Editing Sherman, Connecticut

{{Short description|Town in Connecticut, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Sherman, Connecticut
| settlement_type    = [[New England town|Town]]
| image_skyline      = OldTownHallShermanCT.jpg
| image_caption      = 1886 Town Hall
| image_seal         = ShermanCTSeal.png
| image_map          = {{switcher|[[File:Fairfield County Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Sherman highlighted.svg|230px|frameless|alt=Sherman's location within Fairfield County and Connecticut]]|&nbsp;[[Fairfield County, Connecticut|Fairfield County]] and Connecticut|[[File:Western Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Sherman highlighted.svg|250px|frameless|alt=Sherman's location within the Western Connecticut Planning Region and the state of Connecticut]]|&nbsp;[[Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut|Western Connecticut 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=Q2446125}}###{{coord|qid=Q779}}###{{coord|41|35|N|73|30|W}}|zoom=SWITCH:9;6;3|type=SWITCH:shape-inverse;point;point|marker=city|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|id2=SWITCH:Q2446125;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=Sherman;Connecticut;the United States}}
| coordinates        = {{coord|41|35|N|73|30|W|region:US-CT_type:city|display=inline,title}}
<!-- location -->| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Connecticut]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[County (United States)|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Fairfield County, Connecticut|Fairfield]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[Councils of governments in Connecticut|Region]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut|Western CT]]
| established_title  = Incorporated
| established_date   = 1802
| government_type    = [[Board of selectmen|Selectman-town meeting]]
| leader_title       = First selectman
| leader_name        = Don Lowe ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
| leader_title1      = Selectman
| leader_name1       = Joel Bruzinski (D)
| leader_title2      = Selectman
| leader_name2       = Bob Ostrosky ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_total_km2     = 60.6
| area_total_sq_mi   = 23.4
| area_land_km2      = 56.5
| area_land_sq_mi    = 21.8
| area_water_km2     = 4.0
| area_water_sq_mi   = 1.6
| elevation_m        = 142
| elevation_ft       = 466
| population_total   = 3527
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| 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        = 06784
| area_code          = [[Area codes 860 and 959|860/959]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 09-68310
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0213505
| website            = {{URL|http://www.townofshermanct.org/}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Sherman''' is the northernmost and least populous [[New England town|town]] of [[Fairfield County, Connecticut|Fairfield County]], [[Connecticut]], United States. The population was 3,527 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US0900168310| title=Census - Geography Profile: Sherman town, Fairfield County, Connecticut| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=December 21, 2021}}</ref> The town is part of the [[Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut|Western Connecticut Planning Region]]. The town was formed  in 1802 from the northern part of [[New Fairfield]].  It is named for [[Roger Sherman]], the only person who signed all four founding documents of the United States of America.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qoEyAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA334|year=1903|publisher=Connecticut Magazine Company|page=334}}</ref>   He also had a cobbler's shop in the north end of town which has been reconstructed behind the Northrup House in the center of town.

The [[Appalachian Trail]] passes through the northern end of Sherman. Part of [[Squantz Pond]] is in the town.

Sherman is a popular weekend retreat for New York City residents, with about a third of its residents weekenders. The town is located {{convert|62|mi}} northeast of [[New York City]], making it part of the [[New York metropolitan area]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/28/realestate/sherman-conn-a-quiet-town-with-a-medley-of-people.html|title = Sherman, Conn.: A Quiet Town with a Medley of People|newspaper = The New York Times|date = November 28, 2018|last1 = Hodara|first1 = Susan}}</ref>

Sherman has one area on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]: the [[Sherman Historic District (Sherman, Connecticut)|Sherman Historic District]], bounded roughly by the intersection of Old Greenswood Road and [[Route 37 (Connecticut)|Route 37]], northeast past the intersection of Route 37 East and [[Route 39 (Connecticut)|Route 39]] North and Sawmill Road. The district was added to the National Register on August 31, 1991.

Sherman is the only town in [[Fairfield County, Connecticut|Fairfield County]] in the [[area code 860|860 area code]]; the remainder of the county is served by the [[area code 203]]/[[area code 475]] overlay.

==History==

The land which is now called Sherman was formerly occupied primarily by native people of [[Algonquian peoples|Algonquian]] lineage.

In 1724, colonial settlers from [[Fairfield, Connecticut]], received approval from the General Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut to establish a new township. According to one account, they negotiated with Chief Squantz of the [[Schaghticoke (tribe)|Schaghticoke tribe]]. Alternatively, it is told that they did not negotiate with Chief Squantz because he moved to the north end of Squantz Pond land area and refused to "sell" the township of New Fairfield. They returned in the spring of 1725, but found that Chief Squantz had died during the winter. His four sons and heirs refused to sign the deeds. It was not until four years later that the white men called "The Proprietors" finally got the drawn marks of several other native people who may not have had authority to sell the land.<ref name=Simon>{{cite book|last1=Simon|first1=Irving B.|title=Our Town: The History of New Fairfield|date=1975|publisher=New Fairfield Bicentennial Commission|location=New Fairfield, Connecticut|page=5}}</ref> They "purchased" a 31,000-acre tract of land that is now [[New Fairfield]] and Sherman, for 65 pounds sterling, the equivalent of about 300 dollars, on April 24, 1729. The deed was recorded on May 9, 1729, and is now deposited in the archives of the State Capitol in [[Hartford, Connecticut]].

==Education==
There is one public school in Sherman, the [[Sherman School (Connecticut)|Sherman School]]. Its enrollment is about 325 students from pre-school to grade 8. There is no high school in Sherman; students instead are given a choice of five high schools that Sherman will pay for them to attend ([[New Milford High School (Connecticut)|New Milford High School]], [[New Fairfield High School]], [[Henry Abbott Technical High School|Henry Abbott Tech]], [[Shepaug Valley High School]], and [[Nonnewaug High School]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.townofshermanct.org/|title=Sherman Connecticut - Welcome to Sherman|website=Sherman Connecticut}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.shermanschool.com/|title=Sherman School|website=Sherman School}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Mikhail Baryshnikov]] (born 1948), lived in Sherman for a time with his family
* [[Blackleach Burritt]] (1744–1794), clergyman in the American Revolution
* [[Martha Clarke]] (born 1944), American director and choreographer
* [[Vinnie Colaiuta]] (born 1956), drummer, owned a home in town for a short time
* [[Malcolm Cowley]] (1898–1989), 20th century literary critic, lived in a converted barn for many years
* [[Eleanor Fitzgerald]] (1877–1955), anarchist editor and theatre professional, lived in Sherman for many years
* [[Jerry Foley]], TV director and producer has a home in Sherman, where he lives with his wife Ann-Marie and son Quinn
* [[Arshile Gorky]] (1904–1948), abstract expressionist painter, lived in Sherman on Spring Lake Road. He is buried in North Cemetery in town
* [[Daryl Hall]] (born 1946), musician lives in Sherman
* [[Bob Iger]] (born 1951), CEO of [[Disney]], has a home in Sherman
* [[Durward Kirby]] (1911–2000), co-star of ''Candid Camera'' and ''Garry Moore Show'' had a home on Lake Mauweehoo in Sherman from 1951 to 2001
* [[Howard Schatz]] (born 1940), American photographer and ophthalmologist
* [[Jeffrey Toobin]] (born 1960), American lawyer, author and legal analyst for [[CNN]]
* [[Diane von Furstenberg]] (born 1946), fashion designer has a house in the area
* [[Scott Wise]] and his wife, [[Elizabeth Parkinson]], choreographers and dancers, live in Sherman
* [[George Wunder]] (1912–1987), artist for 26 years on ''[[Terry and the Pirates (comic strip)|Terry and the Pirates]]''
* [[Rob Zombie]] (born 1965), musician and film director lives in Sherman

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|23.4|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|21.8|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.6|sqmi}}, or 6.68%, is water. Sherman is bordered by [[New Fairfield, Connecticut|New Fairfield]] to the south, [[New Milford, Connecticut|New Milford]] to the east, [[Kent, Connecticut|Kent]] to the north, and by [[Pawling (town), New York|Pawling, New York]] to the west.

===Naromiyocknowhusunkatankshunk Brook===

Sherman is the location of Naromiyocknowhusunkatankshunk Brook<ref>{{cite gnis|209059|Morrissey Brook, Connecticut|April 7, 2023|December 31, 1981}} In Variant Names section.</ref> (29 letters), in the north end of town near the [[New Milford, Connecticut|New Milford]] border. The name of indigenous origin means "water flowing from the hills". The Naromi Land Trust in Sherman derived its name from the brook.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20120805013900/http://www.naromi.org/ Naromi Land Trust]}}, accessed August 11, 2006</ref>

In some deeds it is called Deep Brook. For some time the brook was officially known at the state level as Morrissey Brook, but an official name change was put into Public Act 01-194, "An Act Concerning Certain Real Property Transactions," which was approved July 11, 2001.<ref>[http://www.cga.ct.gov/2001/act/Pa/2001PA-00194-R00HB-06070-PA.htm] Web page for Public Act 01-194 at Connecticut General Assembly Web site, accessed August 11, 2001</ref> The 29-letter name was noted in an 1882 book, ''History of the Towns of [[New Milford, Connecticut|New Milford]] and [[Bridgewater, Connecticut|Bridgewater]], 1703–1882,'' by [[Samuel Orcutt]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/historytownsnew00orcugoog|title = History of the towns of New Milford and Bridgewater, Connecticut, 1703-1882|year = 1882|publisher = Hartford, Conn., Press of the Case, Lockwood and Brainard Co.}}</ref> The state department of transportation has also created a customized road sign for the longer name.<ref>{{cite web |author = [[Connecticut Department of Transportation]], Division of Traffic Engineering  |url = https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DOT/documents/dtrafficdesign/Sign_Details/50_Series-GuideInformational.pdf |title = Sign Catalog: 50 Series – Guide & Informational Signs |page = 49 |date = 2021 }} Sign catalog number 51-2018.</ref>

===Candlewood Lake===
[[Candlewood Lake]] stretches from [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]] in the south, north to Sherman at a park named Veterans' Field. The lake is the largest in [[Connecticut]].  It is artificial, created for the Rocky River hydro electric power plant in New Milford on the [[Housatonic River]]. The water is pumped through a large pipe into the lake.

===Squantz Pond===
Sherman bounds the north end of Squantz Pond, which was a natural pond that was expanded with the creation of Candlewood Lake.

===Sherman Center===
The [[Sherman (CDP), Connecticut|town center]] is listed as the [[Sherman Historic District (Sherman, Connecticut)|Sherman Historic District]] in the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. It was designated in 1991 for its historic architecture including several houses, the town hall, school, and manufacturing facilities.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1810= 949
|1820= 957
|1830= 947
|1840= 938
|1850= 984
|1860= 911
|1870= 846
|1880= 828
|1890= 668
|1900= 658
|1910= 569
|1920= 533
|1930= 391
|1940= 477
|1950= 549
|1960= 825
|1970= 1459
|1980= 2281
|1990= 2809
|2000= 3827
|2010= 3581
|2020= 3527
|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>
}}
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 2010, the population was 3,581 people, including 3,469 white, 35 Asian, 15 black, 1 Native American, 16 other, and 45 of two or more races. 76 of these people identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The income per capita is $55,920, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $118,750.

There were 1,388 households, 460 of which contained children under 18.<ref>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.census.gov/popfinder/
|title=2010 Demographic Profile
|access-date=March 22, 2013
}}{{failed verification|date=March 2013}}</ref>

[[File:lakepan2.jpg|thumb|center|800px|Spring view of Sherman end of Candlewood Lake with Candlewood Mountain]]

==Government==
{| class="wikitable"  style="float:right; margin:1em; font-size:95%;"
|+ Sherman town vote<br/> by party in presidential elections<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://authoring.ct.gov//SOTS/Election-Services/Statement-Of-Vote-PDFs/General-Elections-Statement-of-Vote-1922|title = General Elections Statement of Vote 1922}}</ref>
|- style="background:lightgrey;"
! Year
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Third party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2024 United States presidential election|2024]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.75%''' ''1,212''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|44.70% ''1,008''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.55% ''35''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2020 United States presidential election|2020]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''52.83%''' ''1,234''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|46.06% ''1,076''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.11% ''26''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2016 United States presidential election|2016]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|45.67% ''976''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''49.84%''' ''1,065''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|4.49% ''96''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2012 United States presidential election|2012]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.66% ''1,020''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.05%''' ''1,049''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.29% ''27''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2008 United States presidential election|2008]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''51.29%''' ''1,110''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|47.41% ''1,026''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.29% ''28''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2004 United States presidential election|2004]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|45.34% ''958''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''53.05%''' ''1,121''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.61% ''34''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2000 United States presidential election|2000]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|43.52% ''809''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.35%''' ''936''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|6.13% ''114''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1996 United States presidential election|1996]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|42.57% ''696''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''43.43%''' ''710''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|14.01% ''229''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1992 United States presidential election|1992]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|34.37% ''610''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''39.77%''' ''706''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|25.86% ''459''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1988 United States presidential election|1988]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|36.62% ''538''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''61.81%''' ''908''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.57% ''23''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1984 United States presidential election|1984]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|31.47% ''421''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''68.01%''' ''910''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.52% ''7''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1980 United States presidential election|1980]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|26.98% ''340''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''57.62%''' ''726''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|15.40% ''194''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1976 United States presidential election|1976]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|38.67% ''401''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''60.56%''' ''628''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.77% ''8''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1972 United States presidential election|1972]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|33.63% ''299''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''64.90%''' ''577''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.46% ''13''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1968 United States presidential election|1968]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|33.08% ''221''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''62.43%''' ''417''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|4.49% ''30''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[1964 United States presidential election|1964]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''56.55%''' ''311''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|43.45% ''239''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1960 United States presidential election|1960]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|29.37% ''136''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''70.63%''' ''327''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[1956 United States presidential election|1956]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|19.54% ''77''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''80.46%''' ''317''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.00% ''0''
|}

Sherman tends to lean Republican in presidential elections. [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] won the town by 13 points in his presidential victory in 1964. In 2008, [[Barack Obama]] managed to edge [[John McCain]] by just under four points.

==In popular culture==
Sherman is the location where a presidential candidate becomes possessed by the Devil (and/or sells his soul) in the novel "The Hell Candidate" by [[Graham Masterton]] (writing under the name "Thomas Luke") (Pocket Books 1980; currently out-of-print).

Another Graham Masterton novel, "Spirit" (Dorchester Publishing Co. 2001, copyright 1995), is a ghost story set in Sherman in the 1940s and 1950s.

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Connecticut}}
{{Commons category}}
{{wikivoyage|Sherman (Connecticut)|Sherman, Connecticut}}
* [http://www.townofshermanct.org/ Town of Sherman official website]

{{Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut}}
{{Fairfield County, Connecticut}}
{{Connecticut}}
{{Roger Sherman}}
{{New York metropolitan area}}
{{New England}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Sherman, Connecticut| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Fairfield County, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Towns in the New York metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in Connecticut]]
[[Category:Towns in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut]]