Editing Mansfield, Connecticut

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Mansfield
| official_name      = Town of Mansfield
| settlement_type    = [[New England town|Town]]
| image_skyline      = Kirbys Mill, Mansfield CT.jpg
| image_caption      = Kirby's Mill, in the Mansfield Hollow part of town
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = MansfieldCTseal.gif
| image_map          = {{switcher|[[File:Tolland County Connecticut Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Mansfield Highlighted 2010.svg|250px|frameless|alt=Mansfield's location within Tolland County and Connecticut]]|&nbsp;[[Tolland County, Connecticut|Tolland County]] and Connecticut|[[File:Capitol Region incorporated and unincorporated areas Mansfield highlighted.svg|250px|frameless|alt=Mansfield's location within the Capitol Planning Region and the state of Connecticut]]|&nbsp;[[Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut|Capitol 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=Q937718}}###{{coord|qid=Q779}}###{{coord|41|47|18|N|72|13|44|W}}|zoom=SWITCH:10;6;3|type=SWITCH:shape-inverse;point;point|marker=city|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|id2=SWITCH:Q937718;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=Mansfield;Connecticut;the United States}}
| coordinates        = {{coord|41|47|18|N|72|13|44|W|region:US-CT|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Connecticut}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[County (United States)|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Tolland County, Connecticut|Tolland]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[Councils of governments in Connecticut|Region]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut|Capitol Region]]
| established_title  = Incorporated
| established_date   = 1702
| government_type    = [[Council-Manager]]
| leader_title       = Town Manager
| leader_name        = Ryan Aylesworth
| leader_title1      = Mayor
| leader_name1       = Toni Moran (D)
| leader_title2      = Town council
| leader_name2       = Ben Shaiken (D), Deputy Mayor <br />David Litrico (D)<br />Carlita Cotton (D)<br />Ronald Schurin (D)<br />Samuel Bruder (D)<br />Brian Coleman (U)<br />Chris Kueffner (R)<br />Bill Tomecko (R)
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_total_km2     = 117.8
| area_total_sq_mi   = 45.5
| area_land_km2      = 115.2
| area_land_sq_mi    = 44.5
| area_water_km2     = 2.7
| area_water_sq_mi   = 1.0
| elevation_m        = 195
| elevation_ft       = 640
| population_footnotes = <ref name="DecennialCensus" />
| population_total   = 25892
| population_as_of   = 2020
| population_density_km2 = 224.8
| population_density_sq_mi = 
| 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]]s
| postal_code        = 06235, 06250, 06268, 06269
| area_code          = [[Area codes 860 and 959|860/959]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 09-44910
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0213456
| blank3_name        = Major highways
| blank3_info        = [[File:US 44.svg|25px|link=U.S. Route 44]] [[File:US 6.svg|25px|link=U.S. Route 6 in Connecticut]] [[File:Connecticut Highway 195.svg|25px|link=Connecticut Route 195]] [[File:Connecticut Highway 32.svg|25px|link=Connecticut Route 32]] [[File:Connecticut Highway 89.svg|25px|link=Connecticut Route 89]]
| website            = {{URL|http://www.mansfieldct.org/}}
}}
'''Mansfield''' ({{IPAc-en|'|m|æ|n|s|f|i|l|d}} {{respell|MANS|feeld}}) is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Tolland County, Connecticut]], United States. The town is part of the [[Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut|Capitol Planning Region]]. The population was 25,892 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US0901344910|title=Census - Geography Profile: Mansfield town, Tolland County, Connecticut|access-date=December 17, 2021}}</ref>

[[Pequots|Pequot]] and [[Mohegan]] people lived in this region for centuries before the arrival of English settler-immigrants in the late 17th century.<ref name = "archives">{{Citation | vauthors=((Smith, Laura)) | title=Mansfield | work = Archives and Special Collections Blog, UConn Library | date = December 10, 2019 | url=https://blogs.lib.uconn.edu/archives/tag/mansfield/ | access-date=May 20, 2022}}</ref> By 1692, [[New England Colonies|English settlers]] put down roots in the area that is now [[Mansfield Center, Connecticut|Mansfield Center]].<ref name="Landry">{{cite web | url = https://mansfieldct-history.org/the-silk-mills-in-attwoodville/ | access-date = July 18, 2023 | title =  The Silk Mills in Attwoodville | date = April 24, 2021 | last = Landry | first = David | website = Mansfield Historical Society}}</ref>

Mansfield was incorporated in October 1702, separating from the Town of [[Windham, Connecticut|Windham]], in Hartford County. The community was named after Major Moses Mansfield, a part-owner of the town site.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qoEyAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA333|year=1903|publisher=Connecticut Magazine Company|page=333}}</ref> When Windham County was formed on May 12, 1726, Mansfield then became part of that county.  A century later, at a town meeting on April 3, 1826, selectmen voted to ask the General Assembly to annex Mansfield to Tolland County.  That occurred the following year.

The town of Mansfield contains the community of [[Storrs, Connecticut|Storrs]], which is home to the main campus of the [[University of Connecticut]] and the associated [[Connecticut Repertory Theatre]]. Villages within the town include [[Gurleyville Historic District|Gurleyville]] and [[Mansfield Center, Connecticut|Mansfield Center]], [[Mansfield Hollow Historic District|Mansfield Hollow]], and Atwoodville.<ref name="Landry"/>

==History==
English settler-immigrants arrived in the area that is now Mansfield in the late 17th century. The Town of Mansfield was legally incorporated in 1702, and the Storrs family history dates back to that time. Samuel Storrs migrated from Nottinghamshire, England to Massachusetts in 1663, then moving to the area in 1698.<ref name = "archives"/>

The first silk mill in the United States was constructed in Mansfield and financed by Pilgrim descendant William Fisk. The town, along with neighboring [[Willimantic, Connecticut|Willimantic]], played an important role in the manufacture of thread and other textiles. Though nothing but the foundation remains of the mill, Mansfield has held onto several other historic landmarks. A fully intact [[gristmill]], dating to 1835, the [[Gurleyville Historic District|Gurleyville Gristmill]] is the only one of its kind in Connecticut. Built on the [[Fenton River]], this stone grist mill remains intact with the original equipment. There are tours available May through October. The adjacent miller's house is the birthplace of former Connecticut governor [[Wilbur L. Cross]], (1931 to 1939).More recent yet rare nonetheless, the Mansfield Drive-in, a drive-in movie theater, and Lucky Strike Lanes,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lucky Strike Lanes |url=https://www.luckystrikelanesct.com/ |access-date=July 1, 2022 |website=Lucky Strike Lanes}}</ref> a [[duckpin bowling]] alley, are among the last of their breed in the nation, with only 41 congress-certified alleys currently (2016), down from 450 in 1963.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barry |first=Dan |date=May 26, 2016 |title=The Lost Art of Duckpin Bowling |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/29/sports/duckpin-bowling.html |access-date=July 1, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The [[Mansfield Training School and Hospital]], situated on more than {{convert|1000|acre|km2}} and encompassing 85 buildings, was operated by the [[Connecticut Department of Developmental Services]] until its closure, after legal challenges, in 1993. Four years later, the former director and a once staunch advocate of the school declared, "The Mansfield Training School is closed: the swamp has finally been drained."<ref name="mrtd">{{cite news
|title=The Mansfield Training School is closed: the swamp has been finally drained.
|author=MacNamara, Roger D
|work=Mental Retardation
|date=June 1994
|volume=32
|issue=3
|pages=239–42}}
</ref> Since then, the site has been allowed to deteriorate, though the University of Connecticut has been slowly finding uses for and fixing up many of the buildings. The school, with its eerie overturned wheelchairs and neo-classical hospital, remains a magnet for adventurous locals, the police, and amateur photographers.

Located directly across [[U.S. Route 44]] from the Mansfield Training School is the [[Bergin Correctional Institution|Donald T. Bergin Correctional Institution]], which closed in August 2011. The Level 2 facility housed approximately 1,000 inmates. It served as a pre-release center for inmates who were approaching the end of their sentence or a period of supervised community placement.

On the Northeastern edge of town (Mount Hope Village), the playwright, actor and producer [[Willard Mack]] owned a large estate (originally built by William Fisk){{Citation needed|date=November 2008}}. Mack permitted his other various friends and associates to board and breed their thoroughbreds on his property.  One of these, boxing legend [[Jack Dempsey]], made continual use of these facilities until Mack's death in the mid-1930s.<ref>{{IMDb name|533102|Willard Mack}}</ref> During Mack's stewardship of this property, the famous Arabian Stallion "Broomstick", sire of numerous Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown winning thoroughbreds, was also a temporary resident.{{Citation needed|date=November 2008}} The property has since been purchased and maintained by private owners.

Development has increased in recent years, leading to the imposition of a temporary moratorium on new subdivisions, as well as additional land acquisition. Town-provided services, including free community wireless Internet access became available at the Mansfield Community Center, the Mansfield Town Hall, the Mansfield Senior Center, and the Mansfield Public Library in the late 2010s.

Media outlets have previously reported Mansfield to be a safe place. In 2005, ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' named Storrs "America's Best Place to Avoid Death Due to Natural Disaster."<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2005/09/where-to-hide-from-mother-nature.html|title=Where To Hide From Mother Nature|first=Brendan|last=Koerner|journal=Slate |date=September 15, 2005|via=slate.com}}</ref> and in 2025, rankings webpage [[Niche (company)|Niche]] included Mansfield and the village of Mansfield Center in its list of the top 100 places to live in Connecticut.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mansfield Named One Of The Best Places To Live In CT - Twice |url=https://patch.com/connecticut/mansfield/mansfield-named-one-best-places-live-ct-twice |work=Storrs-Mansfield Patch |publisher=Patch}}</ref>

===On the National Register of Historic Places===
*[[Farwell Barn]], Horsebarn Hill Rd.    
*[[Gurleyville Historic District]], on Gurleyville and Chaffeeville Rds.
*[[Mansfield Center Cemetery]], jct. of Storrs and Cemetery Rds.  
*[[Mansfield Center Historic District]], Storrs Rd.  
*[[Mansfield Hollow Historic District]], 86-127 Mansfield Hollow Rd.  
*[[Mansfield Training School and Hospital]], jct. of [[Connecticut Route 32|Route 32]] & [[U.S. Route 44]]  
*[[University of Connecticut Historic District-Connecticut Agricultural School]], roughly [[Connecticut Route 195|Route 195]]/Storrs Rd. at North Eagleville Rd.

==Geography==
[[File:USACE Mansfield Hollow Lake.jpg|thumb|The Mansfield Hollow Dam, constructed in 1952, impounds the waters of the [[Natchaug River|Natchaug]], [[Fenton River|Fenton]] and [[Mt. Hope River]]s.]]
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 45.5&nbsp;square miles (117.8&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}), of which, 44.5&nbsp;square miles (115.2&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}) of it is land and 1.0&nbsp;square miles (2.7&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}) of it (2.26%) is water. [[Mansfield Hollow Lake]] rests on the border between Mansfield and Willimantic.

Mansfield is listed as a member town of the [[Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor]] and is sometimes considered a part of Connecticut's [[Quiet Corner]], a colloquial designation for the more rural, northeastern part of the state.

===Settlements===
{{div col|colwidth=10em}}
*Atwoodville
*Bassettsville
*Celeron Square
*Conantville
*Dunhamtown
*Eagleville
*Four Corners
*Freedom Green
*[[Gurleyville]]
*Holinko-Hunting Lodge
*Industrial Tract
*[[Mansfield Center, Connecticut|Mansfield Center]]
*Mansfield Depot
*[[Mansfield Hollow]]
*Merrow
*Mount Hope
*Perkins Corner
*[[Spring Hill, Mansfield, Connecticut|Spring Hill]]
*[[Storrs, Connecticut|Storrs]]
*Wormwood Hill
{{div col end}}
[[File:Storrs CT downtown.png|thumb|Betsy Patterson Square as seen from Storrs Road]]
[[File:UCONNfromsky.jpg|thumb|An overhead view of the main University of Connecticut campus, seen here in 2007]]

'''Storrs''', the largest of the town's settlements, is an unincorporated [[Village (United States)#Connecticut|village]] within Mansfield anchored economically and demographically by the main campus of the University of Connecticut. The community was named after [[Charles and Augustus Storrs]], two brothers who founded the university (originally called the [[Storrs Agricultural College]]) by giving the land ({{convert|170|acre|km2}}) and $6,000 to the State of Connecticut in trust in 1881.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uconn.edu/about-us/history/|title=History – University of Connecticut|website=uconn.edu|date=February 5, 2019 }}</ref>

Due to its association with UConn and the Huskies' popular [[UConn Huskies basketball|basketball programs]], it has also taken on the moniker of the "''College Basketball Capitol of the World''".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Breen |first1=Tom |title=Basketball Capital of The World |url=https://today.uconn.edu/2023/07/uconn-magazine-basketball-capital-of-the-world/ |website=UConn Magazine |date=July 12, 2023 |publisher=University of Connecticut}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Eastern CT is the Basketball Capital of the World |url=https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-courtney-eastern-ct-college-basketball-capital-world |website=Press Releases |date=April 15, 2024 |publisher=[[Joe Courtney (politician)|Congressman Joe Courtney]]}}</ref>

The "downtown" area of the village is the economic and government center of Mansfield, acting as a mixed-used community development following its construction in the mid-2000s. At the time, the goal of the redevelopment was [[smart growth]] through what the Town of Mansfield described as a "livable downtown".<ref>[http://www.storrscenter.com/ Storrs Center]</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Storrs Center - Mansfield, CT |url=https://erland.com/all/projects/storrs-center |website=Erland Construction Projects |publisher=Erland Construction}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Fenteany |first1=Peter |title=The problem with Storrs Center |url=https://dailycampus.com/2017/09/22/2017-9-22-the-problem-with-storrs-center/ |website=Daily Campus Opinion Section |date=September 22, 2017 |publisher=[[The Daily Campus]]}}</ref> Municipal services located there notably include the Avery P. Beck Building (town hall) and Mansfield Community Center on South Eagleville Road, and nearby [[Edwin Oscar Smith High School|EO Smith High School]] on Storrs Road.<ref>{{cite web |title=Town Departments and Offices |url=https://www.mansfieldct.gov/408/Town-Departments-and-Offices |website=Town of Mansfield Services |publisher=Mansfield, Connecticut}}</ref> A number of businesses and apartment are also based in the development, including a number of special-interest stores and restaurants, in addition to some banks, offices, and a [[Price Chopper (Northeastern United States)|Price Chopper]] grocery store.<ref>{{cite web |title=Downtown Storrs |url=https://www.downtownstorrs.org/ |website=Town of Mansfield Downtown Partnership |publisher=Mansfield, Connecticut}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mansfield Community Center - Contact Us |url=https://www.mansfieldct.gov/1706/Contact-Us |website=Town of Mansfield Parks and Recreation |publisher=Mansfield, Connecticut}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Main Campus |url=https://www.eosmith.org/about/contact_us |website=EO Smith High School - Contact Us |publisher=[[Edwin O. Smith High School]]}}</ref>

Betsy Patterson Square, an outdoor green space with sculpture installations, anchors the "downtown" area including and is flanked by a [[Barnes and Noble]]-operated UConn Bookstore, the [[Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry]], and health service locations operated by [[UConn Health]]. The Mansfield Downtown Partnership, a town-affiliated nonprofit organization, hosts community-based events at the square.<ref>{{cite web |title=Betsy Patterson Square |url=https://www.mansfieldmdp.org/betsy-paterson-square |website=Town of Mansfield Downtown Partnership |publisher=Mansfield, Connecticut}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=UConn Health in Downtown Storrs |url=https://health.uconn.edu/plan-your-visit/locations-and-directions/downtown-storrs |website=UConn Health Locations and Directions |date=May 2, 2019 |publisher=[[UConn Health]]}}</ref>

'''Mansfield Center''', the town's other major village, is situated southerly and borders Willimantic. Mostly a [[bedroom community]], Mansfield Center does include a business district which features the [[East Brook Mall]] and shopping plazas, including a [[Big Y]] supermarket. Original properties located in Mansfield Center, including a historic general store building, are listed as part of the [[Mansfield Center Historic District]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Boots |first1=Patrick |title=East Brook Mall Sold to Developer, Eyed for Mixed-Use Housing |url=https://whus.org/2024/10/east-brook-mall-sold-to-developer-eyed-for-mixed-use-housing/ |website=WHUS News |date=October 18, 2024 |publisher=[[WHUS|WHUS FM 91.7]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mansfield, CT |url=https://www.bigy.com/rs/store-locator/141b-storrs-road/34 |website=Big Y Store Locator |publisher=[[Big Y]]}}</ref>

Both Storrs and Mansfield Center also each contain a related [[census-designated place]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/storrscdpconnecticut/POP060210 |title=Quick Facts: Storrs CDP, CT |work=US Census Bureau Quick Facts |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><ref name="USCB">{{Cite web | url = https://www.census.gov/geo/reference/gtc/gtc_place.html | title = Geographic Terms and Concepts – Place | publisher = United States Census Bureau | access-date = December 11, 2014}}</ref>

Mansfield enjoys a moderate amount of protected open space, notably [[Mansfield Hollow State Park]], town parks and preserves, and numerous [[Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust|Joshua's Trust]] properties<ref>{{Cite web | title = Joshua's Trust Properties |publisher=Joshua's Trust |url=http://www.joshuastrust.org/properties.html |access-date=February 27, 2011}}</ref> in addition to UConn-owned and maintained properties including Spring Valley Student Farm. Three large private farms operate within Mansfield, including Mountain Dairy, which has been producing and processing milk under the stewardship of one family since 1871.

==Infastructure and Transportation==
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| perrow            = 2
| total_width       = 225
| image1            = WRTD Route 674B bus in Storrs.jpg
| image2            = CTtransit bus returning to Collins Garage.jpg
| footer            = 
| direction         = vertical
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = [[Windham Region Transit District]] bus
| caption2          = [[CT Transit Hartford]] Express bus
}}
[[U.S. Route 6 in Connecticut|U.S. Route 6]] passes through the southern end of Mansfield as an isolated stretch of divided highway, part of the planned but never realized interstate between [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]] and [[Providence, Rhode Island]]. Construction began midway between the two major cities, far removed from population centers. When opposition arose and complications developed, the project was shelved, with only stranded parts of the highway completed; the freeway portion extends from the nearby town border of [[Columbia, Connecticut|Columbia]] and Willimantic and ends in North Windham.

The community includes the intersection of state roadways [[U.S. Route 44]] and [[Connecticut Route 32]] in [[Mansfield Depot, Connecticut|Mansfield Depot]]. Route 6 has an interchange with Storrs Road ([[Connecticut Route 195]]) on the town border with Willimantic; Storrs Road runs north and intersects with Route 44 at the "four corners", a colloquial name for the intersection, continuing through [[Coventry, Connecticut|Coventry]] and [[Tolland, Connecticut|Tolland]] to meet with [[Connecticut Route 74]].

Willington Hill Road ([[Connecticut Route 320]]) and South Eagleville Road ([[Connecticut Route 275]]) act as major roadways to access the village from the north and south, respectively. Willington Hill Road begins in nearby [[Willington, Connecticut|Willington]] and merges into Storrs Road at the "four corners". South Eagleville Road offers a junction to Storrs Road from Route 32 in Coventry.

===Intermodal services===
The Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center, located on Royce Circle in the "downtown" area, acts as a de-facto hub for intermodal services, with a parking garage and waiting room.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center |url=https://www.mansfieldct.gov/242/Nash-Zimmer-Transportation-Center |website=Town of Mansfield Departments and Offices |publisher=Mansfield, Connecticut}}</ref>

Local bus service is provided by the [[Windham Region Transit District]] (WRTD), with two routes that connect to local points of interest. Route 674 travels toward Willimantic, including stops at the local Big Y plaza and the East Brook Mall, and route 675 offers stops along Hunting Lodge Road toward Mansfield Depot.<ref>{{cite web |title=674 A-B-C-D-E Storrs-Mansfield to Willimantic |url=https://wrtd.org/storrs-willimantic/ |publisher=[[Windham Region Transit District]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=675-676 Hunting Lodge and Depot Campus |url=https://wrtd.org/675-hunting-lodge-2/ |publisher=Windham Region Transit District}}</ref> WRTD also operates ''HuskyGo'' shuttle service in partnership with the UConn transportation services office, which provides access to on-campus locations and stops along Storrs Road ([[Connecticut Route 195]]) for students.<ref>{{cite web |title=Transportation Services |url=https://transpo.uconn.edu/ |website=University of Connecticut Facilities Operations |publisher=University of Connecticut}}</ref>

Express bus service is provided by [[CT Transit]] as route 913, which travels between Storrs and Hartford. The express route makes limited stops at [[park and ride|commuter lots]] in Tolland, [[Vernon, Connecticut|Vernon]], and [[Manchester, Connecticut|Manchester]] connecting at [[The Shoppes at Buckland Hills]] toward [[Hartford Union Station]]. A number of runs begin and end at the [[Sigourney Street station|Sigourney Street CT Fastrak station]] in Hartford.<ref>{{cite web |title=Express Services |url=https://www.cttransit.com/services/express-services |website=CT Transit Services |publisher=[[CT Transit]]}}</ref>

Limited intercity bus service is provided by [[Peter Pan Bus Lines]], who run extra routes to Hartford Union Station and to Providence, RI.<ref>{{cite web |title=Travel Network Map |url=https://peterpanbus.com/travel-network-map/ |website=Peter Pan Travel Center |publisher=[[Peter Pan Bus Lines]]}}</ref>

===Former and proposed services===
Until 1955 inter-city train service was available nine miles to the south at [[Willimantic station]] on the [[New Haven Railroad]]'s ''[[Nutmeg (train)|Nutmeg]]'' line and on trains between Waterbury, Hartford and Boston.<ref>''Official Guide of the Railways,'' August 1958, New Haven section, Table 7 (p. 154), Table 31 (p. 165)</ref><ref>Karr, Ronald Dale (2017). ''The Rail Lines of Southern New England'' (2 ed.). Branch Line Press. p. 112. {{ISBN|9780942147124}}.</ref> From 1991 to 1995, Willimantic was served by [[Amtrak]]'s ''[[Montrealer (train)|Montrealer]]'' service. Schedules would refer to the stop as "''Willimantic, CT (Storrs)'' {{sic}}", owing to the stop's close proximity to the village and use by students.<ref>{{cite web |title=Willimantic, Connecticut (WIM) |url=http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/willimantic.htm |website=TrainWeb Station Details |publisher=TrainWeb}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Amtrak returns to Willimantic |url=https://www.courant.com/1991/11/02/amtrak-returns-to-willimantic/ |publisher=[[The Hartford Courant]] |date=2 November 1991}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Amtrak's decision to derail Montrealer a blow to Willimantic |url=https://www.courant.com/1994/12/19/amtraks-decision-to-derail-montrealer-service-a-blow-to-willimantic/ |publisher=The Hartford Courant |date=19 December 1994}}</ref>

A plan for expanded passenger rail service in eastern Connecticut through to Vermont, the [[Central Corridor Rail Line]], includes reviving service to Willimantic and the construction of a new Storrs stop.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://riarp.org/CCLdocuments/CCLproject.pdf |title=Central Corridor Rail Line |publisher=Rhode Island Association of Rail Passengers |accessdate=February 16, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727215230/http://riarp.org/CCLdocuments/CCLproject.pdf |archivedate=July 27, 2011}}</ref> Other proposals for local and [[High-speed rail in the United States|high-speed]] rail projects in Connecticut have included planned stops in Storrs and in nearby Tolland to service UConn.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Spiegel |first1=Jan Ellen |title=Massive rail plan leaves Connecticut hopeful but mystified |url=https://ctmirror.org/2016/01/04/massive-rail-plan-leaves-connecticut-hopeful-but-mystified/ |publisher=The Connecticut Mirror |date=4 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ana |first1=Radelat |title=Feds' undisclosed 'preferred route' for rail lines sparks outrage |url=https://ctmirror.org/2016/09/07/feds-undisclosed-preferred-route-for-rail-lines-sparks-outrage/ |publisher=The Connecticut Mirror |date=7 September 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Condon |first1=Tom |title=It has been slow to arrive, but high speed rail could be coming |url=https://ctmirror.org/2021/02/02/it-has-been-slow-to-arrive-but-high-speed-rail-could-be-coming/ |publisher=The Connecticut Mirror |date=2 February 2021}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1840= 2276
|1850= 2517
|1860= 2165
|1870= 2401
|1880= 2154
|1890= 1911
|1900= 1827
|1910= 1977
|1920= 2574
|1930= 3349
|1940= 4559
|1950= 10008
|1960= 14638
|1970= 19994
|1980= 20634
|1990= 21103
|2000= 20720
|2010= 26543
|2020= 25892
|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 20,720 people, 5,291 households, and 3,121 families residing in the town. Mansfield's population increased 27.5% between 2000 and 2010, making it the second fastest-growing municipality in Connecticut for that period after [[Oxford, Connecticut|Oxford]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Connecticut: 2010 Population and Housing Unit Counts 2010 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-8.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927161802/https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-8.pdf |archive-date=September 27, 2020 |website=census.gov}}</ref> The population density was {{convert|466.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 5,481 housing units at an average density of {{convert|123.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The ethnic makeup of the town was 83.91% [[White American|White]], 4.87% [[African American]], 0.20% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 7.15% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.05% [[Pacific Islander American|Pacific Islander]], 1.88% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#Race|other races]], and 1.94% from [[Multiracial American|two or more races]]. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanics or Latinos]] of any race were 4.31% of the population.

There were 5,291 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92.

The age distribution, heavily influenced by UConn, is 13.3% under 18, 44.8% from 18 to 24, 18.9% from 25 to 44, 14.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years or older.  The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $48,888, and the median income for a family was $69,661. Males had a median income of $42,154 versus $32,292 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $18,094.  About 4.7% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 5.5% 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 |archive-date=September 23, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</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 | 3,683
| align = center | 251
| align = center | 3,934
| align = center | 36.93%
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| align = center | 1,322
| align = center | 78
| align = center | 1,400
| align = center | 13.14%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| [[Independent voter|Unaffiliated]]
| align = center | 4,709
| align = center | 606
| align = center | 5,315
| align = center | 49.90%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| Minor parties
| align = center | 3
| align = center | 0
| align = center | 3
| align = center | 0.03%
|-
! colspan = 2 | Total
! align = center | 9,717
! align = center | 935
! align = center | 10,652
! align = center | 100%
|}

==Education==
Elementary and middle school-aged residents attend schools in the Mansfield School District.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mansfield Board of Education |url=http://www.mansfieldct.org/mboe/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010527201833/http://www.mansfieldct.org/mboe/ |archive-date=May 27, 2001 |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=www.mansfieldct.org}}</ref>

All of Mansfield's middle-schoolers attend to [[Mansfield Middle School]], the 2007–2008 Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) School of the Year, and the recently built Mansfield Elementary School.

Both [[Annie E. Vinton]] School and [[Dorothy Goodwin|Dorothy C. Goodwin]] school have been rebranded to be separate campuses of Mansfield Elementary School. As of now, they are being used for storage. Southeast Elementary School has been replaced with Mansfield Elementary School.

High school-aged residents attend EO Smith High School of the Regional School District 19.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eosmith.org/home|title=Home|website=www.eosmith.org}}</ref>

==Economy==
===Top employers===
Top employers in Mansfield according to the town's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mansfieldct.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14034/2020-2021-Town-of-Mansfield-Financial-Statements|title=Town of Mansfield Comprehensive Annual Financial Report For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2021|publisher=Town of Mansfield|access-date=August 18, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
|1
|[[University of Connecticut]]
|5,032
|-
|2
|Town of Mansfield
|390
|-
|3
|Natchaug Hospital, Inc. 
|250-499
|-
|4
|[[Big Y]] 
|100-249
|-
|5
|Baukus Healthcare @ Home 
|100-249
|-
|6
|Mansfield Nursing and Rehab Center
|100-249
|-
|7
|Regional School District No. 19 
|199
|-
|8
|[[Price Chopper Supermarkets|Price Chopper]]
|100-249
|}

==Notable people==
* [[Charlie Jane Anders]] (born 1969), science fiction author and commentator; born in Mansfield
* [[Elijah Porter Barrows]] (1807–1888), clergyman and writer; born in Mansfield
* [[William Bonin]] (1947–1996), serial killer and rapist; lived in Mansfield
* [[Wilbur Lucius Cross]] (1862–1948), well-known literary critic and Governor of Connecticut from 1931 to 1939; born in Mansfield
* [[Charles Davis (Vermont judge)|Charles Davis]] (1789–1863), Associate Justice of the [[Vermont Supreme Court]]; born in Mansfield<ref>{{cite book |last=Baldwin |first=Frederick W. |date=1886 |title=Biography of the Bar of Orleans County, Vermont |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G0QMAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA65 |location=Montpelier, VT |publisher=Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press |author-link=Frederick W. Baldwin (Vermont politician) |pages=65–69 |ref={{sfnRef|''Biography of the Bar of Orleans County, Vermont''}}}}</ref>
* [[Dorothy Goodwin]] (1914–2007), Connecticut state representative and advocate for public education; lived in Mansfield
* Benjamin Hanks (1755–1824), goldsmith, instrument maker, and first maker of bronze cannons and church bells in America; born in Mansfield
* [[Rivers Cuomo]] (1970–present), lead guitarist, lead singer, and frontman of rock band [[Weezer]]; lived in Mansfield
* [[George S. Moulton]] (1829–1882), businessman, Connecticut State Representative and State Senator; born in Mansfield
* [[Charles Emory Smith]] (1842–1908), [[Postmaster General]], US Ambassador to [[Russia]] and newspaper editor; born in Mansfield
* [[Peter Tork]] (1942–2019), actor and musician, best known as a member of [[The Monkees]]; lived and died in Mansfield
* [[Annie E. Vinton]] (1869–1961), postmistress and politician; lived most of her life in the Eagleville district of Mansfield
* [[Henry Kirke White Welch]] (1821-1870), lawyer and politician
* [[Lyle Yorks]] (born 1970), retired midfielder in soccer; born in Mansfield

==See also==
{{Portal|Connecticut}}
*[[WHUS|WHUS FM 91.7]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.mansfieldct.gov/ Town of Mansfield Official Web Site]
*[http://www.mainstreetmaps.com/CT/Mansfield/ Town of Mansfield Official GIS Maps and Property Information]
*[http://www.mansfieldct-history.org/ Mansfield Historical Society]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080220114449/http://www.discovermansfieldct.com/ Discover Mansfield]

{{Connecticut}}
{{Tolland County, Connecticut}}
{{Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut}}
{{Greater Hartford}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Mansfield, Connecticut| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Tolland County, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Towns in Connecticut]]
[[Category:1702 establishments in Connecticut]]
[[Category:Greater Hartford]]
[[Category:Towns in Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut]]