East Haven is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 27,923. The town is located east of New Haven, and is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region. East Haven is from Hartford, from New York City, from Providence, Rhode Island, and from Boston.
History
thumb|right|Welcome to East Haven
The Connecticut Colony granted the town petition for Township in May 1707 and colonists changed the name from Iron Works Village to East Haven. Some outstanding land issues with New Haven and a minor feud with Governor Gurdon Saltonstall resulted in the rescinding of the township status; the area was made a parish of New Haven.
thumb|right|Civil War cannon from [[Fort Nathan Hale, installed on the East Haven Green]]
Once home to a large Italian population, New Haven and neighboring towns such as East Haven have been destinations for a new wave of immigrants since the late 20th century, the majority of whom in East Haven are Latinos from Ecuador. In the 2010 census, Hispanics and Latinos made up more than 10% of the town's population.
On August 9, 2013, a Rockwell International Turbo Commander 690B crashed on approach, hitting two houses in an East Haven residential neighborhood near the airport. The impact and the resulting fires destroyed both houses. The private plane had taken off from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. The incident resulted in four deaths: the pilot of the plane; his passenger, the pilot's 17-year-old son; and two children in one of the houses. They were girls of 13 years and one year of age.
Geography and climate
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of ， of which is land and (8.57%) is water. East Haven also contains Stony Island, approximately from East Haven Town Beach in Long Island Sound.
The shape of East Haven on a map is taller than it is wide. It is bordered on the south by Long Island Sound, on the west by New Haven, on the north by North Haven, and on the east by Branford, Lake Saltonstall, and North Branford. East Haven shares with New Haven the land belonging to local Tweed New Haven Airport and Alling Memorial Golf Course.
Geology
During the Paleozoic Era, 450 to 250 million years ago, several tectonic plates collided to form the supercontinent called Pangaea. East Haven was located in the middle of this collision, and the results can be seen today with the schists, gneisses and granites which are exposed.
When Pangaea was broken up, during the Triassic and Jurassic periods, volcanic activity occurred, depositing basalt or trap rock. Earthquakes can still be felt in the area. In February 2001 the area was rocked by a 1.8 magnitude earthquake originating in Madison, Connecticut.
It is estimated that Connecticut was covered by glaciers at least two times. The last glacier is estimated to have been thick in the New Haven area. 22,000 years ago, the glacier moved south, eroding mountains and pushing through East Haven to deposit large amounts of glacial till to form Long Island. 14,000 years ago the glacier retreated and shaped the coastline, formed Long Island Sound and created Lake Saltonstall. It also deposited glacial till, soil, sand, rocks and boulders that the ice carried south from the north.
The Senior Center is located one block from Town Hall. The town has a weekly Farmers' Market held at the Town Hall on Sundays. This market features fresh produce, flowers, baked goods and crafts. Some weeks feature fundraising for town institutions.
Climate
thumb|right|Looking north on Thompson Avenue in February 2001. The steeple of the Old Stone Church can be seen in the center of the photo.
East Haven's climate is tempered by its location on Long Island Sound; it has a humid subtropical climate according to the Koppen climate system. Winters are usually mild, with less snow accumulation, than those found inland. In a normal winter East Haven averages 27 inches (68.58 cm) of snowfall. It is not unusual to have a dusting of snow by the coast and an inch of snowfall in the northern areas of East Haven. The town is vulnerable to Nor'easter weather systems that can drop heavy rain or snow in the region. The Blizzard of 1888 dropped about 40 inches of snow, while the Blizzard of 1978 dropped almost .
Summers are warming with hotter days, though cooler than inland. Though rare, the region does experience high heat waves and some days. Precipitation is evenly spread throughout the year.
East Haven enjoys a fairly long growing season with the last frost occurring in mid April and the first frost occurring in mid October. On average, East Haven has 207 sunny days and 158 cloud or rainy days.
Severe weather does occur in East Haven. The area has been hit by several hurricanes, most recently in August 2011 when Hurricane Irene severely damaged numerous shore areas, destroying houses along Cosey Beach. In 1985, the eye of Hurricane Gloria came across state 22 west of East Haven. The area was without electricity, telephone and cable TV service for 7 days.
Tornadoes sometimes occur in Connecticut. Though the town was not directly affected, a tornado touched down in Hamden on July 10, 1989, away. On August 11, 2016, a tornado touched down in North Haven, away.
Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 27,923 people and 11,028 households residing in the town. The population density was .
The total gender makeup of the town is 13,599 (48.7%) male and 14,324 (51.3%) female. Age distribution of the estimated 2020 population of the town is as follows:
- ages 0 to 4 years old – 1,088 (3.9%)
- ages 5 to 17 years old – 4,803 (17.2%)
- ages 18 to 64 years old – 16,573 (58.9%)
- ages 65 and above – 5,459 (20.0%)
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! colspan="6" |Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 31, 2024
|-
!colspan="2" | Party
!Active Voters
!Inactive Voters
!Total Voters
!Percentage
|-
|
|Democratic
|align = center | 5,569
|align = center | 309
|align = center | 5,878
|align = center | 31.39%
|-
|
|Republican
|align = center | 3,954
|align = center | 156
|align = center | 4,110
|align = center | 21.95%
|-
|
|Minor Parties
|align = center | 256
|align = center | 21
|align = center | 277
|align = center | 1.48%
|-
|
|Unaffiliated
|align = center | 8,035
|align = center | 425
|align = center | 8,460
|align = center | 45.18%
|-
!colspan = 2 | Total
!align = center | 17,814
!align = center | 911
!align = center | 18,725
!align = center | 100%
|}
Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump won East Haven in the past three elections; receiving 54.25% of the vote in 2016, 52.22% in 2020, and 55.3% in 2024. Democrat Barack Obama won the town in 2008 with 55.69% of the vote and in 2012 with 57.80%. Although the town has recently voted Republican at the federal level, Democratic mayor Joseph Carfora was reelected to a third term by a large margin in 2023.
The median income for a household in the town was $83,489. About 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line. There are 527 work units in East Haven, employing 6,260 staff members. She was re-elected in 2009, serving for two terms. After receiving a preliminary report in 2010 of a Department of Justice investigation of police department mistreatment of Latino residents, she put Police Chief Gallo on administrative leave pending completion of the investigation. That year a separate class action civil rights suit was filed on behalf of Latino residents against the city by Yale Law School’s Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic, naming 20 defendants, most with the police department. The city admitted no wrongdoing.
The 2006 Mill Rate was 31.20. Total revenue in 2022 was $117,049,457 with total expenditures of $123,548,617.00 for an overbudget total of $26,808,566. Total Indebtedness was $38,493,587. Moody's Bond rating (2019) for the town was A3 and Standards and Poor A.
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="14" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|Mayors of East Haven
|-
!style="background:#60ffff;" |
!style="background:#60ffff;" | Mayor
!style="background:#60ffff;" | Years served
|-
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 1
!style="background:#80ffff;" | Francis W. Messina (R)
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 1969–1975
|-
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 2
!style="background:#80ffff;" | Anthony Proto (D)
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 1975–1985
|-
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 3
!style="background:#80ffff;" | Robert M. Norman (R)
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 1985–1991
|-
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 4
!style="background:#80ffff;" | Henry J. Luzzi (D)
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 1991–1997
|-
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 5
!style="background:#80ffff;" | Joseph Maturo, Jr. (R)
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 1997–2007
|-
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 6
!style="background:#80ffff;" | April Capone Almon (D)
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 2007–2011
|-
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 7
!style="background:#80ffff;" | Joseph Maturo, Jr. (R)
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 2011–2019
|-
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 8
!style="background:#80ffff;" | Joe Carfora (D)
!style="background:#80ffff;" | 2019–
|}
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="4" |Presidential Election Results
|-
!Year
!Democratic
!Republican
!Third Parties
|-
|align="center" |2020
|align="center" |46.6% 6,757
|align="center" |52.2% 7,572
|align="center" |1.2% 172
|-
|align="center" |2016
|align="center" |42.8% 5,425
|align="center" |54.2% 6,867
|align="center" |3.0% 365
|-
|align="center" |2012
|align="center" |57.8% 6,533
|align="center" |41.1% 4,650
|align="center" |1.1% 119
|-
|align="center" |2008
|align="center" |55.7% 6,878
|align="center" |42.8% 5,287
|align="center" |1.5% 185
|-
|align="center" |2004
|align="center" |52.2% 6,196
|align="center" |45.7% 5,427
|align="center" |2.1% 242
|-
|align="center" |2000
|align="center" |63.4% 7,278
|align="center" |30.5% 3,499
|align="center" |6.1% 694
|-
|align="center" |1996
|align="center" |60.1% 6,603
|align="center" |26.8% 2,946
|align="center" |13.1% 1,426
|-
|align="center" |1992
|align="center" |41.4% 5,645
|align="center" |34.8% 4,747
|align="center" |23.8% 3,248
|-
|align="center" |1988
|align="center" |42.1% 4,432
|align="center" |55.2% 5,804
|align="center" |2.7% 287
|-
|align="center" |1984
|align="center" |36.7% 4,124
|align="center" |62.9% 7,075
|align="center" |0.4% 33
|-
|align="center" |1980
|align="center" |37.0% 3,942
|align="center" |55.1% 5,870
|align="center" |7.9% 835
|-
|align="center" |1976
|align="center" |46.5% 4,974
|align="center" |52.6% 5,633
|align="center" |0.9% 86
|-
|align="center" |1972
|align="center" |31.2% 3,352
|align="center" |67.4% 7,231
|align="center" |1.4% 146
|-
|align="center" |1968
|align="center" |46.9% 4,630
|align="center" |41.3% 4,083
|align="center" |11.8% 1,156
|-
|align="center" |1964
|align="center" |70.7% 7,008
|align="center" |29.3% 2,912
|align="center" |0.00% 0
|-
|align="center" |1960
|align="center" |58.8% 5,831
|align="center" |41.2% 4,085
|align="center" |0.00% 0
|-
|align="center" |1956
|align="center" |32.6% 2,800
|align="center" |67.4% 5,802
|align="center" |0.00% 0
|}
Emergency services
Police Department
The East Haven Police Department employs over 50 uniformed officers. Since the late 20th century, the department has been the center of incidents related to racial harassment and profiling of minorities.
In 1997, an East Haven police officer, Sergeant Robert Flodquist, was accused of using excessive force in a police action which killed Malik Jones, an African-American suspect. Subsequently, state and federal prosecutors failed to find enough evidence for criminal charges against Flodquist. His shooting of Jones was ruled justified; Flodquist testified in the investigation that Jones tried to run him over. Police Chief Leonard Gallo, who had been hired in 1998 from New Haven by Mayor Joseph A. Maturo, Jr., appointed Flodquist as the department's public spokesman.
Neither the family nor civil rights activists were satisfied with the failure by the state and federal government to prosecute in the Jones case. Activists have used the case "to argue successfully for new state legislation aimed at limiting racial profiling" by local and state police departments. Because in such a case the city was not liable for punitive damages, another hearing was held to settle whether there should be compensatory damages; the award was reduced in October 2010 to $900,000. The East Haven city attorney said the town intended to appeal this decision.
On January 24, 2012, Sergeant John Miller and three officers were arrested by the FBI on a ten-count indictment, on charges of conspiracy, false arrest, and excessive force and obstruction of justice in connection with the investigation. A local businessman had complained to the mayor's office that the officers stopped his employees to check their documentation as they entered and left his place of business. Numerous other charges were detailed in the indictment. Numerous other complaints had been collected. and had tried to hinder the investigation.
Several other East Haven officers attended the arraignment to show support. Mayor Joseph Maturo and the police union also stood by the officers pending results of prosecution. The government asked that Officer Dennis Spaulding be barred from entering the town for fear he would intimidate possible witnesses; officer Zullo was also barred from the town until the cases were resolved. Police Chief Leonard Gallo was allowed to resign in late January 2012.
Maturo replaced police chief Gallo with Brent Larrabee, formerly the police chief of Stamford. On October 23, 2012, the Associated Press reported that the city had reached a settlement with the DOJ on its "claims that officers engaged in a pattern of discrimination and abuse toward Latinos."
Convicted at trial in October 2013, on January 23, 2014, Officer Dennis Spaulding was sentenced to five years in prison. At his sentencing, he insisted he had done nothing wrong. Cari was also convicted at trial; in January 2014 he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
Crime
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" | Type
!style="background:#efefef;" | -1980-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -1985-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -1990-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -1995-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2000-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2001-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2002-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2003-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2004-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2005-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2006-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2007-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2008-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2009-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2010-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2011-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2012-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2013-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2014-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2015-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2016-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2017-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2018-
!style="background:#efefef;" | -2019-
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" | Murders
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 3
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" | Rapes
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 2
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1
!style="background:#efefef;" | 3
!style="background:#efefef;" | 7
!style="background:#efefef;" | 11
!style="background:#efefef;" | 7
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1
!style="background:#efefef;" | 6
!style="background:#efefef;" | 4
!style="background:#efefef;" | 3
!style="background:#efefef;" | 3
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 6
!style="background:#efefef;" | 3
!style="background:#efefef;" | 8
!style="background:#efefef;" | 2
!style="background:#efefef;" | 4
!style="background:#efefef;" | 6
!style="background:#efefef;" | 3
!style="background:#efefef;" | 7
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" | Robberies
!style="background:#efefef;" | 16
!style="background:#efefef;" | 15
!style="background:#efefef;" | 27
!style="background:#efefef;" | 24
!style="background:#efefef;" | 15
!style="background:#efefef;" | 23
!style="background:#efefef;" | 23
!style="background:#efefef;" | 17
!style="background:#efefef;" | 15
!style="background:#efefef;" | 21
!style="background:#efefef;" | 17
!style="background:#efefef;" | 26
!style="background:#efefef;" | 22
!style="background:#efefef;" | 18
!style="background:#efefef;" | 20
!style="background:#efefef;" | 12
!style="background:#efefef;" | 15
!style="background:#efefef;" | 12
!style="background:#efefef;" | 11
!style="background:#efefef;" | 8
!style="background:#efefef;" | 14
!style="background:#efefef;" | 23
!style="background:#efefef;" | 8
!style="background:#efefef;" | 11
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" | Assaults
!style="background:#efefef;" | 21
!style="background:#efefef;" | 13
!style="background:#efefef;" | 30
!style="background:#efefef;" | 3
!style="background:#efefef;" | 39
!style="background:#efefef;" | 36
!style="background:#efefef;" | 32
!style="background:#efefef;" | 20
!style="background:#efefef;" | 2
!style="background:#efefef;" | 10
!style="background:#efefef;" | 6
!style="background:#efefef;" | 10
!style="background:#efefef;" | 24
!style="background:#efefef;" | 14
!style="background:#efefef;" | 20
!style="background:#efefef;" | 12
!style="background:#efefef;" | 10
!style="background:#efefef;" | 14
!style="background:#efefef;" | 14
!style="background:#efefef;" | 12
!style="background:#efefef;" | 14
!style="background:#efefef;" | 12
!style="background:#efefef;" | 9
!style="background:#efefef;" | 18
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" | TOTAL Violent Crimes
!style="background:#efefef;" | 38
!style="background:#efefef;" | 30
!style="background:#efefef;" | 57
!style="background:#efefef;" | 28
!style="background:#efefef;" | 58
!style="background:#efefef;" | 66
!style="background:#efefef;" | 66
!style="background:#efefef;" | 44
!style="background:#efefef;" | 18
!style="background:#efefef;" | 31
!style="background:#efefef;" | 25
!style="background:#efefef;" | 42
!style="background:#efefef;" | 50
!style="background:#efefef;" | 35
!style="background:#efefef;" | 43
!style="background:#efefef;" | 24
!style="background:#efefef;" | 32
!style="background:#efefef;" | 29
!style="background:#efefef;" | 33
!style="background:#efefef;" | 25
!style="background:#efefef;" | 32
!style="background:#efefef;" | 41
!style="background:#efefef;" | 21
!style="background:#efefef;" | 36
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
!style="background:#efefef;" |
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" | Burglaries
!style="background:#efefef;" | 369
!style="background:#efefef;" | 158
!style="background:#efefef;" | 194
!style="background:#efefef;" | 212
!style="background:#efefef;" | 115
!style="background:#efefef;" | 108
!style="background:#efefef;" | 126
!style="background:#efefef;" | 74
!style="background:#efefef;" | 75
!style="background:#efefef;" | 93
!style="background:#efefef;" | 99
!style="background:#efefef;" | 123
!style="background:#efefef;" | 121
!style="background:#efefef;" | 147
!style="background:#efefef;" | 119
!style="background:#efefef;" | 117
!style="background:#efefef;" | 166
!style="background:#efefef;" | 95
!style="background:#efefef;" | 110
!style="background:#efefef;" | 101
!style="background:#efefef;" | 101
!style="background:#efefef;" | 75
!style="background:#efefef;" | 60
!style="background:#efefef;" | 58
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" | Larceny
!style="background:#efefef;" | 724
!style="background:#efefef;" | 630
!style="background:#efefef;" | 615
!style="background:#efefef;" | 872
!style="background:#efefef;" | 467
!style="background:#efefef;" | 549
!style="background:#efefef;" | 561
!style="background:#efefef;" | 480
!style="background:#efefef;" | 422
!style="background:#efefef;" | 470
!style="background:#efefef;" | 386
!style="background:#efefef;" | 513
!style="background:#efefef;" | 590
!style="background:#efefef;" | 500
!style="background:#efefef;" | 744
!style="background:#efefef;" | 611
!style="background:#efefef;" | 642
!style="background:#efefef;" | 558
!style="background:#efefef;" | 506
!style="background:#efefef;" | 506
!style="background:#efefef;" | 458
!style="background:#efefef;" | 607
!style="background:#efefef;" | 593
!style="background:#efefef;" | 454
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" | Auto Thefts
!style="background:#efefef;" | 111
!style="background:#efefef;" | 78
!style="background:#efefef;" | 156
!style="background:#efefef;" | 169
!style="background:#efefef;" | 80
!style="background:#efefef;" | 104
!style="background:#efefef;" | 103
!style="background:#efefef;" | 84
!style="background:#efefef;" | 96
!style="background:#efefef;" | 127
!style="background:#efefef;" | 96
!style="background:#efefef;" | 107
!style="background:#efefef;" | 108
!style="background:#efefef;" | 71
!style="background:#efefef;" | 81
!style="background:#efefef;" | 107
!style="background:#efefef;" | 67
!style="background:#efefef;" | 101
!style="background:#efefef;" | 101
!style="background:#efefef;" | 40
!style="background:#efefef;" | 98
!style="background:#efefef;" | 70
!style="background:#efefef;" | 99
!style="background:#efefef;" | 60
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" | Arson
!style="background:#efefef;" | na
!style="background:#efefef;" | na
!style="background:#efefef;" | na
!style="background:#efefef;" | na
!style="background:#efefef;" | 2
!style="background:#efefef;" | 2
!style="background:#efefef;" | 2
!style="background:#efefef;" | 5
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 4
!style="background:#efefef;" | 5
!style="background:#efefef;" | 2
!style="background:#efefef;" | 3
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1
!style="background:#efefef;" | 4
!style="background:#efefef;" | 4
!style="background:#efefef;" | na
!style="background:#efefef;" | na
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1
!style="background:#efefef;" | 0
|-
!style="background:#efefef;" | TOTAL Property Crimes
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1204
!style="background:#efefef;" | 866
!style="background:#efefef;" | 965
!style="background:#efefef;" | 1253
!style="background:#efefef;" | 664
!style="background:#efefef;" | 760
!style="background:#efefef;" | 792
!style="background:#efefef;" | 643
!style="background:#efefef;" | 593
!style="background:#efefef;" | 694
!style="background:#efefef;" | 581
!style="background:#efefef;" | 743
!style="background:#efefef;" | 819
!style="background:#efefef;" | 718
!style="background:#efefef;" | 944
!style="background:#efefef;" | 835
!style="background:#efefef;" | 875
!style="background:#efefef;" | 754
!style="background:#efefef;" | 717
!style="background:#efefef;" | 647
!style="background:#efefef;" | 657
!style="background:#efefef;" | 607
!style="background:#efefef;" | 593
!style="background:#efefef;" | 572
|}
2019 is the last reported year. Statistics are published yearly by the FBI.
East Haven Fire Department
The East Haven Fire Department was established in 1900. It was started as an all volunteer fire department with one engine company. The town is covered by four fire stations:
- Station 1 (Headquarters Center District)
- Station 3 (Foxon)
- Station 4 (Momauguin)
- Station 6 (Short Beach Road)
In total there are three active engines, one quint, two squads and four rescues. There are both career and volunteer firefighters within the department.
Economy
Retail services dominate three stretches of roads in East Haven; Main Street and U.S. 1 in the center of town and State Route 80 in the Foxon Section. East Haven has two industrial parks on land adjacent to Tweed New Haven Airport which house many manufacturing and distribution companies.
There are approximately 527 companies that employ 6,260 employees in East Haven. The top five employers are Super Stop & Shop, Thermatool Corporation, Village at Mariners Point (healthcare), Laurel Woods (healthcare) and Talmadge Park Health Care.
Education
Schools
Education in the New Haven Colony was important. The colony had required that each parish provide a common school. Prior to 1700, the parish education was being provided by the Congregational Church. The town voted in 1706 to build the first public school. The school was located around what is now 260 Hemingway Avenue. In 1707 the town established a school board to oversee the education system. By 1728 East Haven had split their system into 4 school districts.
The first town high school was opened on September 28, 1936, in the "Center" of town. Prior to the building of the high school, students had to apply to local town high schools for acceptance into their school system. A new junior high school complex was built in 1957. In 1997, a new high school campus was built in the Foxon section of town.
Today the school system operates 9 schools. In 2014 there were 2,933 students enrolled in the East Haven Public School system, with 232 teachers for a student/teacher ratio of 13:1. The town's budget allocated for FY 2014 was $46,410,357.00. The cost per student was approximately $18,495.00 per student.
- Adult Learning Center
- Deer Run School enrolls 312 students and a student/teacher ratio of 14:1 in Grades K–2
- Grove J Tuttle School enrolls 178 students and a student/teacher ratio of 12:1 in Grades 3–5
- Momauguin School enrolls 147 students and a student/teacher ratio of 11:1 in Grades 3–5
- Dominick H. Ferrara School enrolls 178 students and a student/teacher ratio of 13:1 in Grades 3–5
- Overbrook School enrolls 183 students and a student/teacher ratio of 17:1 in Grades K–2
- Joseph Melillo Middle School enrolls 582 students and a student/teacher ratio of 12:1 in Grades 6–8
- East Haven Academy, located at Carbone School enrolls 265 students and a student/teacher ratio 13:1 in Grades 3–8
- East Haven High School enrolls 880 students and a student/teacher ratio of 13:1 in Grades 9–12
St. Vincent de Paul School in East Haven closed in 2016. That year enrollment was 89.
Library
thumb|View from north of Main street.
The East Haven Library was established in 1909. The library occupied several locations in the center of town before a gift from Isaac Hagaman allowed for a permanent building to be built. On September 22, 1928, the East Haven Library was opened. During the years of 1973 and 1974, the library added a two-story addition to the complex. Today the Hagaman Memorial Library, named to honor of Isaac Hagaman, holds approximately 65,290 books, 2,065 Audio Materials, 4,128 Video Materials and 90 serial subscriptions. The library has an extensive children's library, and facilities are available for community meetings.
Infrastructure
Health and medicine
East Haven does not have its own hospital; the area has several facilities within in New Haven: Yale-New Haven Hospital, a major teaching hospital affiliated with the Yale School of Medicine, Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, and Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital. A VA medical center is located in West Haven. An urgent care center is located in Foxon.
Transportation
East Haven is served by Tweed New Haven Regional Airport, which is located on the border between East Haven and New Haven.
Though East Haven does not have a train station, there are two stations within close driving distance. Union Station is located from the center of town in New Haven, and a commuter station is located an equal distance away in Branford. Both offer commuter railroad service to New York and to coastal Connecticut towns, and New Haven's Union Station has Amtrak train service to Boston and many other cities.
Interstate 95 runs from east to west through the central portion of East Haven. Interstate 91, which is located west of the town, connects with State Route 80 which passes through the town in Foxon, running east to west. State Route 100 connects Foxon with the town center, running north to south. U.S. 1 crosses the town through the "Center", paralleling Interstate 95.
The Connecticut Transit Bus Company, a state-run mass transportation system, serves the town.
Utilities
Water supply is provided by the Regional Water Authority. Lake Saltonstall, located on the border between East Haven and Branford, provides drinking water to the south section of East Haven and is a recreational facility for hiking and fishing. The northern section of town is served by Lake Gaillard in North Branford. The New Haven Regional Water Pollution Control Authority is responsible for sewage-disposal services with facilities located in New Haven.
United Illuminating is the exclusive distributor of electric power to the town. Natural gas is distributed by the Southern Connecticut Gas Company with several sections being served by local propane distribution companies. AT&T is the primary wired telephone service provider for the area. Phone service is also available from various national wireless companies and the local cable television provider. Cable television is available from Comcast and AT&T. Satellite television is available from AT&T (Dish Network) and DirecTV.
People and culture
Media and newspapers
- Newspapers: The town is served by one daily newspaper and two weekly newspapers. The New Haven Register is printed seven days a week. The East Haven Courier was a weekly paper until 2024.
- Media: The town is served by ETV, a local public-access television cable TV channel on the Comcast system. A local ABC affiliate is in New Haven, WTNH TV Channel 8 and New Haven's IntrigueTV WTXX TV Channel 34. East Haven can receive 16 on-air television channels, 13 AM radio stations, and 20 FM radio stations.
Museums
- East Haven Historical Society
- The Shore Line Trolley Museum was founded in 1945 as the Branford Electric Railway Association (BERA). The Branford Electric Railway Association was founded to preserve the heritage of the trolley car, as well as artifacts and documents from the trolley era. The museum holds nearly one hundred trolley vehicles. The Shore Line Trolley Museum, just past the East Haven Green, operates the Branford Electric Railway, a National Historic Site. The railway is the oldest continuously operating suburban trolley line in the United States.
National Register of Historic Places
East Haven has three nationally registered historic sites:
- East Haven Green Historic District (added April 11, 2002)
- First Congregational Church of East Haven (added March 25, 1982)
- The Shore Line Trolley Museum (added May 23, 2019)
Town events
- Every fifth year the town hosts the Columbus Day Parade (which is shared between New Haven, West Haven, North Haven, and Hamden).
- The town of East Haven sponsors a town-wide beach party to celebrate Independence Day.
- The town also hosts the Fall Festival, which is patterned after a New England town fair.
Notable people
- Cy Bentley (1850–1872), Major League Baseball player for one season with the Middletown Mansfields, born in East Haven
- Kori Gardner and Jason Edward Hammel of the pop music duo Mates of State
- Henry Winkler, actor and director who played "The Fonz" on the hit show Happy Days, resided in the Momauguin area of East Haven while he attended the Yale School of Drama.
- Tariq Farid, founder of Edible Arrangements, LLC, launched the first Edible Arrangements, LLC store in East Haven, CT in 1999.
- Matt DelGuidice (born 1967), former National Hockey League goaltender, played for East Haven High School.
References
External links
- Town of East Haven official website
- Hagaman Memorial Library
- Town of East Haven Photo Gallery
- View a map of East Haven Historic sites