Waterbury, CT is part of New Haven County, situated north east of NYC and south west of Boston both by about 90 minutes. Hate it or love it, if you're from Waterbury, Connecticut, the spirit of the city has likely remained with you. We have this thing about us that if we're in the city, we can't help but feel trapped, but when we're away, it's like no one could ever understand how great Waterbury is; actually, we don't really even know why Waterbury is so great either.
We have this idea that it's so great because at one time it was when our great-grandparents and grandparents and parents were growing up, perhaps why they decided to raise us here. Waterbury, once the brass capital of the world as many of us know, was a booming metropolis of factories known for producing brass clocks, watches, and very notably for brass shell casings for World War II. The city's motto reads: "Quid Aere Perennius?" which translates, "What is more lasting than brass?" Ironically this suggests the city's decline of industry status; when brass was able to be made cheaper elsewhere, the city could no longer sustain factory jobs. What you'll notice on all sides of town are run down factories with busted windows and no supposed purpose. Quite the eyesore for anyone passing through the city- but true Waterburians know those factories at represent a new beginning for immigrants of Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Russian and Irish descent; thus, our foundation.
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Let's Talk Waterbury (as we know it)-
Waterbury has a (roughly estimated) population of 110,000 people. Home to 42 schools (public, college prep, trade, charter, religious affiliated, and universities), there are schools we all have some sort of biased toward. This school is too preppy, this school is too ghetto, this school has bad sports, this school is just for art. I'm I proud Heart '13 Alumni! of us grew up in Town Plot, others Bunker Hill, Fair Lawn, Overlook, East End, North End, East Mountain, I could go on... you get the idea. It's so funny how we're all so attached to our neighborhoods. The breakdown: East side, sketchy; North end, still sketchy; West end, pretty nice; South side, still pretty sketchy; Downtown, hell to the no! We all pretty much understand (or think we understand) each other based on where we say we're from in the city. People from surrounding towns for some reason come to Waterbury and befriend us and they don't even know why. Maybe they go to school here or have family here, but there's just something about this place! Also... when's the last time you've been to the Waterbury mall? You should still go though, because if you know Liz, she works there and she's awesome (but please lock your car)! Liz and I had the best of times in Waterbury. Liz and I have walked all over for whatever the adventure. Mostly the motivation was food, and we would walk to whichever park was nearby. If you think about how many parks are in Waterbury, it's really incredible!
* Don't leave your car at the Waterbury train station! Opt for the Naugatuck or Seymour station if you can. Jeff and I left his car there when we had gone to NYC. I can happen anywhere but perhaps you'll be luckier if you opt for the Naugatuck or Seymour stations.
For me, coming home to Waterbury after driving 470 miles excites me with the spirit of the person I've held dearest in my life, my grandmother, who has always been a Waterbury resident. She incessantly raved about the city's culture when she was growing up, how she could walk to school without worrying about it, how she could see a movie for $0.25, and how she loved her job working downtown at the old department store called Howland Hughes where she met my grandpa. Like many a city, Waterbury has seen safer, more lively times, but for her, watching Waterbury fall apart over 80 years of her life bothered her until she died. She had the most vivid and memorable times of Waterbury thriving. She said there was no reason to go anywhere else; "everyone would come to Waterbury." Waterbury's character and spirit may appear stale, but my heart and soul feel so proud to have been raised in such a city.
