Middlefield, Connecticut facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Middlefield, Connecticut
Town
Town of Middlefield
The view from Higby Mountain
Seal
Middlesex County and Connecticut  Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region and Connecticut
Country	United States
U.S. state	Connecticut
County	Middlesex
Region	Lower CT River Valley
Incorporated	May 9, 1866
Government
• Type	Selectman-town meeting
Area
• Total	13.3 sq mi (34.4 km2)
• Land	12.7 sq mi (32.9 km2)
• Water	0.6 sq mi (1.6 km2)
Elevation	210 ft (60 m)
Population
• Total	4,217
• Density	332.0/sq mi (128.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP code	06455, 06481
Area codes	860/959
FIPS code	09-47080
GNIS feature ID	0213460

Middlefield is a small and friendly town in Middlesex County, Connecticut. It's part of the Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region. In 2020, about 4,217 people lived here. The town also includes a village called Rockfall in its northeastern part.

History of Middlefield

Middlefield got its name because it's located "in the middle" of other towns. It's halfway between Middletown and Durham, and also between Middletown and Meriden.

This small community has a rich history. It dates back to the late 1600s. Many of Connecticut's first settlers lived here. The Old North Burying Ground was created for people living west of Middletown. The first burial there happened in 1738.

Middlefield became its own town on May 9, 1866. This happened through a special act by the Connecticut Legislature. Before that, Middlefield was actually part of the City of Middletown.

Geography and Nature

Middlefield covers about 13.3 square miles (34.4 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 12.7 square miles (32.9 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.6 square miles (1.6 square kilometers), is water.

On the west side of Middlefield, you'll find the Metacomet Ridge. This is a chain of mountains made of a special rock called trap rock. It stretches all the way from Long Island Sound up to the Vermont border. In Middlefield, you can see two famous mountains from this ridge: Higby Mountain and Besek Mountain.

A long hiking path called the Mattabesett Trail goes along this ridge for 50 miles. A group called The Nature Conservancy helps protect the top parts of Higby Mountain.

Fun Things to Do

Middlefield offers many activities throughout the year.

Outdoor Activities

• Winter Fun: You can go ice-skating on the ponds at Peckham Park.
• Summer Sports: Peckham Park is busy with little league baseball games almost every day. Younger kids can play on the jungle gym or enjoy basketball and soccer.
• Golf and Beach: There are two local golf courses for playing golf. You can also visit the beach at Lake Beseck, which is near Route 147.
• Farm Fun: At Lyman Orchards, you can pick fresh fruit, play golf, shop, and eat delicious food.

Parks and Skiing

• Wadsworth Falls State Park: This park is a beautiful natural area. It's located on the Coginchaug River and offers trails for hiking, fishing, swimming, and picnicking. It covers 285 acres (115 hectares).
• Powder Ridge Ski Area: Middlefield is home to the Powder Ridge Ski Area. This is a small place where you can go skiing. It first opened on January 22, 1961. It closed for a while in 2007 but has since reopened for winter sports.

Historic Homes

Middlefield has some buildings that are listed as historic places. These homes show the town's past:

• David, II Lyman House – located at 5 Lyman Rd. (added March 6, 1986)
• William, Jr. Ward House – located at 137 Powder Hill Rd. (added March 19, 1988)

Education in Middlefield

Middlefield and Durham work together to form Regional School District 13. This district offers different ways of learning for students.

The schools in Regional School District 13 are:

• Brewster Elementary School (Kindergarten to 4th grade)
• John Lyman Elementary School (Kindergarten to 4th grade)
• Memorial Middle School (5th to 6th grade)
• Strong Middle School (7th to 8th grade)
• Coginchaug Regional High School (9th to 12th grade)

Middlefield also has a private school called The Independent Day School. It teaches students from pre-school up to 8th grade.

Town Seal Meaning

The official seal of Middlefield shows a view of the town through a gun sight. This design is special because it represents the gun sight manufacturing that used to happen in Middlefield for many years.

The seal is divided into four parts, each showing something important about the town:

• Top Left: Shows old 1700s saltbox homes that you can still see in Middlefield.
• Top Right: Represents the orchards and farmland. These make up a lot of the open, natural spaces in Middlefield.
• Bottom Left: Shows many outdoor activities you can do, like fishing, hunting, boating, skiing, and golfing.
• Bottom Right: Features an old pistol shop. This shop was a very important part of Middlefield's history and economy.

Donald Ginter was the person who designed this town seal.

Brook Falls

Population Over Time

In 2000, there were 4,203 people living in Middlefield. These people lived in 1,645 households, and 1,199 of these were families. The town had about 330 people per square mile.

About 34% of households had children under 18. Most households (62.4%) were married couples. About 22.3% of households were single people.

The population was spread out by age:

• 24.7% were under 18 years old.
• 30.2% were between 25 and 44 years old.
• 15.6% were 65 years or older.

The average age in Middlefield was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were about 101 males.

The average income for a household in the town was $59,448. For families, the average income was $69,267.

See also

In Spanish: Middlefield (Connecticut) para niños