guilford

Guilford

town (township), New Haven county, southern Connecticut, U.S., on Long Island Sound. Settled by Puritans in 1639 as Menunketuck, it was admitted to New Haven colony as a town in 1643 and probably renamed for Guildford, England. The village of Guilford was incorporated as a borough in 1815. Granite quarrying (its stone provided the foundations of the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge) and oyster culture were early occupations. Guilford's economy now depends on agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. The town includes the resort villages of North Guilford, Sachem Head, and Leetes Island. It has some of the best-preserved colonial houses in Connecticut, including Hyland House (1660), the Henry Whitfield House (1639; the oldest stone house in New England, now a state museum), and the Thomas Griswold House Museum (c. 1774; a classic example of colonial saltbox construction). Area 47 square miles (122 square km). Pop. (1990) 19,848; (2000) 21,398.

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