Milford is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. A population of 50,594 was recorded at the 2000 census. The city contains the borough of Woodmont and the village of Devon. The current mayor of Milford is James L. Richetelli, Jr.
The land which today comprises Milford, Orange and West Haven, Connecticut was "purchased" on February 1, 1639 from Ansantawae, chief of the local Paugussets (an Algonquian tribe) by English settlers affiliated with the contemporary New Haven Colony. Originally, the area was known as "Wepawaug", after the small river which runs through the town, and which has given its name to several streets in both Milford and Orange.
During the Revolutionary War the Milford section of the Boston Post Road, a vital route connecting Boston, New York and other major coastal cities, was blockaded by Continental forces and Fort Trumbull was constructed to protect the town. The site of the blockade is commemorated by the Liberty Rock monument.
By 1822, the town had grown large enough that residents in the northern and eastern sections of Milford chartered their own independent course as the town of Orange. During the next century and a half, the remaining section of Milford was known for shipbuilding, farming and oystering, although a small subset of industrial facilities also developed in town. During this time, Milford also became known as a beach resort for residents of New Haven and Bridgeport.
Interestingly, the boundaries of the final town charter granted by the State of Connecticut in 1899 to Laurel Beach are contained entirely within Milford. Residents of Laurel Beach must therefore pay taxes to both Laurel Beach as well as Milford, and all mail to Laurel Beach residents is mailed to Milford. In 1903 the southeastern portion of the town was incorporated as the Borough of Woodmont. In 1959, the town of Milford including the Borough of Woodmont was incorporated as the City of Milford.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Milford has a total area of 23.7 square miles (61.5 kmē), of which, 22.3 square miles (57.7 kmē) of it is land and 1.5 square miles (3.8 kmē) of it (6.15%) is water.
Milford's Devon neighborhood is located at the mouth of the Housatonic River near Stratford, and features an Audubon Center overlooking the estuary.
A large portion of Milford's shoreline forms the Silver Sands State Park. Charles Island, also a part of the park, is a protected nesting ground. There is a sand bar, actually more correctly called a tombolo (since it is perpendicular, not parallel to the coast)accessible during low tide that people can walk on, from Silver Sands Beach, to Charles Island.
Every year in August, Milford celebrates its annual Oyster Festival, which serves as a combination of a typical town fair with a culinary celebration of the town's location on historically shellfish-rich Long Island Sound. This festival is held on the Milford Green, in the center of town, and features a wide variety of events including canoe and kayak races, musical performances, and classic car shows.
Milford is home to a substantial art community. The Milford Cultural Center, operated by the Milford Council for the Arts, offers various events throughout the year. The Firehouse Art Gallery was recently opened in Devon . The beach resort quality of the town lives on, with several beaches, Silver Sands State Park, the Audubon Coastal Center, Charles Island, two golf courses, and numerous other recreational facilities available for residents and tourists, while the proximity to New Haven, rail transport to New York City, a good school system, and a shuttle bus service that traverses the town supply some urban conveniences.
