Avon, Connecticut

History

At the end of the last Ice Age, 12,400 years BP of the Younger Dryas, nomadic peoples built a campsite adjacent to the river that would become known as the Farmington River. They were apparently the first people to populate the region that would become known as southern New England, including the region that would become Avon. Over the Paleoindian period the site was revisted multiple times by other nomadic peoples until it gradually became buried by sediment from the river's occasional flooding. In the winter of 2019, the campsite remains were excavated in Avon, along with stone tools and artifacts constructed from materials in neighboring regions.

Avon was settled by Europeans in 1645 and was originally a part of neighboring Farmington. In 1750, the parish of Northington was established in the northern part of Farmington, to support a Congregational church more accessible to the local population. Its first pastor was Ebenezer Booge, a graduate of Yale Divinity School who arrived in 1751. The Farmington Canal's opening in 1828 brought new business to the village, which sat where the canal intersected the Talcott Mountain Turnpike linking Hartford to Albany, New York. Hopes of industrial and commercial growth spurred Avon to incorporate. In 1830, the Connecticut General Assembly incorporated Northington as the town of Avon, after County Avon in England. Such expansion never came and, in the 1900s, the rural town became a suburban enclave.

In the 1960s Avon rejected the proposal for Interstate 291 coming through the southern edge of the town and successfully denied the expressway going through the town.

U.S. Route 44 passes through a section of Talcott Mountain known as Avon Mountain, between Avon and West Hartford. Several vehicle crashes prompted the state to modify Route 44 for safety.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 23.5 sqmi, of which 23.1 sqmi is land and 0.4 sqmi is water.

The East side of Avon is flanked by Talcott Mountain, part of the Metacomet Ridge, a mountainous trap rock ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound to near the Vermont border. Talcott Mountain is a popular outdoor recreation resource notable for its towering western cliff faces. The 51 mi Metacomet Trail traverses the Talcott Mountain ridge. The Western side of Avon is borders by the Farmington River with Huckleberry and Woodford Hills nearby, both hills are coved in suburban households, with Huckleberry hill having the Huckleberry Hill Recreation Area. Also on Woodford hill there is the Buckingham neighborhood. The center of town lies flatter that both the east and western parts of town, with both the middle and high school's being in this area that West Avon is located in. More to the east is where the Farmington River also cuts through the town, right near the Avon Congregational Church and a large shopping area and Strip Mall's following Route 44 and U.S. Route 202

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, Avon had a population of 18,932. The racial composition of the population was 82.3% White, 13.1% Asian, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Black or African American, 0.7% from other races and 1.6% from two or more races.

As of the 2000 census, there were 15,832 people, 6,192 households, and 4,483 families residing in the town. The population density was 684.8 PD/sqmi. There were 6,480 housing units at an average density of 280.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 94.93% White, 0.98% African American, 0.05% Native American, 2.96% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.57% of the population.

There were 6,192 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. Of all households, 23.5% were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.

In 2022, the median household income was $146,153 and the per capita income for the town was $89,357. About 0.9% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Top employers

Top employers in Avon according to the town's 2024 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

Arts and culture

Public library

The Avon Free Public Library was founded in 1791. In 1798, a resident offered library services within his home with a collection of 111 titles.

The library is a member of Library Connection, Incorporated, the cooperative regional automated circulation and online catalog database system.

Notable locations and organizations

• Avon Congregational Church (1819); listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Fermata Arts Foundation, a cultural center promoting ties with post-soviet countries.
• Pine Grove School House, a former schoolhouse.

Parks and recreation

• The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail runs through town.
• Horse Guard State Park is named after the oldest active mounted cavalry unit in the United States, founded in 1788.

Government

Once predominantly Republican, Avon has shifted to be friendlier to Democrats in recent elections. In 2008, Avon voters gave Democrat Barack Obama the majority of the vote. After flipping back red for Mitt Romney in 2012, town voters gave a majority to Hillary Clinton in 2016. In 2020, Democrat Joe Biden won Avon by more than 20 points. These recent shifts mirrored a national trend of suburban voters shifting leftward.

State

Education

Public schools

The Avon Public Schools district contains one high school (Avon High School), one middle school (Avon Middle School) for grades 7–8, an intermediate school (Thompson Brook School) for grades 5–6, and two elementary schools (Roaring Brook School and Pine Grove School).

Private schools

In addition, the Avon Old Farms School, a private, all-boys boarding school, is also located in Avon on Old Farms Road

Notable people

• Joseph Wright Alsop IV, politician and insurance executive; father of Joseph Alsop V
• Craig Burley, former soccer player and commentator for ESPN and BT Sports
• Will Friedle, actor
• Mike Golic, radio announcer for ESPN
• Madison Kennedy, swimmer
• Jessica Lundy, actor
• Kia McNeill, professional soccer player
• Joel Quenneville, former NHL player and coach of the Chicago Blackhawks
• Karl Ravech, Host of Baseball Tonight
• Stuart Scott, ESPN reporter who covered the NBA and other sports
• Trey Wingo, ESPN
• Wilford Woodruff, Fourth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

References

References

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2. "United States topographic map, elevation, terrain".
3. "United States topographic map, elevation, terrain".
4. {{GNIS. 213385
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6. (January 27, 2020). "CTDOT ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS ENCOUNTER EARLY NATIVE AMERICAN SITE IN TOWN OF AVON". Ct.gov.
7. "Recreation Facility Map".
8. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov.
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11. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Avon town, Capital Planning Region, Connecticut".
12. "Town of Avon Comprehensive Annual Financial Report For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2024". Town of Avon.
13. "Library Connection, Inc.".
14. "Pine Grove School". Avon Historical Society.
15. "Horse Guard State Park".
16. Courant, Hartford. (2016-10-15). "A Visit To A Lonely Forgotten State Park With The Best Views In Avon".
17. (October 29, 2019). "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 29, 2019". Connecticut Secretary of State.
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21. [https://authoring.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2008SOVpdf.pdf Statement of Vote 2008] ct.gov
22. [https://authoring.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2012StatementofVoteBookpdf.pdf Statement of Vote 2012] ct.gov
23. [https://authoring.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2016StatementofVotepdf.pdf Statement of Vote 2016] ct.gov
24. [https://authoring.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/StatementOfVote_PDFs/2020-SOV.pdf Statement of Vote 2020] ct.gov
25. "Representative Districts by Town".
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28. Riley, Lori. (August 21, 2010). "McNeill Helps Beat To Victory Over Breakers In Women's Soccer". [[Hartford Courant]].