Everything about Rockville Vernon totally explained
Rockville is a
census-designated place and a
village of the town of
Vernon,
Connecticut in
Tolland County,
Connecticut,
United States. The population was 7,708 at the 2000 census.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 4.6
km² (1.8
mi²). 4.5 km² (1.7 mi²) of it's land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (1.70%) is water.
Demographics
As of the
census of 2000, there were 7,708 people, 3,456 households, and 1,731 families residing in the CDP. The
population density was 1,720.3/km² (4,448.1/mi²). There were 3,824 housing units at an average density of 853.4/km² (2,206.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 82.89%
White, 7.75%
African American, 0.40%
Native American, 3.18%
Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander, 2.37% from
other races, and 3.39% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 7.21% of the population.
There were 3,456 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.3% were
married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.9% were non-families. 40.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 34.8% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,444, and the median income for a family was $37,955. Males had a median income of $31,937 versus $25,661 for females. The
per capita income for the CDP was $17,896. About 10.5% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 23.7% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
History
Before the mills
In 1726, Samuel Grant traded his
farm in
Bolton for 500 acres (2 km²) in the northern part of
Bolton. This included the area which is now known as "Rockville" and for about the next
century it was a nameless
village. A prominent feature of the area is the
Shenipsit Lake, or "The Snip" as it's currently affectionately called by the residents.
The Snip feeds the
Hockanum River which
cascades 254
feet over . The
river was used by the
farmers for a
grist mill, a
saw mill, an
oil mill and even a
distillery starting around 1740.
The Rock Mill
In 1821, Colonel Francis McLean built the first
textile mill in what is now Rockville in partnership with George and Allyn Kellogg and Ralph Talcott, next to a spot known as "the Rock" with capital of $16,000. Francis McLean had partnered previously with some others in the Warburton Mill in Talcottville. "The Rock" was a natural
dam of solid
stone that made a high falls on the
Hockanum River. In what is now the center of Rockville, he dammed up the Hockanum River and built a water powered mill known as the "Rock Mill", which was possibly also known as the McLean Woolen
Factory. By 1823 his mill was in full operation. The new mill was 80 by 30 feet, and its product was blue and blue-mix
satinets. In 1826
power looms were introduced.
The mill attracted people to this area and by 1836 the
population grew to 440 consisting of
61 families including 89 children under the age of 10.
Rockville gets its name
Mail service was brought once a day by
stagecoach from Vernon Center, which was the
post office and place for voting for the town. In 1837, according to old records, "an amateurish notice was posted on the Rock Mill announcing a public meeting in the lecture room of the village to decide in a democratic way the most suitable name for the vicinity". In order to have their own
post office the town needed a permanent name.
- The following were some of the recommendations for naming the town.
- Frankfort - in honor of Francis Mclean builder of the "Rock Mill"
- Vernon Falls
- Grantville - in honor of Samuel Grant the first settler
- Hillborough - because the terrain is so hilly
Simon Chapman, who ran a boarding house for mill workers, submitted the name "Rockville" as common expression understood by the surrounding areas was "Going to the Rock." Thus,
Rockvillle became the official name. It wasn't until 1842, however, that Rockville actually acquired its own
post office.
Landmarks
An area of Rockville known as the
Rockville Historic District roughly bounded by Shenipsit Street, Davis Avenue, West Street and South Street was added in 1984 to the
National Register of Historical Places. The district includes 842 buildings, 1 structure and . Many different
Victorian architectural styles are represented. Some of the most interesting architectural buildings in Rockville are listed below. They are not necessarily in the district.
Uncategorized
Castle Sunset
The Tower on Fox Hill
Baptist Church, since destroyed to make room for a bigger parking lot for Rockville General Hospital.
Maple Street School
Downtown Mill area
Belding Silk Mills
Samuel Fitch's Mill
Dart Stone Mill
St. Bernard Church
Memorial Building housing currently the New England Civil War Museum and the Grand Army of the Republic Hall
Talcott Park Neighborhood
Elm Street, Park Street, and one block of Prospect Street surround a small town park named Talcott Park. The houses represent a variety of Victorian architectural styles ranging from early nineteenth century Greek Revival through the Gothic Revival and Italianate styles down to the Victorian eclecticism of the 1880s and 1890s. The mill owners usually built their houses in the downtown area.
Old Rockville High School and East School
James I. Regan House
Phineas Talcott Homestead
Arthur T. Bissell House
George Sykes House
Charles Phelps House
(#10 and #12) Ellington Ave.
Francis T. Maxwell House also known as Maxwell Court
Caleb Tefft House
David Sykes House
Elbridge K Leonard House
Downtown and Central Park
The surviving buildings grouped around Central Park are a continuing reminder of the wealth brought by the woolen industry and the town's aspirations to be a leading city in the state during the 19th century.
Downtown East
Rockville National Bank
Union Congregational Church
Citizen's Block
Rockville Methodist Episcopal Church
Memorial Building
Downtown West
Fitch Block
William and Alice Maxwell House
George Maxwell Memorial Library
On or about November 1, 2007, the light fixtures that sat beside the library steps were stolen. Both fixtures were made of copper shaped into globes. They weighed over one hundred pounds each and were installed as part of the original construction.
Kellogg House
The Kellogg House had been used by the State Department of Children and Families to house troubled youth under a contract with Community Solutions, Inc. This arrangement ended on May 2, 2006 after a long history of documented mismanagement by both agencies. The facility is now used for adult transitional housing.
Village Street
Turn Halle
Brautigum House
Erhardt Linck's Hall
70 Village Street]
William Randall House and Store
Otto Schrier House
Chauncey Winchell Jr House
West Main Street
George Sykes House (first)
Hockanum Mill
Saxony Mill
Chauncey Winchell Homestead
Alonzo Bailey House
Springville Mill and Offices
Florence Mill
Henry Huhnken's Saloon
New England Yard
Notable people from Rockville
Dwight Loomis (1821-1903) was a United States Representative from Connecticut.
Charles Ethan Porter (1847?-1923) African American artist
Gene Pitney (1940-2006) Internationally known Singer/Songwriter - Member Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Bill Romanowski (1966-present) Former NFL LinebackerFurther Information
Get more info on 'Rockville Vernon'.
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