Shelton was originally a farming community and many of the stone walls that line the homesteads, fields, and woods can still be seen today. Gradually it started to develop an industrial base in the downtown section of the City, as well as along the Housatonic River. However, in 1975, one of the largest arson fires in the history of the United States destroyed the Sponge Rubber Products plant on Canal Street and other nearby sections of the City.
Today, this area of downtown Shelton is enjoying a major revitalization. The 10-acre Shelton River Walk is located there, as is Veteran’s Memorial Park. Two of the 19th Century factory buildings have been renovated into a condominium complex. All together, over $100 million dollars in private investments is going towards the rebuilding of downtown Shelton. Other parts of the City also are seeing significant commercial growth, especially along Bridgeport Avenue and Commerce Drive, with its many award winning corporate park structures, plus The Renaissance living complex.
The combination of smart residential development, and a progressive business environment, allows Shelton to have the lowest property tax rate of any of the other towns and/or cities in the area. In 2000, Shelton, along with the other communities of the lower Naugatuck River Valley, was honored by the National Civic League as an “All-American City.”
Housing in Shelton reflects the flavor of both rural and urban living. New and older homes, apartments and Condominiums are available. During the past several years, a number of developers have built outstanding residential neighborhoods in the community. Possibly the best known of these neighborhoods is “The Berries,” located in the Huntington section of the City. There are more new homes being built in Shelton than in any of the City’s neighboring towns.
Shelton’s long and on-going agricultural heritage is maintained with over 2,000 acres of farmland. In addition to the Jones Family Farms, other farms open to the public include Beardsley Organic Farm, Birdseye Sugar Grove, Fairview Tree Farm, Hubbell Farm, and Wells Hollow Farm. The Shelton Farm & Public Market, located in downtown Shelton, is open every Saturday during the summer, and features products from all of these City farms.
Shelton has over 150 acres of developed parks. The parks contain 12 public playgrounds with supervised programs during the summer months.In the past several years, the City has acquired an additional 500 acres of open space. The Shelton Community Center, located in the Huntington area, contains a 25-yard, 8-lane indoor swimming pool, an indoor basketball court, and two weight rooms. The City’s outdoor sports complexes offer tennis courts, and athletic fields for baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, and football. The mighty Housatonic River, Shelton’s most precious natural resource, provides recreational activities, such as boating, fishing, and swimming, as well as hiking and picnicking along the western bank of the River. Shelton has over 20 miles of hiking and walking trails, all of which are maintained by local volunteers. The State-owned Indian Well State Park, located within Shelton, is a favorite destination among community residents. For golfers, there are two private golf courses—the 18-hole Bronson Country Club, and the 9-hole Highland Golf Club.
The Shelton Public School system consists of six elementary schools, a middle school, and a senior high school. There are two private parochial schools in Shelton, St. Lawrence School, Grades K – 8, and St. Joseph’s School, also Grades K – 8. Twenty-one houses of worship are located in the City.
The Housing Market. If you are interested in living in Shelton, then you will want updated information on all homes listed on the Multiple Listing Service that meet your search criteria. You also will want to stay current on the status of the housing market in Shelton with a report that answers the question, “How’s the market?” This report is updated on a weekly basis.
- To register for our free home search service that will update you by email whenever a new/update listing is posted that meets your search criteria, please click here.
- To register for your free weekly housing report for Shelton or any other towns in Fairfield or New Haven Counties, please click here. The report is available for single-family homes, condominiums/townhouses or both.
