of the Mason-Dixon Line).^[86] Linguist Allen Walker Read reports a more playful term, 'connecticutie.' The traditional abbreviation of the state's name is "Conn."; the official postal abbreviation is CT.

Commemorative stamps issued by the United States Postal Service with Connecticut themes include Nathan Hale, Eugene O'Neill, Josiah Willard Gibbs, Noah Webster, Eli Whitney, the whaling ship the Charles W. Morgan which is docked in Mystic Seaport, and a decoy of a broadbill duck.