Wilton Answer Book – History

When was the town founded and by whom?

Originally a part of the town of Norwalk, Wilton was officially recognized as a parish in 1726. The 40 families of the parish had their own Congregational Church and minister, own schools, and could build their own roads.

In 1802, Wilton was granted a Town Charter by the Connecticut General Assembly and became a separate political entity from Norwalk.

Where did the name come from?

No one knows exactly where the name came from, but some of the earlier settlers were from the Wiltshire area of England. There are three Wiltons in England, so it seems likely Wilton, Conn., was named after one of them.

What are some historic points of interest?

The Wilton Heritage Museum complex (762-7257) at 224 Danbury Road is open Monday through Thursday from 10 to 4:30. This complex features two 18th Century houses with 14 period rooms showing the evolution of style and family life between 1740 and 1910. Connecting the houses is the mid-19th Century Burt Barn, which provides a gallery for changing special exhibitions. Also on the site is the reconstructed Abbott Barn and blacksmith shop.

Lambert House at 150 Danbury Road is the oldest house in town, originally built in 1727. Built by David Lambert I, four generations of this prominent family occupied the house until the 1920’s. The house is part of the historic Lambert Properties at Lambert Corners, the site of nine historic buildings adapted for commercial use.

The Wilton Congregational Church on Ridgefield Road, built in 1790, is the oldest house of worship in Fairfield County.

The Hurlbutt Street Schoolhouse, built in 1834 and named to the National Register of Historic Places, is a private museum of early education. Tours and classes are available by calling 762-9586.

There’s also the Old Town Hall built in 1832 and Cannon Crossing, a pre-Civil War farming village.

For naturalists, visit Weir Farm, Connecticut’s only national historic site, and Ambler Farm at 257 Hurlbutt Street, a town-owned open space area of 22 acres featuring two 18th Century homes, two 19th Century barns, and Wilton’s last extant ice house.

Is any place in Wilton on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes. On the National Register are the Hurlbutt Street School, the Raymond-Fitch House, the Lambert House, and the Marvin Tavern, adjacent to Wilton High School. In addition, the area around the Congregational Church is on the register. The Cannondale Neighborhood and a portion of Georgetown comprise two large historic districts, also on the Register.

What are the oldest houses in town?

These include the Lambert House, Betts-Sturges-Blackmar House, the Raymond-Fitch House, and many other 18th and 19th Century homes sprinkled throughout town. An architectural survey says Wilton has more than 300 houses dating to the 18th and 19th centuries.

Are there any town histories?

A definitive town history is Wilton Connecticut: Three Centuries of People, Places and Progress, by Robert H. Russell. It is available for purchase at the Wilton Historical Society or the Wilton Library.

The History Room in the Wilton Library has copies of Annals of Wilton: Wilton Village, A History, written by Wilton Bulletin founder G. Evans Hubbard. It carries the town’s history up to the late 18th Century. Mr. Hubbard died in the early 1950s and although his narrative was incomplete, Acorn Press published the book, which ends in mid-sentence.

Also out of print but available to read in the library’s History Room is David Herman Van Hoosear’s Annals of Wilton: Wilton Localities, published in 1940, which tells about the town’s many old neighborhoods.

In the 1950s, Stowell Rounds compiled a book on Wilton, called A Connecticut Town Names Its Roads, but it, too, is out of print. Copies are in the History Room.

Cannondale: A Connecticut Neighborhood tells the tale of this historic section of Wilton. Copies may be found in the library’s History Room and purchased at the Wilton Heritage Museum.

A book by Norman F. Boas is Nod Hill: Reminiscences, about the history of Nod Hill Road. It may be purchased at the Wilton Library.

What is the story of Cannondale Village?

Cannondale’s name and the Cannon Village section of Wilton originated with the prominence of the Cannon family in 19th Century Wilton. The Cannon Store started in 1790 and by the middle of the 19th Century, the area surrounding it was referred to as Cannon or Cannon’s.

The opening of a train station and later a post office led to the name Cannon’s Station. Constant confusion with Canaan, Conn., led Samuel Miller to petition to have Cannon’s name changed to Cannondale in 1915.

Does Wilton have a town historian?

Carol M. Russell is the current town historian. Town historians  promote awareness of a town’s heritage and update the town’s historical record. Last year, duties included responding to questions on local history, assisting those researching the town’s history, speaking to local groups and updating historical records.

Where are the town’s historical records?

Town records are in the town clerk’s office in Town Hall; call Town Clerk Bettye Ragognetti at 563-0106 for access to them. The Wilton Historical Society’s archives are in the Wilton History Room in the Wilton Library; call the library at 762-3950.

Who oversees the town’s historic districts?

The Historic District and Historic Property Commission oversees and monitors the five historic districts, following guidelines developed by the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior. The chairwoman is Janet Foster (762-0850).

What are the historic districts in town?

District #1: The Lambert Corners houses, stores and land at 150 Danbury Road.

District #2: Properties of and around the Congregational Church at 70 Ridgefield Road; 11 Belden Hill Road; 65, 67, 70, 77, 80, 98, and 108 Ridgefield Road; and 16 Deacon’s Lane.

District #3: Has been combined with District #5.

District #4: The Hurlbutt Street Schoolhouse at 157 Hurlbutt Street.

District #5: The Wilton Historical Society Museum Complex at 224 Danbury Road.

District # 6: Georgetown Neighborhood including Church Street, West Church Street, and Redding Road.

Do any laws protect old houses?

Wilton has a Demolition Delay Ordinance that requires any person wishing to demolish a building larger than 500 square feet and over 50 years old to apply for a demolition permit from the building department. The applicant must post a notice of “intent to demolish” sign for 15 days and the building department will publish a legal notice. The building may be demolished at the end of the 15 days unless an objection has been filed with the department, which will result in a required 90-day delay. This gives an opportunity for anyone interested in salvaging the building or its contents to negotiate with the owner.  This ordinance does not prevent demolition; it simply delays it, allowing a possible rescue. There have been several successful results.

The Planning & Zoning Adaptive Use Regulation allows business use in older homes in a residential zone and thus provides for additional protection of old houses.

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