Guilford is a town in New Haven County,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and

Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham *County Durham, an English county * Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States *Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...

, and is situated on

I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...

and the Connecticut seacoast. The population was 22,073 at the 2020 census.

History

Guilford was named after the town of Guildford, in England, the native home of a share of its first settlers. In early maps of the Connecticut Colony, the town is seen on several maps as Gilford. First settled by Europeans in 1639 after a treaty with the “ Sachem Squaw” Shaumpishuh. Guilford is considered by some to have the third largest collection of historic homes in

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the Can ...

, with important buildings from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. There are five

historic house museum A historic house museum is a house of historic significance that has been transformed into a museum. Historic furnishings may be displayed in a way that reflects their original placement and usage in a home. Historic house museums are held to a ...

s, including Dudley Farm and the

Henry Whitfield House The Henry Whitfield House is a historic house located in Guilford, Connecticut, down the street from the town green. This house dates from 1639, having been built just before the town of Guilford was settled. It is the oldest house in Connecti ...

(1639), the oldest dwelling house in Connecticut and the oldest stone house built by English settlers in North America. The

Comfort Starr House The Comfort Starr House, located at 138 State St., Guilford, Connecticut, is a classic saltbox house with an added lean-to. According to a dendrochronology study, completed in 2014, the house was built in 1695. About The house derives its nam ...

(1695) is one of the oldest wooden framed private dwellings in Connecticut, and one of the few houses remaining of the original signers who settled Guilford. In June 1781, during the American Revolution, a skirmish was fought on Leete's Island between the Associated Loyalists and local militia under Captain Peter Vail.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and 2.7 square miles (6.9 km² or 5.39%) is water. The primary settlement in Guilford, known as Guilford Center, is located in the southern part of town around the intersection of

U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making ...

and

Connecticut Route 77 Route 77 is a state highway in southern Connecticut. It is a state-designated scenic road and runs from the Guilford town green, through North Guilford, into the town center of Durham. Route description Route 77 begins at an intersection with ...

. It is served by three exits of Interstate 95, which passes just north of the town center. The Guilford Center

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

had a population of 2,597 at the 2010 census. The northwest side of Guilford is flanked by the

Metacomet Ridge The Metacomet Ridge, Metacomet Ridge Mountains, or Metacomet Range of southern New England is a narrow and steep fault-block mountain ridge known for its extensive cliff faces, scenic vistas, microclimate ecosystems, and rare or endangered plants. ...

, a mountainous

trap rock Trap rock, also known as either trapp or trap, is any dark-colored, fine-grained, non-granitic intrusive or extrusive igneous rock. Types of trap rock include basalt, peridotite, diabase, and gabbro.Neuendorf, K.K.E., J.P. Mehl, Jr., and J.A. ...

ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound to nearly the

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

border. Important features of the Metacomet ridge in Guilford include

Totoket Mountain Totoket Mountain, with a high point of (est.) above sea level, is a traprock massif with several distinct summits, located northeast of New Haven, Connecticut. It is part of the Metacomet Ridge that extends from the Long Island Sound near New ...

; its most notable peak, Bluff Head; and two eastern high points on the Totoket Mountain ridge named East Sugarloaf and West Sugarloaf. The Mattabesett Trail traverses Bluff Head; a shorter network of trails criss-cross the Sugarloaves. Guilford also contains the Westwoods Trail System which covers of trails on of land.

Transportation

The

Shore Line East Shore Line East (SLE) is a commuter rail service which operates along the Northeast Corridor through southern Connecticut, United States. The rail service is a fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and i ...

train stops at Guilford station with service to Branford, East Haven, New Haven and

New London New London may refer to: Places United States *New London, Alabama *New London, Connecticut *New London, Indiana *New London, Iowa *New London, Maryland *New London, Minnesota *New London, Missouri *New London, New Hampshire, a New England town ** ...

, and the Connecticut Transit S bus travels between Guilford and New Haven several times each day.

Principal communities

* Guilford Center (Guilford's Green) * Leetes Island * North Guilford * Nut Plains * Shell beach * Sachems Head (named after a

Pequot The Pequot () are a Native American people of Connecticut. The modern Pequot are members of the federally recognized Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, four other state-recognized groups in Connecticut including the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation, or t ...

chief who was killed there and his severed head placed in the crotch of a tree on the knoll.) Other minor communities and geographic features in Guilford are Guilford Lakes, Indian Cove, and Old Quarry.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 21,398 people, 8,151 households, and 6,039 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 8,724 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 96.04%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.93%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.05% Native American, 1.65% Asian, 0.41% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.93% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 2.13% of the population. There were 8,151 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.4% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. Of all households 21.6% were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.04. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $76,843, and the median income for a family was $87,045 (these figures had risen to $90,026 and $104,852 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $60,623 versus $40,307 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $37,161. About 2.3% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

received 61.02% of the town vote, against 38.06% for

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

John McCain. In 2016, Democrat

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

carried the town with 59.2% over Republican

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

with 37.1%.

Economy

American Cruise Lines has its headquarters in Guilford. There are many small businesses throughout the town, including the shops on the Guilford Green.

List of town parks

The town government operates these parks:http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ot-guilford,0,3814997.story Web page titled "Guilford" at '' Hartford Courant'' Web site, dated August 16, 2006, accessed January 14, 2007 * Bittner Park: of woodlands and of playground, a lighted softball field (Cash Mitchell Field), baseball and soccer fields, jogging/walking path; trout trail; roller sports complex with a skate park, roller hockey and roller blading. Ice skating available in winter. * Chaffinch Island: Picnic areas, short walking trails, salt marsh. * Chittenden Park: Softball and soccer fields, bocce courts, picnicking, unsupervised beach area * Jacobs Beach: Public swimming (salt water), playground, volleyball courts, picnicking; nonresidents may use the beach, but are charged a daily fee at the gate. * Lake Quonnipaug: Public swimming, picnic area, small craft launch. * Long Hill: park with playing fields for baseball, football, soccer/lacrosse and field hockey * Mill Pond: Lighted, supervised ice skating in winter; fishing * Nut Plains: Lacrosse/soccer field * Town Green: available for special events

Notable locations

Guilford, Connecticut is noted for its rolling farmland, its avoidance of the density and sprawl that has occurred from land use regulations of its neighboring communities, and its numerous historic homes and sites. * Bishop's Orchards * Guilford Green * Rothberg Institute For Childhood Diseases * Sachem's Head Yacht Club * Westwoods Trails: conservation area managed by the Guilford Land Conservation Trust

National Historic Places and other historic sites

Historic sites in or near Guilford, which may be listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

, include: * Acadian House * Thomas Burgis II House * Benton-Beecher House, a.k.a. Beecher Stowe House, visited by Harriet Beecher Stowe as a child *

* Dudleytown Historic District * Jared Eliot House * Falkner Island Lighthouse * Thomas Griswold House * Guilford Historic Town Center * Hyland-Wildman House * Medad Stone Tavern * Pelatiah Leete House * Meeting House Hill Historic District * Elisha Pitkin House * Route 146 Historic District * Sabbathday House *

Notable people

* Jeffrey Ambroziak, cartographer, inventor, and attorney * Jamie Arentzen (born 1970), American guitarist, musician; member of various rock bands including Sky Heroes, American Hi-Fi, Dream Club *

Humbert Allen Astredo Humbert Allen "Bud" Astredo, Jr. (April 4, 1929 – February 19, 2016) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He made several notable Broadway and Off Broadway theatrical performances, but was best known for the numerous roles he perf ...

(1929–2016), American stage, film, and television actor best known for the numerous roles he performed on the daytime Gothic horror soap opera '' Dark Shadows'', most notably that of the warlock Nicholas Blair *

Abraham Baldwin Abraham Baldwin (November 22, 1754March 4, 1807) was an American minister, Patriot, politician, and Founding Father who signed the United States Constitution. Born and raised in Connecticut, he was a 1772 graduate of Yale College. After the ...

(1754–1807), minister,

patriot A patriot is a person with the quality of patriotism. Patriot may also refer to: Political and military groups United States * Patriot (American Revolution), those who supported the cause of independence in the American Revolution * Patriot m ...

, politician, and

founding father The following list of national founding figures is a record, by country, of people who were credited with establishing a state. National founders are typically those who played an influential role in setting up the systems of governance, (i.e. ...

"Abraham Baldwin (1754–1807)"
, ''New Georgia Encyclopedia'' (2009-01-06), Retrieved on 2013-07-21 * Thom Brooks, political and legal philosopher * Benjamin Chan, American scientist at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

* Mickey Curry, Drummer for Bryan Adams * Robert Elliott De Forest (1845–1924), Democratic member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut, member of the Connecticut Senate and Connecticut House of Representatives, born in Guilford * David DeMille, physicist and Professor of

Physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...

. * Ronald Duman (1954–2020), neuroscientist died in Guilford * Joe Flood, musician and songwriter * Nick Fradiani (born 1985), ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...

'' season 14 winner, born in Guilford *

Moses Gunn Moses Gunn (October 2, 1929 – December 16, 1993) was an American actor of stage and screen. An Obie Award-winning stage player, he is an alumnus of the Negro Ensemble Company. His 1962 off-Broadway debut was in Jean Genet's ''The Blacks,'' and ...

(1929–1993), American actor, resided in Guilford since the 1970s * Fitz-Greene Halleck (1790–1867), American poet and author * Samuel Johnson (1696-1772), American colonial intellectual and educator; first president of King's College (now

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

) * Samuel Johnson Jun'r (1757–1836), schoolmaster and teacher of Fitz-Greene Halleck; as the compiler of ''A School Dictionary'' (1798), the first American lexicographer *

Edward Ruggles Landon Edward Ruggles Landon (May 31, 1813 – July 25, 1883) was a Connecticut politician. Landon was born in Guilford, Conn., May 31, 1813, the eldest son of Nathaniel Ruggles and Mary (Griswold) Landon. He graduated from Yale College in 1833. On le ...

, Connecticut politician * William Leete (–1683), Governor of the

Colony of Connecticut The ''Connecticut Colony'' or ''Colony of Connecticut'', originally known as the Connecticut River Colony or simply the River Colony, was an English colony in New England which later became Connecticut. It was organized on March 3, 1636 as a settl ...

, 1676 to 1683 *

Leonard C. Lewin Leonard C. Lewin (2 October 1916 – 28 January 1999) was an American writer, best known as the author of the bestseller '' The Report from Iron Mountain'' (1967). He also wrote ''Triage'' (1972), a novel about a covert group dedicated to killi ...

(1916–1999), author of '' The Report from Iron Mountain'' * Timothy Mellon, heir *

Frank Modell Franklyn Bruce Modell (September 6, 1917 – May 27, 2016) was an American cartoonist who contributed over 1,400 cartoons to ''The New Yorker'' during a period of over 50 years from 1946. Franklyn Bruce Modell was born on September 6, 1917 in P ...

(1917–2016), cartoonist, died in Guilford *

Becki Newton Rebecca Sara Newton is an American actress, known for her roles as Amanda Tanen on ''Ugly Betty'' and Quinn Garvey on ''How I Met Your Mother''. Early life Newton was born in New Haven, Connecticut, the daughter of Thomas Newton and Jennifer Ne ...

, actress in ''Ugly Betty'' and ''How I Met Your Mother,'' grew up in Guilford and is a Guilford High School Alumna *

Aldo Parisot Aldo Simoes Parisot (September 30, 1918 – December 29, 2018) was a Brazilian-born American cellist and cello teacher. He was first a member of the Juilliard School faculty, and then went on to serve as a music professor at the Yale School of M ...

(1918–2018), Brazilian-born American cellist and cello teacher *

David Allen Sibley David Allen Sibley (born October 22, 1961, in Plattsburgh, New York) is an American ornithologist. He is the author and illustrator of '' The Sibley Guide to Birds'', which rivals Roger Tory Peterson's as the most comprehensive guides for Nor ...

, ornithologist, author, and illustrator * Lavinia Stoddard (1787–1820), poet, school founder *

Jennifer Westfeldt Jennifer Westfeldt (born February 2, 1970) is an American actress, screenwriter, director, and producer. She is best known for co-writing, co-producing, and starring in the 2002 indie film '' Kissing Jessica Stein'', for which she received an ...

, actress and screenwriter known for '' Kissing Jessica Stein'', born in Guilford *

Carl Zimmer Carl Zimmer (born 1966) is a popular science writer, blogger, columnist, and journalist who specializes in the topics of evolution, parasites, and heredity. The author of many books, he contributes science essays to publications such as ''The Ne ...

, science writer