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Ashford, Connecticut
Town
Babcock Library in Ashford
Babcock Library in Ashford
Official seal of Ashford, Connecticut
Seal
Ashford's location within Windham County and Connecticut Windham County and Connecticut
Ashford's location within the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region and the state of Connecticut Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region and Connecticut
Country  United States
U.S. state  Connecticut
County Windham
Region Northeastern CT
Incorporated 1714
Government
 • Type Selectman-Town meeting
Area
 • Total 102.3 km2 (39.5 sq mi)
 • Land 100.5 km2 (38.8 sq mi)
 • Water 1.8 km2 (0.7 sq mi)
Elevation
213 m (699 ft)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 4,191
 • Density 40.968/km2 (106.10/sq mi)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
06278
Area code(s) 860/959
FIPS code 09-01430
GNIS feature ID 212409
Major highways US 44.svg I-84.svg

Ashford is a town located in Windham County, Connecticut, in the United States. It is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. In 2020, about 4,191 people lived there.

Ashford was founded in 1714. A nearby town, Eastford, used to be part of Ashford until 1847. That's why a place called North Ashford is actually in Eastford!

Ashford is home to some special places. It has Connecticut's largest Boy Scout camp, the June Norcross Webster Scout Reservation. It also has the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, started by actor Paul Newman, which helps children with serious illnesses. Other centers include the Salvation Army CONNRI Lodge and Conference Center and the Evangelical Christian Center.

History of Ashford

SouthwesternViewOfAshfordJWBarber
Center of Ashford in 1838

Ashford has a long history. In 1789, President George Washington visited the town. He was annoyed when he couldn't hire a ride on a Sunday because it was against the law at the time. The people of Ashford followed the rules strictly!

The town of New Ashford in Massachusetts was named after Ashford. This is because people from Ashford settled there in 1762.

In 2018, a small tornado hit the area around Ashford Lake. It was the first tornado in Windham County since 1992. The tornado knocked down trees and damaged some homes.

Historic Places in Ashford

Several buildings and places in Ashford are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.

Geography and Nature

Ashford covers about 39.5 square miles (102.3 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. The Mount Hope River flows through the middle of the town. Bigelow Brook flows along the eastern border.

Ashford has several lakes and ponds. These include Ashford Lake, Lake Chaffee, and Knowlton Pond. The community of Lake Chaffee is named after the lake it surrounds.

Forests and Trails

Ashford is home to parts of large forests. These include Natchaug State Forest and Nipmuck State Forest. You can find hiking trails like the Natchaug Trail and the Nipmuck Trail here. Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust also protects several natural areas in town.

Snow Hill, in the northwest part of Ashford, is the highest point in Windham County. It stands at 1,210 feet (369 meters) high.

Plants and Animals

Ashford Oak, Ashford, CT - August 5, 2011
Ashford Oak, a very large and old tree

Ashford is part of a large forest area known as the northeastern coastal forests. This area has many different kinds of trees. The Yale-Myers Forest is in Ashford and is used by the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies for research and teaching.

One of the most famous trees in town is the Ashford Oak. It is a very large and old Northern Red Oak tree. Its trunk is about eight meters (26 feet) around!

The last time a special type of periodic cicadas (Brood XI) was seen in Ashford was in 1954. These cicadas appear only every 17 years.

Population and People

In 2010, Ashford had a population of 4,317 people. Most of the people living in Ashford are white (94.1%). Other groups include Black or African American (1.0%), Native American (0.4%), and Asian (1.3%). About 3.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In 2000, there were 4,098 people living in Ashford. The town had 1,578 households. About 34.5% of these households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.59 people.

The median age in Ashford was 36 years old. This means half the people were younger than 36 and half were older. About 25.6% of the population was under 18 years old.

The median income for a household in Ashford was $55,000 in 2000. This means half of the households earned more than $55,000 and half earned less. About 5.9% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Churches in Ashford

Ashford has several churches for different faiths:

Education in Ashford

Younger students in Ashford attend Ashford School. This is the town's only school. It was built in 1951 and teaches students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

For high school, students can go to E. O. Smith High School in Mansfield, CT. They can also choose to attend technical high schools like Windham Technical High School or Ellis Technical High School.

Notable People from Ashford

Many interesting people have connections to Ashford:

  • Francis Bugbee (1794–1877) – A lawyer, judge, and politician.
  • Walter Eli Clark (1869–1950) – A journalist who was the last governor of the District of Alaska.
  • Emeline Horton Cleveland (1829–1878) – A doctor and professor. She was the first woman known to perform major surgery.
  • Galusha A. Grow (1822–1907) – He was the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1861 to 1863.
  • John Keyes (1744–1824) – The first adjutant general of Connecticut.
  • Elias Keyes (1758–1844) – A United States Congressman from Vermont.
  • Thomas Knowlton (1740–1776) – A military officer during the American Revolution. He led Knowlton's Rangers, America's first Army intelligence unit.
  • Nathaniel Lyon (1818–1861) – The first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War.
  • Paul Newman (1925–2008) – A famous actor and generous person. He lived in Ashford part-time after opening the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in 1988.
  • Eliphalet Nott (1773–1866) – The president of Union College. He also invented the first stove for burning anthracite coal.
  • Caroline Lathrop Post (1824–1915) – A poet.
  • James Hamilton Shegogue (1806–1872) – A painter.
  • Solomon Spalding (1761–1816) – A writer.
  • John H. Trumbull (1873–1961) – The 70th governor of Connecticut.
  • Valerie Wilson Wesley (born 1947) – A mystery writer.
  • Edward W. Whitaker (1841–1922) – A soldier and Medal of Honor recipient.

Images for kids

  • AshfordCTseal

    Seal of Ashford, Connecticut

  • AshfordCT KnowltonHall

    Babcock Library in Ashford

  • Windham County Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Ashford highlighted

    Ashford's location within Windham County and Connecticut

  • Northeastern Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Ashford highlighted

    Ashford's location within the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region and the state of Connecticut

  • US 44

    U.S. Route 44 shield

  • I-84

    Interstate 84 shield

  • United Baptist Church, Warrenville CT

    United Baptist Church in the Warrenville section of Ashford

See also

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