6 Interesting Things About Historic Ridgefield You Might Not Know

While visiting this year’s American Craftsmen Show you may want to explore historic Ridgefield. While you are visiting the finest art show for traditional and handmade arts and crafts, you will also be visiting part of American history. Here are 6 interesting things about Ridgefield’s history you may not be aware of:

Ridgefield was first settled by English colonists from Norwalk and Milford in 1708, when a group of settlers purchased land from Chief Catoonah (also known as Chief Katonah) of the Ramapo tribe.

One of the earliest Ridgefield entrepreneurs was Timothy Keeler, who had converted his home, now the Keeler Tavern Museum, into a tavern in 1772. It was fired upon by the British during the Battle of Ridgefield, April 27, 1777.

The most notable 18th century Ridgefield, CT event was the Battle of Ridgefield on April 27, 1777. This American Revolutionary War skirmish involved a small colonial militia force (state militia and some Continental Army soldiers), led by, among others, General David Wooster, who died in the engagement, and Benedict Arnold, whose horse was shot from under him.

Among the important Ridgefield families in the 19th century were the Rockwells and Lounsburys, which intermarried. They produced two Connecticut governors, George Lounsbury and Phineas Lounsbury. The Ridgefield Veterans Memorial Community Center on Main Street, also called the Lounsbury House, was built by Gov. Phineas Chapman Lounsbury around 1896 as his primary residence

In 1966 parts of Ridgefield, CT were designated a state and local Historic District and in 1984 a National Historic District. This Historic District is administered by the Ridgefield Historic District Commission.

In 1946, Ridgefield was one of the locations considered for the United Nations secretariat building, but was not chosen due to its relative inaccessibility.

The American Craftsmen Show thanks http://ridgefieldhistory.com/ and  http://www.ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org/ for information about the history of Ridgefield, CT.