New Haven (pop. 134,023; met. area pop. 570,487) is the home of Yale University and the third largest city in Connecticut. Only Bridgeport and Stamford have larger populations.
The city.
A mayor and board of aldermen govern New Haven. The city lies on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. Its bay is 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) long and 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) wide. Three small rivers, the Mill, Quinnipiac, and West, flow into the bay. At the northern border of the city stand two impressive rock hills—West Rock, rising 670 feet (204 meters), and East Rock, 359 feet (109 meters).
The historic downtown Green lies at the center of New Haven. Three churches built in the 1810’s stand along one side of the Green. The Yale campus lies to the north and west of the Green. Offices and City Hall and other government buildings line the other sides of the Green.
A memorial in front of City Hall marks the site of the jail where the black slaves who rebelled on the ship La Amistad were held during their trial (see Amistad Rebellion). New Haven is now the home port for a life-sized replica of La Amistad.
Economy.
Yale University and Yale New Haven Health System are the city’s largest employers. The Knights of Columbus, a Roman Catholic organization that is a major insurance provider, has its international headquarters in New Haven. The area’s factories produce communications equipment, firearms, locks, medical instruments, packaging, razors, and a variety of other products.
Cultural life and recreation.
Yale University, founded in 1701, is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the United States (see Yale University). Other New Haven colleges include Albertus Magnus College and Southern Connecticut State University.
The city’s cultural attractions include the Peabody Museum of Natural History, the Yale Center for British Art, the Yale University Art Gallery, and the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. New Haven is the home of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, one of the oldest symphony orchestras in the United States. The city’s theaters include the Long Wharf Theatre, the Yale Repertory Theatre, and the Shubert Theater. Yale’s football team plays in the Yale Bowl.
History.
The Quinnipiac Indians originally inhabited the area. Adriaen Block, a Dutch explorer, visited the harbor in 1614. A group of English Puritans led by Theophilus Eaton and John Davenport founded a town there in 1638. At first, they called it Quinnipiac (Long River Place), after the original Indian village. In 1640, they changed the town’s name to New Haven, after the English city of Newhaven. In 1784, New Haven became a city. Its first mayor was political leader and judge Roger Sherman (see Sherman, Roger). New Haven and Hartford were twin capitals of Connecticut from 1701 until 1875, when Hartford became the sole capital.
During the 1700’s and early 1800’s, New Haven’s business centered on its port. During the 1800’s, the city became an industrial center. The growth of Yale University also contributed to the area’s development. Renewal projects in the late 1900’s included the Audubon Arts Center complex and Wooster Square. Once a run-down area, Wooster Square now includes a historic district and commercial and industrial buildings.
See also Institute Library, The; Yale University.
