Cornwall, Connecticut facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cornwall
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Town of Cornwall | |||
West Cornwall covered bridge
|
|||
|
|||
 Litchfield County and Connecticut Northwest Hills Planning Region and Connecticut |
|||
| Country |  United States |
||
| U.S. state |  Connecticut |
||
| County | Litchfield | ||
| Region | Northwest Hills | ||
| Incorporated (city) | May 1740 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Selectman-town meeting | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 46.3 sq mi (120.0 km2) | ||
| • Land | 46.1 sq mi (119.3 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 709 ft (216 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||
| • Total | 1,567 | ||
| • Density | 33.821/sq mi (13.058/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
06754, 06796
|
||
| Area code(s) | 860/959 | ||
| FIPS code | 09-17240 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0213412 | ||
Cornwall is a small town located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,567 people lived there. It is part of the Northwest Hills Planning Region.
Contents
History of Cornwall
Cornwall became an official town in May 1740. It was named after Cornwall, a county in England.
Geography of Cornwall
Cornwall covers about 46.3 square miles (120 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. The town is on the east side of the Housatonic River. A large part of the Mohawk State Forest is also found within Cornwall.
Main Communities in Cornwall
Cornwall has several smaller communities within its borders:
- Cornwall Bridge (has its own post office)
- Cornwall Village (has its own post office)
- Cornwall Hollow
- East Cornwall
- West Cornwall (has its own post office)
Population of Cornwall
The number of people living in Cornwall has changed over time. Here's how the population has grown and shrunk:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 1,661 | — | |
| 1850 | 2,041 | — | |
| 1860 | 1,953 | −4.3% | |
| 1870 | 1,772 | −9.3% | |
| 1880 | 1,583 | −10.7% | |
| 1890 | 1,283 | −19.0% | |
| 1900 | 1,175 | −8.4% | |
| 1910 | 1,016 | −13.5% | |
| 1920 | 834 | −17.9% | |
| 1930 | 878 | 5.3% | |
| 1940 | 907 | 3.3% | |
| 1950 | 896 | −1.2% | |
| 1960 | 1,051 | 17.3% | |
| 1970 | 1,177 | 12.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,288 | 9.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,414 | 9.8% | |
| 2000 | 1,434 | 1.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,420 | −1.0% | |
| 2020 | 1,567 | 10.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 1,434 people living in Cornwall. About 29.4% of homes had children under 18. The average age of people in town was 44 years old.
Some of the main attractions in Cornwall include Cream Hill Lake and the Covered Bridge. You can also visit Mohawk Ski Mountain. The town itself has a library and tennis courts.
Education in Cornwall
Cornwall is part of Regional School District 01. This district also includes the towns of Canaan, Kent, North Canaan, Salisbury, and Sharon. Young students in Cornwall go to Cornwall Consolidated School for grades K-8. For high school, students attend Housatonic Valley Regional High School (grades 9-12).
Arts and Culture in Cornwall
Cornwall has a lively arts and culture scene.
The Cornwall Library
The Cornwall Library started in 1869. In 2002, it moved into a new building. The library has over 28,000 items, like books and movies. It also hosts art shows, talks, and a special "Books & Bloom" event.
The Cornwall Chronicle
The Cornwall Chronicle is a monthly newspaper. It shares news and stories about Cornwall. It also lists local events and features drawings by artists from the area. This newspaper began in 1991 and has been published every month since then.
The Rose Algrant Show
The Rose Algrant Show is an art exhibit. It displays artwork by adult artists from Cornwall. This show has been held every year since 1959. In 2020, it was held online.
Museums and Fun Places to Visit
Cornwall has many interesting places to explore:
- Cathedral Pines – A 42-acre nature area with very old trees.
- Cornwall Bridge – A concrete arch bridge built in 1930. It is listed as a historic place.
- Cornwall Bridge Railroad Station – This old train station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
- Cornwall Historical Society – Located in an old carriage barn. It has yearly exhibits about Cornwall's past.
- House VI ("the Frank residence") – A unique example of modern architecture.
- Mohawk Mountain Ski Area – A popular place for skiing.
- West Cornwall Covered Bridge – A famous covered bridge listed as a historic place in 1975.
The town was also home to the Foreign Mission School from 1817 to 1826.
Getting Around Cornwall
Several roads help people travel through Cornwall. These include Connecticut Route 4, U.S. Route 7, and Connecticut Routes 43, 125, and 128.
Route 4 goes east to Torrington (13 miles) and west to Sharon (11 miles). Route 7 goes north to North Canaan (14 miles) and south to New Milford (25 miles). Routes 43, 125, and 128 are only within Cornwall.
The covered bridge in West Cornwall crosses the Housatonic River. It is one of only three covered bridges in Litchfield County. This bridge is 242 feet long and has been used continuously since 1864.
Famous People from Cornwall
Many notable people have lived in or had ties to Cornwall:
- Ethan Allen (1738–1789) – A hero of the Revolutionary War.
- Ira Allen (1751–1814) – One of the founders of Vermont.
- Major Andre Andrews (1792–1834) – A former mayor of Buffalo, New York.
- Norman Dorsen (1930–2017) – A law professor and former president of the American Civil Liberties Union.
- Edward L. Ferman (born 1937) – An editor and publisher of science fiction magazines.
- Theodore Sedgwick Gold (1818–1906) – A Connecticut state secretary of agriculture.
- Ralph C. Harrison (1833–1918) – An attorney and California Supreme Court justice.
- Tom Jones (born 1928) – A famous composer, known for The Fantasticks.
- Alexandra Paul (born 1963) – An actress who grew up in Cornwall.
- Oliver Platt (born 1960) – An actor.
- Tim Prentice (born 1930) – A sculptor.
- Abraham A. Ribicoff (1910–1998) – A former governor of Connecticut and U.S. senator.
- Roxana Robinson (born 1946) – A novelist and biographer.
- John Sedgwick (1813–1864) – A Union Army general during the Civil War.
- Oscar Serlin (1901–1971) – A Broadway producer.
- Marc Simont (1915–2013) – An artist and illustrator of children's books.
- Richard Schlesinger – A CBS News correspondent.
- James Thurber (1894–1961) – A famous author and cartoonist.
- Charles Van Doren (1926–2019) – A historian and quiz show contestant.
- Mark Van Doren (1894–1972) – A poet and teacher.
- Sam Waterston (born 1940) – An actor who lives in West Cornwall.
- Josepha Newcomb Whitney (1871–1957) – A suffragist and pacifist.
Images for kids
-
West Cornwall covered bridge
-
Seal of Cornwall, CT
-
Flag of Cornwall, Connecticut
See also
In Spanish: Cornwall (Connecticut) para niños
