Bethany, Connecticut

Bethany still retains the small town rural atmosphere while offering easy access to New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury. It is located Northwest of New Haven on a plateau between the Naugatuck and West Rivers. The topography is rolling with abundant woods and farmland. Bethany Lake and Lake Chamberlain are its main bodies of water.

Bethany was first settled in 1717 as a part of Amity Parish and named as a parish of Woodbridge in 1762 when the Congregational Church was established. It was separated from Woodbridge and incorporated as Connecticut's 132nd town in May 1832. Its population in 1840 was 1,170. However by 1920, population had declined to 411.

Mail is RFD from New Haven. There is a community post office for box delivery and postage purchases.

The local government is a selectmen, town meeting system with a board of finance. The real estate closing customs generally follow the custom in New Haven County. Taxes are paid in July and January. The town was last reevaluated in 1999 at 70% of value. Bethany has a Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Corps. Police services are provided by two Resident State Troopers. State Police Troop I barracks is located in Town.

Grades kindergarten through 6th are at the Bethany Community School. Junior High and Senior High are regional with the Amity Junior High in Bethany and the Amity Senior High in Woodbridge. The town's library, Clark Memorial Library, was remodeled and expanded in 1995.

Bethany will probably retain its low-density rural residential character by land use controls and selective open space acquisition. It is presently one of the area's true rural communities. The community is seeking "scenic route" designation for route 69 to protect one of the region's key visual resources.