Greenwich, Connecticut facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greenwich, Connecticut
Town
Greenwich Town Hall
Flag Seal Logo
Fairfield County and Connecticut  Western Connecticut Planning Region and Connecticut
Country	United States
U.S. state	Connecticut
County	Fairfield
Region	Western CT
Settled	1640
Joined Connecticut	1656
Named for	Greenwich, London
Government
• Type	Representative town meeting
Area
• Total	67.2 sq mi (174.0 km2)
• Land	47.8 sq mi (123.8 km2)
• Water	19.4 sq mi (50.3 km2)
Elevation	131 ft (40 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	63,518
• Density	1,328.8/sq mi (513.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Codes	06807, 06830, 06831, 06870, 06878, 06836
Area code(s)	203/475
FIPS code	09-33620
GNIS feature ID	213435

Greenwich is a town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. In 2020, about 63,518 people lived there. It is the largest town on Connecticut's rich Gold Coast. Greenwich is home to many companies that manage money, like hedge funds. This is because it is a nice place to live and close to Manhattan.

Greenwich is a main part of the Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk–Danbury metropolitan area. This area includes all of Fairfield County. It is also part of the larger New York metropolitan area and the Western Connecticut Planning Region. Greenwich is the most southwestern town in both Connecticut and the six states of New England. The town got its name from Greenwich, a royal area in London, United Kingdom.

History of Greenwich

The town of Greenwich was started in 1640. Robert Feake and Captain Daniel Patrick bought the land from the Siwanoy Indians. They traded 25 English coats for it. One of the people who helped start the town was Elizabeth Fones Winthrop. She was the daughter-in-law of John Winthrop, who founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony. A place now called Greenwich Point was once known as "Elizabeth's Neck." This was to honor Elizabeth Fones and the land purchase in 1640. Greenwich officially became a township on May 11, 1665. This was decided by the Connecticut General Assembly in Hartford.

During the American Revolution, General Israel Putnam made a brave escape from the British. This happened on February 26, 1779, in Greenwich. British forces took over and damaged the town, but Putnam was able to warn Stamford.

In 1974, a fire at Gulliver's Restaurant and Bar killed 24 young people. This place was on the border of Greenwich and Port Chester.

In 1983, the Mianus River Bridge collapsed. This bridge carries traffic on Interstate 95. Three people died in this accident.

For many years, Greenwich Point (also called "Tod's Point") was only open to people living in Greenwich and their guests. But a lawyer argued that this rule limited his right to freedom of assembly. The lower courts did not agree with him. However, the Supreme Court of Connecticut did agree. So, in 2001, Greenwich had to change its rules for all four of its beaches. These beaches include Greenwich Point Park, Island Beach, Great Captain Island, and Byram Park.

Geography and Location

Greenwich is a large town. In 2000, it covered about 67.2 square miles. About 47.8 square miles of this is land, and 19.4 square miles is water. Greenwich is twice the size of Manhattan. To the west, it borders Port Chester and Rye Brook in New York. To the north, it borders Armonk and Banksville, also in New York. The Long Island Sound is to its south. To the east, it borders Stamford, which is in Connecticut.

Town Neighborhoods

Greenwich Municipal Center Historic District, Fairfield County, Connecticut

The U.S. Census Bureau lists nine special areas within Greenwich. These include Byram, Cos Cob, Glenville, Indian Field, Old Greenwich, Pemberwick, Riverside, Rock Ridge, and the Greenwich CDP. This last one covers the old town center. The USPS has separate zip codes for "Greenwich" (two codes), Cos Cob, Old Greenwich, and Riverside. This makes five zip codes, plus a sixth for PO Boxes. People also divide Greenwich into many smaller, unofficial neighborhoods.

Greenwich has a large Hispanic and Latin American population. Most of these residents live in the southwestern part of town. In 2011, Business Insider magazine said that many neighborhoods in Greenwich were among the richest in America.

Historical Sites to Visit

• Bush-Holley House
• Putnam Cottage
• Thomas Lyon House

Islands Near Greenwich

Calf Island is an island that is about 29 acres large. It is about 3,000 feet from the Byram shore in Greenwich.

More than half of the island is a bird sanctuary. This means the public cannot visit it without special permission. As of 2006, people with permits can stay overnight on the island. Otherwise, the east side is open from sunrise to sunset.

Great Captain Island is also off the coast of Greenwich. It has the southernmost point in Connecticut. There is a U.S. Coast Guard lighthouse on this island. It also has a special area for birds. The lighthouse is a tall, open metal structure.

Island Beach, or "Little Captain Island," used to host the town's yearly Island Beach Day. Famous ventriloquist Paul Winchell and his dummy, Jerry Mahoney, once performed there. Another time, the Connecticut National Guard let people fire machine guns into the water.

Island Beach has changed over the years. The bathhouse that was once on the island's eastern shore is now gone. The beaches themselves are slowly being worn away by the water.

Greenwich Climate

Greenwich has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters. However, it is also quite close to a humid subtropical climate. During winter storms, areas north of the Merritt Parkway often get much more snow. This is because the Long Island Sound makes the coastal area warmer.

Greenwich Population and People

In 2020, there were 63,518 people living in Greenwich. In 2018, there were about 24,234 homes and 22,251 families. Most people (72.8%) were white. About 3.3% were Black or African American, and 7.6% were Asian. About 13.8% of the people were Hispanic or Latin American.

The average household size from 2014 to 2018 was 2.78 people. The average family size was 3.28 people. The average income for a household was $142,819. The average income per person in the town was $98,467.

In 2000, 25.4% of the population was under 18 years old. About 15.9% were 65 years or older. The average age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were about 90.1 males.

Wealth in Greenwich

Greenwich has some of the richest areas in Connecticut. For example, zip codes 06878, 06830, and 06831 have very high average incomes. Many wealthy people from all over the world have moved to Greenwich. They like the low taxes, good schools, and how close it is to Manhattan. It takes about an hour to get to Manhattan by train.

In 2021, the average price for a home in Greenwich was $2.3 million. Some neighborhoods, like Belle Haven and Backcountry, have some of the most expensive homes in the world. In 2014, one house called the Copper Beech Estate was listed for $190 million. It later sold for $120 million.

Greenwich Economy

Greenwich and Stamford are important business centers for Fairfield County. Many well-known companies have their offices in Greenwich. These include AQR Capital, Blue Harbour Group, Blyth, Inc., and Interactive Brokers. Other big companies are Nestlé Waters North America, Viking Global Investors, and XPO, Inc..

Other important places in town are Greenwich Hospital and Hyatt Regency. Brunswick School is also a major institution here.

Arts and Culture

Artist's Home in Autumn, Greenwich, Connecticut (c. 1895), by John Henry Twachtman

Greenwich hosts the Greenwich International Film Festival. This festival works with non-profit groups to show movies that make people think. It has an annual festival in June and other events all year.

The Greenwich Symphony Orchestra started in 1958. It became a professional orchestra by 1967. The Greenwich Choral Society, founded in 1925, performs in Greenwich and other places, including New York City and Europe.

The Greenwich post office has a mural painted in 1939. It is called The Packet Sails from Greenwich Green.

The Bruce Museum is owned by the town. It has sections about art and natural history. The Putnam Cottage (Knapp Tavern) is a historic house museum also in Greenwich.

Acacia Lodge No. 85 is a very old group of Masons. It was founded in 1857. Its members used to meet in Greenwich often, even though their main base was in Stamford.

The Greenwich Town Party is a music festival that happens often in Greenwich. Famous performers like Paul Simon, the Eagles, and Billy Joel have played there.

Sports and Recreation

Recreation Activities

The Greenwich Y.M.C.A. is a historic building that offers fitness and social activities.

Equinox is a fancy fitness club with a location in Greenwich.

Arch Street, The Greenwich Teen Center has programs and events just for teens on weekdays and weekends.

Dorothy Hamill Rink is an ice rink owned by the town. It is open during certain seasons.

The Greenwich Polo Club is a place for polo games and events. It was started in 1981.

Beaches in Greenwich

Parks to Enjoy

• Binney Park
• Pomerance Park
• Bruce Park
• Cos Cob Park

Private Clubs

Education in Greenwich

Public Schools

Greenwich High School

Greenwich Public Schools runs the public schools in town. Greenwich High School is the only high school in the district. As of 2012, the elementary schools had a similar mix of students as the town. The three middle schools also have a good mix of students.

Private Schools

About 25-30% of students in Greenwich from kindergarten to 12th grade go to private schools. This is a high number compared to other towns in Connecticut.

• Brunswick School: A school for boys (Pre-K–12). It is a brother school to Greenwich Academy.
• Greenwich Academy: A school for girls (Pre-K–12). It is a sister school to Brunswick.
• Eagle Hill School (K–10)
• Convent of the Sacred Heart: A Catholic school for girls (Pre-K–12).
• Greenwich Catholic School (Pre-K–8): Located at 471 North Street.
• Greenwich Country Day School: (originally nursery–9). It took over Stanwich School for grades 10–12 in 2017.
• Greenwich Japanese School (Japanese School of New York): A Japanese school for children of Japanese families living in the New York area (K–9). It moved to Greenwich in 1992.
• Escuela Argentina en Greenwich (K–8): This is the only Spanish language international school in the New York metro area.
• Whitby School: For children from 18 months through grade 8. It uses the Montessori and International Baccalaureate teaching methods.

Former Private Schools

• Carmel Academy (K–8): A Jewish school that shared a campus with Greenwich Japanese School. It closed in 2020.
• Daycroft School: Closed in 1991.
• The Stanwich School (Pre-K–12): Merged with Greenwich Country Day School in 2017.
• Rosemary Hall: Merged into Choate Rosemary Hall. Its campus is now owned by Brunswick.

Town Infrastructure

Transportation Options

Greenwich Metro-North station

I-684 in Greenwich

The town has train service from the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line. There are four stations in Greenwich: Greenwich, Cos Cob, Riverside, and Old Greenwich. An express train takes about 50 minutes to get to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. A local train takes about 60 minutes. Amtrak trains stop in nearby Stamford.

Interstate 95 runs through the southern part of town. There are four exits for Greenwich from I-95. The Boston Post Road (also known as Route 1) also goes through town. The Merritt Parkway is another major road, but it is further from downtown. Interstate 684 passes through Greenwich, but you cannot get on or off it there. The closest exit is at the Westchester County Airport in New York State.

Westchester County Airport is the closest airport for commercial flights. It takes about 15 minutes to drive there from the center of Greenwich. LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York, is about a 35-minute drive. John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, is the closest international airport, about an hour's drive. Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey is also easy to reach, taking about an hour to drive to.

A survey found that 4% of adults in Greenwich have had trouble getting around. This means they had to stay home because they didn't have good transportation. This number is much lower than the statewide average of 13%.

Fire Department

The Byram Fire Station, located on Delavan Avenue

The town of Greenwich is protected by both paid firefighters and volunteer firefighters. The paid Greenwich Fire Department (GFD) has 106 firefighters. They work at 6 Engine Companies and 1 Truck Company. They also have special units in 6 fire stations.

There are also eight all-volunteer fire companies with about 100 volunteer firefighters. They operate 9 volunteer engines, 2 volunteer ladders, and many other support units. The volunteer companies share 7 fire stations with the paid GFD. They respond to emergency calls together. The Cos Cob Fire Police Patrol is also a volunteer group. The paid and volunteer fire departments respond to about 5,000 emergency calls each year.

Police Department

Public Safety Complex on Bruce Place

The Greenwich Police Department (GPD) is located at 11 Bruce Place. It has 87 police officers, 22 detectives, and many other staff members. It also has a K-9 unit with police dogs.

Libraries in Town

• Byram Shubert Library
• Cos Cob Library
• Greenwich Library
• Perrot Library

Media and News

Newspapers and Print

• Greenwich Magazine: This magazine is owned by Moffly Publications.
• Greenwich Sentinel: A local newspaper printed weekly.
• Greenwich Time: A daily newspaper based in Greenwich. It is owned by Hearst Corporation.
• Living Greenwich: An online publication.

Notable People from Greenwich

Sister Cities

Greenwich has special partnerships with cities in other countries. These are called sister cities.

City	Region	Country	Year
Kitzbühel	Tyrol	Austria	1961
Vienne	Isère	France
Nacka	Stockholm	Sweden
Izium	Kharkiv	Ukraine	2023

See also

In Spanish: Greenwich (Connecticut) para niños