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WELCOME TO MILFORD
The land which today comprises Milford ,Orange, and West Haven, Connecticut was “purchased" on
February 1, 1639 from Ansantawae, chief of the local tribe, by English settlers affiliated with the con-
temporary 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 Or-
ange. During the Revolutionary War the Milford section of the Boston Post Road, a vital route con-
necting 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 Mil-
ford chartered their own independent course as the town of Orange. During the next century and a
half, Milford became known as a beach resort for residents of New Haven and Bridgeport. Interesting-
ly, 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.
Milford's Devon neighborhood is located at the mouth of the Housatonic Rivernear Stratford, and fea-
tures the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center overlooking the estuary. Milford also has over 14 miles
of shoreline facing Long Island Sound, the most of any town in Connecticut. A large portion of Mil-
ford's shoreline forms the Silver Sands State Park. A newly built mile-long boardwalk was opened in
2011 that connects Silver Sands to Walnut Beach in Devon. Charles Island is also a part of the park
and is a protected bird nesting ground. There is a sand bar (more correctly called a tombolo since it is
perpendicular, not parallel to the coast) accessible during low tide that people can walk on from Sil-
ver Sands Beach to Charles Island.
POPULATION 52,212
UNIVERSITIES Fairfield University
Sacred Heart University
HOSPITALS Yale Medical Hospital
Milford Hospital
MILL RATE 28.89
SIZE 23.7 square miles
www.VANDERBLUE .com 203-259-8326
The land which today comprises Milford ,Orange, and West Haven, Connecticut was “purchased" on
February 1, 1639 from Ansantawae, chief of the local tribe, by English settlers affiliated with the con-
temporary 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 Or-
ange. During the Revolutionary War the Milford section of the Boston Post Road, a vital route con-
necting 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 Mil-
ford chartered their own independent course as the town of Orange. During the next century and a
half, Milford became known as a beach resort for residents of New Haven and Bridgeport. Interesting-
ly, 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.
Milford's Devon neighborhood is located at the mouth of the Housatonic Rivernear Stratford, and fea-
tures the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center overlooking the estuary. Milford also has over 14 miles
of shoreline facing Long Island Sound, the most of any town in Connecticut. A large portion of Mil-
ford's shoreline forms the Silver Sands State Park. A newly built mile-long boardwalk was opened in
2011 that connects Silver Sands to Walnut Beach in Devon. Charles Island is also a part of the park
and is a protected bird nesting ground. There is a sand bar (more correctly called a tombolo since it is
perpendicular, not parallel to the coast) accessible during low tide that people can walk on from Sil-
ver Sands Beach to Charles Island.
POPULATION 52,212
UNIVERSITIES Fairfield University
Sacred Heart University
HOSPITALS Yale Medical Hospital
Milford Hospital
MILL RATE 28.89
SIZE 23.7 square miles
www.VANDERBLUE .com 203-259-8326
