Orange, Connecticut Totally Explained

Everything about Orange Connecticut totally explained

Orange is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,970 as of 2005. The town is governed by a Board of Selectmen and an annual town meeting. Orange has a blend of rural and suburban development, and features a traditional town green within the historic district and a highly commercialized strip of businesses along the Boston Post Road, just north of Interstate 95. The town currently faces continuing political issues regarding ongoing urbanization and commercial development.

Culture and Notable Features

Orange maintains its rural roots through the Orange Country Fair every September. This annual event originally ran from 1898 to 1912. The tradition was revived in 1975 and has continued since then featuring horse, oxen and tractor pulls as well as exhibits of animals, flowers, fruits, vegetables and baked goods. In early August, the town also promotes the Orange Volunteer Fireman's Carnival, which raises funds to support the town's continuing all-volunteer fire department. Both events are held at the fairgrounds at High Plains Community Center near the center of town.
   Orange was the home of the first computer camp, held at the local Amity Jr. High School in 1978. Orange is also host to one of the primary manufacturing plants of PEZ candies.
   During the Cold War, Orange served as a location for the permanent deployment of Nike missiles for the defense of Greater New Haven. The former site of the Nike missiles has since served (from the late 1950s onward) as the home of the 103rd Air Control and Warning Squadron, later to become the 103rd Tactical Control Squadron and as it remains today the 103rd Air Control Squadron, a part of the Connecticut Air National Guard.
   In the early nineteenth century, settlers from Orange founded Orange, Ohio, then part of Connecticut's Western Reserve.

History

The Paugusset, an Algonquian people, once lived in the area that's now Orange. When originally settled by English colonists, Orange was simply the northern and eastern district of the now neighboring city of Milford, Connecticut; however, by 1822, the population of the area had grown to the point where residents desired to form their own separate community, thus forming the town of Orange.
The town is named after King William III, "Prince of Orange". William is remembered for succeeding James II, deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. James II had been considered a despot in Connecticut; he'd famously and unsuccessfully commissioned Edmund Andros to seize Connecticut's Charter.
The town continued to grow throughout the 19th century. As early as 1848, a separation of Orange and West Haven was considered. It wasn't until 1921 that the two were officially separated by act of the Connecticut General Assembly and the new city of West Haven was formed out of the southeastern portion of Orange. The New Haven and Derby Railroad ran through Orange starting in 1871, with a station in Orange. At its peak, there were eleven trains per day in each direction along with one freight train. The advent of a trolley from New Haven to Derby (starting in 1904 and running until 1937) hastened the end to rail service (in 1925).

Henry F. Miller House — 30 Derby Ave. (added May 25, 2001). This international style house was completed in 1949 and featured at the time in the New Haven Register as "The House of Tomorrow".

Orange Center Historic District — Roughly Orange Center Road from Orange Cemetery to Nan Drive (added September 10, 1989). The Orange Congregational Church, designed by David Hoadley and built in 1810 on the town green, is a centerpiece of the district. This Federal style church features a Palladian window, domed belfry and a painted black oval "window" on the front tower. The district also includes the Stone-Otis House (Federal with Greek revival portico), built circa 1830 (now a museum) and The Academy, a schoolhouse built in 1878 with stick style elements, including an elaborate gable screen, also now a museum.

Notable residents, past and present

William Atherton, character actor, was born and raised in Orange

Christopher Collier, historian, professor and winner of the Newbery Honor lives in Orange

John J. DeGioia, president of Georgetown University, was raised in Orange

Henry Lee, former resident, notable for his forensic investigations of famous crimes.

Patrick B. O'Sullivan, U.S. representative and judge, lived in Orange.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 17.4 square miles (45.1 km²), of which, 17.2 square miles (44.5 km²) of it's land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (1.38%) is water.

Principal communities

Orange center

Tyler City

Demographics

Historical population of Orange
1830	1,341
1840	1,329
1850	1,476
1860	1,974
1870	2,634
1880	3,341
1890	4,537
1900	6,995
1910	11,272
1920	16,614
1930	1,530
1940	2,009
1950	3,032
1960	8,547
1970	13,524
1980	13,237
1990	12,830
2000	13,233

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,233 people, 4,739 households, and 3,895 families residing in the town. The population density was 770.0 people per square mile (297.2/km²). There were 4,870 housing units at an average density of 283.4/sq mi (109.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.08% White, 0.79% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 3.84% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population.
   There were 4,739 households out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.1% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.09.
   In the town the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
   The median income for a household in the town was $79,365, and the median income for a family was $88,583. Males had a median income of $58,946 versus $41,563 for females. The per capita income for the town was $36,471. About 2.1% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005
Party		Active Voters	Inactive Voters	Total Voters	Republican	2,544	37	2,581	Democratic	2,017	25	2,042	Unaffiliated	5,235	94	5,329	Minor Parties	6	0	6
Total		9,802	156	9,958

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