The Charm of Ridgefield Ridgefield is a picturesque, New England community in western Connecticut that borders Westchester County of New York State. The town combines the best of a rural-residential life style; progressive education and recreation programs; and close proximity to job markets in Fairfield County, Westchester, and New York City. Ridgefield is located 50 miles northeast of New York City, 29 miles northeast of White Plains, 27 miles northeast of Stamford, 8 miles south of Danbury, and 53 miles west of Hartford. The town has been rated #1 among mid-sized towns in Connecticut by Connecticut Magazine. Ridgefield has a population of 23,643 with an annual growth rate of 2.77%, and a land area of 35 square miles. The school enrollment is 4300 students with an average class size of 23 students. The per capita income is $49,000 and the real estate tax rate is 27.58 mils at 70% assessment. Commuters into New York can take a train from Branchville, a section of Ridgefield, or from Katonah, NY. History Ridgefield is noted as the only Connecticut town in which an actual land battle was fought against the British during the Revolutionary War, i.e. the Battle of Ridgefield in 1777. Led by Generals Wooster and Arnold, the Connecticut troops attempted to divert the march of the British from Ridgefield. The British were returning from a munitions raid in Danbury to their ships off the shore of Norwalk. A cannonball can still be found in a beam of the Keeler Tavern, fired by the British during the heat of battle. General Benedict Arnold was almost killed when his horse was shot out from under him. He managed to retrieve a hidden pistol from his boot, however, and shot the British soldier who was about to decapitate him. Ridgefield has evolved in multiple stages over a period of 300 years, each of which has contributed to the present composition of the town. The land area of Ridgefield was purchased by five farmers from the Ramapoo Indians in 1708. Farming became the the primary business in Ridgefield and remained for nearly 250 years into the 1950's. Much of the landscape was characterized by large open spaces, some of which still remains. Recently, considerable acreage in the remaining farm land has been deeded to the State of Connecticut for conservation and recreation purposes. During the mid to late 19th century, Ridgefield become known as a summer resort area, when several wealthy families from New York City began building large "retreat" homes here in order to escape the heat of the City during the summer. Most of the large colonial, Victorian, and Greek revival homes on Main Street were built during this period. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was a significant influx of immigrants from Germany, Ireland, and Italy. These people settled in Ridgefield, built smaller homes, raised families, and continued to prosper here for several generations. During the 1960's and 1970's, there was a great deal of speculative home building in Ridgefield as young families with children moved west and north into northern Fairfield County, seeking better schools, more open space, and better home values. The population of Ridgefield jumped from 9,000 to over 19,000 during this period. Today Ridgefield is still evolving; the types of homes built during the 1980's have diversified to include condominiums as well as single family. The wealth of Ridgefield residents is reflected in the large size of homes built here during the past ten years. Education System The Ridgefield School System, with an enrollment of 4300 students, is highly rated in Connecticut. It consists of three elementary schools (Branchville, Ridgebury, Scotland, and Veterans Park), East Ridge Middle School, Ridgefield High School, and Ridgefield Alternative High School. The percentage of high school graduates that continue into post-secondary education is 92.3. Cultural and Recreational Activities Ridgefield is noted for providing a multiplicity and variety of cultural programs. These include those of the Aldrich Museum, dedicated to contemporary art, the Keeler Tavern Museum, containing furnishings and art of the colonial period, the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, the Ridgefield Workshop for the Performing Arts, and the Ridgefield Guild of Artists. Recreational activities abound in Ridgefield. The Ridgefield Skating Center, a private facility, has provided excellent instruction in the art of skating, both figure and hockey, for over 30 years. Its ice rink is used for training the hockey teams of three high schools in the area. The Ridgefield Recreation Center, run by the Parks and Recreation Commission, offers programs in basketball, dance, gymnastics, karate, tennis, swimming, etc. Ridgefield has four parks- Aldrich, Ballard, Martin, and Veterans- where residents can participate in a variety of sports programs, hiking, and picnicing. Places of Worship Ridgefield is home to a wide range of places of worship, both Christian and Jewish. The social philosophy of Ridgefield is non-discriminatory in terms of race and religion. Its residents support the doctrine of inclusion not exclusion. Health Providers In terms of health providers, Ridgefield residents are serviced by two major hospital systems- Danbury and Norwalk. Medical offices, dental offices, and drug stores are also located in Ridgefield, Bethel, Georgetown, and Wilton. |