Derby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, approximately west-northwest of New Haven. It is located in southwest Connecticut at the confluence of the Housatonic and Naugatuck rivers. It shares borders with the cities of Ansonia to the north and Shelton to the southwest, and the towns of Orange to the south, Seymour to the northwest, and Woodbridge to the east. The city is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. The population was 12,325 at the 2020 census. It is the smallest city in Connecticut by area, at .
Derby was settled in 1642 as an Indian trading post under the name Paugasset. It was named after Derby, England, in 1675. It included what are now Ansonia, Seymour, Oxford, and parts of Beacon Falls.
Derby is home to the first electric trolley system in New England, only the second in the United States. It is also home to the first electric locomotive in U.S. history to be built and successfully used commercially for hauling freight. The locomotive, built in 1888, is still kept in running condition by the Shore Line Trolley Museum.
History
Colonial and Revolutionary era Derby was settled in 1642 as an Indian trading post under the name Paugasset by John Wakeman of New Haven, though fur traders had been in the area before and Native Americans had lived there for centuries. In 1651, the first year-round houses were completed, at which time the New Haven Colony had recognized Paugasset as a town. The residents of the town of Milford protested Paugasset's recognition as an independent town and, as a result, the order was rescinded and Paugasset returned to the Milford jurisdiction. In 1675, the former plantation of Paugasset was admitted as the township of Derby by the state legislature, named after Derby, England. Derby was incorporated on May 13, 1775.
1800s In 1836, the Colman brothers began the Birmingham Iron Foundry on the corner of Main Street and Water Street. It employed between 100 and 125 people, and was one of the many manufacturing businesses thriving in the city in the 1800s. In 1927, the company merged with Farrel Corporation of nearby Ansonia and was renamed Farrel-Birmingham Corporation. The Derby facility closed and was razed in 2000 to make way for a Home Depot. The Ansonia division is still in business, and opened their new plant in the Fountain Lake Commerce Park in 2017.
In the 19th century, corsets and hoop skirts were manufactured in the city. The Kraus Corset Factory is the oldest major factory building to survive from Derby's corset manufacturing period. It was built by Sidney A. Downs, opened in 1879, and expanded in 1910. In 1987 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In the 1990s it was converted to apartments and underwent a second addition; a first floor parking garage and three stories of apartments were added on the north side along Roosevelt Drive (Connecticut Route 34).
In 1872, the Derby Silver Company began production. In 1898, the company became a division of the International Silver Company headquartered in Meriden, but continued making silver with its brand name until 1933.(undated). "A Guide to the International Silver Company Records, 1853–1921". UCONN University Libraries, Storrs, CT. Retrieved October 23, 2016.(undated). "The Derby Silver Company". Connecticuthistory.org. Retrieved October 23, 2016.D. Hurd & Co. (1893). "Derby Silver Co." (page 211). In Town and city atlas of the State of Connecticut. Boston, MA. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
1900s
Charlton Comics, a comic book publishing company that existed from 1944 to 1986, was based in Derby.
Towns created from Derby
Oxford in 1798 Seymour in 1850 Beacon Falls in 1871 (also partly from neighboring towns) Ansonia in 1889
Neighborhoods
Downtown West Derby Derby Neck East Derby Hilltop
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.4 square miles (8.7 km2), of which is land and (7.41%) is water. The city is home to the Osbornedale State Park. Derby is divided into two main sections by the Naugatuck River: East Derby and Derby Center (Birmingham). The center of Derby is approximately from New York City. The lowest elevation is 3 ft (1m) and the highest elevation is 466 ft (142m) above sea level.
Climate The climate in the area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Derby has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. January is on average the coolest month and July is on average the warmest month.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Derby had a population of 12,325. The median age was 42.1 years. 19.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.4 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 5,408 households in Derby, of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 35.6% were married-couple households, 21.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 5,759 housing units, of which 6.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 8,318 67.5% Black or African American 1,497 12.1% American Indian and Alaska Native 50 0.4% Asian 340 2.8% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 11 0.1% Some other race 913 7.4% Two or more races 1,196 9.7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 2,544 20.6%
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 12,902 people, 5,388 households, and 3,241 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,563 people per square mile. There were 5,849 housing units at an average density of 1,169.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 82.08% White, 7.06% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 4.2% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 14.2% of the population.
There were 5,388 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 23% under the age of 19, 6.2% from 20 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,438, and the median income for a family was $57,790. The per capita income for the town was $32,438. 12.7% of the population is below the poverty line.
Polish immigration Polish immigrants have left a large mark on the demographics of the town, with 18% of all residents claiming Polish as their ethnicity and 2% as having been born in Poland.Mozdzer, Jodie. (October 8, 2009) 'Warsaw' Coming To Ansonia | Valley Independent Sentinel. Valley.newhavenindependent.org. Retrieved on 2013-07-15. Due to this large population, the town features several Polish shops, restaurants, and clubs. Saint Michael's the Archangel Parish, a Roman Catholic church, serves mass in Polish as well as English.
A high percentage of Derby residents trace their ancestry back to Italy. 27.3% of inhabitants claim Italian ancestry, ranking it 8th in the State of Connecticut. Derby is located in New Haven County, which has one of the highest percentages of Italian-Americans in the United States.
Culture
Annual events
Derby Day Concert on the Green Derby Green Farmers' Market Derby/Shelton Memorial Day Parade Head of the Housatonic Regatta Valley New Year Derby/Shelton Fourth of July fireworks Easter Egg Hunt Summerfest on the Green
Museums
Osborne Homestead Museum General David Humphreys House Museum, Derby Historical Society headquarters (located in Ansonia)
Cuisine and nightlife
The city is home to 27 food establishments from fast food to sit-down dining.
Connecticut Magazine, the New Haven Register, and the Hartford Courant named the Dew Drop Inn "Best Chicken Wings in Connecticut, 2018", "Best in New Haven County, 2019" and "Statewide Runner-up for best Chicken Wings, 2019", trailing only J5's Air Fryer Wings of Southington. Archie Moore's Bar & Restaurant received "Statewide Winner for Best Nachos, 2019" from Connecticut Magazine. Zuppardi's Apizza, a prominent New Haven-style pizza restaurant, has a satellite location on the property. For three consecutive years (2017–2019), the venue was named the "Best Beer Garden" in Connecticut by Connecticut Magazine.
In 2017, BADSONS Beer Company, a craft brewery, purchased the former Die Company on Roosevelt Drive to begin production. The name of the brewery is an acronym for the towns that comprise the Naugatuck River Valley: Beacon Falls, Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, Oxford, Naugatuck, and Shelton.
Economics In 2017, Moody's Investors Service downgraded the city's bond rating from AA to AA−, citing "weak budgetary performance" in 2016.
Grand list
2016 – $1,028,072,826.82
2010 – $1,091,576,401.00
Mill rate
Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 – 39.37 Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 – 26.40
Notable businesses
Aqua Vim (future) – aquarium manufacturer undergoing move from Queens, New York to Derby Charlton Comics (1944–1986) – comic book company based in Derby Curved Glass Distributors (1970–present) – glass manufacturer based in Derby Derby Silver Company (1872–1933) – international silver company based in Derby Griffin Hospital (1909–present) – community hospital, largest employer in Derby, with 1,357 employees (2010) THC – The Hops Company (2015–present) – voted Connecticut Magazines best Beer Garden in Connecticut 2017 and Best Beer Bar in Connecticut 2017–2018
Redevelopment projects Factory Street Square
In 2018, a development group working with the owners of the Baretta Landscaping property submitted a conceptual design to the planning and zoning commission for a four-phase 400-unit high density residential and commercial development on Factory Street in downtown Derby. The project, called Factory Street Square, was to be built in four phases over the next four to six years on unused light industrial property. The proposed buildings would sit on five acres of near-vacant land, and would be four stories high with first floor retail shops and restaurants, with residential space above. The project, tailored toward attracting Millennials and empty nesters to the area, will offer amenities not seen in other residential complexes in the city, including a health club; indoor golf simulator; rooftop garden; dog-sitting, walking, and grooming service; and an in-complex library. The site is located one block from rail and bus lines that meet at the Derby-Shelton Railroad Station, making the project a transit-oriented development. The project was expected to begin in late 2019 to early 2020.
South side of Main Street