Hazardville, Connecticut: Difference between revisions

It has been suggested that Hazardville Historic District be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since February 2010.

Hazardville is a section of the town of Enfield, Connecticut, in Hartford County.^[1] It is a census-designated place (CDP) that had a total population of 4,900 as of the 2000 census.

Hazardville originated as an industrial village centered around the manufacture of gunpowder using water power from the Scantic River. The first small black powder mill was established in 1835 by Allen Loomis in an area then known as Powder Hollow. A company called Loomis, Denslow and Company, named for Loomis and his business partner, was established the following year.^[2][3] The company manufactured powder from saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal.^[4]

Hazardville takes its name from Colonel Augustus George Hazard (1802-1868), who bought into the company in 1837 and eventually built it to become a major producer of gunpowder. The company changed its name to Loomis, Hazard & Company in 1837, and became the Hazard Powder Company in 1843 when Hazard bought Loomis' share of the business. Production increased over the years in response to the needs of the U.S. military for gunpowder during the Mexican War (1846-1848), demand for blasting powder during the California gold rush of 1849, and the Crimean War (1850s), when the Hazard Powder Company supplied both Britain and Russia with gunpowder, shipping a total of 500 tons to Britain. During the American Civil War, the mill was one of the three chief sources of gunpowder for the Union forces, producing up to 12,500 lb/day. At its peak the Hazard Powder Company operated in 125 buildings occupying hundreds of acres of land. The business declined after the Civil War.^[2][3][4] However, Hazardville still had a relatively large population of 1,500 in the 1890s.^[5] In 1912 the gunpowder operation was sold to Hercules Powder, and it closed permanently after a major explosion on January 14, 1913 destroyed much of the plant.^[2][3][4]

A 1,075-acre (4.35 km²) area of Hazardville is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Hazardville Historic District.^[4] Part of Powder Hollow is also included in Scantic River State Park.^[4][6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.5 km² (3.3 mi²), all of which is land.

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 4,900 people, 1,832 households, and 1,337 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 575.0/km² (1,487.6/mi²). There were 1,876 housing units at an average density of 220.2/km² (569.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.45% White, 1.41% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.41% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,832 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $54,596, and the median income for a family was $61,183. Males had a median income of $40,606 versus $28,806 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $22,293. 3.7% of the population and 2.1% of families were below the poverty line. 2.1% of those under the age of 18 and 2.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

41°59′14″N 72°32′41″W / 41.98722°N 72.54472°W / 41.98722; -72.54472