Mansfield, Connecticut facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mansfield
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| Town of Mansfield | ||
Kirby's Mill, in the Mansfield Hollow part of town
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 Tolland County and Connecticut Capitol Planning Region and Connecticut |
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| Country |  United States |
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| U.S. state |  Connecticut |
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| County | Tolland | |
| Region | Capitol Region | |
| Incorporated | 1702 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council-Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 45.5 sq mi (117.8 km2) | |
| • Land | 44.5 sq mi (115.2 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.0 sq mi (2.7 km2) | |
| Elevation | 640 ft (195 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 25,892 | |
| • Density | 582/sq mi (224.8/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) | |
| ZIP Codes |
06235, 06250, 06268, 06269
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| Area code(s) | 860/959 | |
| FIPS code | 09-44910 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0213456 | |
| Major highways |      |
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Mansfield is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. It's part of the Capitol Planning Region. In 2020, about 25,892 people lived here.
Long ago, Pequot and Mohegan people lived in this area. English settlers arrived in the late 1600s. By 1692, they had settled in what is now Mansfield Center.
Mansfield became its own town in October 1702. It separated from the Town of Windham. The town was named after Major Moses Mansfield, who owned part of the land.
Mansfield is home to the main campus of the University of Connecticut. This is often called UConn. The town also includes villages like Gurleyville, Mansfield Center, Mansfield Hollow, and Atwoodville.
Contents
History of Mansfield
English settlers first came to the Mansfield area in the late 1600s. The town officially became a town in 1702. The Storrs family, who have a long history here, arrived around that time. Samuel Storrs came from England in 1663 and settled in the area in 1698.
The first silk mill in the United States was built in Mansfield. It was paid for by William Fisk, a descendant of the Pilgrims. Mansfield and nearby Willimantic were important for making thread and other fabrics.
Today, only the foundation of the silk mill remains. But Mansfield still has other cool historic spots. The Gurleyville Gristmill is a fully working flour mill from 1835. It's the only one of its kind in Connecticut. This stone mill is on the Fenton River and still has its original equipment. You can even take tours from May to October. The house next to the mill is where former Connecticut governor Wilbur L. Cross was born.
Mansfield also has a drive-in movie theater and a duckpin bowling alley called Lucky Strike Lanes. These are quite rare today! In 2016, there were only 41 certified duckpin bowling alleys in the nation, down from 450 in 1963.
The Mansfield Training School and Hospital was a large facility with many buildings. It closed in 1993. Since then, the University of Connecticut has been slowly using and fixing up many of the buildings.
The Donald T. Bergin Correctional Institution was a facility that closed in August 2011. It was located across U.S. Route 44 from the former training school.
On the northeastern side of town, playwright Willard Mack owned a large estate. He let his friends, like boxing legend Jack Dempsey, keep their horses there. A famous Arabian horse named "Broomstick" also stayed there for a while.
In recent years, Mansfield has added more services for its residents. This includes free community wireless internet. You can find it at the Mansfield Community Center, Town Hall, Senior Center, and Public Library.
Mansfield has also been called a very safe place. In 2005, Slate magazine even called Storrs "America's Best Place to Avoid Death Due to Natural Disaster."
Historic Places in Mansfield
Several places in Mansfield are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.
- Farwell Barn, Horsebarn Hill Rd.
- Gurleyville Historic District, on Gurleyville and Chaffeeville Rds.
- Mansfield Center Cemetery, jct. of Storrs and Cemetery Rds.
- Mansfield Center Historic District, Storrs Rd.
- Mansfield Hollow Historic District, 86-127 Mansfield Hollow Rd.
- Mansfield Training School and Hospital, jct. of Route 32 & U.S. Route 44
- University of Connecticut Historic District-Connecticut Agricultural School, roughly Route 195/Storrs Rd. at North Eagleville Rd.
Geography of Mansfield
Mansfield covers about 45.5 square miles (117.8 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with about 1.0 square mile (2.7 square kilometers) being water. Mansfield Hollow Lake is on the border between Mansfield and Willimantic. Mansfield is sometimes called part of Connecticut's "Quiet Corner." This is a nickname for the more rural, northeastern part of the state.
Villages and Communities
Mansfield has several smaller communities within its borders:
- Atwoodville
- Bassettsville
- Celeron Square
- Conantville
- Dunhamtown
- Eagleville
- Four Corners
- Freedom Green
- Gurleyville
- Holinko-Hunting Lodge
- Industrial Tract
- Mansfield Center
- Mansfield Depot
- Mansfield Hollow
- Merrow
- Mount Hope
- Perkins Corner
- Spring Hill
- Storrs
- Wormwood Hill
Storrs is the biggest village in Mansfield. It's home to the main campus of the University of Connecticut (UConn). Storrs was named after Charles and Augustus Storrs. These two brothers started the university by giving land and money in 1881.
Because of UConn and its popular basketball teams, Storrs is sometimes called the "College Basketball Capitol of the World."
The "downtown" area of Storrs is the main center for businesses and town government. It was built in the mid-2000s to be a "livable downtown." Here you'll find the town hall (Avery P. Beck Building) and the Mansfield Community Center. EO Smith High School is also nearby. There are many shops, restaurants, banks, and a Price Chopper grocery store.
Betsy Patterson Square is an outdoor green space in downtown Storrs. It has sculptures and is surrounded by the UConn Bookstore, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry, and health services. The Mansfield Downtown Partnership often hosts community events here.
Mansfield Center is another major village in town. It's located south of Storrs and borders Willimantic. Mansfield Center is mostly a residential area. It does have a business district with the East Brook Mall and shopping areas, including a Big Y supermarket. Some historic buildings in Mansfield Center are part of the Mansfield Center Historic District.
Mansfield has a good amount of protected open spaces. These include Mansfield Hollow State Park, town parks, and properties owned by Joshua's Trust. UConn also owns and maintains properties like Spring Valley Student Farm. There are three large private farms in Mansfield, including Mountain Dairy, which has been making milk since 1871.
Transportation in Mansfield
U.S. Route 6 goes through the southern part of Mansfield. It's a divided highway that was planned to connect Hartford and Providence, Rhode Island. However, only parts of it were ever built.
Other important roads include U.S. Route 44 and Connecticut Route 32 in Mansfield Depot. Storrs Road (Connecticut Route 195) connects with Route 6 and runs north through the "four corners" intersection.
Willington Hill Road (Connecticut Route 320) and South Eagleville Road (Connecticut Route 275) are major roads that help you get to Storrs from the north and south.
Bus Services
The Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center in downtown Storrs is a main spot for buses. It has a parking garage and a waiting room.
Local bus service is provided by the Windham Region Transit District (WRTD). Two routes connect to places like the Big Y plaza and the East Brook Mall. WRTD also runs the HuskyGo shuttle for UConn students.
Express bus service is available from CT Transit (route 913). This bus travels between Storrs and Hartford. It makes stops at commuter lots in Tolland, Vernon, and Manchester.
Peter Pan Bus Lines also offers limited bus service to Hartford and Providence, Rhode Island.
Future Transportation Plans
There are plans to bring back passenger train service to eastern Connecticut. This includes possibly building a new train stop in Storrs. Other ideas for faster train travel in Connecticut have also included stops in Storrs.
Population of Mansfield
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 2,276 | — | |
| 1850 | 2,517 | 10.6% | |
| 1860 | 2,165 | −14.0% | |
| 1870 | 2,401 | 10.9% | |
| 1880 | 2,154 | −10.3% | |
| 1890 | 1,911 | −11.3% | |
| 1900 | 1,827 | −4.4% | |
| 1910 | 1,977 | 8.2% | |
| 1920 | 2,574 | 30.2% | |
| 1930 | 3,349 | 30.1% | |
| 1940 | 4,559 | 36.1% | |
| 1950 | 10,008 | 119.5% | |
| 1960 | 14,638 | 46.3% | |
| 1970 | 19,994 | 36.6% | |
| 1980 | 20,634 | 3.2% | |
| 1990 | 21,103 | 2.3% | |
| 2000 | 20,720 | −1.8% | |
| 2010 | 26,543 | 28.1% | |
| 2020 | 25,892 | −2.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were about 20,720 people living in Mansfield. The population grew by 27.5% between 2000 and 2010. This made it the second fastest-growing town in Connecticut during that time.
The town has a diverse population. In 2000, about 83.91% of residents were White, 4.87% were African American, and 7.15% were Asian. About 4.31% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Education in Mansfield
Students in elementary and middle school attend schools in the Mansfield School District.
All middle school students go to Mansfield Middle School. This school was named the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) School of the Year in 2007–2008.
Mansfield Elementary School is a newer school. The former Annie E. Vinton School and Dorothy C. Goodwin school buildings are now used for storage. Southeast Elementary School has been replaced by Mansfield Elementary School.
High school students in Mansfield attend EO Smith High School. This school is part of Regional School District 19.
Economy of Mansfield
Major Employers
Here are the top employers in Mansfield, based on a 2021 report:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
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| 1 | University of Connecticut | 5,032 |
| 2 | Town of Mansfield | 390 |
| 3 | Natchaug Hospital, Inc. | 250-499 |
| 4 | Big Y | 100-249 |
| 5 | Baukus Healthcare @ Home | 100-249 |
| 6 | Mansfield Nursing and Rehab Center | 100-249 |
| 7 | Regional School District No. 19 | 199 |
| 8 | Price Chopper | 100-249 |
Notable People from Mansfield
Many interesting people have connections to Mansfield:
- Charlie Jane Anders (born 1969), a science fiction author.
- Elijah Porter Barrows (1807–1888), a clergyman and writer.
- Wilbur Lucius Cross (1862–1948), a famous literary critic and Governor of Connecticut from 1931 to 1939.
- Charles Davis (1789–1863), a judge on the Vermont Supreme Court.
- Dorothy Goodwin (1914–2007), a Connecticut state representative who supported public education.
- Benjamin Hanks (1755–1824), a goldsmith and the first person to make bronze cannons and church bells in America.
- Rivers Cuomo (1970–present), the lead singer and guitarist for the rock band Weezer.
- George S. Moulton (1829–1882), a businessman and politician in Connecticut.
- Charles Emory Smith (1842–1908), a Postmaster General and US Ambassador to Russia.
- Peter Tork (1942–2019), an actor and musician, best known from The Monkees.
- Annie E. Vinton (1869–1961), a postmistress and politician.
- Henry Kirke White Welch (1821-1870), a lawyer and politician.
- Lyle Yorks (born 1970), a retired soccer player.
See also
In Spanish: Mansfield (Connecticut) para niños
