Bethlehem, Connecticut facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bethlehem, Connecticut
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Main Street South, Bethlehem Green Historic District
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 Litchfield County and Connecticut Naugatuck Valley Planning Region and Connecticut
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| Country |  United States |
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| U.S. state |  Connecticut |
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| County | Litchfield | |
| Region | Naugatuck Valley | |
| Incorporated | 1787 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Selectman-town meeting | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 19.7 sq mi (50.9 km2) | |
| • Land | 19.4 sq mi (50.2 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2) | |
| Elevation | 860 ft (262 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,385 | |
| • Density | 190/sq mi (72/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) | |
| ZIP code |
06751
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| Area codes | 203/475 | |
| FIPS code | 09-04930 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0213391 | |
Bethlehem is a charming town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. In 2020, about 3,385 people lived here. It's part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. The town center is a historic district and a special area called a census-designated place (CDP).
Bethlehem is famous for its post office! Thousands of visitors come every December to mail their Christmas cards here. They want to get a special "Bethlehem" postmark. The post office also has almost 100 different Christmas-themed stamps. You can use these to decorate your envelopes during the holiday season.
Bethlehem is one of two towns in Litchfield County that use the area code 203/area code 475 phone numbers. The other town is Woodbury.
Contents
Learning in Bethlehem
- Elementary School: Since 1970, younger students in Bethlehem go to Bethlehem Elementary School. It's part of Regional School District 14.
- High School: Most high school students attend Nonnewaug High School. This school is located in the nearby town of Woodbury.
- Private School: The Woodhall School is a private high school located right here in Bethlehem.
Where is Bethlehem?
Bethlehem is in the southern part of Litchfield County. It shares borders with several other towns:
- To the north is Morris.
- To the east is Watertown.
- To the south is Woodbury.
- To the west is Washington.
The town covers about 19.7 square miles (50.9 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. About 0.3 square miles (0.7 square kilometers) is water. The two biggest water areas are Long Meadow Pond and the Bronson E. Lockwood Reservoir. Both are in the northern part of town.
A main road, Connecticut Route 61, goes through the center of Bethlehem. It leads north to Morris and Litchfield. It also goes south to US 6 in Woodbury. Another road, Connecticut Route 132, winds through the town. It connects to Woodbury in the south and Watertown in the east.
On the eastern side of town, there's a ridge called "the Devil's Backbone." This is one of more than 30 places in Connecticut named after the devil!
Bethlehem Village
The main community area is called Bethlehem Village.
How Many People Live Here?
Bethlehem's population has changed over the years. Here's how it has grown:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 932 | — | |
| 1860 | 815 | — | |
| 1870 | 750 | −8.0% | |
| 1880 | 655 | −12.7% | |
| 1890 | 543 | −17.1% | |
| 1900 | 576 | 6.1% | |
| 1910 | 550 | −4.5% | |
| 1920 | 536 | −2.5% | |
| 1930 | 644 | 20.1% | |
| 1940 | 715 | 11.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,015 | 42.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,486 | 46.4% | |
| 1970 | 1,923 | 29.4% | |
| 1980 | 2,573 | 33.8% | |
| 1990 | 3,071 | 19.4% | |
| 2000 | 3,422 | 11.4% | |
| 2010 | 3,607 | 5.4% | |
| 2020 | 3,385 | −6.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, Bethlehem had 3,607 people. Most residents were white (97.9%). A small number were black, Native American, or Asian. About 1.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Getting Around
Route 61 is the main road that goes north and south through Bethlehem. Route 132 is the main road that goes east and west. There isn't any public transportation like buses in town.
If you need to take a train, the closest station is Metro North in Waterbury, Connecticut. For flying, the nearest passenger airports are Tweed New Haven Airport (about 40 miles away) and Bradley International Airport (about 50 miles away).
Local News
- Waterbury Republican-American is a daily newspaper that covers news in the area.
- Voices is a local newspaper. It serves Bethlehem and many other nearby towns.
Places to Visit
- Bellamy-Ferriday House and Garden: This historic house was built in 1760. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
- Bethlehem Green Historic District: This area includes 63 historic buildings. It was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
- Old Bethlehem Historical Society Museum: Here you can learn about the town's history.
- Christ Episcopal Church (Bethlehem, Connecticut): A beautiful church in Bethlehem.
Abbey of Regina Laudis
Bethlehem is home to the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis. This abbey was started in 1947. It was one of the first places for contemplative Benedictine nuns in the United States. A man named Robert Leather donated 400 acres (1.6 square kilometers) of land for the convent. Today, about 37 nuns live there.
The abbey is known for its love of the arts. The nuns often perform Gregorian chant. One of the nuns, Mother Dolores Hart, used to be an actress. Because of her background, the convent supports summer theater shows.
Mother Dolores Hart and other artists helped create the Act Association. This group performs at The Gary-The Olivia Theater. It's an open-air theater that can seat about 200 people. It was built in 1982 with help from actress Patricia Neal. They have put on plays by Shakespeare, operas, and musical shows.
Fun Events
- Bethlehem Fair: This fair happens every year on the weekend after Labor Day in September. It's held at the fairgrounds on 384 Main Street North.
- Connecticut Garlic and Harvest Festival: This festival takes place in October at the town fairgrounds. It's all about garlic!
- Christmas Town Festival: This special festival is held on the town green during the first weekend of December.
Famous People from Bethlehem
- Christine Baranski: A well-known actress. Her husband, actor and playwright Matthew Cowles, also lived here.
- Joseph Bellamy: (1719–1790) He was an important religious leader in the 1700s. He was a pastor at the Congregational church in town for 50 years.
- Jess Davis: An American Olympian who competed in the modern pentathlon.
- James Douglas: An actor who passed away in Bethlehem in 2016.
- Dolores Hart: She was a famous actress who appeared with Elvis Presley. She later became a Roman Catholic nun at the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem. She is now the head of the convent, known as the Reverend Mother Dolores Hart.
- David Leavitt: (1791–1879) He was a banker, financier, and art collector in New York City. He was born in Bethlehem.
- Noella Marcellino: A Benedictine nun at the Abbey of Regina Laudis. She earned a doctorate in microbiology and studied fungi from cheese caves in France.
- Peter Saccio: A scholar who studies Shakespeare.
- Dani Shapiro: An author and podcaster.
See also
In Spanish: Bethlehem (Connecticut) para niños
