Ridgefield, Connecticut
Welcome to Ridgefield's History Trail!Ridgefield, Connecticut - 1708The Fundamental Orders adopted by Connecticut in 1639 directed 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 in Ridgefield. On September 30, 1708 a group of inhabitants from Norwalk and Milford, Connecticut purchased a parcel of land called Caudatowa, or "high land", from the resident Ramapo tribe for one hundred pounds. This parcel and additional acreage purchased from the tribe became the town the original "proprietors" named Ridgefield. The original 24 proprietors received 7 ½-acre home lots, with a 25th reserved for the minister, located up and down Main Street from a Common where a Meeting House was built. Small, close knit and agrarian Ridgefield lived under the watchful eye of Congregational minister Thomas Hauley, who also served as schoolmaster and town clerk.
During the American Revolution Ridgefield was the site of the Connecticut's largest land engagement with the British Army. On April 27, 1777 American patriots under General Benedict Arnold engaged the British forces on their retreat back to Long Island Sound after having sacked Danbury and burned the Continental Army's supplies which had been stored there.
In the early the 1800's commerce grew in town with the building of various mills and the establishment of hatters, tailors, carpenters, weavers, silversmiths and shoemakers. The 19th century also saw the birth of industry with the Resseguie and Olmstead carriage "manufactory" called the Big Shop, which was located on Main Street at the site of the current Congregational Church building. Other 19th century manufacturers made candlesticks, furniture and shirts. As they flourished, owners began to enlarge their homes or build new ones and the face of Main Street began to change. Main Street was improved and the land of the town common was divided up among abutting property owners.
After the Civil War a number of prominent new Yorkers eager to summer away from the city began building mansion-sized summer residences on South Main Street and on East and High Ridge. By the end of the century the town also boasted a number of very large estates whose owners and servants arrived at the town's depot on trains coming into the village from the Branchville-Danbury. From there, chauffeurs took them to their country homes. At this time a significant number of Italian immigrants immigrated to Ridgefield to work on these estates. Most of these families remained in Ridgefield throughout the 20th century and made a significant impact on the community both culturally and economically.
Today the railroad line, the town common and the original Congregational Church are gone. The Big Shop remains, as do many of the large homes that have graced Main Street since the late 1800's. In 1966 much of the area originally settled in 1708 was designated a state and local Historic District and in 1984 a National Historic District.
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