Incorporated 1720 Elevation 222 m Population 4,986 (2010) | Region Capitol Region Time zone Eastern (UTC-5) Zip code 06043 Local time Monday 7:12 AM | |
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Weather -11°C, Wind S at 3 km/h, 46% Humidity | ||
Bolton is a small rural town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. It is primarily residential, with an economy made up primarily of small businesses. The high school typically has between fifty and one hundred students per class. The population was 4,986 as of the 2010 census. Bolton was incorporated in October 1720 and is governed by town meeting.
Contents
- Map of Bolton CT 06043 USA
- History
- Climate
- Education
- Sports
- Geography
- Demographics
- Notable residents
- References
Map of Bolton, CT 06043, USA
History
Originally part of the town of Hartford, the area was referred to as Hartford Mountains or Hanover, until incorporation in October 1720. The northern half of Bolton was set aside in 1808 to form the town of Vernon. Quarries played a significant role in the area's developing economy, and Bolton Notch became the location of the small community of Quarryville. Prior to the railroad, granite was taken by oxcart to the Connecticut River where it was then shipped to major cities on the East Coast.
On November 11, 1723, Jonathan Edwards was installed as the pastor of Bolton.
It is widely speculated that in 1781, George Washington stayed at a home in Bolton. Later that year, the French army is confirmed to have passed through the town. On Rose's Farm, Rochambeau most likely stayed the night with his troops. Archaeological evidence proves that they were in Rose's field, and possibly also across the street (because of the current modern houses there, this was not proven). Archaeologists believe the officers stayed there, since they usually stayed away from the troops, considering themselves higher in status. The artifacts that would have been found if the grounds had been correctly excavated would have been very useful for the history of Bolton, and therefore these statements cannot be confirmed with full accuracy.
Climate
Bolton, like much of Tolland County, straddles the humid continental climate (Dfa) and (Dfb) line.
Education
Bolton High School is a public school with about three to four hundred students. It underwent major renovations and expansion during 2011, including a new outdoor seating area for the cafeteria, a larger and more technologically advanced library, computer labs and media center, and a new science wing and larger administrative offices. Several other improvements were made including parking, bus lanes and the Board of Education offices being moved to the location.
The school has a student-teacher ratio of about 12:1 and a combined math and reading proficiency level of 92.5%. U.S. News & World Report ranked it #27 in Connecticut and #1030 in the United States, and it earned a Silver Award in 2012.
Bolton High is affiliated with the NCCC athletic conference.
Sports
In Bolton High School's first year of participation, it won the boys' conference tennis championship and placed as the runner up in the boys' Class S state championship in cross country. The boys' cross country team also won the conference championship in 2007, going undefeated with a record of 27-0. They went on to win the Connecticut Class S State Cross Country Championship in 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012 under the direction of Coach Paul T. Smith. Who's dream in life is to take a runner to the national championships of cross country. He also enjoys basketball in his free time. The boys' tennis team won the NCCC conference three years in a row, finishing the 2009 season with a record of 17-0. The hockey team (a co-op with Rockville and Coventry) were state runners-up in 2013 when they advanced to the Division III state title game after winning their conference. The following year the boys' soccer team also advanced to the Class S state championship game. The girls' basketball and soccer teams frequently challenge for the conference title and often rank highly in state tournaments. The football team (in a co-op with Coventry, Windham Tech, and soon to be Lyman Memorial) were runners up in the Pequot league football conference in 2016.
The school's mascot is the bulldog, and its colors are blue and white.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 14.7 square miles (38 km2), of which, 14.4 square miles (37 km2) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) of it (1.91%) is water. It includes the Bolton Green Historic District.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there are 4,986 people, 1,918 households, and 1,441 families residing in the town. The town consists primarily of middle-class families with some working-class families/individuals and small businesses. There are also a few larger commercial entities, notably the Simoniz corporation, specializing in automotive and car wash cleaning supplies.
The population density is 348.2 people per square mile (134.4/km²). There are 2,018 housing units at an average density of 136.6 per square mile (52.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town is 95.70% White, 1.10% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.40% Asian, and 3.00% identified as Latino or Hispanic Latino/Hispanic.
The median age is 45.4; 49.4% male and 50.6% female.
95% of housing units are occupied, 86.7% of which are owned and 13.3% rented, including apartments and condominiums.
The median household income is $93,348, including joint households. Poverty levels are low, with about 1.3% living at or below the poverty line.
About 475 military veterans reside in Bolton.