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{{redirect|Danbury}}
[[Image:Gebel el-Arak knife mp3h8791.jpg|thumb|200px|upright|The [[Gebel el-Arak Knife]], on display at the [[Louvre]]; the iconography is two '''confronted-lions''', powerfully displayed, and controlled by the central figure that could be a ruler or a deity; (note confronted-bulls below). ]]
{{Infobox Settlement
'''Confronted-animals''', where two animals face each other in a [[symmetry|symmetrical]] pose, is an ancient bilateral [[motif]] in [[art]] and [[archaeology]]. The motif often involves a central figure between the two confronted-animals and thus, is part of a probable unified [[sociology|socio-]][[culture|cultural]] motif. It is thought that the [[iconography]] sometimes has [[ritual]] and religious associations; for example, the Lion Gate of [[Mycenae]] has a column between the protective, surmounted and confronted lionesses standing with two feet on the ground and two on the same base on which the column rests.
|official_name = Danbury, Connecticut
==Examples from archaelogy==
|settlement_type = [[City]]
|nickname = The Hat City
|image_skyline = Main Street, Danbury, Connecticut.jpg
|imagesize = 200px
|image_caption = Historic buildings along Main Street, 2007
|image_seal = danbury_seal.png
|image_map = US-CT-Danbury.png
|mapsize = 250x200px
|map_caption = Located in [[Fairfield County, Connecticut|Fairfield County]], [[Connecticut]]
|established_title = Incorporated (town)
|established_date = 1702
|established_title2 = Incorporated (city)
|established_date2 = 1889
|established_title3 = Consolidated
|established_date3 = 1965
|image_map1 =
|mapsize1 =
|map_caption1 =
|subdivision_type = [[NECTA]]
|subdivision_name = Danbury
|subdivision_type1 = Region
|subdivision_name1 = Housatonic Valley
|subdivision_type2 =
|subdivision_name2 =
|government_type = [[Mayor-council]]
|leader_title = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name = Mark D. Boughton (R)
|area_magnitude = 1 E9
|area_total_sq_mi = 44.3
|area_land_sq_mi = 42.1
|area_water_sq_mi = 2.2
|area_water_percent =
|area_total_km2 = 114.7
|area_land_km2 = 109.1
|area_water_km2 = 5.7
|area_urban_km2 = 320.1
|population_as_of = 2005
|population_note =
|population_total = 78,736
|population_footnotes = <ref name=popest2>{{cite web | date = June 21, 2006 | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2005-04-09.csv | title = Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Connecticut | format = [[Comma-separated values|CSV]] | work = 2005 Population Estimates | publisher = U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division | accessmonthday = November 17 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>
|population_density_km2 = 722
|population_metro = 163000
|timezone = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset_DST = -4
|elevation_m = 121
|elevation_ft = 397
|latd = 41 |latm = 24 |lats = 08 |latNS = N
|longd = 73 |longm = 28 |longs = 16 |longEW = W
|region =
|postal_code_type = ZIP code
|postal_code = 06810, 06811, 06813
|website = http://www.danbury-ct.gov/
|area_code = [[Area code 203|203]]
|blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info = 09-18430
|blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info = 0206580
|footnotes =
}}
'''Danbury''' is a [[city]] in [[Fairfield County, Connecticut|Fairfield County]], [[Connecticut]], [[United States]]. It has an estimated population as of July 1, 2005 of 78,736.<ref name=popest2/>


The city was named for the place of origin of many of the early settlers, [[Danbury, Essex|Danbury]], [[Essex]] in [[England]]. The city has been nicknamed ''Hat City'', because it used to be a center of the [[hat]] industry, at one point producing 25% of America's hats.{{Fact|date=July 2007}}
===Cylinder seals===
Examples of confronted-animals exist on [[Cylinder seal]]s from [[Mesopotamia]]. [[deity|Deities]], or [[hero|heroes]] grasping lions, cattle, [[griffin]]s, or other ''imaginary'' creatures are sometimes found.


Danbury is home to [[Danbury Hospital]] and [[Danbury High School]].
Cylinder seals involving confronted-[[goat]]s surrounding a central [[Tree of life]] on a 'cone' or mountain platform is one common theme. Two deities are thought to be holding the animals under their control.


== History ==
Because cylinder seals are numerous and also come from [[prehistory|pre-historical]] periods, back to the [[4th millennium BC|fourth]] or [[5th millennium BC|fifth millenniums]], themes are varied. Another Tree of life type of confronted-animals cylinder seal has a "hero grasping water buffalo" and a "bull-man grasping lions", each between the animals; again, the central figure is the "Tree-of-Life".


Danbury was first settled by colonists in 1685, when eight families moved to the area from the area that is now [[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]] and [[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]]. The area was then called ''Pahquioque'' by the [[Pahquioque]] [[American Indians in the United States|Native Americans]]. One of the first settlers was Samuel Benedict who bought land from the Paquioque natives in 1685 along with his brother James, James Beebe, and Judah Gregory. The settlers originally chose the name '''Swampfield''' for their town, but in October 1687, the general court decreed the name Danbury.
====Confronted snakes====
[[Image:Snake Goddess Crete 1600BC.jpg|thumb|Figure from [[Crete]], holding confronted snakes, dated 1600 BC. ]]
[[Image:PostcardCentralBizSectDanburyCT1907.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Downtown Main Street scene, ca. 1907]]
During the [[American Revolution]], Danbury was an important military supply depot for the Continental army. On April 26[[April 27|-27]], 1777, the British under Major General [[William Tryon]] burned and looted the city. The central motto on the seal of the City of Danbury is ''Restituimus'' ([[Latin]] for "We have restored"), a reference to the destruction caused by the Loyalist army troops. The American General [[David Wooster]] was mortally wounded near the city of [[Ridgefield, Connecticut]] at the [[Battle of Ridgefield]] by these same British forces which had earlier attacked Danbury. He is buried in Danbury's Wooster Cemetery, and the private [[Wooster School]] in Danbury is named in his honor. <ref>[http://www.danburyhistorical.org/Wooster.html Danbury Histrical Society web site]</ref>
Confronted [[serpent (symbolism)|snake]]s are frequent images in many cultures from ancient times to historical periods. Often associated with religious ceremonies and deities, perhaps the most familiar figure known popularly from ancient times is the deity or priestess of Crete depicted holding up two confronted snakes on either side of her.


In 1780, the first hat factory in Danbury was established by [[Zadoc Benedict]], employing three workers and producing 18 hats a week. Danbury was known as "The Hat City" or the "Hatting Capital of the World" during the early 20th Century.
A [[chlorite]] vessel [[http://www.nyu.edu/classes/wright/Fall03/ChloriteVase2.jpg] from the area of contemporary [[Bagdad]], [[Iraq]] depicts three pairs of confronted-animals. Two confronted-[[snakes]] are being held in the hands of the central figure; below the snake-pair are a pair of ''anti-confronted-lionesses'', recumbent. The third pair of animals are two anti-confronted bovines with a human or deity between also. A lion and other animals are depicted to the right.


In 1802, [[Thomas Jefferson]] wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, a religious group, in which he used the expression "Separation of Church and State". It is the first known instance of the expression, which does not appear in the [[U.S. Constitution]], contrary to popular belief. (This letter is on display at the Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of Danbury.)
===Narmer Palette===
[[Image:NarmerPalette-ROM-front.jpg|thumb|255px|left|Narmer Palette, reverse with confronted-animals, displayed in iconographic [[register (sculpture)|register]]s; the [[Pharaoh]] wears the "Crown of the Delta", [[Lower Egypt]]. ]]
The [[Narmer Palette]] has two confronted mythical [[feline]]s on the reverse side, sometimes called [[serpopard]]s because of their exaggerated long necks which look snakelike. The entire theme of the Narmer Palette, is about the [[Pharaoh]] of the newly unified [[Ancient Egypt]] represented in two scenes, (palette ''obverse'', palette ''reverse''). On one side the pharaoh wears the crown of [[Upper Egypt]] and on the other, the pharaoh wears the crown of [[Lower Egypt]]. Thus, it is thought that the animals with their intertwining necks are representing two kingdoms, once separate, but now unified under one pharaoh. The lioness [[Bast]] had been the protective deity of one kingdom and the lioness [[Sekhmet]] of the other kingdom, equally important deities in each of the early [[Egyptian pantheon]]s. Respectively, they were the special protectors of the pharaoh in each kingdom, who persisted as deities throughout the long history of unified [[Ancient Egypt]]. Eventually their roles diverged, however, with one becoming less of the protector and warrior deity and assigned other roles. Typically, many similar deities in the two kingdoms soon were merged, so the retention of both is thought to be the result of the long and strong tradition of each.


The first [[Danbury Fair]] was held in 1821. By 1869, it became a yearly event and was held until 1981. After 1981, the fairgrounds were demolished to make room for the [[Danbury Fair Mall]], which opened in the fall of 1986.<ref>Ravo, Nick, "[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE0DD1E3CF937A3575AC0A961948260&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink Country Fair Becomes Land of the Lava Lamp]", ''New York Times'', September 4, 1987</ref>
Examples of other confronted animals exist on many [[cosmetic palette]]s of Ancient Egypt that have been discovered. Bilaterally depicted [[palm tree]]s also are known; one palette has confronted-[[hippopotamus]]es.


[[Image:TerribleDisasterAtDanburyHarpers1869.jpg|thumb|right|250px|left|Danbury reservoir disaster, January 31, 1869]]
===Mycenae Lion Gate===
[[Image:Mycenae lion gate detail dsc06384.jpg|thumb|225px|right|The Mycenae "Lion Gate" (detail) with two [[lioness]]es that flank a central column]]
The gate to the citadel of [[Mycenae]] is shown to the right. It crowned the major entrance gateway to the ancient citadel that was the centre of the culture, [[Mycenaean Greece]], that predated that of [[Greece]], and is a well known example of two confronted lionesses.


In 1835, the Connecticut Legislature granted a rail charter to the "[[Fairfield County Railroad]]," but after 15 years, no work had been completed and investment was slow. In 1850, the organization's vast plans were scaled back and it was renamed the "[[Danbury and Norwalk Railroad]]." Work moved quickly on the 23-[[mile]] (37 [[kilometre|km]]) railroad line. In 1852, the first railroad line in Danbury opened, with two trains making the 75-minute trip to [[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]].
===Gebel el-Arak Knife===
The reverse side of the [[Gebel el-Arak Knife]] handle, shows two powerful confronted lions, separated by a figure who is grasping them. The other iconography of the handle is consistent with the archaeological [[cosmetic palette]]s that were designed for their iconographic and pictorial expression. Of note, the knob on the reverse shows the top end of the hole for a cord or rope, on the suspension [[lug (knob)|lug]]; this knife may have been worn around the neck ceremonially.


The city of Danbury was incorporated April 19, 1889.
===Asian and European art===
[[Image:Sutton.Hoo.PurseLid.RobRoy.jpg|thumb|300px|Purse-lid from [[Sutton Hoo]], early seventh century AD. ]]
Confronted animals also are found extensively in Asian art and in textiles, including [[rug]]s, across [[Eurasia]]. In Europe they are an important motif in [[animal style]], or [[zoomorphism|zoomorphic]] decoration, [[Insular art]], and the [[Romanesque art|Romanesque]].


In 1902, the [[American Federation of Labor]] union called for a nationwide boycott of a non-union hat manufacturer, Dietrich Loewe, in Danbury. The manufacturer sued the union under the [[Sherman Antitrust Act]] for unlawfully restraining trade. The Supreme Court held that the union was liable for damages in 1908. This case is also known as the [[Danbury Hatters' case]].
The early [[Anglo-Saxon]] [[ship burial]] found in contemporary Great Britain at [[Sutton Hoo]], from the seventh century AD, contains famous examples of [[Migration Period art]].
[[Image:SceneOfTheDisasterAtDanburyConnecticut.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Scene of the Disaster at Danbury", January 31, 1869]]
A 60-[[acre]] (24 [[hectare]]s) tract near the Danbury Fairgrounds known as Tucker's Field was purchased by local pilots in 1928, and leased to the town. This became an airport, which is now [[Danbury Municipal Airport]] ([[ICAO airport code]]: KDXR).


[[Connecticut]]'s largest lake, [[Candlewood Lake]], was artificially created in 1929 where Wood Creek and the Rocky River meet near the [[Housatonic River]]. The lake is operated as a [[hydroelectric]] power facility by the [[Northeast Utilities|Connecticut Light and Power Company]], which sold the lake for $9 million in June 2006.
The ''Sutton Hoo purse lid'' has three stylized confronted-animal pairs; the two side pairs, left and right, are identical, and have the animals in the person's clutched grasp. The central confronted-animals are even more complex in theme.

In the August 1988 issue of ''[[Money Magazine]]'', Danbury topped the magazine's list of the best U.S. cities to live in, mostly due to low crime, good schools, and location.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Danbury, where I-84 enters Connecticut, was a popular place for out-of-staters to purchase [[Powerball]] tickets. Those who live west of the Hudson River now usually find Pennsylvania more convenient for Powerball.

===Historic pictures===
<gallery>
Image:PostcardMainStFromWhiteStDanburyCT1907.jpg|Main Street looking east from White Street, 1907
Image:PostcardDanburyCTNatlHatFactry1912.jpg|National Hat Factory, about 1912
Image:PostcardDanburyCTViewOfTheHatFactory1911.jpg|View of a hat factory, 1911
</gallery>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of 44.3&nbsp;square miles (114.7&nbsp;[[km²]]), of which, 42.1&nbsp;square miles (109.1&nbsp;km²) of it is land and 2.2&nbsp;square miles (5.7&nbsp;km²) of it (4.94%) is water. Danbury is located at {{coord|41|45.23|N|73|16.85|W|}}. Danbury also surrounds the southern parts of [[Candlewood Lake]].

==Demographics==
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right;"
|-
| colspan="2" align="center" | '''Historical<br> population<br> of Danbury'''[http://www.sots.state.ct.us/RegisterManual/regman.htm]
|-
| 1756 || 1,527
|-
| 1790 || 3,031
|-
| 1820 || 3,873
|-
| 1850 || 5,964
|-
| 1880 || 11,666
|-
| 1910 || 23,502
|-
| 1940 || 27,921
|-
| 1970 || 50,781
|-
| 1980 || 60,470
|-
| 1990 || 65,585
|-
| 2000 || 74,848
|-
| 2004 || 78,263<br> (est.)[http://eire.census.gov/popest/data/cities.php]
|}
As of July 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city’s population at 78,736. This number does not include illegal aliens, which various anecdotal estimates place between 10,000 and 20,000 or some 12-25% of the total.<ref>[http://www.fairfieldcbj.com/archive/082106/0821060017.php Doing Business in Danbury: Construction industry faring well on public school campuses], an article by Bob Chuvala, ''Fairfield County Business Journal'', August 21, 2006</ref> In 2005, Danbury Mayor [[Mark Boughton]] said the city actually numbers around near 90,000, due to recent immigration from [[Ecuador]]<ref>[http://hatcityblog.blogspot.com/2005_07_31_hatcityblog_archive.html Ecuadorian immigrants in Danbury], by HatCity BLOG, Retrieved November 17, 2006</ref> and [[Brazil]]. An unofficial estimate is that there are 5,000 Ecuadorians (mostly from the Andes province of Azuay) and 15,000 Brazilians (mostly from the southeastern state of [[Minas Gerais]]). Danbury has the one of the largest concentration of immigrants from Brazil for a city of its size.{{Fact|date=July 2007}}

As of the [[census]]{{GR|2}} of 2000, there were 74,848 people, 27,183 households, and 17,886 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 1,777.4 people per square mile (686.3/km²). There were 28,519 housing units at an average density of 677.2/sq&nbsp;mi (261.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.0% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 6.8% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.29% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 5.5% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 7.6% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.0% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 15.8% of the population.

There were 27,183 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.18.

The population was distributed as follows: 21.7% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $53,664, and the median income for a family was $61,899. Males had a median income of $39,016 versus $31,319 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $24,500. About 5.9% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

{| class=wikitable
! colspan = 6 | Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005<ref>{{cite web|title = Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 25, 2005 | publisher = Connecticut Secretary of State | format = PDF | accessdate = 2006-10-02 | url = http://www.sots.ct.gov/ElectionsServices/lists/2005OctRegEnrollStats.pdf}}</ref>
|-
! colspan = 2 | Party
! Active Voters
! Inactive Voters
! Total Voters
! Percentage
{{American politics/party colours/Democratic/row}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| align = center | 9,084
| align = center | 778
| align = center | 9,862
| align = center | 29.11%
{{American politics/party colours/Republican/row}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| align = center | 6,404
| align = center | 594
| align = center | 6,998
| align = center | 20.66%
{{American politics/party colours/Independent/row}}
| Unaffiliated
| align = center | 15,124
| align = center | 1,643
| align = center | 16,767
| align = center | 49.49%
{{American politics/party colours/Libertarian/row}}
| Minor Parties
| align = center | 226
| align = center | 27
| align = center | 253
| align = center | 0.75%
|-
! colspan = 2 | Total
! align = center | 30,838
! align = center | 3,042
! align = center | 33,880
! align = center | 100%
|}
The newest statistics for the State of Connecticut show that Danbury, Connecticut has the highest percentage of foreign born people at 34% of Danbury's residents are foreign born. In 2006, 13% of Connecticut residents were foreign born.{{Fact|date=October 2007}}

==Economy==
*'''[[ATMI Incorporated|ATMI Inc.]]''' [http://www.atmi.com (ATMI)] -- headquarters 7 Commerce Drive; makes materials and materials packaging for semiconductor and flat panel manufacturers worldwide; 700 employees company wide; [[United States Dollar|$]]281.8 million in 2005 revenues; CEO Doug Neugold
*'''[[Cartus]]''' (a [[subsidiary]] of [[Realogy|Realogy Corporation]]) -- headquarters, 40 Apple Ridge Road; Relocation; 1,800 employees (2,700 worldwide); CEO Kevin Kelleher
*'''[[Ethan Allen (furniture company)|Ethan Allen Interiors Inc.]]''' [http://www.ethanallen.com (ETH)] -- headquarters, Ethan Allen Drive; designs, manufactures and distributes furniture, rugs, lamps, draperies and other decorative home accessories sold by a network of more than 300 Ethan Allen interior design centers in the United States and abroad; 6,400 employees company wide, 618 in Connecticut; $949 million in 2005 revenues; CEO Farooq Kathwari
*'''[[Praxair|Praxair Inc.]]''' [http://www.praxair.com (PX)] -- headquarters, 39 Old Ridgebury Road; the [[Fortune 500]] company makes and sells industrial gases used worldwide in the electronics, metal fabrication, health care and food processing industries, also makes metallic and ceramic powders and coatings; 27,000 employees company wide, 550 in Connecticut; $8.3 billion in 2006 revenues; CEO Steve Angel
*'''[[Scholastic Corporation|Scholastic Library Publishing Inc.]]''' (a division of [[Scholastic Corporation]]) -- headquarters, 90 Sherman Turnpike; [http://librarypublishing.scholastic.com Scholastic Library] publishes educational, children's and reference books, including the [[Encyclopedia Americana]] (the first encyclopedia published in the US), as well as ''Nueva Enciclopedia Cumbre en Linea'' (the Spanish language encyclopedia) and ''Lands and Peoples.'' Imprints include Franklin Watts and Children's Press]. Its interactive unit produces games and interactive software, including [[Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia]] (the first encyclopedia in electronic form); Greg Worrell, division president

== Government ==
The chief executive officer of Danbury is the [[Mayor]], who serves a two year term. The current mayor is Mark Boughton (R). The Mayor is the presiding officer of the Common Council, which consists of 21 members, two from each of the seven city [[ward (politics)|wards]], and seven at-large ([http://www.ci.danbury.ct.us/content/45/464/default.aspx Current councilmembers]). The Common Council enacts ordinances and resolutions by a simple majority vote. If after five days the Mayor does not approve the ordinance (similar to a [[veto]]), the Common Council may re-vote on it. If it then passes with a two-thirds majority, it becomes effective without the Mayor's approval. The current Common Council consists of 14 Republicans and 7 Democrats.
Danbury also has four state representatives, Rep. Jason Bartlett D-2nd, Rep. Joe Taborsak D-109, Deputy Speaker of the House Bob Godfrey D-110, and Rep. Jan Gieglier R-138. There is one state senator who is David Cappiello R-24.
Danbury is represented in the [[United States Congress]] by U.S. Rep. [[Chris Murphy]] (D)

Danbury's 2003 to 2004 [[mill rate]] is 24.29.

Danbury is also home to an Army Reserve [[Special Operations]] unit, the 411th [[Civil Affairs]] Battalion.


== Danbury Federal Correctional Institute ==

Danbury is also the site of a low-security women's prison, the [[Danbury Federal Correctional Institute]],<ref>[http://www.federalprison.com/federalprison/html/D%20Fed%20Prison%20Facility%20Info.html Danbury's low-security women prison], by Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Facilities, Retrieved November 17, 2006</ref> formerly a men's prison. It is located near the border with [[New Fairfield, Connecticut|New Fairfield]].
Notable ex-prisoners include cocaine dealer and trafficker of [[Blow]] fame [[George Jung]], Unification Church leader [[Sun Myung Moon|the Rev. Sun Myung Moon]], and hotel magnate [[Leona Helmsley]]. [[James Michael Curley]], mayor of Boston from 1945-1949, spent five months of his mayoral term at Danbury Federal Prison, after he was convicted on federal charges of official misconduct. Media personality and homemaker [[Martha Stewart]] and female rap star [[Lil' Kim]] requested that their prison terms be served at Danbury Federal Correctional Institute due to its proximity to their New York City homes. However, due to the media attention their requests were denied.


== Education ==
Danbury is home to [[Western Connecticut State University]].

=== Public Schools ===
* 2 high schools: [[Danbury High School]] (9-12) and [[Henry Abbott Technical High School]] (9-12)
* 2 middle schools: Broadview Middle School (6-8) and Rogers Park Middle School (6-8)
* 14 elementary schools: Western Connecticut Academy for International Studies Magnet School (K-5), Great Plain (K-5), Hayestown (K-5), King Street Primary (K-2) and King Street Intermediate (3-5), Mill Ridge Primary (K-2) and Mill Ridge Intermediate (3-5), Morris Street (K-5), Park Avenue (K-5), Pembroke (K-5), Roberts Avenue (K-5), Shelter Rock (K-5), South Street (K-5) and Stadley Rough (K-5)

=== Parochial Schools ===
Roman Catholic parochial schools in Danbury reside within the administration of the Diocese of Brideport and include:
* 1 high school: [[Immaculate High School (Danbury, Connecticut)|Immaculate High School]] (9-12)
* 4 elementary schools: Sacred Heart School (K-8), St. Gregory the Great School (PK-8), St. Joseph School (K-8) and St. Peter School (PK-8)

=== Private Schools ===
In addition, Danbury is home to:
* Anderson Montessori School
* Colonial Hills Christian Academy
* Hudson Country Montessori School
* New England Country Day School
* New Hope Christian Academy
* Maimonides Academy
* [[Wooster School]]

== Media ==
* ''[[The News-Times]]'' of Danbury, a daily newspaper owned by Media News Group.
*[http://www.tribunact.com Tribuna Newspaper] a biweekly, bilingual(Portuguese/English) publication.
* WLAD-AM 800; 1,000 watts (daytime); 287 watts (nighttime)
*[[WDAQ|WDAQ-FM]] 98.3; 3,000 watts; owned by the Berkshire Broadcasting Corporation
* [[WXCI|WXCI-FM]] 91.7; 3,000 watts; College radio station owned by Western Connecticut State University and operated by past and present students. It receives funding from the Western Connecticut State University Student Government Association.

== Sites of interest ==
=== Hiking trails ===
* Bear Mountain Reservation
* The Old Quarry Nature Center has two short educational trails on 39 [[acre]]s (15 [[hectare]]s) off Mountainville Avenue.
* '''Tarrywile Mansion and Park''' is one of Danbury's most popular parks. There are {{convert|28|mi|km}} of trails as well as several ponds located on the 800 acre (264 [[hectare]]) park. The historic Victorian mansion and gardens are a common location for weddings.
* Other trails in the area can be found at berkshirehiking.com<ref>[http://www.berkshirehiking.com Hiking trail in Danbury, Berkshire hiking], Berkshire hiking, retrieved November 17, 2006</ref>

=== Parks ===
* Danbury Candlewood Park overlooks Candlewood Lake. Swimming, picnicking, and a boat launch are available in the 11.1 acre (45,000&nbsp;m²) park.
* Elmwood Park
* Hatters Community Park
* Kenosia Park
* Richter Park
* Rogers Park
* Tarrywile Park

=== Museums ===
* [[Danbury Museum and Historical Society]]
* [[Danbury Railway Museum]]
*Military Museum of Southern New England

=== Other ===
* Danbury is the former home of the [[Danbury Fair]]. The [[Danbury Fair Mall]] was built on the fairgrounds in 1986.
* Danbury is home to the [[411th Civil Affairs Battalion (United States)|411th Civil Affairs Battalion]], an Army Reserve Special Operations unit.
*[[Danbury Hospital]] is a 400-bed institution with 3,300 employees.<ref>''2006 Book of Business Lists, Facts and People,'' published by Westfair Communications Inc. of White Plains, N.Y., in conjunction with its ''Fairfield County Business Journal'', page 57</ref> The hospital is the home of the new Praxair Regional Heart and Vascular center[http://www.danhosp.org/DH_cardio_layout.cfm?id=142], providing state of the art [[cardiovascular]] care to this growing region including [[open heart surgery]] and [[coronary angioplasty]].

===On the National Register of Historic Places===
* Ball and Roller Bearing Company - 20-22 Maple Ave. (added September 25, 1989)
* Charles Ives House - 7 Mountainville Ave. (added May 26, 1976)
* Hearthstone - 18 Brushy Hill Rd. (added 1987)
* [[John Rider House]] - 43 Main St. (added December 23, 1977)
* Locust Avenue School - Locust Ave. (added June 30, 1985)
* [[Main Street Historic District (Danbury, Connecticut)|Main Street Historic District]] - Boughton, Elm, Ives, Keeler, Main, West and White Sts. (added December 29, 1983)
* [[Meeker's Hardware]] - 86-90 White St. (added July 9, 1983)
* Octagon House - 21 Spring St. (added June 7, 1973)
* P. Robinson Fur Cutting Company - Oil Mill Rd. (added December 30, 1982)
* Tarrywile - Southern Blvd. & Mountain Rd. (added February 6, 1988)
* Union Station - White St. and Patriot Dr. (added October 25, 1986)

== Sports ==

The Danbury Westerners are a member of the [[New England Collegiate Baseball League]] they play there home games at rogers park
The [[Danbury MadHatters]] the founding member of the [[Eastern Professional Hockey League (2008)]] they play there home games at the Danbury Ice Arena


The [[United Hockey League]] (UHL) expanded to Danbury in 2004. The [[Danbury Trashers]] played their first season at the [[Danbury Ice Arena]] in October 2004. Among those on the roster included Brent Gretzky (brother of hockey legend [[Wayne Gretzky]]) and Scott Stirling (son of former [[New York Islanders]] coach [[Steve Stirling]]). Scott's older brother, Todd, coached the Trashers in the 2004-2005 season.

On June 9, 2006 the owner of the Trashers, [[James Galante]], was arrested as part of a federal investigation into illegal practices in the Connecticut garbage industry. Team executives were also charged with fraud as it was alleged the owner illegally subsidized players and violated the league salary cap. The club folded due to the ongoing investigation and lack of teams within close proximity to them.

As of 2006 a new team was created to occupy the ice arena, the [[New England Stars]] were formed to represent Danbury in the defunct [[North Eastern Hockey League]].

On March 25, 2008, Danbury was named the first city to officially have a new team in the newly formed [[Eastern Professional Hockey League (2008)|Eastern Professional Hockey League]]. The team is called the [[Danbury Mad Hatters]].

[[Danbury High School]] carries a strong athletic tradition. They are perennial powers in: wrestling, boys and girls track and field, boys cross country, baseball, basketball, and football. The wrestling, cross country, and track teams have all numerous state titles and New England championships. All three programs are considered to be nationally ranked annually.

== Transportation ==
Danbury is the terminus of the [[Danbury Branch|Danbury branch]] line of the [[MTA Metro-North Railroad]] which begins in [[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]]. The line was first built by the [[Danbury and Norwalk Railroad]] which was later bought by the [[New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad]] Company. Danbury was an important junction between the Danbury Branch and the [[Dutchess Rail Trail|Maybrook Line]]. The Maybrook line was the New Haven's main freight line which terminated in [[Maybrook, New York|Maybrook]], [[New York]], where the New Haven exchanged traffic with other railroads. After the ill-fated [[Penn Central]] took over the New Haven, the Maybrook line was shut down when a fire on the New Haven bridge over the [[Hudson River]] made the line unusable. Many believe the fire was set by Penn Central to reroute that freight traffic over their [[Boston & Albany]] route to the north. Today, the historic station is part of the Danbury Railroad Museum. The [[Providence and Worcester Railroad]], along with the [[Housatonic Railroad]] provide local rail freight service in Danbury.

Local bus service is provided by [[Housatonic Area Regional Transit]] (HART).

The city is also the location of [[Danbury Municipal Airport]] ([[IATA airport code|DXR]]).

== Notable people ==
{{Refimprovesection|date=April 2008}}

{{seealso|Category:People from Danbury, Connecticut}}
* [[Julius Baker]], Principal flutist of the [[New York Philharmonic]] from 1965-83.
* [[Jonathan Brandis]] (1976-2003), actor
* [[Tracy Chapman]], singer
* [[Felix Cavaliere]], producer, musician
* [[Frank Conniff (journalist)|Frank Conniff]] (1914&ndash;1971), journalist and editor who won a [[1956 Pulitzer Prize]] for international reporting
* [[William E. Devlin]] (1949-) Author of [[We Crown Them All: An Illustrated History of Danbury]].
* [[Charles Ives]] (1874-1954), one of America's most influential composers<ref>Dixon, Ken, "Music Hall of Fame proposed for state", article in ''Connecticut Post'' in Bridgeport, Connecticut, April 26, 2007 ("Charles Ives (1874-1954) of Danbury")</ref>
* [[Rose Wilder Lane]], author, writer, daughter of [[Laura Ingalls Wilder]]
* [[Merle Miller]], biographer of [[Harry S. Truman]] and [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]
* [[Jerry Nadeau]], former [[NASCAR]] [[Nextel Cup]] driver (retired due to head injury)
* [[Laura Nyro]], singer-songwriter
* [[Neil Rudenstine]], ex-president of [[Harvard University]]
* [[Ian Smith (TV)|Dr. Ian Smith]], panelist on [[VH1]]'s Celebrity Fit Club
* [[Samuel Tweedy]] (1776-1868) was a [[United States Representative]] from Connecticut.
* [[Michael Whelan]], science fiction and fantasy artist
* [[John Hubbard Tweedy]], member of Congress
* [[Zalmon Wildman]] (1775-1835) was a United States Representative from Connecticut.
* [[R. Gordon Wasson]] (1898-1986) was one of the first westerners to participate in a Mazatec sacred mushroom ritual and study psychedelic mushrooms.
* [[Peter Wiley]], cellist

==Twin cities==
* {{flagicon|Italy}} - [[Decollatura]], [[Italy]]

==References==
{{reflist}}


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Greater Danbury]], the metropolitan area centered on the city
*[[Book of Kells]]
*[[Animal style]]
*[[Tierwirbel]]


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.ci.danbury.ct.us/home City of Danbury]
Cylinder seal: confronted-animals
*[http://www.danburychamber.com/ Danbury Chamber of Commerce]
*[http://www.hindunet.org/hindu_history/sarasvati/cylindertwotigersmesop.jpg Photo--Cylinder Seal-High Res] &ndash; Two animals, each held by a [[deity]] or [[priest]]; Center Motif: [[Tree of life]]
*[http://www.danburyhistorical.org/ Danbury Historical Society]
*[http://www.nyu.edu/classes/wright/Fall03/Cylinder%20seal3.jpg Photo--variation of Tree of life confronted-animals]; [http://www.nyu.edu/classes/wright/Fall03/paper1images.html Article] &ndash; One animal has a deity-face, facing toward observer.
*[http://www.danburyhospital.org/ Danbury Hospital], at 24 Hospital Avenue, has 371 beds.
*[http://www.danburyice.com Danbury Ice Arena]
*[http://www.danburylibrary.org/ Danbury Public Library]
*[http://www.danbury.k12.ct.us/ Danbury Public Schools]
*[http://www.danbury.org/ Danbury Community Network]
*[http://www.danbury.k12.ct.us/elemweb/danburyhistory/index.html/ Student Guide to Danbury]
*[http://www.hatcitydubs.com/ Hat City Dubs] Danbury based European car club
*[http://www.germanschooldanbury.com/ German Language School of Danbury] German school in Western CT
* [http://www.Elsolnews.com Elsolnews.com], a community Spanish newspaper covering news and events.

{{Connecticut}}
{{Fairfield County, Connecticut}}


[[Category:Danbury, Connecticut| ]]
Confronted snakes
[[Category:Cities in Connecticut]]
*[http://www.nyu.edu/classes/wright/Fall03/ChloriteVase2.jpg Photo--confronted snakes]; [http://www.nyu.edu/classes/wright/Fall03/paper1images.html Article]
[[Category:University towns in the United States]]


[[Category:Iconography]]


[[bg:Данбъри]]
{{art-history-stub}}
[[de:Danbury (Connecticut)]]
[[es:Danbury]]
[[fr:Danbury (Connecticut)]]
[[id:Danbury, Connecticut]]
[[it:Danbury]]
[[ht:Danbury, Connecticut]]
[[mr:डॅनबरी, कनेटिकट]]
[[nl:Danbury (Connecticut)]]
[[pl:Danbury (Connecticut)]]
[[pt:Danbury (Connecticut)]]
[[sk:Danbury]]
[[sv:Danbury, Connecticut]]
[[vo:Danbury (Connecticut)]]
[[zh:丹伯里 (康涅狄格州)]]

Revision as of 13:25, 13 October 2008

"Danbury" redirects here. For other uses, see Danbury (disambiguation).
Danbury, Connecticut
City
Historic buildings along Main Street, 2007
Historic buildings along Main Street, 2007
Official seal of Danbury, Connecticut
Seal
Nickname: 
The Hat City
Located in Fairfield County, Connecticut
Located in Fairfield County, Connecticut
NECTADanbury
RegionHousatonic Valley
Incorporated (town)1702
Incorporated (city)1889
Consolidated1965
Government
 • TypeMayor-council
 • MayorMark D. Boughton (R)
Area
 • City114.7 km2 (44.3 sq mi)
 • Land109.1 km2 (42.1 sq mi)
 • Water5.7 km2 (2.2 sq mi)
 • Urban
320.1 km2 (123.6 sq mi)
Elevation
121 m (397 ft)
Population
 (2005)[1]
 • City78,736
 • Density722/km2 (1,870/sq mi)
 • Metro
163,000
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
06810, 06811, 06813
Area code203
FIPS code09-18430
GNIS feature ID0206580
Websitehttp://www.danbury-ct.gov/

Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It has an estimated population as of July 1, 2005 of 78,736.[1]

The city was named for the place of origin of many of the early settlers, Danbury, Essex in England. The city has been nicknamed Hat City, because it used to be a center of the hat industry, at one point producing 25% of America's hats.[citation needed]

Danbury is home to Danbury Hospital and Danbury High School.

History

Danbury was first settled by colonists in 1685, when eight families moved to the area from the area that is now Norwalk and Stamford. The area was then called Pahquioque by the Pahquioque Native Americans. One of the first settlers was Samuel Benedict who bought land from the Paquioque natives in 1685 along with his brother James, James Beebe, and Judah Gregory. The settlers originally chose the name Swampfield for their town, but in October 1687, the general court decreed the name Danbury.

Downtown Main Street scene, ca. 1907

During the American Revolution, Danbury was an important military supply depot for the Continental army. On April 26-27, 1777, the British under Major General William Tryon burned and looted the city. The central motto on the seal of the City of Danbury is Restituimus (Latin for "We have restored"), a reference to the destruction caused by the Loyalist army troops. The American General David Wooster was mortally wounded near the city of Ridgefield, Connecticut at the Battle of Ridgefield by these same British forces which had earlier attacked Danbury. He is buried in Danbury's Wooster Cemetery, and the private Wooster School in Danbury is named in his honor. [2]

In 1780, the first hat factory in Danbury was established by Zadoc Benedict, employing three workers and producing 18 hats a week. Danbury was known as "The Hat City" or the "Hatting Capital of the World" during the early 20th Century.

In 1802, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, a religious group, in which he used the expression "Separation of Church and State". It is the first known instance of the expression, which does not appear in the U.S. Constitution, contrary to popular belief. (This letter is on display at the Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of Danbury.)

The first Danbury Fair was held in 1821. By 1869, it became a yearly event and was held until 1981. After 1981, the fairgrounds were demolished to make room for the Danbury Fair Mall, which opened in the fall of 1986.[3]

Danbury reservoir disaster, January 31, 1869

In 1835, the Connecticut Legislature granted a rail charter to the "Fairfield County Railroad," but after 15 years, no work had been completed and investment was slow. In 1850, the organization's vast plans were scaled back and it was renamed the "Danbury and Norwalk Railroad." Work moved quickly on the 23-mile (37 km) railroad line. In 1852, the first railroad line in Danbury opened, with two trains making the 75-minute trip to Norwalk.

The city of Danbury was incorporated April 19, 1889.

In 1902, the American Federation of Labor union called for a nationwide boycott of a non-union hat manufacturer, Dietrich Loewe, in Danbury. The manufacturer sued the union under the Sherman Antitrust Act for unlawfully restraining trade. The Supreme Court held that the union was liable for damages in 1908. This case is also known as the Danbury Hatters' case.

"Scene of the Disaster at Danbury", January 31, 1869

A 60-acre (24 hectares) tract near the Danbury Fairgrounds known as Tucker's Field was purchased by local pilots in 1928, and leased to the town. This became an airport, which is now Danbury Municipal Airport (ICAO airport code: KDXR).

Connecticut's largest lake, Candlewood Lake, was artificially created in 1929 where Wood Creek and the Rocky River meet near the Housatonic River. The lake is operated as a hydroelectric power facility by the Connecticut Light and Power Company, which sold the lake for $9 million in June 2006.

In the August 1988 issue of Money Magazine, Danbury topped the magazine's list of the best U.S. cities to live in, mostly due to low crime, good schools, and location.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Danbury, where I-84 enters Connecticut, was a popular place for out-of-staters to purchase Powerball tickets. Those who live west of the Hudson River now usually find Pennsylvania more convenient for Powerball.

Historic pictures

  • Main Street looking east from White Street, 1907
    Main Street looking east from White Street, 1907
  • National Hat Factory, about 1912
    National Hat Factory, about 1912
  • View of a hat factory, 1911
    View of a hat factory, 1911

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44.3 square miles (114.7 km²), of which, 42.1 square miles (109.1 km²) of it is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) of it (4.94%) is water. Danbury is located at 41°45.23′N 73°16.85′W / 41.75383°N 73.28083°W / 41.75383; -73.28083. Danbury also surrounds the southern parts of Candlewood Lake.

Demographics

Historical
population
of Danbury[1]
1756 1,527
1790 3,031
1820 3,873
1850 5,964
1880 11,666
1910 23,502
1940 27,921
1970 50,781
1980 60,470
1990 65,585
2000 74,848
2004 78,263
(est.)[2]

As of July 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city’s population at 78,736. This number does not include illegal aliens, which various anecdotal estimates place between 10,000 and 20,000 or some 12-25% of the total.[4] In 2005, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said the city actually numbers around near 90,000, due to recent immigration from Ecuador[5] and Brazil. An unofficial estimate is that there are 5,000 Ecuadorians (mostly from the Andes province of Azuay) and 15,000 Brazilians (mostly from the southeastern state of Minas Gerais). Danbury has the one of the largest concentration of immigrants from Brazil for a city of its size.[citation needed]

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 74,848 people, 27,183 households, and 17,886 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,777.4 people per square mile (686.3/km²). There were 28,519 housing units at an average density of 677.2/sq mi (261.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.0% White, 6.8% African American, 0.29% Native American, 5.5% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 7.6% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.8% of the population.

There were 27,183 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.18.

The population was distributed as follows: 21.7% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $53,664, and the median income for a family was $61,899. Males had a median income of $39,016 versus $31,319 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,500. About 5.9% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005[6]
Party Active Voters Inactive Voters Total Voters Percentage

Template:American politics/party colours/Democratic/row

Democratic 9,084 778 9,862 29.11%

Template:American politics/party colours/Republican/row

Republican 6,404 594 6,998 20.66%

Template:American politics/party colours/Independent/row

Unaffiliated 15,124 1,643 16,767 49.49%

Template:American politics/party colours/Libertarian/row

Minor Parties 226 27 253 0.75%
Total 30,838 3,042 33,880 100%

The newest statistics for the State of Connecticut show that Danbury, Connecticut has the highest percentage of foreign born people at 34% of Danbury's residents are foreign born. In 2006, 13% of Connecticut residents were foreign born.[citation needed]

Economy

  • ATMI Inc. (ATMI) -- headquarters 7 Commerce Drive; makes materials and materials packaging for semiconductor and flat panel manufacturers worldwide; 700 employees company wide; $281.8 million in 2005 revenues; CEO Doug Neugold
  • Cartus (a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation) -- headquarters, 40 Apple Ridge Road; Relocation; 1,800 employees (2,700 worldwide); CEO Kevin Kelleher
  • Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (ETH) -- headquarters, Ethan Allen Drive; designs, manufactures and distributes furniture, rugs, lamps, draperies and other decorative home accessories sold by a network of more than 300 Ethan Allen interior design centers in the United States and abroad; 6,400 employees company wide, 618 in Connecticut; $949 million in 2005 revenues; CEO Farooq Kathwari
  • Praxair Inc. (PX) -- headquarters, 39 Old Ridgebury Road; the Fortune 500 company makes and sells industrial gases used worldwide in the electronics, metal fabrication, health care and food processing industries, also makes metallic and ceramic powders and coatings; 27,000 employees company wide, 550 in Connecticut; $8.3 billion in 2006 revenues; CEO Steve Angel
  • Scholastic Library Publishing Inc. (a division of Scholastic Corporation) -- headquarters, 90 Sherman Turnpike; Scholastic Library publishes educational, children's and reference books, including the Encyclopedia Americana (the first encyclopedia published in the US), as well as Nueva Enciclopedia Cumbre en Linea (the Spanish language encyclopedia) and Lands and Peoples. Imprints include Franklin Watts and Children's Press]. Its interactive unit produces games and interactive software, including Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia (the first encyclopedia in electronic form); Greg Worrell, division president

Government

The chief executive officer of Danbury is the Mayor, who serves a two year term. The current mayor is Mark Boughton (R). The Mayor is the presiding officer of the Common Council, which consists of 21 members, two from each of the seven city wards, and seven at-large (Current councilmembers). The Common Council enacts ordinances and resolutions by a simple majority vote. If after five days the Mayor does not approve the ordinance (similar to a veto), the Common Council may re-vote on it. If it then passes with a two-thirds majority, it becomes effective without the Mayor's approval. The current Common Council consists of 14 Republicans and 7 Democrats. Danbury also has four state representatives, Rep. Jason Bartlett D-2nd, Rep. Joe Taborsak D-109, Deputy Speaker of the House Bob Godfrey D-110, and Rep. Jan Gieglier R-138. There is one state senator who is David Cappiello R-24. Danbury is represented in the United States Congress by U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy (D)

Danbury's 2003 to 2004 mill rate is 24.29.

Danbury is also home to an Army Reserve Special Operations unit, the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion.


Danbury Federal Correctional Institute

Danbury is also the site of a low-security women's prison, the Danbury Federal Correctional Institute,[7] formerly a men's prison. It is located near the border with New Fairfield. Notable ex-prisoners include cocaine dealer and trafficker of Blow fame George Jung, Unification Church leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, and hotel magnate Leona Helmsley. James Michael Curley, mayor of Boston from 1945-1949, spent five months of his mayoral term at Danbury Federal Prison, after he was convicted on federal charges of official misconduct. Media personality and homemaker Martha Stewart and female rap star Lil' Kim requested that their prison terms be served at Danbury Federal Correctional Institute due to its proximity to their New York City homes. However, due to the media attention their requests were denied.


Education

Danbury is home to Western Connecticut State University.

Public Schools

  • 2 high schools: Danbury High School (9-12) and Henry Abbott Technical High School (9-12)
  • 2 middle schools: Broadview Middle School (6-8) and Rogers Park Middle School (6-8)
  • 14 elementary schools: Western Connecticut Academy for International Studies Magnet School (K-5), Great Plain (K-5), Hayestown (K-5), King Street Primary (K-2) and King Street Intermediate (3-5), Mill Ridge Primary (K-2) and Mill Ridge Intermediate (3-5), Morris Street (K-5), Park Avenue (K-5), Pembroke (K-5), Roberts Avenue (K-5), Shelter Rock (K-5), South Street (K-5) and Stadley Rough (K-5)

Parochial Schools

Roman Catholic parochial schools in Danbury reside within the administration of the Diocese of Brideport and include:

  • 1 high school: Immaculate High School (9-12)
  • 4 elementary schools: Sacred Heart School (K-8), St. Gregory the Great School (PK-8), St. Joseph School (K-8) and St. Peter School (PK-8)

Private Schools

In addition, Danbury is home to:

  • Anderson Montessori School
  • Colonial Hills Christian Academy
  • Hudson Country Montessori School
  • New England Country Day School
  • New Hope Christian Academy
  • Maimonides Academy
  • Wooster School

Media

  • The News-Times of Danbury, a daily newspaper owned by Media News Group.
  • Tribuna Newspaper a biweekly, bilingual(Portuguese/English) publication.
  • WLAD-AM 800; 1,000 watts (daytime); 287 watts (nighttime)
  • WDAQ-FM 98.3; 3,000 watts; owned by the Berkshire Broadcasting Corporation
  • WXCI-FM 91.7; 3,000 watts; College radio station owned by Western Connecticut State University and operated by past and present students. It receives funding from the Western Connecticut State University Student Government Association.

Sites of interest

Hiking trails

  • Bear Mountain Reservation
  • The Old Quarry Nature Center has two short educational trails on 39 acres (15 hectares) off Mountainville Avenue.
  • Tarrywile Mansion and Park is one of Danbury's most popular parks. There are 28 miles (45 km) of trails as well as several ponds located on the 800 acre (264 hectare) park. The historic Victorian mansion and gardens are a common location for weddings.
  • Other trails in the area can be found at berkshirehiking.com[8]

Parks

  • Danbury Candlewood Park overlooks Candlewood Lake. Swimming, picnicking, and a boat launch are available in the 11.1 acre (45,000 m²) park.
  • Elmwood Park
  • Hatters Community Park
  • Kenosia Park
  • Richter Park
  • Rogers Park
  • Tarrywile Park

Museums

Other

On the National Register of Historic Places

  • Ball and Roller Bearing Company - 20-22 Maple Ave. (added September 25, 1989)
  • Charles Ives House - 7 Mountainville Ave. (added May 26, 1976)
  • Hearthstone - 18 Brushy Hill Rd. (added 1987)
  • John Rider House - 43 Main St. (added December 23, 1977)
  • Locust Avenue School - Locust Ave. (added June 30, 1985)
  • Main Street Historic District - Boughton, Elm, Ives, Keeler, Main, West and White Sts. (added December 29, 1983)
  • Meeker's Hardware - 86-90 White St. (added July 9, 1983)
  • Octagon House - 21 Spring St. (added June 7, 1973)
  • P. Robinson Fur Cutting Company - Oil Mill Rd. (added December 30, 1982)
  • Tarrywile - Southern Blvd. & Mountain Rd. (added February 6, 1988)
  • Union Station - White St. and Patriot Dr. (added October 25, 1986)

Sports

The Danbury Westerners are a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League they play there home games at rogers park

The Danbury MadHatters the founding member of the Eastern Professional Hockey League (2008) they play there home games at the Danbury Ice Arena


The United Hockey League (UHL) expanded to Danbury in 2004. The Danbury Trashers played their first season at the Danbury Ice Arena in October 2004. Among those on the roster included Brent Gretzky (brother of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky) and Scott Stirling (son of former New York Islanders coach Steve Stirling). Scott's older brother, Todd, coached the Trashers in the 2004-2005 season.

On June 9, 2006 the owner of the Trashers, James Galante, was arrested as part of a federal investigation into illegal practices in the Connecticut garbage industry. Team executives were also charged with fraud as it was alleged the owner illegally subsidized players and violated the league salary cap. The club folded due to the ongoing investigation and lack of teams within close proximity to them.

As of 2006 a new team was created to occupy the ice arena, the New England Stars were formed to represent Danbury in the defunct North Eastern Hockey League.

On March 25, 2008, Danbury was named the first city to officially have a new team in the newly formed Eastern Professional Hockey League. The team is called the Danbury Mad Hatters.

Danbury High School carries a strong athletic tradition. They are perennial powers in: wrestling, boys and girls track and field, boys cross country, baseball, basketball, and football. The wrestling, cross country, and track teams have all numerous state titles and New England championships. All three programs are considered to be nationally ranked annually.

Transportation

Danbury is the terminus of the Danbury branch line of the MTA Metro-North Railroad which begins in Norwalk. The line was first built by the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad which was later bought by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company. Danbury was an important junction between the Danbury Branch and the Maybrook Line. The Maybrook line was the New Haven's main freight line which terminated in Maybrook, New York, where the New Haven exchanged traffic with other railroads. After the ill-fated Penn Central took over the New Haven, the Maybrook line was shut down when a fire on the New Haven bridge over the Hudson River made the line unusable. Many believe the fire was set by Penn Central to reroute that freight traffic over their Boston & Albany route to the north. Today, the historic station is part of the Danbury Railroad Museum. The Providence and Worcester Railroad, along with the Housatonic Railroad provide local rail freight service in Danbury.

Local bus service is provided by Housatonic Area Regional Transit (HART).

The city is also the location of Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR).

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Danbury, Connecticut

Twin cities

References

  1. ^ a b "Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Connecticut" (CSV). 2005 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. June 21, 2006. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Danbury Histrical Society web site
  3. ^ Ravo, Nick, "Country Fair Becomes Land of the Lava Lamp", New York Times, September 4, 1987
  4. ^ Doing Business in Danbury: Construction industry faring well on public school campuses, an article by Bob Chuvala, Fairfield County Business Journal, August 21, 2006
  5. ^ Ecuadorian immigrants in Danbury, by HatCity BLOG, Retrieved November 17, 2006
  6. ^ "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 25, 2005" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Retrieved 2006-10-02.
  7. ^ Danbury's low-security women prison, by Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Facilities, Retrieved November 17, 2006
  8. ^ Hiking trail in Danbury, Berkshire hiking, Berkshire hiking, retrieved November 17, 2006
  9. ^ 2006 Book of Business Lists, Facts and People, published by Westfair Communications Inc. of White Plains, N.Y., in conjunction with its Fairfield County Business Journal, page 57
  10. ^ Dixon, Ken, "Music Hall of Fame proposed for state", article in Connecticut Post in Bridgeport, Connecticut, April 26, 2007 ("Charles Ives (1874-1954) of Danbury")

See also

External links

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