Winsted, Connecticut facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Winsted, Connecticut
Census-designated place
City of Winsted
West End Commercial District
Nickname(s):  Laurel City
Country	United States
State	Connecticut
County	Litchfield
Region	Northwest Hills
Town	Winchester
Government
• Type	New England town (Winchester)
Area
• Total	4.8 sq mi (12.4 km2)
• Land	4.6 sq mi (12.0 km2)
• Water	0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2)
Elevation	713 ft (217 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	7,712
• Density	1,668/sq mi (644.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	06363, 06098
Area code(s)	860/959
FIPS code	09-87350
GNIS feature ID	0212198
Major highways

Winsted is a special kind of community called a census-designated place and an official city in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of the larger town of Winchester. In 2020, about 7,192 people lived in Winsted. This number was a bit lower than the 7,712 people counted in 2010. Winsted makes up most of the population of the town of Winchester, which has about 10,224 residents. Winsted is also part of the Northwest Hills Planning Region.

Exploring Winsted's Past

Winsted in 1836, shown in a woodblock print by John Warner Barber

Winsted was settled way back in 1750. It grew up where the Mad River and Still River meet. It was one of the first mill towns in Connecticut. Early factories started making scythes (a tool for cutting grass) at the Winsted Manufacturing Company in 1792. The city is inside the town of Winchester. Its name comes from being the main business area for both Winchester and Barkhamsted.

Clock Making History

In the 1900s, Winsted was a major center for making mechanical clocks, just like New Haven, Connecticut. The Gilbert Clock Factory, located along the Still River, was started in 1871 by William L. Gilbert. Around the early 1900s, it became one of the biggest clock companies in the world.

A detailed map of Winsted from 1908, showing buildings and landmarks.

The Winsted post office has a special painting called Lincoln's Arbiter Settles the Winsted Post Office Controversy. This mural was painted by Amy Jones in 1938. These types of murals were created across the United States from 1934 to 1943. They were part of a government project to support art.

The Gilbert School and Floods

The Gilbert School is a private high school that also serves as the public high school for Winchester. It was given a lot of money by William L. Gilbert to help it get started.

In 1955, two big storms, Hurricane Connie and Hurricane Diane, hit Connecticut within one week. This caused the Mad River and Still River to flood downtown Winsted. The Mad River, which runs next to Main Street, flooded the area up to 10 feet deep. This damaged many buildings between Main Street and the river. Because of this, those buildings were removed, and Main Street was made wider. Most buildings on the north side of Main Street survived and were fixed. Further downstream, the Gilbert Clock Company's buildings were badly damaged by the flooding. This was a big problem for the company, which was already struggling financially.

Community College and Local Figures

Northwestern Connecticut Community College was founded in 1965 by people from Winsted. One of these founders was Shafeek Nader, the older brother of Ralph Nader. This college was one of the first four community colleges in Connecticut. It is approved by important education groups. The Northwestern Community College Foundation was created in 1981 to support the college. It raises money to help students and the Winsted community.

Ralph Nader, a famous author and activist, opened the American Museum of Tort Law in 2015. It is located in the old Winsted Savings Bank building on Main Street.

Winsted's Location and Landscape

Winsted covers about 12.4 square kilometers (4.8 square miles). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Winsted is in the eastern part of the town of Winchester. It sits where the Still River and Mad River meet. The Still River flows north and joins the Farmington River, which is part of the larger Connecticut River system.

The city is in a valley shaped like a horseshoe, surrounded by seven hills. There are also two other hills inside this valley, making a total of nine named hills.

You can find five stone churches in a curve from east to west. In the very center of these churches is the Castle Tower Civil War monument. This stone tower is over 40 feet tall and was built in 1890.

Major roads that cross through Winsted include U.S. Route 44, Connecticut Route 8, Connecticut Route 183, and Connecticut Route 263. US 44 goes southeast about 25 miles to Hartford, the state capital. Route 8 goes south about 9 miles to Torrington.

Winsted's Population and People

In 2010, there were 7,712 people living in Winsted. There were 3,346 households, which are groups of people living together. About 1,920 of these were families.

Most people in Winsted (91.6%) were White. About 2.2% were African American, and 1.3% were Asian. About 6.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

About 28.3% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (38.7%) were married couples. About 13.4% of households had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household had 2.28 people.

In 2010, about 21.5% of the people were under 18 years old. About 15.1% were 65 years or older. The average age was 41.3 years.

Getting Around Winsted

The closest large airport is Bradley International Airport (BDL). It is about 24 miles east in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. You can find Amtrak train stations within 30 miles in places like Windsor and Hartford. Greyhound Lines also has a bus station.

Public transportation is offered by the Northwestern Connecticut Transit District. They have a bus service on weekdays and a special "dial-a-ride" service.

Arts and Culture in Winsted

Winsted has many growing arts and culture groups. One important place is the American Mural Project, an arts and education center. It holds the record for the largest indoor, collaborative mural in the world!

Whiting Mills was once a big hosiery (sock) factory in the 1800s. Now, it is home to 56 artists, small businesses, and shops. Since it was updated in 2004, Yankee Magazine called it the "2016 Best Artists' Community in Connecticut." This shows how it has become a lively place for creative people.

You can also visit Ralph Nader's nonprofit American Museum of Tort Law here. The Winchester Historical Society is another place to learn about the area's past.

Learning and Education in Winsted

Winchester Public Schools manages public schools for students in kindergarten through 6th grade. The Gilbert School serves as the public high school for students in grades 7-12. Before 2011, middle school students went to schools run by the Winchester district.

Northwestern Regional School District No. 7 has Northwestern Regional High School, which is partly in Winsted. However, this school is not the main public high school for Winsted students. Students from Winchester can attend Northwestern Regional High School through its Agricultural Education Program.

Explorations Charter School is also in town. This school was created to help many different students. It focuses on their unique learning, social, and emotional needs.

Northwestern Connecticut Community College is also located in Winsted.

The Beardsley Library and the Memorial Library are the local public libraries. Mrs. Eliot Beardsley gave $10,000 to start the library. The land for the library was bought with money from Jenison Whiting in 1898. The first building was built the next year.

Notable People from Winsted

Images for kids

• 

  Sarah E. Harvey, Winsted, Connecticut, about 1877, Princeton University Art Museum

• 

  View from Hubbard Street, about 1906

• 

  View from Highland Park, 1879

• 

  View east from Rockwell Street, 1876

• 

  The Gilbert School, about 1921

• 

  Litchfield County Hospital, about 1904

• 

  West Main Street, about 1912

• 

  Meadow Street, about 1906

• 

  The Gilbert School, about 1910

• 

  First District School, about 1908

• 

  County hospital as seen from Henry Street, about 1910

See also

In Spanish: Winsted (Connecticut) para niños