Danbury, Connecticut facts for kids

"Danbury" redirects here. For other uses, see Danbury (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Danbury

Clockwise, from top left: Main Street Historic District, The Summit at Danbury, Tarrywile Mansion, Praxair Headquarters, Danbury Municipal Airport, Danbury Fair Mall, David Wooster Monument, Western Connecticut State University, and the Danbury Railway Museum

Flag	Seal
Wordmark

Nickname(s):

The Hat City

Fairfield County and Connecticut

Western Connecticut Planning Region and Connecticut

Country

United States

Region

Incorporated (town)

1702

Incorporated (city)

1889

Consolidated

1965

Villages/Neighborhoods

Beaverbrook
Beckettville
Germantown
Great Plain
Hayestown
Long Ridge
King Street
Lake Waubeeka
Mill Plain
Miry Brook
Pembroke
Wooster Heights

Government

• Type

Mayor-council

Area

• City

44.19 sq mi (114.45 km²)

• Land

41.95 sq mi (108.64 km²)

• Water

2.24 sq mi (5.81 km²)

• Urban

123.6 sq mi (320.1 km²)

Elevation

397 ft (121 m)

Population

(2020)

• City

86,518

• Density

2,062.4/sq mi (779.56/km²)

• Summer (DST)

06810–06811, 06813

203/475

09-18430

GNIS feature ID

206580

Airport

Danbury Municipal Airport

Interstates

U.S. Highways

State Routes

Commuter rail

Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, USA. It's about 50 miles northeast of New York City. In 2020, Danbury had a population of 86,518 people. It's the third-largest city in Western Connecticut and the seventh-largest city in the whole state.

Danbury is a busy center for business in western Connecticut. It's also a place where people live and travel from to work in New York City. The city is known as the "Hat City" because it was once a major center for making hats. A mineral called danburite is even named after the city! Danbury itself got its name from a town in England called Danbury.

You can find Danbury Hospital, Western Connecticut State University, the Danbury Fair Mall, and Danbury Municipal Airport in Danbury.

History of Danbury: From Settlement to Today

Early Days: Settlers and Native Americans

Panoramic map of Danbury with list of sights (1875)

Lithograph of Danbury from a drawing by L. R. Burleigh with list of landmarks

Danbury was first settled in 1685 by eight families. They moved from places like Norwalk and Stamford, Connecticut. Before the settlers arrived, the area was called Pahquioque by the Native Americans who lived there. These Native Americans were part of the Paugusset people.

The settlers first called their new town Swampfield because of the wetlands. But in 1687, the name was changed to Danbury. The town's official boundaries were set in 1702.

Danbury During the Revolutionary War

During the American Revolutionary War, Danbury was an important place for storing military supplies for the American army. A brave 16-year-old named Sybil Ludington is said to have ridden 40 miles in 1777. She warned the people of Danbury and her father's soldiers that the British were coming. This warning helped them prepare for defense.

On April 26, 1777, the British army attacked Danbury. They burned and damaged the town. However, because of the warning, not many people were hurt. The city's motto, Restituimus, means "We have restored" in Latin. This refers to how the city rebuilt after the British attack. American General David Wooster was badly wounded in a battle nearby. He is buried in Danbury's Wooster Cemetery, and the Wooster School is named after him.

In 1802, President Thomas Jefferson wrote a famous letter to a group in Danbury. In this letter, he used the phrase "Separation of Church and State" for the first time in American legal writing.

Growth and Changes in Danbury

The first Danbury Fair was held in 1821. It became a yearly event in 1869 and was very popular. The last fair was in 1981. The land where the fair was held later became the Danbury Fair Mall, which opened in 1986.

Kohanza Reservoir disaster, January 31, 1869; the dam was breached, releasing a flood on the town.

"Scene of the Disaster at Danbury", January 31, 1869

In 1852, the first railroad line opened in Danbury. It connected the city to Norwalk. This helped Danbury grow and become more connected to other towns.

On January 31, 1869, a dam on the Kohanza Reservoir broke. This caused a big flood that killed 11 people and damaged many homes and farms.

In 1900, Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show visited Danbury. During this visit, a young man named Albert Afraid of Hawk from the Oglala Sioux nation passed away. He was buried in Wooster Cemetery. In 2012, his remains were found and returned to his tribe for reburial.

The Danbury Municipal Airport opened in 1928. Also in 1928, Candlewood Lake, Connecticut's largest lake, was created. It was made by building a dam to produce electricity.

During World War II, Danbury's federal prison held many conscientious objectors. These were people who refused to fight in the war for moral or religious reasons. Their actions helped make Danbury prison one of the first in the country to end racial segregation among inmates.

In 1955, two hurricanes, Hurricane Diane and Hurricane Connie, caused severe flooding in Danbury. The Still River overflowed, damaging bridges and cutting the city in half. This led to a big project to control the river and rebuild parts of downtown.

In 1988, Money magazine named Danbury one of the best U.S. cities to live in. They praised its low crime rates, good schools, and location.

In 2006, a group of people were arrested in Danbury. A lawsuit was later filed against the city. In 2011, a settlement was reached, and the city paid money to those who were arrested.

In 2020, the city renamed its water treatment plant the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant. This happened after TV host John Oliver jokingly made fun of the city on his show. He even attended the renaming ceremony!

Danbury: The Hat City

Danbury became famous for making hats. The first hat shop opened in 1780. By 1800, Danbury was making 20,000 hats each year, more than any other city in the U.S. By 1887, there were 30 factories making 5 million hats a year! This is why Danbury earned the nickname "Hat City."

Challenges in the Hat Industry

The hat industry faced some challenges. Workers formed unions and sometimes went on strike to get better pay and working conditions. These disagreements often affected the whole town's economy.

One serious problem was mercury poisoning. Hat makers used mercury in their work, which made many workers sick. This condition was called "mad hatter disease" or the "Danbury shakes." It caused problems like slurred speech and tremors. The use of mercury in hatmaking was banned in Connecticut in 1941. Even today, mercury from the old factories can still be found in the Still River.

Decline of Hatmaking

After World War II, fewer people wore hats. This trend continued through the 1950s, and the hat industry in Danbury began to shrink. The last major hat factory in Danbury closed in 1964. The very last hat was made in Danbury in 1987.

Geography and Climate

Where is Danbury Located?

Candlewood Lake is the largest lake in the state of Connecticut

Danbury covers about 44.3 square miles. Most of this is land, with about 2.2 square miles of water. The city is in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. It sits on low land just south of Candlewood Lake, which is the largest lake in Connecticut. The Still River flows through the city.

Danbury's land has rolling hills and small mountains to the west and northwest. The lowest parts of the city are about 378 feet above sea level, and the highest parts are about 1,050 feet.

Neighboring Towns

Danbury shares borders with several other towns in Connecticut:

Danbury's Climate

Danbury has four distinct seasons. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are cold with a good amount of snow. The average temperature in January is about 28°F, and in July, it's about 74.5°F. On average, temperatures reach 90°F about 18 days a year.

The city gets about 56 inches of rain each year, spread fairly evenly throughout the seasons. Snowfall averages about 49.3 inches per winter. The highest temperature ever recorded in Danbury was 106°F, and the lowest was -18°F.

Economy and Jobs

In 2016, Danbury had about 79,400 workers. Most of these jobs were in service industries, like trade, transportation, business services, and hospitality. Only a smaller portion of jobs were in industries that produce goods. In November 2016, Danbury's unemployment rate was lower than the state and national averages.

Here are some of the top employers in Danbury in 2020:

Western CT Health Network-Danbury (3,300 employees)
Boehringer Ingelheim (2,500 employees)
Danbury School Systems (2,400 employees)
Cartus (1,300 employees)
IQVIA (1,040 employees)
Western Connecticut State University (650 employees)
Praxair (602 employees)
UTC B.F. Goodrich (550 employees)
City of Danbury (548 employees)
Pitney Bowes (315 employees)

Education and Schools

Public Schools

Danbury Public Schools manages most of the public schools in the city.

High Schools: Danbury High School and Henry Abbott Technical High School. Both serve grades 9-12. There's also an alternative school called Alternative Center for Excellence.
Middle Schools: Broadview Middle School, Rogers Park Middle School, and Westside Middle School Academy (grades 6-8).
Elementary Schools: There are 13 elementary schools for grades K-5, including Academy for International Studies Magnet School, Ellsworth Avenue, Great Plain, Hayestown, King Street Primary, King Street Intermediate, Mill Ridge Primary, Morris Street, Park Avenue, Pembroke, Shelter Rock, South Street, and Stadley Rough.

Parochial and Private Schools

Danbury also has several religious and private schools:

Catholic Schools: Immaculate High School (9-12), St Peter-Sacred Heart School (Pre-K-8), St. Gregory the Great School (Pre-K-8), and St. Joseph School (Pre-K-8).
Other Parochial Schools: Colonial Hills Christian Academy and Immanuel Lutheran School.
Private Schools: Hudson Country Montessori School, New England Country Day School, and Wooster School.

Colleges and Universities

Danbury is home to Western Connecticut State University and a campus of Naugatuck Valley Community College.

Libraries

Danbury Public Library (2024)

The Danbury Public Library was started in 1869. There's also a smaller library called the Long Ridge Library, which opened in 1916.

Transportation in Danbury

Highways and Roads

Danbury Rest Area and Information Center on Interstate 84 (eastbound)

The main highways in Danbury are Interstate 84 and U.S. Route 7. I-84 goes from west to east, connecting to cities like Waterbury and Hartford. US 7 runs from south to north, linking to Norwalk and the Litchfield Hills. These two highways overlap in downtown Danbury.

Other important roads include Lake Avenue, West Street, White Street, and Federal Road. Danbury has a total of 242 miles of streets.

Buses

HARTransit buses in Downtown Danbury

Local bus service is provided by Housatonic Area Regional Transit (HART). These buses connect Danbury to the surrounding region and to train stations in New York.

Trains

Danbury Metro-North Railroad station, located on the Danbury Branch line

Danbury is the end point of the Danbury branch line of the MTA Metro-North Railroad. This line offers train service from Danbury to South Norwalk, Stamford, and Grand Central Terminal in New York City. The historic train station is now part of the Danbury Railway Museum.

There are also plans to connect the Danbury station directly to the Harlem Line, which would provide more frequent trips to New York City.

Airports

Danbury Municipal Airport, as seen from the Danbury Fair Mall parking lot

Danbury has its own airport, Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR). There are also several other airports within a reasonable distance, including regional and international airports.

Fun Things to Do in Danbury

Hiking and Parks

Danbury has many places to enjoy nature and outdoor activities:

Bear Mountain Reservation
The Old Quarry Nature Center has two short trails on 39 acres.
Tarrywile Mansion and Park offers 21 miles of trails, ponds, a Victorian mansion, and gardens.
The Ives Trail is a 20-mile trail that goes through Danbury, connecting to Ridgefield and Redding.

You can also visit many parks like Candlewood Town Park, Danbury Dog Park, Hatters Park, Lake Kenosia Park, and Rogers Park.

Museums

Other Interesting Places

The Connecticut 9/11 Memorial, a sculpture by Henry Richardson, is in Elmwood Park.
The Danbury Fair Mall is a popular shopping center built on the site of the old Danbury Fair.
Danbury Hospital is a large hospital serving the area.
Richter Park Golf Course is Danbury's public golf course. It has won awards for being a top course in Connecticut and the New York area.
The Summit at Danbury is one of the largest office buildings in Connecticut.
Danbury Ice Arena is a place for ice hockey and other ice sports.

Historic Places to Visit

Several places in Danbury are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning they are important historical sites:

Sports in Danbury

Ice Hockey

Danbury has a history with ice hockey teams. The Danbury Trashers played from 2004 to 2006. Later, the Danbury Whalers and then the Danbury Titans played in the city.

In 2019, new teams came to the Danbury Ice Arena. These include the Danbury Hat Tricks (a professional team), the Danbury Colonials (a junior team), and the Premier Hockey Federation's Connecticut Whale. In 2020, the junior teams were renamed the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks.

Other Sports

The Danbury Westerners are a baseball team that plays at Rogers Park.
Danbury High School has strong sports teams, especially in wrestling, track and field, and cross country. These teams often win state and New England championships.
Western Connecticut State University has many sports teams that compete in the NCAA Division III.
The Danbury Hatters Cricket Club was formed in 2001 and plays cricket in the area.

Notable People from Danbury

Alex Pereira, professional UFC World Champion
Glover Teixeira, professional MMA Fighter and former UFC champion
Marian Anderson, famous singer
Matt Barnes, professional baseball player
Peter Buck, co-founder of Subway restaurants
Charles Ives, famous composer
Carole King, singer-songwriter
Lee Smith, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher
Ronnie Spector, singer
John Toland, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian

Sister Cities

Danbury has two sister cities:

Decollatura, Italy
Gouveia, Portugal

Images for kids

Main Street looking east from White Street, 1907
National Hat Factory, about 1912
View of a hat factory, 1911
Danbury station, circa 1910
Revolutionary Sycamore