Fact Sheet re Wallingford, Connecticut

WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT Altitude: 80 Population: 1940 - 14,788 1950 - 11,944 New Haven County Nature of the Town: One of the foremost silverware mamifacturing centers of the nation since 1835 when Robert Wallace started the making of Britannia ware. The com- pany, which still bears his name, is now the largest of the local firms. Of almost equal importance, the agricultural district of Wallingford produces many thousands of bushels of peaches, pears, apples and cherries annually and is noted for its vineyards and nurseries which cover many acres. New Haven county is the largest vegetable and truck crop producing county in the state. Many acres are devoted to dairy and poultry (eggs and broilers). History: An event of major importance in the year of its occurence was the devastating tornado remembered as the "Wallingford disaster" of August 9, 1878, said to be one of the worst in the history of New England, which left in its wake 34 dead, 100 injured and a property damage of half a million dollars. The Samuel Parsons house (1770) houses an interesting collection of antiques and old documents owned by the Wallingford Historical Society. Another old feature of Wallingford is the Nehemiah Royce house, a sharp-peaked salt-box house built in 1672, which is used as a museum for a large variety of colonial furnishings, including mousetraps. Personalities: Wallingford is the site of the 500-acre campus of Choate School for Boys, where Governor Stevenson attended preparatory school. Wallingford is also the home town of Democratic Congressman John A. McGuire, who is running for re-election to a third term. Current Economic Conditions: The median family income for 1949 in Wallingford was $4,147. Per capita retail sales for 1948 totaled $1,258, contrasted to $395 for 1939. Issues: John M. Bailey, State Chairman of Connecticut, states regarding Wallingford: "Believe that stress should be put on what Democratic Party has done for country; people never had it so good, etc."