Windsor, CT, is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut. It is part of the Hartford metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2000 Census, Windsor had a total population of 16,443.
Windsor was first settled by Europeans circa 1637 and was originally known as Poquonock. It is regarded as Connecticut’s oldest inland settlement and was made a township in 1665.
The town of Windsor contains several historical sites listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, including the Ebenezer Avery House, King’s Highway Historic District, Old Town Hall and Customs House, and Henry Whitfield State Museum.
Windsor is also home to the annual Windsor Locks Canal Days Festival, which celebrates the town’s historical ties to the canal system.
The town of Windsor is bordered by New York state on the north, Massachusetts on the east and south, and Connecticut’s capital city Hartford on the west. It stretches from Rhode Island Sound down to Middletown and generally consists of several square miles. The shape of Windsor appears as a “square,” with four large road intersections, each.
Today, Windsor is a largely residential community, with a small commercial district located along Route 159. The town has several public schools and a library, as well as several parks and recreational areas.
The town of Windsor is governed by a board of nine selectmen, who are elected to staggered three-year terms. Day-to-day operations are handled by the town manager, who is appointed by the selectmen. Windsor also has a representative on the Hartford County Board of Commissioners.
Windsor is a largely Democratic town, with Republicans holding a slight majority in the 2010 gubernatorial election.
Windsor has an uneven history of voting. In 2004, George W. Bush carried Windsor by a 7-point margin, receiving 52% to John Kerry’s 45%. However, in 2008, Barack Obama defeated John McCain 59%-40%, and in 2012 took a similar 60% to Mitt Romney’s 37%.
Windsor is the location of the King’s Highway Historic District, a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. The district covers approximately and includes 52 contributing buildings and one other contributing site. It includes a number of early 18th-century houses built from locally quarried granite.
The district was added to the register for its architecture, which is “one of the best and most complete collections of early Georgian style houses in New England.” The district is also significant for its association with the early history of Windsor and its role in the development of the town’s built environment.