Editing Deep River, Connecticut

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Deep River
| official_name      = Town of Deep River
| settlement_type    = [[New England town|Town]]
| image_skyline      = File:Town Hall, Deep River CT.jpg
| image_caption      = Town Hall, Deep River
| image_flag         = Flag of Deep River, Connecticut.png
| image_seal         = DeepRiverCTseal.gif
| image_map          = {{switcher|[[File:Deep River CT lg.PNG|230px|frameless|alt=Deep River's location within Middlesex County and Connecticut]]|&nbsp;[[Middlesex County, Connecticut|Middlesex County]] and Connecticut|[[File:Lower Connecticut River Valley incorporated and unincorporated areas Deep River highlighted.svg|250px|frameless|alt=Deep River's location within the Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region and the state of Connecticut]]|&nbsp;[[Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut|Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region]] and Connecticut|default=1}}
| image_map1         = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=280|frame-height=200|frame-coord=SWITCH:{{coord|qid=Q755260}}###{{coord|qid=Q779}}###{{coord|41|22|03|N|72|27|50|W}}|zoom=SWITCH:11;6;3|type=SWITCH:shape-inverse;point;point|marker=city|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|id2=SWITCH:Q755260;Q779;Q30|type2=shape|fill2=#ffffff|fill-opacity2=SWITCH:0;0.1;0.1|stroke-width2=2|stroke-color2=#808080|stroke-opacity2=SWITCH:0;1;1|switch=Deep River;Connecticut;the United States}}
| coordinates        = {{coord|41|22|03|N|72|27|50|W|region:US-CT|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{US}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Connecticut}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[County (United States)|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Middlesex County, Connecticut|Middlesex]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[Councils of governments in Connecticut|Region]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut|Lower CT River Valley]]
| established_title  = Established
| established_date   = 1635
| established_title2 = Name changed
| established_date2  = 1947
| named_for          = A Deep River referring to the [[Connecticut River]]
| government_type    = [[Board of selectmen|Selectman-town meeting]]
| leader_title       = First selectman
| leader_name        = Carol Jones (D)
| leader_title1      = Selectman
| leader_name1       = Duane Gates (D)
| leader_title2      = Selectman
| leader_name2       = James A. Olson (R)
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_total_km2     = 36.8
| area_total_sq_mi   = 14.2
| area_land_km2      = 35.1
| area_land_sq_mi    = 13.6
| area_water_km2     = 1.6
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.6
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 148
| population_total   = 4415
| population_as_of   = 2020
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_note    = 
| timezone           = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| postal_code_type   = ZIP code
| postal_code        = 06417, 06419
| area_code          = [[Area codes 860 and 959|860/959]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 09-19130
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0213417<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|213417}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|http://www.deepriverct.us/}}
}}
'''Deep River''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Middlesex County, Connecticut|Middlesex County]], [[Connecticut]], United States. The town is part of the [[Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut|Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region]]. The population was 4,415 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US0900719130|title=Census - Geography Profile: Deep River town, Middlesex County, Connecticut|access-date=November 28, 2021}}</ref> The [[Deep River Center, Connecticut|town center]] is designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as a [[census-designated place]] (CDP). Deep River is part of what the locals call the "Tri-town Area", made up of the towns of Deep River, Chester, and Essex.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|14.2|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|13.6|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.6|sqmi|km2}} (4.30%) is water. The CDP has a total area of {{convert|2.7|sqmi|km2}}, of which 4.38% is water.

===Principal communities===
*[[Deep River Center, Connecticut|Deep River Center]]
*Winthrop

==History==
{{See also|Saybrook Colony}}
Saybrook Colony formally joined Connecticut in 1644. The portion of the original colony east of the Connecticut River was set off as a separate town in 1665. The site of the present village of Deep River was said to have been owned by John, Nathaniel, and Philip Kirtland in 1723.<ref name=beers>J.B. Beers and Co., ''History of Middlesex County''</ref> The village of Winthrop was said to have been settled by Baptists as early as 1729.<ref name=beers/> In the early to mid-19th century, various portions of Saybrook broke off as separate towns, starting from Chester in 1836 to Old Saybrook in 1854. In 1947, the town of Saybrook changed its name to "Deep River", matching the name of the town center village. The name "Deep River" was taken from the river/stream that once powered mills and factories that runs through it and not from the Connecticut River that is its eastern border. The actual Deep River stream begins at the border of its neighboring Town of Chester, in the western Winthrop section of town, on Cedar Swamp Road and flows through town to the stream that can be seen on Route 154, near Winter Avenue, empty onto the cove that connects to The Connecticut River.<ref>{{cite book|last=Connors|first=Daniel J.|title=Deep River, the Illustrated Story of a Connecticut River Town|publisher=The Pequot Press|location=Stonington, Ct.|date=1966|pages=17, 19, 20, 27, 37, 41}}</ref><ref>"Wharf to Waterfall" permanent exhibit, Deep River Historical Society, Inc. 245 Main Street, Deep River, CT 06417, 2020–21</ref>

===Towns created from Saybrook Colony===
[[Image:PostcardDeepRiverCTKeyboardLake19061916.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Keyboard Lake, from an early postcard]]
Saybrook Colony, along the mouth of the [[Connecticut River]], was one of the early settlements in the area. Several towns broke off and incorporated separately over the course of time. The towns which were created from parts of Saybrook Colony are listed below.

*[[Lyme, Connecticut|Lyme]] (originally East Saybrook) in 1665
**[[East Lyme, Connecticut|East Lyme]] created from Lyme in 1839 (also partly from [[Waterford, Connecticut|Waterford]])
**[[Old Lyme, Connecticut|Old Lyme]] (originally South Lyme) created from Lyme in 1855
*[[Chester, Connecticut|Chester]] in 1836
*[[Westbrook, Connecticut|Westbrook]] in 1840
*[[Essex, Connecticut|Essex]] (originally Old Saybrook) in 1852
**[[Old Saybrook, Connecticut|Old Saybrook]] created from Essex in 1854

===Ivory===
From 1840 to ''circa'' 1940, the U.S. was the world's biggest buyer of ivory and most of that ivory went to Deep River. Phineas Pratt developed an ivory lathe and eventually Deep River became known as "the queen of the valley" due to wealth from the ivory industry.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Joyce|first1=Christopher|title=Elephant Slaughter, African Slavery And America's Pianos|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/08/18/338989248/elephant-slaughter-african-slavery-and-americas-pianos|access-date=August 29, 2014|work=[[NPR]]|date=August 18, 2014}}</ref> The rival Comstock, Cheney & Company was established in nearby [[Ivoryton, Connecticut|Ivoryton]] in the 1860s.

==Points of interest==
These sites in town are on the National Register of Historic Places:
* [[Deep River Freight Station]] &ndash; 152 River St.; since December 21, 1994
* [[Deep River Town Hall]] &ndash; [[Connecticut Route 80]] and [[Connecticut Route 154]]; since January 1, 1976
* [[DORIS (Sailing yacht)|''Doris'' (Sailing yacht)]] &ndash; Connecticut River off River Rd.; located there when NRHP-listed, May 31, 1984
* [[Pratt, Read and Company Factory Complex]] &ndash; Main St. between Bridge and Spring Sts. and 5 Bridge St.; since August 30, 1984
* The grave of XYZ &ndash; Mysterious bank robber's grave w/ "XYZ" initials. Fountain Hill Cemetery. Knock thrice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-grave-of-xyz|title=The Grave of XYZ|website=Atlas Obscura|language=en|access-date=April 23, 2018}}</ref>
* Mount Saint John &ndash; 135 Kirtland St.

==Events==
Every year on the third Saturday in July, Deep River hosts the [[Deep River Ancient Muster]], the largest one day gathering of [[Ancient Fife and Drum Corps|fife and drum corps]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://americanprofile.com/articles/fife-drum-corps-video/ |title=Fife & Drum Corps |last=Davis |first=Caryn B. |date=July 2, 2013 |website=American Profile |publisher=[[Athlon Media Group]] |access-date=March 20, 2019 |quote=In the last 50 years, Lamay has never missed the Deep River Ancient Muster, the largest gathering of fife and drums corps in the United States.}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 3233
|1800= 3363
|1810= 3996
|1820= 4165
|1830= 5018
|1840= 3417
|1850= 2904
|1860= 1213
|1870= 1267
|1880= 1362
|1890= 1484
|1900= 1634
|1910= 1907
|1920= 2325
|1930= 2381
|1940= 2332
|1950= 2570
|1960= 2968
|1970= 3690
|1980= 3994
|1990= 4332
|2000= 4610
|2010= 4629
|2020= 4415
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=Census of Population and Housing |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=June 4, 2015 }}</ref>
}}
{{See also|List of Connecticut locations by per capita income}}As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 4,610 people, 1,824 households, and 1,262 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|340.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,910 housing units at an average density of {{convert|140.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 94.56% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.41% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.04% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.80% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.07% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.04% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.08% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.95% of the population.

There were 1,824 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $51,677, and the median income for a family was $62,260. Males had a median income of $46,268 versus $32,454 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $32,604. About 3.9% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

===CDP===

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,470 people, 1,023 households, and 652 families living in the [[Deep River Center, Connecticut|Deep River Center]] CDP. The population density was {{convert|943.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,077 housing units at an average density of {{convert|411.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.19% White, 3.72% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.94% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.81% of the population.

There were 1,023 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $44,680, and the median income for a family was $51,685. Males had a median income of $42,958 versus $30,880 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $27,261. About 3.9% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

{| class=wikitable
! colspan = 6 | Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005<ref>{{cite web|title = Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 25, 2005 | publisher = Connecticut Secretary of State | access-date = October 2, 2006 | url = http://www.sots.ct.gov/ElectionsServices/lists/2005OctRegEnrollStats.pdf |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060923151511/http://www.sots.ct.gov/ElectionsServices/lists/2005OctRegEnrollStats.pdf <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = September 23, 2006}}</ref>
|-
! colspan = 2 | Party
! Active Voters
! Inactive Voters
! Total Voters
! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| align = center | 909
| align = center | 33
| align = center | 942
| align = center | 29.17%
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| align = center | 651
| align = center | 31
| align = center | 682
| align = center | 21.12%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| [[Independent voter|Unaffiliated]]
| align = center | 1,527
| align = center | 71
| align = center | 1,598
| align = center | 49.49%
|-
| {{party color cell|Libertarian Party (United States)}}
| Minor Parties
| align = center | 7
| align = center | 0
| align = center | 7
| align = center | 0.22%
|-
! colspan = 2 | Total
! align = center | 3,049
! align = center | 135
! align = center | 3,229
! align = center | 100%
|}
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="4" |Presidential Election Results<ref>{{Cite web|title=General Election Statements of Vote, 1922 – Current|url=https://authoring.ct.gov//SOTS/Election-Services/Statement-Of-Vote-PDFs/General-Elections-Statement-of-Vote-1922|access-date=December 23, 2020|website=CT Secretary of State}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Election Night Reporting|url=https://ctemspublic.pcctg.net/#/selectTown|access-date=December 23, 2020|website=CT Secretary of State}}</ref>
|-
!Year
![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
![[Third party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2020 United States presidential election|2020]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''61.5%''' ''1,785''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|37.1% ''1,076''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.4% ''41''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2016 United States presidential election|2016]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''54.2%''' ''1,412''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|41.4% ''1,077''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|4.4% ''115''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2012 United States presidential election|2012]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''60.8%''' ''1,479''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.3% ''932''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.9% ''22''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2008 United States presidential election|2008]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''63.0%''' ''1,668''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|35.8% ''946''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.2% ''32''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2004 United States presidential election|2004]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''59.4%''' ''1,548''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.6% ''1,007''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|2.0% ''51''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2000 United States presidential election|2000]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''56.6%''' ''1,348''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|37.6% ''896''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|5.8% ''138''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1996 United States presidential election|1996]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''51.8%''' ''1,160''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|31.1% ''696''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|17.1% ''382''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1992 United States presidential election|1992]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''39.7%''' ''980''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|30.4% ''752''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|29.9% ''738''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1988 United States presidential election|1988]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|47.6% ''1,053''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''51.2%''' ''1,133''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.2% ''27''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1984 United States presidential election|1984]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|35.1% ''760''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''64.5%''' ''1,397''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.4% ''9''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1980 United States presidential election|1980]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|34.8% ''707''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.4%''' ''1,024''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|14.8% ''294''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1976 United States presidential election|1976]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|45.6% ''943''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''53.7%''' ''1,111''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.7% ''12''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1972 United States presidential election|1972]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|36.7% ''716''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''62.5%''' ''1,218''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.8% ''16''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1968 United States presidential election|1968]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''48.4%''' ''827''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|46.4'''%''' ''792''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|5.2% ''88''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1964 United States presidential election|1964]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''66.7%''' ''1,073''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|33.3% ''535''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1960 United States presidential election|1960]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|49.7% ''843''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.3%''' ''852''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1956 United States presidential election|1956]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|38.5% ''642''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''61.5%''' ''1,025''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.00% ''0''
|}

==Education==

The towns of Deep River, [[Chester, Connecticut|Chester]], and [[Essex, Connecticut|Essex]] make up Regional School District #4.<ref>[http://www.reg4.k12.ct.us/ Chester, Deep River, Essex & Region 4 School Districts]</ref> Deep River is home to Deep River Elementary School, serving grades K–6. John Winthrop Middle School and [[Valley Regional High School]], serve students for grades 7–8 and 9–12, and are located on Warsaw Street and Kelsey Hill Road, respectively. Additionally, the Connecticut Transition Academy at Mount Saint John which serves students for grades from elementary to high school which is located on Kirtland Street and across the river from [[Gillette Castle State Park]], respectively.

==Transportation==
The [[Estuary Transit District]] provides public transportation throughout Deep River and the surrounding towns through its 9 Town Transit Service. Services include connections to the Old Saybrook Train Station, served by [[Amtrak]] and [[Shoreline East]] railroads.

==Notable people==
*[[Elizabeth Jarvis Colt]], wife of firearms manufacturer [[Samuel Colt]]
*[[Benjamin Hyde Edgerton]], surveyor and politician
*[[Mysterious Dave Mather]], Wild West gunfighter
*[[Gretchen Mol]], actress
*[[Alpheus S. Williams]], lawyer, judge, journalist, U.S. Congressman, and Union general in the [[American Civil War]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Portal|Connecticut}}
*[http://www.deepriverct.com/ Town government Web site]

{{Connecticut}}
{{Middlesex County, Connecticut}}
{{Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut}}
{{Greater Hartford}}
{{Connecticut River}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Deep River, Connecticut| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Middlesex County, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Connecticut populated places on the Connecticut River]]
[[Category:Towns in Connecticut]]
[[Category:Greater Hartford]]
[[Category:1635 establishments in Connecticut]]
[[Category:Towns in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut]]