Darien, Connecticut facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Darien, Connecticut
Town
Boston Post Road in Darien's retail district
Flag Seal
Fairfield County and Connecticut  Western Connecticut Planning Region and Connecticut
Country	United States
U.S. state	Connecticut
County	Fairfield
Region	Western CT
Incorporated	1820
Government
• Type	Representative town meeting
Area
• Total	23.4 sq mi (60.6 km2)
• Land	12.9 sq mi (33.4 km2)
• Water	10.6 sq mi (27.4 km2)
Elevation	52 ft (16 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	21,499
• Density	1,666.6/sq mi (643.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code	06820
Area code(s)	203/475
FIPS code	09-18850
GNIS feature ID	0213416

Darien (pronounced DAIR-ee-AN) is a town located right on the coast in Fairfield County, Connecticut. It has a population of about 21,500 people and covers a land area of nearly 13 square miles (33 square kilometers). It's the smallest town along Connecticut's beautiful Gold Coast.

Darien is nestled on the Long Island Sound between the cities of Stamford and Norwalk. Many people who live here travel to New York City for work. There are two train stations in Darien, Noroton Heights and Darien, which connect the town to Grand Central Terminal in New York City.

History of Darien

The first settlers started clearing land in this area around 1641. These early pioneers came from colonies like New Haven, Wethersfield, and Norwalk. It wasn't until 1740 that the first community church was built. This church, now called the First Congregational Church of Darien, still stands in the same spot today.

The area was known as Middlesex Parish starting in 1737. It officially became the Town of Darien in 1820. During the American Revolution, the town faced raids from Loyalists, who were people loyal to the British Crown. A children's book called Tory Hole by Louise Hall Tharp tells a story set during this time in Darien.

The name "Darien" was chosen after residents couldn't agree on a new name for Middlesex Parish. A sailor who had visited Darién, Panama (which was then part of the Spanish Empire) suggested the name. The townspeople liked it, and so "Darien" was adopted.

The town's name is pronounced "Dairy-Ann," with the stress on the last part. People who live in Darien say this is the correct way to say it. If someone pronounces it exactly as it's spelled, you can often tell they are not from the area.

Before the railroad arrived in 1848, Darien was a small farming community with about 1,000 residents. After the American Civil War, many wealthy New Yorkers began building large, fancy summer homes here.

Geography of Darien

Darien covers a total area of about 14.8 square miles (38.3 square kilometers). About 12.9 square miles (33.4 square kilometers) is land, and the rest is water. The town has several exits on Interstate 95, a major highway. The Merritt Parkway is also nearby.

Darien has two Metro-North train stations for commuters traveling to New York City. A train ride from Noroton Heights takes about 46-50 minutes, and from Darien, it takes about 49-53 minutes. Most trains go straight to New York City after stopping in Stamford. Besides the train line and I-95, US Route 1, also known as the Boston Post Road, runs through the southern part of town. This road is where most of Darien's shops and businesses are located.

Darien is bordered by Stamford to the west, New Canaan to the north, and Norwalk to the east. To the south, it faces the Long Island Sound. The town has 16.5 miles (26.6 kilometers) of coastline and five harbors.

Contentment Island, about 1914

Town Sections and Neighborhoods

Darien has several distinct areas. Some of the larger parts of town include:

• Downtown Darien: This is the main shopping area along the Boston Post Road.
• Noroton: Located in the southwest, also along the Boston Post Road.
• Ox Ridge: Found in the northern part of town.
• Noroton Heights: This area is north of Interstate 95 and has its own business district.
• Noroton Bay: A community on the southern end of Noroton Neck.
• Long Neck Point: The southernmost part of town, offering views of Manhattan.
• Delafield Island: A waterfront community between Long Neck and Tokeneke.
• Tokeneke: A mostly private community in the southeastern part of town.

The name Noroton comes from the Native American word "Norporiton," which was the name for the river along Darien's border with Stamford. This part of Darien is known for its two peninsulas that reach into Long Island Sound, creating many coves and inlets perfect for beaches and boating.

Long Neck Point is considered one of the best places to live in America. In 1902, a famous family called the Stokes built a large brick mansion there. Later, the wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie lived in this mansion.

Pear Tree Point is a public beach and park located in Noroton Harbor. There's also a private boat club there. Pear Tree Point Road runs along the western side of the peninsula, offering charming views of the shoreline.

Ring's End Landing was one of the first settlements and a shipping hub for early residents. A historic stone bridge here makes it easier to reach Long Neck.

The large island to the east is part of the former estate of William Ziegler. This estate, known as Great Island, is one of the most valuable waterfront properties on the East Coast.

Darien's eastern coastline is mostly taken up by Tokeneke, a private community with its own beach, club, and security. Contentment Island is also located within Tokeneke.

Noroton Heights grew around the train station. Historically, many European immigrants who worked on the large estates lived in this area. It has many "modest Capes and colonials" and other house styles.

Darien's Climate

Darien has a humid continental climate. This means it has mild to warm, humid summers and cold to very cold winters. The hottest temperature ever recorded was 103°F (39°C) in July 1966. The coldest was -15°F (-26°C) in 1968. Snowfall is common in winter, and September usually has the most rain.

Population of Darien

In 2000, there were 19,607 people living in Darien. Most residents were White (95.97%), with smaller percentages of Asian (2.42%), African American (0.45%), and other races. About 2.19% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. In 2019, the average household income was $232,523, and the average income per person was $116,564.

Arts and Recreation in Darien

Annual Events

Darien hosts several fun events each year:

• May: The Memorial Day Parade.
• June: The Weed Beach Fest, a celebration at the beach.
• October: The Downtown Halloween Parade, a spooky and fun event.

Darien Library

Darien's library was started in 1894. It is one of the most used libraries in all of Connecticut.

Important Landmarks

Autumn in Stony Brook Park

• The Frederick J. Smith House: A famous house designed by architect Richard Meier in 1967.
• The Stephen Tyng Mather Home: This home is a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Parks and Recreation

Floral decorations in Darien

The Darien Ice House is a popular place for ice skating.

The Noroton Yacht Club, founded in 1928, has the largest junior sailing program in the United States. This means many young people learn to sail there.

Education in Darien

Darien has excellent schools, managed by the Darien Public Schools system. Darien High School was ranked the No. 1 high school in Connecticut in 2019 by U.S. News. It also ranked in the top 150 high schools nationally and in the top 50 for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) high schools in the U.S.

Darien has five elementary schools:

• Hindley School
• Holmes School
• Ox Ridge School
• Royle School
• Tokeneke School

The town's middle school, Middlesex Middle School, had a large addition completed in 2000. A new campus for Darien High School was finished in 2005. Darien sports teams are known as the "Blue Wave."

Pear Tree Point School was a private school that taught students from pre-kindergarten to Grade 5. It closed in 2018.

Media in Darien

Darien has several local news sources:

• The Darien Times: A local newspaper published weekly in print and online.
• Online news websites: Darienite, HamletHub Darien, the Darien Patch, and The Daily Voice, Darien.
• New Canaan and Darien Magazine: A monthly magazine covering news in Darien, New Canaan, and Rowayton.
• Sound Watch Magazine: Another monthly publication started in 2019, focusing on local news and history.

Many public meetings in Darien are filmed and broadcast live, and then recorded for later viewing on Cablevision's Channel 79.

Films Filmed in Darien

Several films have been at least partly filmed in Darien:

• Gypsy (2017)
• Hope Springs (2012)
• Hello I Must Be Going (2012)
• My Soul to Take (2010)
• Birds of America (2008)
• Revolutionary Road (2008)
• The Big Wedding (2013)
• The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
• The Stepford Wives (2004)
• Cannonball Run II (1984)
• The Stepford Wives (1975)
• Gentleman's Agreement (1947) – This movie was based on a book that showed Darien as a community that had some social restrictions.
• The Perfect Date (2019) – A movie where a character pretends to be from Darien.

Infrastructure and Emergency Services

Emergency Services

Ambulance Service

Post 53 headquarters

Darien has a unique ambulance service called "Darien EMS – Post 53." It is the only ambulance service in the entire country that is staffed and run completely by high school student volunteers! These students respond to over 1,500 emergency calls every year, including on a busy part of Interstate 95.

The service provides emergency medical care for free to patients. It is funded entirely by donations from people in the town. Teenagers can perform patient care because Connecticut is one of the few states where you can become a certified emergency medical technician at age 16.

Transportation

The town has two train stations, Noroton Heights and Darien station. The Connecticut Turnpike (Interstate 95) and the Post Road (U.S. Route 1) both pass through Darien. Interstate 95 also has rest stops in Darien for travelers.

Notable People from Darien

Many interesting people have lived in or are from Darien. You can find a full list in the main article about notable people from Darien.

Images for kids

• 

  Long Neck Point from Contentment Island by John Frederick Kensett, showing the area where Andrew Carnegie spent some summers

• 

  Shore of Darien, Connecticut by John Frederick Kensett

See also

In Spanish: Darien (Connecticut) para niños