|
|
|
The beautiful New Haven County is located in the southern central part of Connecticut and was home to approximately 824,000 as of the 2000 census. New Haven and Waterbury, the state’s two largest cities are both located in New Haven County. Government activities, including fire and rescue, snow removal and schools are all under the responsibilities of each town. New Haven County is split into three judicial districts: New Haven, Ansonia-Milford and Waterbury.
As established in 1666, New Haven County consisted of the towns of Milford, New Haven and Guilford. The town of Wallingford was established in 1670 in unincorporated area north of New Haven and formally added to New Haven County in 1671. In 1675, the town of Derby was established in the area north of Milford. In 1686, the town of Waterbury was established, but was assigned as part of Hartford County. Waterbury was later transferred to New Haven County in 1728. In 1722, most of northwestern Connecticut was placed under the jurisdiction of New Haven County. Eight years later, in 1730, the eastern half of northwestern Connecticut was transferred to the jurisdiction of Hartford County. By mid-1738, with the exception of the towns of New Milford, Sharon, and Salisbury, the entire territory of northwestern Connecticut was under Hartford County. In 1751, Litchfield County was constituted consisting of all the towns in northwestern Connecticut. Between 1780 and 1807, several more towns were established along the northern boundary of New Haven County, resulting in the alteration of the limits of the county. The final boundary alteration leading to the modern boundary resulted from the establishment of the town of Middlebury on October 8, 1807.
New Haven County is home to numerous parks laden with trails for meandering and benches for enjoying the picturesque views. The parks of New Haven County also offer picnic areas and play areas for the children, as well as a variety of recreational activities for all ages. These family friendly parks are a wonderful spot to spend the day with friends and loved ones, as well as meet up with your neighbors.
For a complete list of parks in the area click here http://connecticut.hometownlocator.com/features/cultural,class,park,scfips,09009.cfm
New Haven County takes great pride in being home to numerous events annually. These events range from the International Festival of Art and Ideas, which offers a taste of life from around the world, to City Wide Studios which allows residents and visitors alike to view local artwork. These events draw New Haven County’s community together in ways no other gathering can. Below are just a few of the many events offered by New Haven County.
Branford Festival http://www.branfordfestival.com
This family friendly event is held annually in Branford. The Historic Town Green is filled with crafts, activities, food, life music and much more. There is something there for everyone to take part in.
International Festival of Arts and Ideas http://www.artidea.org
Held annually in June, the International Festival of Arts and Ideas offers stunning music, dance, theater, and bright and emergent thinkers from around the world. This city wide festival has something for everyone, featuring world-class culture, award-winning dining and a wide variety of shopping that will impress any guest from near and far.
Milford Oyster Festival http://www.milfordoysterfestival.org
Started in 1975, the Annual Milford Oyster Festival is held on the third Saturday of August every year and attracts local residents and visitors from around the globe who want to enjoy the sights, sounds, tastes and history of Milford, Connecticut at a family-oriented festival. 2009 marks the 35th Annual Milford Oyster Festival. The festival has grown from a tiny local one-day celebration of the oyster into one of Connecticut’s summer highlights. Festival planning is a year-round project for a hand full of volunteers who organize the event. Festival visitors have a choice of activities including entertainment for children and music fans, harbor canoe and kayak races, over 200 arts and crafts vendors from around the country, a classic car show and tremendous food offered by local non-profit civic organizations. The festival provides the venue for many non-profit organizations to raise money for each of their causes.
City Wide Open Studios http://www.cwos.org
City Wide Open Studios has been an annual event for the last eleven years and continues to draw thousands of visitors to explore New Haven’s neighborhoods while discovering local artist and galleries. The event celebrates contemporary art and is Connecticut’s leading visual art event. City Wide Open Studios is one of the largest Open Studio programs in the country and offers local artists the opportunity to advertise themselves and their work, as well as offering visitors the chance to discover new artists.
New Haven County is home to some of the best attractions around! Come discover New Haven’s history at the New Haven Museum and Historical Society or learn about the world through a child’s eyes at the Connecticut Children’s Museum. New Haven has attractions available to entertain people of all ages.
Connecticut Children’s Museum http://www.childrensbuilding.org
Located at Orange and Wall streets, the Connecticut Children’s Museum is home to eight thematic and community-inspired rooms. The museum offers books to enrich each exhibit and allows children to access various textures and languages to ensure a full learning approach. The museum itself is covered in bright colorful murals emerging from the arts community and children’s art.
Eli Whitney Museum http://www.eliwhitney.org
The Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop is a unique experimental learning workshop for students, teachers, and families. Made up of various experiments that the museum collects, interprets, and teaches, Eli Whitney Museum helps pass on the roots of design and invention to people of all ages.
New Haven Museum and Historical Society http://www.newhavenmuseum.org
The New Haven Museum and Historical Society offers visitors the rare opportunity to explore the city and region’s people, places, and event ranging from the Quinnipiac Indians to present day. The museum itself is located in New Haven’s historic downtown.
Peabody Museum of Natural History http://www.peabody.yale.edu
The Yale Peabody Museum was founded in 1866 with a gift from philanthropist George Peabody, at the urging of his nephew, Yale’s O.C. Marsh, the first professor of paleontology in North America and the Museum’s first director. Marsh built many of the Peabody’s great collections, and today you can see some of his most famous finds — the dinosaurs he named Triceratops, Stegosaurus and “Brontosaurus” — in the Museum’s Great Hall.
Along with more than 11 million specimens and objects in anthropology, botany, zoology, paleontology, entomology, ornithology, and historical scienfiic instruments in its collections, the Yale Peabody Museum is also home to Rudolph F. Zallinger’s murals The Age of Reptiles and The Age of Mammals.
For a complete list of attractions in the area click here http://www.connquest.com/ct/counties/newhaven/attractions.html
For more information on New Haven County, CT visit the official website by clicking here http://www.munic.state.ct.us/newhaven.htm
For the Greater New Haven County Chamber of Commerce click here http://www.gnhcc.com