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New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, U.S.. It is located approximately 9 miles (14 km) southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 71,254.[1] The city's official nickname is the "Hardware City" because of its history as a manufacturing center and as the headquarters of Stanley Works. Because of its large Polish population, the city used to be playfully referred to as "New Britski".
[edit] HistoryNew Britain was settled in 1687 and was incorporated as a parish under the name New Britain Society in 1754. Chartered in 1850 as a township and in 1871 as a city, New Britain was separated from the nearby town of Berlin, Connecticut. A consolidation charter was adopted in 1905. During the early part of the 20th century, New Britain was known as the "Hardware Capital of the World", as well as "Hardware City". Major manufacturers, such as The Stanley Works, Corbin Locks and North & Judd, were headquartered in the city. 
In 1843 Frederick Trent Stanley established Stanley's Bolt Manufactory in New Britain to make door bolts and other wrought-iron hardware. In 1857 his cousin Henry Stanley and founded The Stanley Rule and Level Company in the city. Planes invented by Leonard Bailey and manufactured by the Stanley Rule and Level Company, known as "Stanley/Bailey" planes, were prized by woodworkers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and remain popular among wood craftsmen today. The two companies merged in 1920, and the Stanley Rule and Level Company became the Hand Tools Division of Stanley Works. The wire coat hanger was invented in 1869 by O. A. North of New Britain, Connecticut. In 1895 the basketball technique of dribbling was developed at the New Britain YMCA. 1954 saw the development of racquetball, also at the YMCA.[2] [edit] Geography and topographyAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.4 square miles (34.7 km²), of which, 13.3 square miles (34.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.52%) is water. New Britain's terrain is mostly made up of soft, rolling hills and young Connecticut forest. The many parks are populated with trees, and in small, undeveloped areas, there is also brushy woods. New Britain's streets also have very many trees lining the sides of the roads. Many front yards in the northern half of the city have at least one tree. One or two streams flow through New Britain, undisturbed by the development. 
[edit] Demographics
In 1900, 25,998 people lived in New Britain, Connecticut; in 1910, 43,916; in 1915, 52,203; in 1920, 59,316; and in 1940, 68,685. As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 71,538 people, 28,558 households, and 16,934 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,364.0 people per square mile (2,070.5/km²). There were 31,164 housing units at an average density of 2,336.7/sq mi (902.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.38% White, 10.89% African American, 0.37% Native American, 2.36% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 13.12% from other races, and 3.81% from two or more races. 26.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 28,558 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were married couples living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.08. In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $34,185, and the median income for a family was $41,056. Males had a median income of $34,848 versus $26,873 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,404. About 13.3% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.9% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over. Ancestries: Polish (19.9%), Italian (12.9%), Irish (7.8%), French (5.6%), German (4.3%), English (3.7%).
[edit] Polish communityNew Britain has the largest Polish population of any city in Connecticut with many residents considering the city's Broad Street community as its heart. Affectionately referred to as "Little Poland", the vibrant neighborhood has been home to an exceedingly large number of Polish businesses and families since 1890. In recent years, the Polish community has been credited with revitalizing the area both culturally and economically. 
Whether you want to shop, get a haircut, learn how to dance, talk to an attorney or do your taxes, visitors to New Britain's Broad Street neighborhood have the unsual opportunity of being able to conduct their entire day's business completely in Polish. Within the span of a few blocks, the Polish District boasts its own contracted U.S. Post office, a Polish Mall, both national and regional banks, real estate agents, accountants, several travel agencies, a dance school, European day spas, hair salons, restaurants, delis, European cafes, grocery stores, jewelers, three Polish language newspapers, a tanning salon, a television station, and one of a distinctively small number of New England law firms that offers legal consultations entirely in Polish. In 2006, the Hartford based litigation firm Podorowsky, Thompson & Baron opened a regional office in the heart of the Polish district at the behest of local business leaders. Founded in 1940, the firm's legal staff includes attorney David L. Thompson, son of former Wisconsin Attorney General George Thompson (R. 1963–1965) and attorney Adrian Mark Baron, a former aide to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 
Notable visitors to the Polish district have included Rin Tin Tin, Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Paul II. In 1969, as then-Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope, gave mass at Sacred Heart Church. A statute was erected in his honor in 2007. The Polish community also produces its own Polish Catholic newspaper through editor Andrej Szterbowski. New Britain has also been a tour stop for many internationally acclaimed Polish recording artists including Doda, Natalia Kukulska, Ich Troje, and Budka Suflera. In 2006, Hollywood came calling when Broad Street's Nozewski's Meat Market and Staropolska Restaurant were profiled by the Discovery Channel's Taste of America program. "Little Poland" is also a mandatory whistle stop on the campaign trails of various politicos. During the heated 2006 election season, congressional hopefuls Nancy Johnson and Christopher Murphy were seen seeking votes among the Polish cafes and restaurants of Broad Street. Connecticut Poles can be seen discussing world politics, sports, or local gossip over coffee and pastries at various local eateries including Fatherland Restaurant, Baltyk, Staropolska, Sezam, Kuchnia Helenki,Varsovita or the European Cafe. At night, many dance the night away at Arkadia Nightclub, or catch a blues band at the Stadion Cafe. 
Every year, on All Souls’ Day, the Polish community honors the memory of the dead by decorating the graves at Sacred Heart Cemetery. That same day, an open-air Mass is held at the cemetery. The city is also home to the only order of Polish nuns in New England as well as the only Polish-only orphanage, formerly Rose Hill Orphanage. In the summertime, Poles and non-Poles alike flock to "Polanka" field (in back of Pulaski Middle School) to enjoy weekly Sunday picnics featuring live Polish music. At the annual Dożynki harvest festival, visitors can find buttermilk, yellow and brown amber jewelry from the Baltic Sea, traditional hand carved Polish boxes and traditional foods such as smoked kielbasa, pierogi and gołąbki. Polanka also serves as home for the Polish Falcon Club's venerable Polonia Soccer Team, which competes on the park's regulation-size soccer field. In 2007, the Club celebrated its centennial anniversary. Along with the Haller Post, (named after noted Polish General Jozef Haller) the Polish Falcons Club, serve as a second home to many of New Britain's settled families as a social venue. The Polish community is known for fruitious gardens, immaculate flowers, and (most likely) a Catholic figure in the front yard (not unlike Mexican-Americans and Mary de Guadalupe). Many New Britain Poles cherish Our Lady of Częstochowa and preserve their Eastern European heritage with pride. The Polish Falcons of America offer an annual bus trip to Doylestown, Pa. each September, where the American Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine is located. Peering into backyards, visitors may observe wood burning stoves where residents smoke kielbasa. 
Education and culture remain an important aspect to the lives of local New Britain Poles. Broad Street's Sacred Heart Church boasts an award winning K-8 private school and New Britain High School offers the Polish language as an elective. Local residents often attend free Polish monthly legal seminars at the law offices of Podorowsky, Thompson & Baron. Affectionately referred to as Herbata u Adwokata (Tea with the Attorney) the seminars have proven to be a great learning resource for immigrants unsure of their legal rights. Residents can also take courses in the English language through a progam offered through the Polish American Foundation. College bound students can find an extensive offering of Polish studies at Central Connecticut State University. It bears noting that Central's Science Hall is named after the Polish born Copernicus. For those with artistic wants, the Polish American Foundation sponsors orchestral works of Chopin and recurring art exhibits at the Sloper Wesoly House. The Polish influence is credited with a unique feature of the New Britain accent, possibly the only variety of English in North America to feature the glottal stop to replace "t".[7] [edit] Sites of interest
[edit] Sports
New Britain is also home to Walicki - A.W. Stanley Little League, a youth baseball and softball organization that serves the children of New Britain who are between the ages of 5 and 16. Walicki - A.W. Stanley Little League plays at A.W. Stanley Park and Stanley Quarter Park, and serves over 500 children annually. [edit] EducationThe city is home to Central Connecticut State University and Charter Oak State College. The city is served by The Hospital of Central Connecticut at New Britain General (formerly New Britain General Hospital). New Britain is also home to the Mountain Laurel Sudbury School, which is entering its sixth year of operation (as of July, 2007). New Britain High School (the only functional high school in the city) now has a freshly built wing called Freshman Academy, starting its first year of operation as of September 2007. Except for language classes and electives, all freshmen have their classes in the wing. [edit] TransportationConnecticut Route 9 is the city's main expressway connecting traffic between Hartford (via I-84 and I-91) and Old Saybrook and Middletown. Public transportation is provided by Connecticut Transit. New Britain may also serve as the terminus of the proposed Hartford–New Britain busway. A nine mile long dedicated BRT system with 11 stations starting from downtown New Britain, and terminating at Union Station in Hartford. This will be constructed along an existing/abandoned Right of Way which links the two cities. [edit] Notable residents
[edit] Sister cities
New Britain has five sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International: [edit] References
[edit] External links
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