Waterbury, Connecticut

Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 114,403 people. It is located 33 miles (53 km) southwest of Hartford and 77 miles (124 km) northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the largest city in the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region and the second-largest city in New Haven County.

During the early 20th century, Waterbury became well known for making brass items, which earned it the nickname the "Brass City." The city’s motto, Quid Aere Perennius?, means "What Is More Lasting Than Brass?" Waterbury was also a place where many watches and clocks were made, including the famous Timex brand.

The city has easy ways to travel, with Interstate 84 (Yankee Expressway) and Route 8 running through it. There is also a Metro-North railroad station that connects to Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Waterbury is home to Post University and has regional campuses of the University of Connecticut, University of Bridgeport, Western Connecticut State University, and Naugatuck Valley Community College.

History

The land where Waterbury now stands was first home to the Algonquin bands. In 1674, people from nearby Farmington settled there, but they had to leave during King Philip's War in 1675. They returned in 1677 and found a new spot across the river. The Native American name for the area was "Matetacoke," meaning "the interval lands." The settlers changed the name to Waterbury because of the many streams flowing into the Naugatuck River.

For the first hundred years, Waterbury grew very slowly. The Naugatuck River often flooded, making it hard to grow crops, and there were also floods and diseases. By 1712, the city's population was only 5,000 people.

In the 1800s, Waterbury became known for making brass products, using the rivers to power its factories. This brought many workers from around the world. In 1853, Waterbury became a city and was called the "Brass Capital of the World." The city also became famous for making clocks, including a popular one-dollar pocket watch sold by Robert H. Ingersoll. Later, Waterbury made silverware and other metal goods.

During World War II, thousands of people worked in Waterbury's big factories. Sadly, a strong tornado hit the city in 1962, causing damage and injury. Over time, Waterbury has been a place where many different cultures came together, and it has many historic buildings and events to remember.

Geography

Waterbury, Connecticut, covers a total area of 29.0 square miles (75.0 km²), with 28.5 square miles (73.9 km²) being land and 0.42 square miles (1.1 km²) being water. The city has cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers.

Waterbury’s neighborhoods reflect its history and geography. The city has 25 neighborhoods, each with its own character. Many neighborhoods have small shops and clusters of homes, creating a sense of community. Downtown is close by and offers places to watch shows, shop, and see parades.

• Brooklyn
• Bucks Hill
• Bunker Hill
• Country Club
• Crownbrook
• Downtown
• East End
• East Mountain
• Fair Lawn
• Fairmount
• Gilmartin
• Hillside
• Hopeville
• Long Hill
• North End
• North Square
• Overlook
• Pine Hill
• Robinwood
• South End
• Town Plot
• Washington Hill
• Waterville
• West Side
• WOW / Walnut-Orange-Walsh

Demographics

As of the census in 2010, Waterbury had 110,366 people living there. The city had many different groups of people. Most were White, but there were also many Black or African-American, Hispanic, and Latino people, as well as smaller numbers of Asian, Native American, and Pacific Islander people.

Waterbury is known for its Italian-American community, especially in certain neighborhoods. There are also families from Albanian, Cape Verdean, Brazilian, Portuguese, and Lithuanian backgrounds. The city also has a notable Irish community.

Economy

Waterbury faced economic challenges in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1992, a magazine ranked the city as having the worst quality of life among 300 U.S. areas. Later, in 2008, another magazine listed it as one of the worst places for businesses and careers. However, that same year, the city was also named one of the best places to raise a family.

The city’s top employers are listed below.

Arts and culture

Waterbury has many interesting places to see and visit. Some of these include Union Station, which opened in 1909, and Holy Land USA, a park famous in the past for its big illuminated cross. Other landmarks are Municipal Stadium, built in 1930, and the Apothecary Building from 1893. There are also statues such as one on the Carrie Welton Fountain and a Soldiers' Monument made by local artist George Edwin Bissell to honor those who served in the American Civil War. The Elton Hotel, built in 1905, and the Cass Gilbert National Register District are also notable. You can find statues of Christopher Columbus and Ben Franklin as well. The Waterbury Clock Company buildings, constructed in 1857, used to make many clocks and important timers. Other sites include the Harrub Pilgrim Memorial from 1930, the Chief Two Moon Meridas Laboratory, the Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center, the Brass Mill Center shopping area, and the Palace Theatre from 1922.

Government

Waterbury has about 52,000 people registered to vote. Around 24,000 of them support the Democratic party, while about 7,800 support the Republican party. The rest are not strongly tied to any party.

The city has had many leaders over the years. One well-known mayor was John S. Monagan, who also wrote many books. Another was George Harlamon, who served during a time of tension in the city. Waterbury has had its share of challenges, including some difficult financial times and changes in leadership.

Many important political figures have visited Waterbury because it plays a key role in elections in Connecticut. Famous visits include one by John F. Kennedy in 1960, who spoke to a large crowd early in the morning, and Ronald Reagan in 1984. These visits show how important Waterbury is in state politics.

Education

Further information: Waterbury Public Schools

Waterbury has many schools for children of all ages. There are three high schools, eight middle schools, and nineteen elementary schools. All these schools are led by a superintendent and a board of education with ten elected members and the city mayor.

Some of the high schools include Crosby High School, John F Kennedy High School, and Waterbury Arts Magnet School. There are also several middle schools and elementary schools, as well as religious schools and colleges like Naugatuck Valley Community College, Post University, and Western Connecticut State University.

Media

Waterbury has two newspapers: the Republican-American and the Waterbury Observer. There is one AM radio station, WATR 1320 AM, which has been owned by the same family since 1934 and broadcasts news, talk, and classic hits. Two FM radio stations are also based in Waterbury: WWYZ 92.5, which plays country music, and WMRQ 104.1, which plays alternative rock. Both stations send their signals from Meriden but can be heard as far as Bridgeport and the Massachusetts border.

WCCT-TV (channel 20) is licensed to Waterbury and shows programs from The CW. It shares office space with the Hartford Courant and works together with WTIC-TV (channel 61), a Fox station. Waterbury is part of the Hartford/New Haven media area, so people there can also watch and listen to programs from Hartford and New Haven.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Waterbury has several ways to get around. CT Transit through Northeast Transportation Company runs many city buses from the city center at Exchange Place to different neighborhoods. In 2014, a busway opened, connecting Waterbury to nearby towns and cities like Cheshire, Southington, New Britain, and Hartford.

You can also take Metro-North Railroad trains from Waterbury station to Bridgeport and then to Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Though the old Union Station is no longer used for trains, passengers still board and alight nearby.

Two major highways, I-84 and Route 8, go right through Waterbury. In downtown, these highways share a bridge called the "MixMaster." The closest airports are Waterbury–Oxford Airport and Waterbury Airport, with bigger options at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks and Tweed New Haven Airport in East Haven.

Police department

The Waterbury Police Department began in 1853 and has its own training academy.

Fire department

The Waterbury Fire Department works full-time with eight engine companies, three truck companies, one squad company, and one rescue company spread across nine fire stations.

Notable people

Waterbury has been home to many famous people from different fields. Some well-known names include Fritz Barzilauskas, an NFL player, and Michael Bergin, one of the first male supermodels who later acted on TV's Baywatch. William F. Bolger served as the United States Postmaster General from 1978 to 1985.

Other notable individuals include Amanda Boulier, a professional ice hockey player, and Darren Brass, a tattoo artist known for appearing on the TLC show Miami Ink. The city also saw the birth of William H. Bristol, an inventor, and Lucia Chase, a dancer and ballet director. Many athletes, actors, and public servants have strong ties to Waterbury, making it a city of diverse achievements and talent.

In popular culture

Waterbury has been featured in many stories and shows. The book The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber is set there in the 1930s. The movie Happy Gilmore includes a golf tournament called the "Waterbury Open." Author Gladys Taber wrote a novel called Give Me the Stars (1945) that takes place in Waterbury, showing life in a factory during World War II.

Waterbury was also shown in The Today Show on NBC in 1955 when they broadcast from the Hotel Elton. The show covered events for a movie premiere and later reported on a big flood that affected the city. The city appeared in Ken Burns's documentary The War, which looked at the experiences of people during World War II. Artist Greetings Tour painted a large mural showing Waterbury's history. The movie Wanda (1971) also filmed scenes in Waterbury, especially at Holy Land USA.

Sister cities

Waterbury has sister cities around the world. These include:

• Pontelandolfo, Campania, Italy
• Struga, North Macedonia