Bloomfield, Connecticut facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bloomfield, Connecticut
Town
Capt. Oliver Filley House
Flag Seal
Hartford County and Connecticut  Capitol Planning Region and Connecticut
Country	United States
U.S. state	Connecticut
County	Hartford
Region	Capitol Region
Settled	1660
Incorporated	May 28, 1835
Communities	Bloomfield Blue Hills Cottage Grove North Bloomfield
Government
• Type	Council-manager
Area
• Total	26.3 sq mi (68.0 km2)
• Land	26.1 sq mi (67.6 km2)
• Water	0.2 sq mi (0.4 km2)
Elevation	125 ft (38 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	21,535
• Density	825.1/sq mi (318.6/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	06002
Area code(s)	860/959
FIPS code	09-05910
GNIS feature ID	0213392
Highways

Bloomfield is a town in Connecticut, United States. It's like a neighbor to the bigger city of Hartford. In 2020, about 21,535 people lived there. That was the most people Bloomfield had ever had! It's also famous for being home to Cigna, a big company that helps people with healthcare.

History of Bloomfield

Long ago, the land where Bloomfield is now belonged to the Poquonock Native Americans. The first European settlers arrived in 1660. At first, it was part of a town called Windsor. In 1736, it became its own area called the Parish of Wintonbury. The name "Wintonbury" comes from parts of three nearby towns: Windsor, Farmington, and Simsbury.

On May 28, 1835, the area officially became the town of Bloomfield. For many years, Bloomfield was mostly a farming town. Farmers grew a special kind of tobacco called "shade tobacco." After the 1950s, Bloomfield started to grow as a suburb of Hartford. Today, Bloomfield has different kinds of areas. The southern and eastern parts are busier with more homes and businesses. But the northern and western parts still feel like the countryside, with open fields, forests, and some farms.

Geography of Bloomfield

The Tariffville Gorge

Bloomfield covers about 68 square kilometers (about 26 square miles). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Bloomfield shares its borders with several other towns:

• To the northeast: Windsor
• To the north: East Granby
• To the west: Simsbury and Avon
• To the south: West Hartford and Hartford

The Farmington River forms the northern edge of Bloomfield. On the west side of town, you'll find Talcott Mountain. This mountain is part of the Metacomet Ridge, a long chain of rocky hills that stretches across Connecticut. Cool places along this ridge in Bloomfield include Penwood State Park and the Tariffville Gorge. The Tariffville Gorge is a deep valley carved by the Farmington River. A long hiking path called the Metacomet Trail also runs along this ridge.

Getting Around Bloomfield

The main road that goes east and west through Bloomfield is Route 218. It starts near the West Hartford line and heads east. Bloomfield also has two main roads that go north and south: Blue Hills Avenue (Route 187) and Bloomfield/Tunxis Avenues (Route 189).

If you need to get around without a car, there are eleven bus routes that serve Bloomfield. These buses are part of the Connecticut Transit system in Hartford.

Population and People

The population of Bloomfield has grown a lot over the years. In 1850, about 1,412 people lived there. By 2020, the population had grown to 21,535 people.

The people living in Bloomfield come from many different backgrounds. In 2020, about 53% of the people were Black or African American, and about 32% were White. There are also growing numbers of Asian, Native American, and multiracial residents. About 8% of the people in Bloomfield are Hispanic or Latino.

Economy

Many people work in Bloomfield. Here are some of the biggest employers in the town, based on a 2023 report:

Schools in Bloomfield

Bloomfield has several schools for students of all ages.

For high school, there are three options:

• Bloomfield High School (public school)
• Global Experience Magnet School (for grades 6–12)
• Metropolitan Learning Center (a special school for grades 6–12)

Bloomfield Public Schools (Connecticut) also has these schools for younger students:

• The Wintonbury Early Childhood Magnet School (for Pre-K3 to Kindergarten)
• Laurel Elementary (for Kindergarten to 2nd grade)
• Metacomet Elementary (for 3rd to 4th grade)
• Carmen Arace Intermediate (for 5th to 6th grade)
• Carmen Arace Middle School (for 7th to 8th grade)

Sports

Bloomfield has an amateur soccer team called 3rd Eye FC. They play in a league called the [[United Premier Soccer League#Division 1[11]|United Premier Soccer League Division 1]] New England Conference.

Famous People from Bloomfield

Many interesting people have connections to Bloomfield, including:

• Lawrence Clay-Bey (born 1965), a professional heavyweight boxer.
• Dwight Freeney, a famous NFL football player who went to Bloomfield High School.
• K.C. Jones (1932–2020), an NBA Hall of Fame basketball player.
• Charles Kaman (1919–2011), an inventor and businessman who worked with airplanes.
• Anika Noni Rose (born 1972), a singer and actress.
• Nykesha Sales (born 1976), a WNBA basketball player.

Historic Places

Several places in Bloomfield are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites. These include:

• Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (Cigna) Headquarters
• Capt. Oliver Filley House
• Francis Gillette House
• Old Farm Schoolhouse
• Southwest District School

Places to Visit

• The New England Muscle Bicycle Museum: This museum has 120 cool bicycles from the 1960s and 1970s. You can visit by making an appointment.
• The First Cathedral: This is the largest non-denominational church in New England.

Images for kids

• 

  Cigna Headquarters

• 

  Francis Gillette House

• 

  Old Farm Schoolhouse

• 

  Southwest School District

See also

In Spanish: Bloomfield (Connecticut) para niños