Ridgefield MITS Brochure
5/12/08
11:52 AM
Page 1
WELCOME TO RIDGEFIELD
T
he Fundamental Orders adopted by
Connecticut in 1639 allowed would-be settlers, able to support a minister, to establish a settlement, build a Congregational Church and farm
the land. This is exactly what was done here in
1708. The original 24 proprietors received 7
1/2-acre home lots drawn by lottery, with a 25th
reserved for the minister. The lots were located
north and south along a wide main street on one
of the three ridges that would give Ridgefield its
name. The close-knit community lived under the
vigilant eye of the Rev. Thomas Hauley, who also
served as schoolmaster and town clerk. Each
family was an individual survival unit, dwelling
in a small home, farming its outlying fields and
husbanding a few farm animals on its home lot.
The 18th century was a busy time for the new
community: homes and mills were built, schools
and small businesses were established, and most
importantly in 1775, after thrice declining to do
so, the town fathers voted to oppose King George
and the English government, and became part of
the fight for liberty. In April 1777 a British raiding party, under the command of Gen. William
Tryon, landed at Compo Beach in Westport with
orders to march to Danbury where they sacked
and burned the town, destroying the patriot supplies stored there. On their march back to the sea,
they passed through Ridgefield where they were
met by a hastily formed army led by Gen. David
Wooster, Gen. Gold Selleck Silliman and Gen.
Benedict Arnold (then still an American patriot).
After the war the pace of commerce grew. By
1822 the town had weavers, hatters, tailors, cabinet makers, silversmiths and shoemakers.
Immigrants arrived from Ireland and Germany.
The l9th century also saw the birth of industry,
including carriage manufacturing. By 1830 the
Resseguie and Olmstead carriage “manufactory,”
later called the Big Shop, became one of the
town’s largest employers. During the Civil War
the Connecticut 17th Regiment included young
men from Ridgefield, who served in many battles, including Chancellorsville and Gettysburg.
A half dozen died on the battlefield or in Confederate prisons.
In the early 20th century the face of the town
began to change: Italian immigrants arrived and
built roads and the water system and worked on
the great estates. Prominent artists, actors and
writers also found homes here. By mid-century
the biggest change came in the form of “commuters,” who found a beautiful small town,
affordable housing and a relatively easy commute by car or train to their offices in Stamford,
Westchester and New York City. During the last
half of the century, the population grew from
10,000 inhabitants to its present 24,000 plus.
On Ridgefield’s 300th anniversary, September
30, 2008, we can only trust that the original 25
proprietors would be pleased at the transition our
town has made from the small farming community they carved out of the wilderness into a caring town intent on remembering our past.
Written by Kay Ables and Tom Belote
THE MUSEUM IN THE STREETS® installation
was created and organized by the
Ridgefield 300th Anniversary Committee 2008.
STREETS® Committee:
Kay Ables
Tom Belote
Suzanne Brennan
Stephanie Pelletier
THE MUSEUM
IN THE
The 300th Anniversary Committee:
Sue Manning, Chair
Rudy Marconi, Vice Chair
Kay Ables
Tom Belote
Maureen Kiernan
Pam Lowell
Kevin Walsh
THE MUSEUM IN THE STREETS® is a trademark owned and protected.
For information please write to: P.O. Box 11, Cushing, ME 04563
THE MUSEUM IN THE STREETS® is a heritage
discovery trail for the community and its visitors.
The walking and driving tour seeks to enhance the
community’s historical identity, educate, encourage preservation and promote the knowledge and
respect of local traditions. Featuring permanent
markers at 30 ‘stations of history,’ Ridgefield’s
Museum in the Streets brings the past to life
beyond the walls of traditional institutions.
T HE MUSEUM
IN THE S TREETS
®
THE MUSEUM IN THE STREETS® project
has been sponsored by:
Adam Broderick Salon & Spa
Aldrich Contemporary Art
Museum
The Amatuzzi Family
Frank Ballatore @ New England
Computer Group, Inc.
Tom & Jane Belote
Branchville Oil Company
Carnall Insurance
Carroll Construction
Nick Cemprola - Nutmeg Livery
Service
Colonial Cleaners
The Craig Family
The Dubitsky/Dean Family
Fountain Committee
John Katz
Keeler Tavern Museum
The Historic Lounsbury House
at the Ridgefield
Community Center
Paul & Dewey McNamara
Rebecca & Stephen Mucchetti
Annette & Dan O’Brien
John & Joanne Patrick
Reynolds & Rowella, LLP
Ridgefield Bank,
a Division of Fairfield
County Bank
Ridgefield Chamber of
Commerce
Ridgefield Hardware
Ridgefield Historical Society
Ridgefield Supply Company
Ridgefield Woman’s Club
The Town of Ridgefield
The Scala Family
Lonnie Shapiro
The John Sturges Family
The Toy Chest
Union Savings Bank
Patrick & Kathleen Walsh
Family
Webster Bank
Peter & Beth Yanity
Stephen Zemo
Our sincere thanks to the following individuals and organizations who have donated photographs from their collections to the Museum in the Streets installation, and to many
notable Ridgefield citizens who have documented the history of Ridgefield throughout the years:
Carol Ancona
Silvio Bedini
Virginia Cohen
Morton Dean
Charles Fisher
Samuel Goodrich
David Hein
Edward Karvosky
Keeler Tavern Museum
Korker Archives
Stephanie Pelletier
Ridgefield Highway Dept.
Ridgefield Historical Society
Ridgefield Parks & Rec. Dept.
Ridgefield Press
George Rockwell, Jr.
Kathryn Rosa
Jack Sanders
Lucy Scala
David Scott, AIA
Barbara Serfilippi
Gary Singer
Mary Sullivan
Daniel W. Teller
Richard & Marie Venus
Barbara Watson
Glenna Welsh
Josette Williams
A history walking tour of the
Town of Ridgefield, Connecticut.
Welcome to
RIDGEFIELD
4
THE RIDGEFIELD TRAIN
STATION
19
GOVERNOR LOUNSBURY’S FIRST
HOUSE AND THE BOYS CLUB
5
BOOTLEGGING AND THE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
20
STATE POLICE AND THE
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SCHOOL
IEW
N V
E
AV
D
NE
G
R
O
VE
ST
O NE
CT
ST
STR
LL
MI
D PL
A
OW H E A
IVE
DR
8
T
CE
EE
K
ET
IN
ARR
OV E R L O O
RE
OA D
R RY R
SUNSET
LAN
E
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
T STREET
9
6
10
11
BA I L
ENUE
AV
OR
STR
EET
VETERANS
PARK
SCHOOL
POLICE
STATION
COMMUNITY
21
AD
NE
TH LA
ERN
RO
FI
G R IF
35
20
GE
VENUE
B R YO N A
19
G OV
ID
T R
17
18
16
HOUSE
E
PEC
14
ST. STEPHEN’S
EPISCOPAL
CHURCH
3
TOWN
HALL
LAN
ARTISTS
GUILD
OS
MAP
T
EY
PLAY
P IN
PR
R EE
H ST
2
1
12
HAL
ET
ONA
C AT O
13
NE
P LA
RE
E ST
15
FIRE
STATION
O
IG SH
RIDG
SPE C T S T REET
EAST
ST. MARY
R.C. CHURCH
ST. MARY
SCHOOL
P RO
THEATER
BARN
AV E N U E
VENUE
IEW A
BALLARD
PARK
B
E
B A R RY AV E N U
V
FA I R
4
LIBRARY
A B B OT T
CENTER
MAR
STR
KET
EET
BLE
STRE
ET
JESSE LEE
METHODIST CHURCH
&
“OLD TOWN COMMON”
AD
RO
L
IL
Y
Continue on
Rte. 102 to Rte. 7 to
Branchville Station
to reach
#29 & #30
RO
AD
H IL
L
R
L
RO
C
EL
DE
AD
RO
KW
UL
KEELER
TAVERN
E
E
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL
CHURCH OF RIDGEFIELD
IV
AN
Y L
W
BO
FOUNTAIN
102
L L E R OA D
TO
BRANCHVILLE
24
25
LA N
EST
CHVI
H
JACKSON CT
CEA
AN
BR
RR
© THE MUSEUM
IN THE
STREETS®
PEA
23
MIDDLE
SCHOOL
PE
QUARRIES, ABRASIVES AND
THE “FRESH AIR” KIDS
K IN G
PLAYING FIELD
ET
BRANCHVILLE—A CENTER OF
ITALIAN-AMERICAN LIFE
STRE
29
MAIN
RIDGEBURY—GEORGE
WASHINGTON SLEPT HERE
CHRISTIAN
E
LAN
SCIENCE
ND
ROW L A
CHURCH
ALDRICH MUSEUM
22 “OLD HUNDRED”
LA N E
AV EN UE
HIGH RIDGE
28
30
Q UA
BIRC
HL
N
AD
15
ST. MARY CHURCH AND
RECTORY
B Y PA S S
MT
LA
MA
RO
14
THE LIVERY STABLE AND THE
FIRST CATHOLIC CHURCH
OLD
STEBBINS
HOUSE
ES
OUT OF THE ASHES…
D
S O U T H S TR E ET
1777 BATTLE SITE
LM
13
R OA
THE ELMS
E
AV E N U
27
AD
HO
12
A MUCH-LOVED OLD CHURCH
AND A WATERING TROUGH FOR
HORSES
RY
U
ARNOLD’S WAY
MULVANEY CT
KEELER TAVERN AND THE
“BIG SHOP”
TITICUS: AN INDUSTRIAL
CENTER
O
E R
5
RIDGEFIELD’S COLONIAL PLANS
26
B
7
THE TOWN COMMON AND
HAULEY HOUSE
SETTLER’S ROCK
N
ET
ST
11
MAIN STREET IN
THE LATE 1800S
25
SILVER
GILBER
IE L D
THE VILLAGE IN THE 1900S
BENEDICT ARNOLD’S BETRAYAL
AND LIEUTENANT JOSHUA KING
ENF
10
24
S
THE GOVERNOR’S ESTATE
AND ST. STEPHEN’S CHURCH
GRE
9
BALLARD PARK
23
RT
POU ND S T RE
IDGE
HIGH R
8
THE BATTLE OF RIDGEFIELD,
APRIL 27, 1777
22
A
EET
7
THE ELMS INN AND THE
STEBBINS HOMESTEAD
BE
STR
21
AVE
ALE
L SD
RO
116
NEW
6
SMITH TAVERN—A COLONIAL
MEETING PLACE
HIL
E
AV
ILL
DH
CEMETERY
AN
ISL
26
TITICUS
ILL
SOUTH S T
REET
27
EET
L R OA D
H S
TR
HIL
N O RT
ILL
SETTLER’S
ROCK
T
N S
WM
G TO
OA D
MAPLE SHADE R
SA
H IN
RO
CH
AM
18
BISSELL’S—DESTROYED BY
TWO CONFLAGRATIONS
TO
RIDGEBURY
FA
35
GV
E
AV
THE SPOTTING TOWER AND
RAILROAD WAREHOUSING
CEMETERY
IN
RM
E
MORE OF THE GREAT FIRE…
116
S H I L L R OA
D
TT
17
COPP
E
FAY
3
THE VILLAGE CENTER
IN THE EARLY 1900S
LA
2
BAILEY AVENUE: A SHORT-CUT
TO THE TRAIN STATION
16
E
AV
THE GREAT FIRE OF 1895
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Ridgefield MITS Brochure