Lyme, Connecticut

Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States, situated on the eastern side of the Connecticut River. The population was 2,352 at the 2020 census.[2]

Lyme, Connecticut
Town
First Congregational Church
Seal
Location within New London County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°24′N 72°21′W
Country United States
U.S. state Connecticut
CountyNew London
Metropolitan areaNew London
Settled1645
IncorporatedFebruary 13, 1667
Government
 • TypeSelectman-town meeting
 • First selectmanSteven Mattson (D)[1]
Area
 • Total34.5 sq mi (89.4 km2)
 • Land31.9 sq mi (82.5 km2)
 • Water2.6 sq mi (6.8 km2)
Elevation
26 ft (8 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total2,352
 • Density68/sq mi (26/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
06371 (Old Lyme PO) and 06439 (Hadlyme PO)
Area code(s)860/959
FIPS code09-44210
GNIS feature ID0213453
Websitetownlyme.org

History
The historic Emerson Cemetery, Mt. Archer Road, donated in 2018 to the Town of Lyme by the Jewett Family

In February 1665, the portion of the territory of the Saybrook Colony east of the Connecticut River was set off as the plantation of East Saybrook, which included present-day Lyme, Old Lyme, and the western part of East Lyme. In 1667, the Connecticut General Court formally recognized the East Saybrook plantation as the town of Lyme, named after Lyme Regis, a coastal town in the south of England. The eastern portion of Lyme (bordering the town of Waterford) separated from Lyme in 1823 and became part of East Lyme. The southern portion of Lyme (along Long Island Sound) separated in 1855 as South Lyme (renamed Old Lyme in 1857). Both changes were consistent with the then-existing laws of the state of Connecticut.

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18204,069—
18502,668—
18601,246−53.3%
18701,181−5.2%
18801,025−13.2%
1890977−4.7%
1900750−23.2%
1910746−0.5%
1920674−9.7%
1930546−19.0%
194071731.3%
195085719.5%
19601,18338.0%
19701,48425.4%
19801,82222.8%
19901,9497.0%
20002,0163.4%
20102,40619.3%
20202,352−2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[3]
See also: List of Connecticut locations by per capita income

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Lyme had a population of 2,352.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, Lyme had a population of 2,406. Its racial and ethnic makeup was 96.5% non-Hispanic white, 0.1% non-Hispanic black, 0.1% non-Hispanic Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% non-Hispanic from some other race, 0.6% from two or more races and 1.7% Hispanic or Latino.[4]

Voter registration
Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 26, 2021[5]
Party Active voters Inactive voters Total voters Percentage
Republican 462 8 470 24.0%
Democratic 738 8 746 38.1%
Unaffiliated 697 18 715 36.5%
Minor Parties 26 0 26 1.3%
Total 1,923 34 1957 100%

Ancestry/Ethnicity

According to the United States Census Bureau, as of 2017 the largest (those over 1% of the population) self-identified ancestry/ethnic groups in Lyme were:[6]

Largest ancestries (2017)Percent
English30.5%
Irish19.8%
German14.2%
Italian11.7%
American7.3%
Polish6.3%
Scottish4.9%
French-Canadian3.5%
Swedish2.4%
Norwegian1.6%
Swiss1.5%
Russian1.2%

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.5 square miles (89 km2), of which 31.9 square miles (83 km2) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2), or 7.63%, is water.

Principal communities
  • Hadlyme
  • Hamburg (town center)
  • North Lyme

Other minor communities and geographic areas are Becket Hill, Bill Hill, Brockway's Ferry (also known as Brockway Landing), Brush Hill, Elys Ferry, Grassy Hill, Gungy, Joshuatown, Lord Hill, Mt. Archer, Pleasant Valley, Rogers Lake West Shore, and Sterling City.

State parks and forests

Selden Neck State Park and Becket Hill State Park Reserve are wholly located in Lyme. Nehantic State Forest and Gillette Castle State Park are partly located in Lyme.

On the National Register of Historic Places

Coves along the Connecticut River
  • Hamburg Cove.
  • Lord Cove (a brackish tidal marsh, fed in part by Lord, Deep, and Mack creeks).
  • Selden Cove.
  • Whalebone Cove (aka Hadlyme Cove or North Cove).

Lakes and ponds
  • Cedar Lake ( formed by the damming of Cedar Pond Brook).
  • Joshua Pond — aka Lower Pond (east of Brockways Ferry Rd; formed by the damming of Joshua Creek).
  • Moulsons Pond (formed by the damming of Eight Mile River).
  • Norwich Pond (formed by the damming of Falls Brook).
  • Rogers Lake (partly in Lyme; formed by the damming of Mill Brook).
  • Uncas Pond (formed by the damming of Falls Brook).
  • Upper Pond (along Tantumorantum Rd; formed by the damming of Joshua Creek).

Rivers, creeks , and brooks
  • Eightmile River; a federally designated "Wild and Scenic River."
  • Beaver Brook (a tributary of Eightmile River).
  • Broad Swamp Brook (a tributary of Grassy Hill Brook).
  • Cedar Pond Brook (a tributary of Beaver Brook).
  • Cranberry Meadow Brook (a tributary of Eightmile River).
  • Deep Creek (a tributary of the Connecticut River).
  • East Branch Eightmile River (a tributary of Eightmile River).
  • Falls Brook (a tributary of Eightmile River and Hamburg Cove).
  • Grassy Hill Brook (mostly in Lyme, but crosses into Old Lyme before feeding into Rogers Lake).
  • Hemlock Valley Brook (a tributary of Whalebone Creek).
  • Hungerford Brook (a tributary of Whalebone Creek).
  • Joshua Creek — aka Rams Horn Creek (a tributary of the Connecticut River).
  • Lord Creek (a tributary of the Connecticut River).
  • Mack Creek (a tributary of the Connecticut River).
  • Mill Brook (enters Rogers Lake in Lyme and exits the lake in Old Lyme; a tributary of the Lieutenant River).
  • Roaring Brook (a tributary of Whalebone Creek).
  • Selden Creek (a tributary of the Connecticut River).
  • Whalebone Creek (mouth is located at the head of Whalebone Cove).

Public buildings

Civic and fraternal
  • Lyme Public Library (482 Hamburg Road)
  • Lyme Volunteer Fire Co. (213 Hamburg Road)
  • Lyme Consolidated School (478 Hamburg Road)
  • Lyme Public Hall Association (249 Hamburg Road)
  • Lyme Grange Hall (Sterling City Road)

Governmental
  • Lyme Town Hall (480 Hamburg Road)
  • Hadlyme Post Office (1 Ferry Road)

Religious
  • The First Congregational Church of Lyme (Sterling City Road)

Public transportation

The Estuary Transit District provides public transportation throughout Lyme and the surrounding towns through its 9 Town Transit Service. Services include connections to Old Saybrook station, served by Amtrak and Shore Line East railroads.

Lyme in literature, art, and film
  • Sleep, Andy Warhol's 1964 movie, was filmed in Lyme.

Notable people

Note: Some of the earlier notables on this list were residents of the part of Lyme that is now Old Lyme.[7]

References
  1. Regan, Elizabeth. "Lyme Republicans lose finance board majority". The Day. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  2. "Census - Geography Profile: Lyme town, New London County, Connecticut". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  3. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  4. 2010 census report on Lyme
  5. "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 26, 2021" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Retrieved 2022-01-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2019-05-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. Burton, K. Old Lyme, Lyme, and Hadlyme. Arcadia Publishing,Charleston, SC, 2003 pp. 7–8.
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