EXPLORE OUR TOWN

MANSFIELDCT.GOV Your place to grow! Welcome to Mansfield!

We’re a town known for growing – while sustaining our natural beauty, historic traditions, and progressive thinking for more than 300 years. Many of our early settlers were resourceful farmers. Today, residents and visitors continue to treasure our pristine and preserved fields, forests, lakes, parks, ponds, and trails. Scenic rivers that once powered grist and saw mills, along with the making of silk, tools, bells, cannons, gunpowder, and organ pipes, currently provide invigorating outdoor recreational opportunities. The Storrs Agricultural School established in 1881 became the University of Connecticut, now one of the largest employers in the area. U.S. News & World Report ranks UConn among the top 25 public universities in the nation. UConn has also helped make Mansfield a regional cultural destination, with nationally ranked NCAA Division I athletic teams, museums, theaters, lectures, and musical performances.

We invite you to explore our town as a special place to live, learn, do business, work, play, and visit. From homeowners to business owners – students to seniors – families to farmers – canoeing to culture – basketball to lecture hall – parks and rec to innovation and tech – Mansfield is your place to grow!

Published by the Town of Mansfield, Connecticut Mansfield Town Hall Audrey P. Beck Municipal Building 4 South Eagleville Road Storrs-Mansfield, CT 06268

For up-to-date information on Mansfield activities, businesses, and organizations, please visit the Town website, www.mansfieldct.gov.

For more information, please email [email protected] or call (860) 429-2740.

©2020

Photo credits: Joseph Abad, The Adventure Park at Storrs, John Bell, Kim Bova Photography, Janine Callahan, Molly Deegan, Fitch House Bed & Breakfast, Graduate Storrs, Levin Aerial Works, Milton Levin, MOMIX, Inc. & Charles Paul Azzopardi, Kathleen M. Paterson, Amber Pierce, Dan Uriano. Thank you to the Town of Mansfield and the University of Connecticut for also providing photos. H

Mansfield was incorporated in 1702 from the Town of Windham in Hartford County. It was named after Major Moses Mansfield, a part owner of the town site. Mansfield became part of Windham County when that county was formed in 1726. In 1827, Mansfield was then annexed to Tolland County. Northeastern Connecticut – known as “The Quiet Corner” and part of The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor – is especially beautiful when blazing autumn colors draw leaf peepers from all over the world.

Table of Contents

Community • Culture Discover Mansfield...... 2 Live & Learn...... 4 Country • Campus Have Fun...... 6 Explore Outdoors...... 8 Shop, Dine, & Stay...... 10 Do Business...... 12 Get Around...... 14 Connect with the Community...16

MANSFIELDCT.GOV | 1 Discover Mansfield

45 26,000+ 6,800+ Square Total Population Housing Miles (11,000 year-round) Units

The Farwell Barn (also known as Jacobson’s Barn) is a 19th-century post-and-beam framed clapboarded barn that was acquired in 1911 by the Connecticut Agricultural College, which later became the University of Connecticut at Storrs. The barn was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. Explore our scenic roads and historic villages, enjoy world-class arts and athletics, and hit the trails!

The Town of Mansfield is a collection of small villages and community neighborhoods nestled in a rolling landscape defined by forests, farmland, and rivers. We cherish our history, which can be seen through the many 18th and 19th century houses that are the heart of our villages and historic districts. Our barns, bed-and-breakfasts, farms, stone walls, walking trails, and waterfalls are all recreational and educational treasures.

What’s more, Mansfield offers a unique blend of rural and suburban living in a college-town setting. We have a wealth of cultural and educational offerings as well as an abundance of natural resources. The Mansfield community is particularly able to meet the emerging needs of a young university population, while at the same time providing affordable housing and a wonderful sense of place for raising a family or enjoying a rewarding retirement.

Visit our Villages Atwoodville Chaffeeville Chestnut Hill Conantville Eagleville Four Corners Gurleyville Hanks Hill Mansfield Center Enjoying ice cream at the Celebrate Mansfield City Mansfield Festival Mansfield Depot Mansfield Hollow Merrow Mount Hope Perkins Corner 5,000+ Ridges Acres of Natural Spring Hill Parks and Preserves Storrs Wormwood Hill

MANSFIELDCT.GOV | 3 11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio (K-8)

CT and National Blue Ribbon School Awards

Best-in-Class Schools Annie E. Vinton Elementary School Dorothy C. Goodwin Elementary School Southeast Elementary School Mansfield Middle School E.O. Smith High School (Region 19) University of Connecticut

#1 in CT for High School Early College Experience Credits

More than 50% of Entering UConn Freshmen were in the Top 10% of their High School Class Live &

The perfect place Learn for life-long learning! Mansfield is renowned for excellent schools, from pre-K to post- graduate studies. Our three public elementary schools will soon be consolidated into one “net-zero” building (returning as much energy to the power grid as it uses!) and it will be located within walking distance of the Public Library. Our middle school is recognized as one of five in the state with exemplary teaming practices by the Connecticut Association of Schools. Mansfield students consistently perform in the top tiers on test scores, with multiple schools annually earning the School of Distinction designation from the State Department of Education.

E.O. Smith High School serves the towns of Mansfield, Ashford, and Willington with rigorous academics, including an award-winning agricultural education program, and numerous clubs and extra- curricular activities. Students can take UConn classes, and E.O. Smith is ranked first in Connecticut for Early College Experience credits earned.

UConn’s picturesque main campus spans more than 4,000 acres, and is home to 22,000 undergraduate and graduate students, as well as 80 research centers and institutes. The UConn Center for Learning in Retirement also provides meaningful intellectual activities conducted in an informal and relaxed atmosphere for adults from all walks of life.

MANSFIELDCT.GOV | 5 Seasonal & Annual Community Events

Storrs Farmers Market (Year-Round) Memorial Day Parade (May) John E. Jackman Tour de Mansfield (June) Summer Concerts on the Square (June & July) Moonlight Movies (Summer) Celebrate Mansfield Festival (September) Trick or Treat (October) Small Business Saturday (November) MOMIX, an internationally renowned dance company based in Washington, Connecticut, performed at the Jorgensen Center for Winter Welcome (December) the Performing Arts on the University of Connecticut campus. Have Fun From tree-tops to tip-offs, movies to museums, you’ll find it in Mansfield!

Our many attractions include arts and athletics at UConn, historic sites in our villages, and adventures in our great outdoors. Imagine having a relaxing day fishing or boating – or zipping through the trees on an aerial ropes course – then attending an NCAA Division I sporting event, Broadway- quality show, or old-fashioned drive-in movie that evening. Mansfield offers a wide range of activities for everyone, including several annual and seasonal community events for planning get-togethers with family, friends, and neighbors. The Mansfield Senior Center Choir The Mansfield Community Center is a very active fitness, in concert educational, and recreational resource for the entire region. Enjoy our pools, fitness center, gymnasium, dance and yoga, We also have an outstanding and highly utilized Public teen center, child care, and computer rooms. There are Library. In addition to books, the library helps lend an ear multiple youth athletic leagues, summer camps, and before/ and a hand to everyone in Mansfield. Its many engaging after school programs from which to choose. If the visual and activities range from story-time for toddlers and summer performance arts are more your style, come visit Lenard Hall, reading for tweens and teens – to tool and cake pan loans home of the Mansfield Community School of the Arts. and free seeds for tinkerers, bakers, and gardeners.

The Mansfield Senior Center offers a wide variety of activities The Mansfield Historical Society has a museum and and resources to meet the diverse and ever-changing needs research library, which preserves and interprets over 300 of older adults in our community. We offer fitness classes, years of Mansfield history through exhibits, programs, expressive arts groups, wellness programs, recreational and research, and publications. special events, life-long learning, day trips, information and referral services, volunteer opportunities, and more! MANSFIELDCT.GOV | 7 3,500 Acres (12% of Town) is Farmland

18,665 Acres (63% of Town) is Forestland

70 Miles of Walking Trails and Bike Paths

Coney Rock is a wooded ridge including a 1,000-foot-long ledge that offers panoramic vistas extending across Mansfield Hollow and Lake Naubesatuck and west to Spring Hill. The Coney Rock Preserve is a 220-acre wooded tract of land owned partly by the Town and partly by Joshua’s Trust. Explore Outdoors Nurture yourself in our natural beauty and bounty!

More than 22,000 acres of Mansfield’s land is composed of open space that includes farms and forests, lakes and rivers, parks and playgrounds, walking trails and bike paths. Notable recreational and cultural sites in town include the Albert E. Moss Sanctuary, Bicentennial Pond, the Connecticut Forest & Park Association and Joshua’s Trust trails, Mansfield Hollow Lake & State Park, and the Willimantic River Greenway. Outdoor enthusiasts find Mansfield ideal for activities such as walking, hiking, cycling, and kayaking.

Our farms are a rich part of our history and a key to creating a sustainable future. From fruits and vegetables to dairy, meat and forest products, agriculture is an important part of our town identity, economy, and lifestyle. Buying locally-produced products from Mansfield farms, farmers markets, and farm stands keeps our food dollars local, our environment preserved, our community healthy, and our agriculture industry viable.

MANSFIELDCT.GOV | 9 Shop, Dine, & Stay Whether you’re looking for casual or formal, traditional or unusual, elegant or eclectic – we can satisfy your taste and budget!

Adjacent to UConn, Downtown Storrs is our vibrant Our shopping options also range from locally grown to and walkable downtown featuring a wide variety of regionally known. You’ll find plenty of variety, from fine restaurants, shops, entertainment, and services. But you’ll artists to flea markets. want to explore more because we have great places to shop, dine, and stay all over town! And whether you’re here on business, visiting family, enjoying a campus tour, or just getting away from it all, You won’t go hungry while you’re in Mansfield, whether we welcome you to stay a while in Mansfield. From a you’re looking for farm stands or fine dining. We have quaint bed-and-breakfast to a contemporary hotel, we can everything here from fresh veggies to culturally diverse accommodate your interest. restaurants. Want a scoop? We’re world-famous for our locally- made ice cream shops, including the UConn Dairy Bar!

A dreamy suite at the Graduate Storrs hotel

MANSFIELDCT.GOV | 11 More Employed 54% 5% Largest in IT, Mathematics, of Mansfield Residents Home Value Opportunity Zone in Arts, Design, and Media Have Earned a Four-Year Appreciation over the Connecticut – Over than 90% of the U.S. College Degree or Higher Last 10 Years 5,800 Acres

Sources: AdvanceCT; NeighborhoodScout; Sperling’s Best Places Do Business Looking to start, expand, or relocate your business? Mansfield is dedicated to helping you thrive!

We are committed to the principles of environmental rental apartments, town homes, and condominiums. protection and intelligent land use, business retention, It is also home to the Town Hall and E.O. Smith High and sustainability – and have staff dedicated to assisting School. Connecticut’s largest federally designated businesses through our Department of Planning & Opportunity Zone is located in northwestern Mansfield. Development and the Mansfield Downtown Partnership. The Opportunity Zone includes the UConn Technology Park and serves as the northern gateway to UConn’s main Mansfield’s economic opportunities are vast. Downtown campus. Qualifying investments include a broad range Storrs is a mixed-use town center and main street corridor of commercial, residential, and agricultural projects. The located at the crossroads of the Town and UConn. It other three main areas of the Opportunity Zone include combines retail, restaurants, office space, and a public Four Corners, North Eagleville/King Hill Road, and the square, along with a variety of residence types that include UConn Depot Campus. Water and sewer services are available in all development areas.

Naturally, collegiate life has a major influence on local culture, lifestyle, and entertainment options that pulse to the beat of the academic calendar. In Mansfield every fall, returning students reinvigorate the community, buying groceries, dining out with friends, and getting acquainted with each other and Mansfield. UConn delivers direct economic benefits to Mansfield’s economy in the form of jobs for faculty and staff and spending by students.

MANSFIELDCT.GOV | 13 25 Miles to Hartford

50 Miles to Bradley International (Hartford-Springfield) or T.F. Green (Providence) Airports

75 Miles to Boston

120 Miles to New York City

Designated a “Bicycle-Friendly Community” by the League of American Bicyclists If you’d like to get away from it all – or Get get to it all – it’s easy! Around Take your time to explore Mansfield’s scenic roads, historic villages, and vibrant downtown. In many cases, no car is needed!

Whether exploring Downtown Storrs and the UConn campus by foot or taking a hike on one of the Town’s beautiful trails, walking around Mansfield is a great way to explore our community! Looking for a unique walk? UConn has a self-guided walking tour highlighting 40 different species of trees!

Mansfield’s scenic roads, rolling hills, and rural vistas also make for great bike riding! Schoolhouse Brook Park and Mansfield Hollow State Park are favorites among mountain bikers. If road riding is more your style, Mansfield has identified bike-friendly routes. And, mark your calendar for the John E. Jackman Tour de Mansfield bike tour held annually in June. Or become a member of Bike Mansfield, a community of cycling enthusiasts dedicated to making it safe to ride and encouraging everyone to experience the sustainable benefits of pedal power.

Three bus lines service Mansfield with daily stops at the Nash- Zimmer Transportation Center in Downtown Storrs and at various points around town. Peter Pan offers service to Hartford, Providence, and New York with varying schedules.

With lots of open space, great schools, and affordable real estate, we’re also close-by to highways, suburban towns, major cities, New England’s mountains and shoreline, and national/ international transportation hubs.

MANSFIELDCT.GOV | 15 Connect with the Community Find your place to grow!

Mansfield is a vibrant, diverse, and caring community, which offers its residents and the region unique cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities. Our highly educated and engaged residents are focused on the environment and sustainability, committed to diversity and inclusion, and play an active role in municipal affairs.

We are recognized as one of the most sustainable communities in the state by Sustainable CT, an initiative aiming to help towns and cities become more efficient, resilient, and inclusive. Mansfield demonstrated significant achievements in nine sustainable impact areas, including thriving local economies, inclusive community building and equity, vibrant arts and culture, clean transportation, and diverse housing. In 2019, Mansfield received Silver Certification, the highest honor, from the Sustainable CT program. Here are some of the actions that qualified Mansfield for the award.

• Emphasis on sustainability in the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development • “Taste of Mansfield” campaign that encourages people to buy locally-grown food • Juried art shows • Vibrant community center • Development of Downtown Storrs as a mixed use, compact district • Energy-efficient building projects • Treating trash and recycling service as a utility • School composting

Where to Start Want to get growing? For up-to-date information on Mansfield activities, businesses, and organizations, please visit the Town website, www.mansfieldct.gov.

16 | YOUR PLACE TO GROW Printed on environmentally responsible paper made with 100 percent renewable energy and 10 percent recycled content, using soy-based, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)-free inks. Mansfield Town Hall Audrey P. Beck Municipal Building 4 South Eagleville Road Storrs-Mansfield, CT 06268 www.mansfieldct.gov