Interesting Facts

The largest event of its kind in America, November's Giant Balloon Parade Spectacular kicks off the holiday season, and features 30 helium balloon entries. The balloons parade one-by-one along the streets of downtown, watched by an average crowd of 250,000 people.
The Jackie Robinson Park of Fame honors the legendary athlete who broke baseball's color barrier in 1947. The park includes a playing field, a 7-foot bronze statue of the Hall of Famer and a visitor's center that offers educational and cultural events. Robinson resided in Stamford the last 18 years of his life.
Stamford is home to America's eighth largest business center which is also one of the country's largest corporate headquarters sectors, hosting such prominent companies as Xerox Corporation, General Electric Capital Corporation and Pitney Bowes.
For an informative glimpse of Native American culture, Americana and art, stop by the Stamford Museum and Nature Center, which features a farm, gardens, nature trails, galleries and planetarium.
Considered one of America's most livable cities, Stamford was named the ninth safest city in the country in 2006.
Although later renegotiated, the initial deed to the city was signed in 1640 for an alleged price of twelve coats, glasses, hoes, hatchets, knives and four kettles.
Stamford celebrated its 365th anniversary in 2006. The city was named after a town in Lincolnshire, England, the area that spawned more than 80% of the first New England settlers.
January sees Stamford become a winter wonderland, as the annual Winterfest offers sled rides, hayrides, ice sculptures and live reindeer.
Among the city's definitive landmarks, the towering 45 foot tall Stamford Cone resembles a kaleidoscope, and is comprised of more than 200 stained glass panels. During the day, visitors can go inside and see the sunlight through the stained glass. The Cone is brightly lit during the evening.
Want to learn more about the city's fascinating history? Founded in 1901, the Stamford Historical Society offers an impressive collection of exhibits that chronicle Stamford's storied development between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries. The site offers frequent exhibits, special events and community programs.