Southbury is a town in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. It is north of Oxford and Newtown, and east of Brookfield. Its population was 19,879 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region.
Southbury comprises sprawling rural country areas, suburban neighborhoods, and historic districts. It is a short distance from major business and commercial centers. It is 67 miles (107 km) north of New York City, and 34 miles (54 km) west of Hartford.
Southbury is the only community in the country with the name "Southbury", which is why the town seal reads Unica Unaque, meaning "The One and Only."
History
The town of Southbury was one of several towns formed out of parcels of land purchased from the Pootatuck Native Americans. Southbury was originally part of Woodbury, which was settled in 1673. A meetinghouse for the Southbury Ecclesiastical Society was built in 1733, and in 1787 the town of Southbury was incorporated. After two decades within Litchfield County, Southbury was transferred to New Haven County in 1807.
In the 1800s, water power became essential to the growth of Southbury's industries, which included mills, tanneries, and distilleries. The power for these industries came primarily from the Pomperaug River and the Housatonic River. As the industrial revolution progressed, many of these businesses left for Waterbury.
In the 1920s, Russian expatriates Count Ilya Tolstoy (son of the author Leo Tolstoy) and George Grebenstchikoff founded an artists' colony at one end of Main Street, known as Churaevka (or "Russian Village"). At its peak, Churaevka had a printing press used by Russian and Ukrainian scholars and novelists. Visitors to the colony included the composer Sergei Rachmaninoff. Most of its immigrant population is now gone; however, St. Sergius Chapel, designed by Nicholas Roerich and built in 1932–1933, remains. Churaevka is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In November 1937, residents of the farming outpost got word that a man by the name of Wolfgang Jung had purchased in the town. Residents looking into his plans discovered that he was a member of the German American Bund, an organization of ethnic Germans living in the United States who supported Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. Its leader, Fritz Kuhn, was considered the leading anti-Semite in the country. Word soon got out that they were, in fact, planning to build their largest training facility in the country. Residents objected by calling a town meeting and set up a zoning department with one simple rule, no military activity excluding the United States Army. The law was adopted December 14 and the Bund stopped work and eventually sold the land.
Southbury was a rural farming town for most of its history. However, with the development of the Interstate Highway System, that changed. With the opening of Interstate 84 through Southbury by 1963, the town gained easy access to New York and Hartford, also improving its access to Danbury and Waterbury. Heritage Village opened in 1967, on a site. In 1987, IBM built an extensive office and research building in Southbury, employing over 2,500 workers. Southbury transitioned from a primarily rural community into the varied town it is today, with the commercial downtown and residential neighborhoods sharing the town with farming communities and extended rural acreage. Today, Southbury has approximately 17% open space, with a goal of 20%.
In the early 1990s, Southbury was the subject of a lawsuit by the Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation. The 100-member tribe sought to take the land of roughly 1,200 property holders in the town. The lawsuit was thrown out in 1993 based on the fact that the man who brought the suit was not a chieftain, contrary to his claims, and had no standing to bring the suit.
Geography According to the US Census Bureau, Southbury has a total area of , of which is land and , or 2.69%, is water.
Towns that border Southbury are Middlebury to the northeast, Oxford to the east and southeast, Newtown to the southwest, Bridgewater to the west, and Roxbury and Woodbury to the north.
South Britain and Southford are included in the incorporated township of Southbury.
Demographics
As of the 2000 census, there were 18,567 people comprising 7,225 households, including 4,833 families residing in Southbury. The population density was . There were 7,799 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.34% White, 0.45% African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.62% from multiple races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.59% of the population.
Of Southbury's 7,225 households, 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. About 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.41, and the average family size was 3.02.
Southbury's population consisted of 22.8% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 26.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in Southbury is $75,970 in 2007, compared to $61,919 in 1999; the median income for a family in 1999 was $81,109. In 1999, males had a median income of $87,365 versus $68,657 for females. The per capita income for the town was $62,731. About 1.9% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those 65 or over. The median home value was $532,650.
In July 2008, it was estimated that there were 19,702 (+6.1% from 2000) people in Southbury. The estimated median household income was $75,970 (+22.7% from 2000). The estimated median home (or condominium) value was to $374,178 (+92.6% from 2000).
Heritage Village Southbury is home to a variety of retirement facilities, including Heritage Village, one of New England's largest retirement communities. Heritage Village sits on and includes approximately 2,580 homes with 4,000 people. It is billed as being an "active retirement" community, offering many activities. Heritage Village was planned in the 1960s, as I-84 was completed in the area. Potential Heritage Village residents must be 55 years of age or older.
By 2013, about 30% of the population of Southbury is expected to be 60 years of age or older. By 2020, about 40% will be 60 or older. Southbury has developed a three-phase plan to increase services for the aging population. The former Southbury Library was converted into a senior center; it also houses the new home of the area Parks & Recreations Department.
In addition to the "active living" area of Heritage Village, Southbury contains several "assisted living facilities", including: The Hearth at Southbury Lutheran Home of Southbury River Glen Health Care Center
Other "active senior living" options that provide independent living, assisted living, and memory care in Southbury includes: Pomperaug Woods Watermark at East Hill
Government and voting Southbury has a six-member Board of Selectmen, including First Selectman, Jeff Manville (R).
Method of voting Southbury used mechanical voting machines until 2007 when it switched to optical scanning machines. The new system has been criticized for several reasons, including a lack of privacy.
Southbury utilizes up to three polling stations. for machine vote as required by a town meeting or per charter, only the firehouse is used.
Consistent with Connecticut law, citizens have the option of choosing a party when they register to vote. A citizen may join or change, their affiliation later. Primary voting is limited to members of that party.
Voting results for Connecticut and federal elected officials
In 2006, veteran U.S. House Representative Nancy Johnson was ousted in favor of Democrat Chris Murphy, who carried Southbury, 51–49%. Junior U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman dropped his Democratic party affiliation, but was re-elected as an independent, carrying Southbury with 57% of the vote; his closest opponent, Democrat Ned Lamont, had only 32% of Southbury's support.
In the 2008 Presidential Election, Southbury supported Republican John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama. For the U.S. House, the town narrowly supported Republican David Cappiello over Murphy, the Democratic incumbent who ultimately won in a landslide.
In 2010, Southbury voted in favor of Republican candidates Tom Foley for Governor and Linda McMahon for U.S. Senate. Though neither of the Republicans won statewide, they carried Southbury with 61% and 56% of the vote, respectively. Southbury again supported the Republican for U.S. House, voting for Sam Caligiuri over the Democrat Murphy by a 56–44% margin.
+ Southbury town vote by party in presidential elections Year Democratic Republican Third Parties202050.58% 6,57048.19% 6,2601.23% 155201643.35% 5,01352.75% 6,1003.90% 450201244.10% 4,93654.80% 6,1341.10% 123200846.44% 5,45852.52% 6,1721.04% 122200441.92% 4,83056.66% 6,5281.42% 164200041.78% 4,30653.14% 5,4775.08% 523199639.64% 3,74150.20% 4,73710.16% 959
Current Federal Elected Official for U.S. Congress:
U.S. Senators: Chris Murphy, Richard Blumenthal U.S. Congressman: Jahana Hayes
Current State Elected Official for Connecticut General Assembly
State Senator: Eric Berthel (32) State Representatives: Cindy Harrison (69), David Labriola (131)
Political parties
Southbury Democratic Town Committee, 2,967 members (+283 from previous totals) Southbury Republican Town Committee, 4,583 members (+57 from previous totals) – Members are elected to serve two-year terms on the RTC.
Education
Southbury is part of the Pomperaug Regional School District, region 15, a school system that includes the towns of Southbury and Middlebury. The system contains four elementary, two middle and one high school.
There has been a debate between the two towns over the amount each pays towards the system.
Schools located in Southbury include: Gainfield Elementary School Pomperaug Elementary School Rochambeau Middle School Pomperaug High School
Students from Region 15 also have the option to attend: W.F. Kaynor Technical High School (Waterbury) Henry Abbott Technical High School (Danbury) Nonnewaug High School (Region 14, Woodbury, accessible as an agricultural school for Region 15 students)
Recreation The Southbury Parks & Recreations Department moved into the old Southbury Library in 2007. Southbury town sports include: Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken baseball Basketball Pop Warner football Soccer Lacrosse
Controversy has arisen over town sports since the Parks and Recreation Department began enforcing a policy banning out-of-town players from participating in town-sanctioned sports in 2006. This policy stems from the fact of overcrowding at town fields, a problem which is plaguing Southbury.
Local media
Waterbury Republican-American – A Waterbury-based independent daily newspaper The Danbury News-Times – A Danbury-based daily newspaper Voices – A local newspaper serving Southbury, Middlebury, Oxford, Seymour, Naugatuck, Woodbury, Bethlehem, New Preston, Washington, Washington Depot, Roxbury, Bridgewater, Monroe, Sandy Hook, and Newtown WTCH – A local student & staff run television station broadcast by Pomperaug High School in Southbury. Channel 17 in Southbury, Channel 16 in Middlebury.
Infrastructure Only a small area of Southbury is covered by water or sewer systems, with the vast majority left to wells and septic. Southbury is generally concerned with its water table, to the point where the only car wash in town is required to recycle all of their water used, an expensive process.