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63-628: Wolcott was born in Windsor, Connecticut , the youngest of 10 children born to colonial Governor Roger Wolcott and Sarah Drake Wolcott. His elder brother was Erastus Wolcott . He attended Yale College , graduating in 1747 as the top scholar in his class. Upon graduation, New York Governor George Clinton granted Wolcott a captain's commission to raise a militia company to fight in the French and Indian Wars ( King George's War (1744–1748)). Captain Wolcott served on

126-509: A constitutional amendment creating the intermediate Connecticut Appellate Court . The court's ruling on April 19, 1977, in Horton v. Meskill (172 Conn. 615) held that the right to education in Connecticut is so basic and fundamental that any intrusion on the right must be strictly scrutinized. The Court said that public school students are entitled to equal enjoyment of the right to education, and

189-738: A neutral role in the colonial rivalry between Hartford and Springfield; however, Windsor's direct border with both settlements caused many discussions about whether to align with Massachusetts or Connecticut. Ultimately, Windsor sided with Connecticut. The Hartford & Springfield Street Railway , a trolley , connected with the Connecticut Company in Windsor Center until 1925. Buses replaced trolleys between Rainbow (a northern section of Windsor) and Windsor Center in 1930. Trolley cars continued to run from Windsor to Hartford until 1940. The original Windsor settlers have many descendants around

252-571: A party of around 30 people, sponsored by Sir Richard Saltonstall , and led by the Stiles brothers, Francis, John and Henry, settled in the Windsor area. Governor John Winthrop of the Massachusetts Bay Company acknowledged in a letter to Saltonstall that the Stiles party was the second group to settle Connecticut. The first group of 60 or more people were led by Roger Ludlow , primary framer of

315-430: A peaceful lesson about integrity and reliability. Windsor's cattle were starving, however, and the citizens of Hartford were furious. With Windsor's consent, Hartford commissioned the famous Indian fighter John Mason to travel to Springfield with "money in one hand and a sword in the other" to threaten the natives, and thereby force the grain trade . The natives capitulated and ultimately sold their grain. After "negotiating

378-543: A prototype nuclear power plant for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. The former site has the distinction of being the first nuclear reactor site to receive unrestricted release after demolition and decontamination efforts. Windsor is home to the following locations on the National Register of Historic Places : Tobacco farming in Connecticut has a long history. When the first settlers came to

441-468: A small party, arriving at the site on September 26, 1633, where they founded a trading post. The spot of the trading post is at the confluence of the Farmington and Connecticut Rivers. The Loomis Chaffee School currently owns the land as the spot is now the school's sports fields. Native Americans referred to the area as Matianuck . It was about 50 miles (80 km) up river from Long Island Sound , at

504-547: A statement on the suit and its status. In State v. Santiago , 318 Conn. 1, the Connecticut Supreme Court held that, after the state legislature had abolished capital punishment for prospective cases in 2012, imposition of the death penalty for already convicted and sentenced prisoners was unconstitutional under the Constitution of Connecticut as "excessive and disproportionate punishment". Justice Palmer authored

567-632: A suit brought by the Boston Globe , Hartford Courant , The New York Times and The Washington Post in 2002. On October 5, 2009, the United States Supreme Court rejected a request by the diocese for the court to stay or reconsider the Connecticut opinion ordering the release of the documents. The documents were released at the Waterbury Superior Courthouse on December 1, 2009. The diocese has provided background and

630-411: A system of school financing that relied on local property tax revenues without regard to disparities in town wealth and that lacked significant equalizing state support was unconstitutional. It could not pass the test of strict judicial scrutiny. The Court also held that the creation of a constitutional system for education financing is a job for the legislature and not the courts. Chief Justice House wrote

693-466: A three-track-wide plate girder bridge was installed to carry tracks over Palisado Avenue. Windsor's highest point is on Day Hill at 230 feet (70 m) above sea level. Windsor's lowest point is on the Connecticut River , at 5 feet (1.5 m) above sea level. The Connecticut River defines Windsor's eastern border. The city of Hartford , the capital of Connecticut, is adjacent to Windsor to

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756-641: Is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut , United States, and was the first English settlement in the state. It lies on the northern border of Connecticut's capital, Hartford . The town is part of the Capitol Planning Region . The population of Windsor was 29,492 at the 2020 census . Poquonock ( / p ə ˈ k w ɒ n ə k / ) is a northern area of Windsor that has its own zip code (06064) for post-office box purposes. Other unincorporated areas in Windsor include Rainbow and Hayden Station in

819-405: Is a landmark Connecticut Supreme Court decision ( Sheff v. O'Neill , 238 Conn. 1, 678 A.2d 1267) regarding civil rights and the right to education . On July 9, 1996, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that the state had an affirmative obligation to provide Connecticut's school children with a substantially equal educational opportunity and that this constitutionally guaranteed right encompasses

882-583: Is a school named after him, The Oliver Wolcott Technical High School . His home in Litchfield was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971. In 1798, Fort Washington on Goat Island in Newport, Rhode Island was renamed Fort Wolcott and was an active fortification until 1836; it later became the site of the United States Naval Torpedo Station . Windsor, Connecticut Windsor

945-455: Is studied as a continuation of the expansion of governments' power to seize property through eminent domain , although the widespread negative popular reaction has spurred a backlash in which many state legislatures have curtailed their eminent domain power. On Monday, June 21, 2004, Gov. John G. Rowland announced his resignation amid allegations of graft and a movement to impeach him for accepting gifts. The resignation came several days after

1008-604: The Battles of Saratoga . In May 1779, Wolcott was promoted to major general in command of all Connecticut militia. That summer, he saw combat in protecting the coastline from Tryon's raid . He was largely unsuccessful in his combat with Major General William Tryon . Over the course of the war, he showed great disdain towards his opposition, describing the British in his memoirs as "a foe who have not only insulted every principle which governs civilized nations but by their barbarities offered

1071-474: The Connecticut Colony opened in 1638 between Windsor and Hartford . Two years later, the highway was extended north to the colony's 1636 settlement at Springfield , with the road also connecting to Wethersfield and thus the four settlements that came to dominate the region for much of colonial history were connected. In the summer of 1640, an event took place that would forever change the boundaries of

1134-617: The Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors , is the highest court in the U.S. state of Connecticut . It consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices . The seven justices sit in Hartford , across the street from the Connecticut State Capitol . The court generally holds eight sessions of two to three weeks per year, with one session each September through November and January through May. Justices are appointed by

1197-575: The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut , having trekked overland from Dorchester, Massachusetts . They had arrived in the New World five years earlier on the ship Mary and John from Plymouth , England, and settled in Dorchester. Reverend Warham promptly renamed the Connecticut settlement "Dorchester". During the next few years, more settlers arrived from Dorchester, outnumbering and soon displacing

1260-518: The census of 2010, there were 29,044 people, 11,233 households, and 7,881 families residing in the town. The population density was 984.5 persons per square mile (380.2/km ). There were 11,767 housing units at an average density of 398.9 per square mile (154.0/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 54.7% White , 34.3% African American , 0.2% Native American , 4.5% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 3.1% some other race , and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.4% of

1323-999: The governor and then approved by the Connecticut General Assembly . As of September 30, 2024 , the justices of the Connecticut Supreme Court are: Justices must retire upon reaching the age of 70. They may continue to hear cases as Judge Trial Referees in the Superior Court or the Appellate Court. Justices may assume Senior Status before attaining age 70 and continue to sit with the Supreme Court, as needed. Multiple justices have availed themselves of this option. For example, Justice Ellen Ash Peters took senior status in 1996, continuing to sit until 2000 and Justice Angelo Santaniello assumed senior status in 1987 and continued to sit as needed until 1994. Justice Armentano assumed senior status in 1983 but continued to sit with

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1386-715: The American Revolution. On August 11, 1776, Connecticut officials ordered him to march the Seventeenth Regiment of militia to New York and join George Washington 's army. Upon arriving at Washington's camp, Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull appointed Wolcott brigadier general in command of all the state's militia regiments in New York. He led 300 to 400 volunteers from his brigade to help General Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold defeat General John Burgoyne at

1449-660: The Appellate or Superior Court may be called to sit with the Supreme Court. One of the most recent instances of a lower court judge being called to "pinch-hit" was Judge Thomas Bishop of the Appellate Court in Bysiewicz v. Dinardo .Then-Appellate Court Judge Lubbie Harper Jr. (who later served as a Justice of the Supreme Court) also sat with the Supreme Court in the landmark case of Kerrigan v. Commissioner of Public Health . Judge Francis X. Hennessy also frequently served by designation on

1512-517: The Connecticut Constitution established an independent judiciary, with the Supreme Court of Errors as the state's highest court. (The words "of Errors" were deleted in 1965). The creation of an independent judiciary established the third branch of government, which is responsible for interpreting the laws enacted by the legislative branch of government. In 1982, in response to an overwhelming Supreme Court docket, Connecticut's voters approved

1575-466: The Connecticut River Valley. During a grain famine, the founder of Springfield, William Pynchon , was given authority by Windsor and Hartford to negotiate a price for grain for the three settlements with the natives. First, the natives refused to sell grain at the usual market price, and then refused to sell it at "a reasonable price". Pynchon refused to buy it, attempting to teach the natives

1638-491: The Connecticut River in Windsor. The Farmington River is dammed in the northwestern corner of Windsor to form the 234-acre (0.95 km ) Rainbow Reservoir. The Joseph Kesselring stage play and Frank Capra movie Arsenic and Old Lace was inspired by actual events that took place in a three-story brick house on Prospect Street, just off the north end of the Windsor green. Sixty men died between 1907 and 1917 while in

1701-566: The Council (or upper chamber of the General Assembly), and, in 1794, the Governor. In 1806, the number of Superior Court judges was increased from five to nine and those judges, sitting together, constituted the Supreme Court, replacing the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Council Members. The General Assembly, however, retained the power to overturn the court's rulings. Twelve years later, in 1818,

1764-552: The Court as needed. Chief Justice Callahan assumed senior status in 1999 but served for approximately another year as a Senior Justice. Chief Justice Sullivan assumed senior status in 2006 but continued to sit until 2009. Justice Vertefeuille assumed senior status in March 2022 and remained active with the Court until she turned 70 in October 2022. In the event of a recusal or absence, a judge of

1827-457: The Court ruled on June 18 that the state House Select Committee of Inquiry, which was weighing whether to impeach Rowland, could compel the governor to testify. Those joining the majority in this opinion ( Office of the Governor v. Selected Committee of Inquiry to Recommend Whether Sufficient Grounds Exist for the House of Representatives to Impeach Governor John G. Rowland Pursuant to Article Ninth of

1890-546: The Court. Notable former justices include: The Supreme Court of Connecticut was created in 1784. Prior to this, the power to review lower court rulings was vested in the General Assembly , which determined appeals by examining trial court records. Even after its creation, the Court was not completely independent of the executive and legislative branches, since its members included the Lieutenant Governor, members of

1953-639: The Six Nations at Fort Schuyler . He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1775. He became seriously ill in 1776 and did not sign the Declaration of Independence until some time later. Beyond his postwar diplomatic role, Wolcott aspired to higher office. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut as a Federalist in 1786 and served in that position for ten years. Wolcott became governor when Samuel Huntington died on January 5, 1796, holding

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2016-511: The State Constitution , SC 17211), included Justices Borden, Norcott, Katz, Palmer and Vertefeuille. In an extraordinary action, all five majority justices signed their names as authors of the opinion. Dissenting were Chief Justice Sullivan and Justice Zarella. On October 10, 2008, the court ruled in Kerrigan v. Commissioner of Public Health that gay and lesbian couples could not be denied

2079-697: The Treasury under Presidents George Washington and John Adams and as governor of Connecticut . His descendants include Congregationalist minister Samuel Wolcott , D.D.; Edward O. Wolcott , a United States Senator from Denver ; Anna Wolcott Vaile , who established the Wolcott School for Girls in Denver ; ethnologist George Gibbs ; chemist Oliver Wolcott Gibbs ; Brigadier General Alfred Gibbs ; and mountaineer Roger Wolcott Toll . The town of Wolcott, Connecticut , bears his name. In Torrington, Connecticut , there

2142-601: The United States. The town center is well-planned in comparison to many others in the Greater Hartford area. It has a relative diversity of chains and local shops, as well as a restored Amtrak train station dating to the 1850s. The Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut is located in Windsor. From 1957 to 2006, the town was the location of the S1C Nuclear Powered Training Unit;

2205-439: The access to a public education which is not substantially and materially impaired by racial and ethnic isolation. This was a split 4–3 decision, which was authored by Chief Justice Ellen Ash Peters . Peters was joined in the majority opinion by Justices Robert Berdon, Flemming L. Norcott, Jr. , and Joette Katz . Justice David M. Borden authored the dissent, with Justices Robert Callahan and Richard Palmer concurring. One of

2268-582: The care of Amy Archer-Gilligan . Most were proven to be victims of arsenic poisoning. On historic Palisado Avenue, one can find the First Church in Windsor, Congregational , and adjacent graveyard. Across the street on the Palisado Green stands a statue of John Mason , a founder of Windsor and a colonial leader in the Pequot War . Further north is the home of Oliver Ellsworth , third Chief Justice of

2331-438: The colonists would not give up their rights and privileges. In February 1776, he stated: "Our difference with Great Britain has become very great. What matters will issue in, I cannot say, but perhaps in a total disseverance from Great Britain." The early support for independence led him to important roles during the war, both as military leader and as member of the Continental Congress. Wolcott saw extensive militia service during

2394-624: The country and beyond. Many are members of the Descendants of the Founders of Ancient Windsor (DFAW). When the Springfield Line of the NY, New Haven & Hartford RR was built, station stops included Windsor station in Windsor Center with stations also at Wilson in the south of town and Hayden in the north, named for owners who provided land for the railroad right of way. The line was double tracked until

2457-661: The end of waters navigable by ship and above the Dutch fort at Hartford , offering an advantageous location for the English to trade with the Indians before they reached the Dutch. (The Sicaog tribe had made a similar offer to mediate to the Dutch in New Amsterdam . New Netherland had far fewer European settlers than New England, and they were not in a position to take up the opportunity.) In 1635,

2520-507: The grossest indignities to human nature." At the beginning of the Revolution, Congress had made Wolcott a commissioner of Indian affairs to persuade the northern Indian nations to remain neutral. His qualifications for that role came from his early experience on the northern front of the French and Indian War. He was asked, along with Richard Butler and Arthur Lee , to negotiate a peace treaty with

2583-519: The importance of the case and the high likelihood that the United States Supreme Court would grant certiorari. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Connecticut Supreme Court's decision in favor of the city, in a 5–4 decision, with the dissent written by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and joined by Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas . The Kelo decision

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2646-533: The late 1990s and redouble tracked in 2018. Sidings at Windsor station allowed cars to be spotted at the freight house and on the Loomis trestle just to its south. The trestle was removed in the late 1980s. An 1856 brownstone arch bridge carries the tracks over Pleasant St and the Farmington River. Incorporating a horizontal curve, its engineering was noteworthy when built. Following a fatal grade crossing accident,

2709-489: The majority opinion of the court, authored by Justice Katz, and joined by Chief Justice Rogers, and Justices Palmer and Vertefeuille, effectively ordered the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport to release thousands of legal documents from previous lawsuits filed against priests accused of sexually abusing children. A dissenting opinion was authored by Justice Sullivan. The Connecticut Supreme Court case stemmed from

2772-411: The majority opinion. Justices Bogdanski, Longo, and Barber concurred in the decision, and Justice Bogdanski filed a concurring opinion. Justice Loiselle dissented from the majority opinion. The Court (610 A.2d 1225), speaking through Justice Robert I. Berdon, delineated a six-factor test to assess claims of rights under the Connecticut Constitution. The six factors are: This test has subsequently formed

2835-521: The more powerful Pequot, who claimed their land. Eventually, the Podunk invited a small party of settlers from Plymouth, Massachusetts , to settle as a mediating force between the other tribes. In exchange they granted them a plot of land at the confluence of the Farmington River and the west side of the Connecticut River . After Edward Winslow came from Plymouth to inspect the land, William Holmes led

2898-405: The most important cases the court has decided was Kelo v. City of New London (2004), appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court . The state court sided with the city in a 4–3 decision, with the majority opinion authored by Justice Norcott and joined by Justices Borden, Palmer and Vertefeuille. Justice Zarella wrote an unusually lengthy and considered dissent (joined by Justices Sullivan and Katz), due to

2961-505: The north, and Wilson and Deerfield in the south. The Day Hill Road area is known as Windsor's Corporate Area, although other centers of business include New England Tradeport, Kennedy Industry Park and Kennedy Business Park, all near Bradley International Airport and the Addison Road Industrial Park . The coastal areas and riverways were traditional areas of settlement by various American Indian cultures, who had been in

3024-703: The northern frontier defending the Canadian border against the French until the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748. He then moved to newly settled Goshen in northwestern Connecticut to practice and study medicine with his brother Alexander. He then moved to Litchfield and became a merchant; he was appointed sheriff of the newly created Litchfield County, Connecticut , serving from 1751 to 1771. He married Lorraine (Laura) Collins of Guilford, Connecticut , on January 21, 1755. They had five children: Oliver (who died young), Oliver Jr., Laura, Mariann, and Wolcott had two careers during

3087-496: The office until his own death at age 71. He also served as a judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors from 1784 until his death. Wolcott died on December 1, 1797, in Litchfield, where he is interred at East Cemetery. Historian Ellsworth Grant remembers Wolcott's Revolutionary War efforts in stating that, "It is doubtful if any other official in Connecticut during this period carried so many public duties on his shoulders." Oliver Wolcott Jr. , his son, served as Secretary of

3150-926: The original Plymouth contingent, who returned to Plymouth in 1638 after selling their parcel to a Matthew Allyn of Hartford. On February 21, 1637, the colony's General Court changed the name of the settlement from Dorchester to Windsor, named after the town of Windsor, Berkshire , on the River Thames in England. The same day, Windsor was incorporated as a town along with Hartford and Wethersfield. Several "daughter towns" were formed from Windsor's original boundaries. These include portions or all of Barkhamsted , Bloomfield , Bolton , Colebrook , Coventry , East Granby , East Windsor , Ellington , Enfield , Granby , Harwinton , Litchfield , Manchester , Morris , Simsbury , South Windsor , Suffield , Tolland , Torrington , Vernon , and Windsor Locks . The first "highway" in

3213-427: The period 2009–2011, median income for a household in the town was $ 78,211, and median income for a family was $ 89,726. Male full-time year-round workers had a median income of $ 58,668 versus $ 50,529 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 34,899. About 3.1% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over. Windsor

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3276-409: The population. There were 11,233 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were headed by married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

3339-496: The region for thousands of years. They relied on the rivers for fishing, water and transportation. Before European contact, the historic Pequot and Mohegan tribes had been one Algonquian -speaking people. After they separated, they became competitors and traditional enemies in the Connecticut region. During the first part of the 17th century, the Pequot and Mohegan nations had been at war. The Podunk were forced to pay tribute to

3402-722: The right to marry because of the Equal Protection Clause of the state constitution. This decision made Connecticut the third state (along with Massachusetts and California ) to legalize same-sex marriage through judicial decree of the state supreme court. Chief Justice Rogers, who did not participate in the decision, was replaced by appellate Judge Lubbie Harper Jr. The majority opinion was written by Justice Palmer, and joined by Justices Norcott, Katz, and Judge Harper. Justices Zarella, Vertefeuille, and Borden dissented. In George L. Rosado et al. v. Bridgeport Roman Catholic Diocesan Corporation et al. (SC 17807) , 292 Conn. 1 (2009)

3465-474: The south. The town of Windsor Locks , home of Bradley International Airport , is adjacent to Windsor to the north. Prior to its incorporation in 1854, it was known as the Pine Meadow section of Windsor. The towns of East Windsor and South Windsor are on the east side of the Connecticut River. The town of Bloomfield is to the west. The town of East Granby is to the northwest. The Farmington River joins

3528-582: The town's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Windsor has a council–manager government. The legislative function is performed by a bipartisan Council of nine members, who are elected biennially for two-year terms. The Town Council elects a Mayor from its membership for the two-year term, and also appoints the Town Manager. Peter Souza has served as Windsor's town manager since 2004. Connecticut House of Representatives : Connecticut Supreme Court The Connecticut Supreme Court , formerly known as

3591-734: The town. The movie Parrish , starring Troy Donahue and Karl Malden, was set and filmed in the tobacco farms of Windsor. The film was released in 1961. The Connecticut Valley Tobacco Museum , containing authentic farming implements and tools, can be found at Northwest Park in Windsor. Community Health Resources - CHR Easterseals Capital Region & Eastern Connecticut Kiwanis Club of Windsor Mary's Place, A Center for Grieving Children and Families Rotary Club of Windsor Saint Casmir's Lithuanian Society Inc. VFW-Veterans of Foreign Wars-Windsor Post 4740 Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut Windsor Art Center Windsor Food and Fuel Bank Windsor Historical Society As of

3654-575: The trade", Mason refused to share the grain with Springfield, and, to add further insult, insisted that Springfield pay a tax when sailing ships passed Windsor. Outraged, Springfield forever sided with the Massachusetts Bay Colony , a Puritan settlement in Boston , rather than with the Connecticut Colony, which was much closer geographically and far more compatible ideologically. Windsor played

3717-517: The underpinnings of subsequent decisions interpreting and guiding the meaning of the Connecticut Constitution, including that the Connecticut Constitution affords greater protections than its Federal counterpart—including the Kerrigan decision discussed below, and Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Educational Funding v. Rell. Chief Justice Ellen Ash Peters and Justice David Shea and Justice Robert Glass joined Justice Berdon's majority opinion. Justice Alfred Covello dissented. Sheff v. O'Neill

3780-440: The valley in the 1630s, tobacco was already being grown by the native population. By 1700 it was being exported via the Connecticut River to European ports. The use of Connecticut tobacco as a cigar wrapper leaf began in the 1820s. Area farmers grew tobacco for the two outside layers of cigars, the binder and the wrapper. Approximately 34,000 acres (140 km ) of land in Connecticut is covered by Windsor Soil , named after

3843-417: The war years as one of Connecticut's principal delegates to the Continental Congress and also a militia officer. He participated in the American Revolutionary War as brigadier general and then as major general in the Connecticut militia . As a representative in the Continental Congress, he was a strong advocate for independence. Early in the growing struggle with Great Britain, Wolcott made it clear that

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3906-447: Was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.04. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 31.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey , for

3969-429: Was one of a handful of towns in the country where, in the 2000 United States Census , median income for black households ($ 64,159) was larger than white households ($ 63,624). Asian households had a median income of $ 75,716. Hispanic or Latino (of any race) households have a median income of $ 69,808. Windsor High School has 1,471 students enrolled. Demographics for 2004–2005 were: Top employers in Windsor according to

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