About the Wilton, Connecticut Area
 

Wilton is 55 miles from midtown Manhattan and is within easy driving distance of Norwalk, other major Connecticut business centers and Westchester County, New York.

The Town is accessible from Routes 7, 33, and 106. It is an hour from Grand Central Station on the New Haven Line of Metro-North Railroad; LaGuardia, Kennedy and Westchester County airports are all within a convenient distance.

HISTORY

Yesterday and Today - Wilton's earliest residents were migratory Indians who trekked along the old Paugusset or Berkshire Trail, which today is U.S. Route 7.

In 1651 a group of settlers from Windsor led by Richard Olmstead and Nathaniel Ely purchased land from Roger Ludlow who had earlier bought the land from an Indian Sachem. Called Norwalk, it included Wilton and parts of New Canaan and Westport and extended "as far as a man could walk from sunrise to sunset," according to the original deed.

Norwalk was wilderness until the descendants of the original proprietors cleared land and established farms in the late 17th century. By 1720, 40 families had established homesteads along the Norwalk River valley and its outer ridges. These families were granted privileges in 1726 in the newly named parish of Wilton.

The Revolution and the Battle of Ridgefield in 1777 brought retreating British troops through town. Fires were set and homes were ransacked.

The Third Congregational Church, built on the road to Ridgefield in 1790, is still the oldest surviving house of worship in Fairfield County.

In 1802, the Connecticut General Assembly granted Wilton a Town Charter. At the time the community was primarily agricultural, but in 1852 the railroad opened the River valley to New York City commuters and tourists.

Today, Wilton is a pleasant mix of small and large business activity amid quiet rural landscapes.

Wilton's famous residents have included 19th century Impressionist painter J. Alden Weir and Johnny Gruell, creator of the Raggedy Ann and Andy children's books.

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 let to the name Cannon's Station. Constant confusion with Canaan, Connecticut, led Samuel Miller to petition to have Cannon's name changed to Cannondale in 1915.

There are no complete town histories, but the History Room in the Wilton Library has the only copies of Hubbard's History. The book was written by Wilton Bulletin founder G. Evans Hubbard and carries the town's history up to the late 18th Century. Mr. Hubbard died in the early 1940's and although his narrative was incomplete, Acorn Press published the book, which ends in mid-sentence. The book, "Cannondale: A Connecticut Neighborhood", tells the tale of this historic section of Wilton. Copies can be found in the library's History Room and purchased at the Wilton Heritage Museum.

The oldest houses in town include the Lambert House, Blackmar House, the Wilton Heritage Museum, as well as many other 18th and 19th century homes sprinkled throughout town. According to a 1898 architectural survey, Wilton probably has more than 200 houses dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

Today - With the charm of a quaint New England town and the conveniences of suburban living, Wilton has been distinguished by "Connecticut Magazine" as on of "The Top" small towns in Connecticut. Originally a farming community rich in heritage, Wilton's rural character is visible by its wooded hillsides, rippling streams, tranquil ponds and ancient stone walls. Approximately 16,000 Wiltonians reside within the 27 square miles, representing just over 5,500 households and a school district of approximately 2,800 students.

Situated along the Norwalk River valley, Wilton is characterized as a town renowned for its fine schools. Two elementary schools (Grades K-2), two middle schools (Grades 3-5) and (Grades 6-8), and one high school (Grades 9-12) are the cornerstone for an exceptional public school system. In addition, the town has a parochial school (Grades K-8) and a private day school (Grades K-8).

Commuters find the destinations of Fairfield and Westchester Counties as well as New York City easily accessible by road or rail. To the south, the Route 7 Connector links Wilton to both the Merrit Parkway and Interstate 95. Wilton Main and Cannondale railroad stations provide Metro-North trains to Grand Central Station with the advantage of free parking without special permits.

A variety of styles and architectures are available throughout the town with the majority of residential properties zoned for one or two acres. Condominium and planned residential community living are also available.

Secluded fro the Route 7 corridor, Wilton Center is the hear of the business district. A variety of services, stores and restaurants are represented within the town center while many boutiques and antique shops are also located in Wilton's Georgetown and Cannon Crossing retail areas.

The town offers community sports, fitness and recreational programs as well as several private clubs and sports facilities. Wilton youths enjoy many community opportunities for organized sports and fine arts experiences. The Wilton Family Y is also noted for its nationally recognized swim team, and serves as a focal point for activities. Weir Farm is the only National Historic Site in Connecticut.

In the past and in the future, Wilton is a town of growth and prosperity, with a long-range plan to preserve its rural character and enhance the quality of life for its residents.

WILTON TOWN PROFILE

Nestled in the Norwalk River Valley in western Connecticut, Wilton is a quiet, beautiful town full of wooded hillside, ancient stone walls, rippling streams and open meadows.

Rich in heritage, Wilton features many historic buildings and landmarks plus some unique local businesses. It is home to modern research centers and corporate headquarters. In Wilton, old meets new in a pleasant mix of America's past and present.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Wilton's 15,989 residents live in an area of 27 square miles in just over 5,500 households. Many are single family residences, though there are some condominiums and apartments.

Per capita income is approximately $31,500, which is nearly twice the State's average. Recently, Connecticut Magazine named Wilton the top overall town in its size group.

In 1992 Wilton voters approved the sale of liquor in restaurants, repealing prohibition rules that existed since the 1930's.

TRANSPORTATION

Wilton is 55 miles from midtown Manhattan and is within easy driving distance of Norwalk, other major Connecticut business centers and Westchester County, New York.

The Town is accessible from Routes 7, 33, and 106. It is an hour from Grand Central Station on the New Haven Line of Metro-North Railroad; LaGuardia, Kennedy and Westchester County airports are all within a convenient distance.

EDUCATION

Public Education

• Class Size / Enrollment - The district consists of five schools built between 1950 and 1971. They are: Tilford W. Miller and Ina E. Driscoll Elementary Schools, which house approximately 1,200 students each in kindergarten through grade three; Cider Mill School, with 1,400 students in grades four through six; and Middlebrook School with 900 students in grades nine through twelve.

  The Board of Education administrative offices for the district are located at Wilton High School.

• Community and post-Graduation Plans - Due to the suburban nature of the community, the high educational level attained by the parents, the orientation of many parents to the professions, arts, business management, and the high educational aspirations of the students, the community expects excellent programs from its schools and provides strong financial, moral and volunteer support for education. About 90% of the graduation seniors go on to four-year colleges or other kinds of educational institutions each year.

• Staffing and Qualifications - Professionally certified staff members serve in 2288 positions. Of this group, approximately 173 are classroom teachers and art, music, and physical education specialists, and 13 provide building supervisory and district-level administrative services. The remaining positions include full-time media specialist in each of the library resource centers, special learning disabilities teachers, reading teachers, guidance counselors, school psychologists, speech therapists, and a social worker.

  Nursing services are provided through the Public Health Nursing Association. There are also para-professional, aide, secretarial, maintenance, custodial, and transportation positions in the system.

  The professional staff is highly qualified in terms of training and experience with 90% of the staff having six or more years of classroom teaching experience. Over 88% of the teachers have completed a master's degree or a sixth-year program in their field and seven have earned a doctoral degree. The average number of years for a teacher in the Wilton system is approximately fifteen years.

• Programs - The Wilton schools provide a strong, basic instructional program in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies at all grade levels. Provision is made for individual student interests and needs through favorable staffing ratios and specialized supportive staff, expanded program offerings, and constantly updated instructional methods. Each year the district engages in formal reviews in one or more curriculum areas.

  A Kindergarten Orientation Program is offered each spring to smooth the transition for the students and to enable the staff to make specific for them prior to the opening of the school year. In September 1985 an optional extended day program for kindergarten students began. Following an initial student screening and teach planning period in students have the opportunity to stay on a school two afternoons a week. For this purpose, each class is divided in half and each group is assigned to a regular two-afternoon schedule.

  An elective program beginning at the middle-school level is expanded through the high-school years with quarter and semester offerings affording students a wide choice of content in the basic subject areas, as well as opportunities to specialize.

  Six-year language sequences are offered in French and Spanish, with shorter sequences in Latin, Russian, and German. Language laboratories are provided at Middlebrook School and High School to complement the classroom instruction.

  In the science program, a process approach is used throughout the district, encouraging the student to inquire for himself. New curricula and materials, such as those developed for the Elementary Science Study, the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study, and the Science Curriculum Improvement Study, are used in the program at all levels.

  Prior to third grade, students are familiarized with computers. In grades three through six they are taken through a computer literacy course. In grades seven and eight, computers are used for science and math applications and computer based language arts and study skills courses are offered. In grades nice through twelve, computers are used as adjuncts in the math and science deparments. In addition, Computer Science I and II (in BASIC language) and a course in Pascal are offered.

  A program in art and music taught by specialists is offered at all levels. At every grade level, student displays and performances are open to the community, with an annual Arts Festival offered at the High School incorporating the practical arts and dramatics as well as music.

  Libraries in all schools are set up as media centers to support the instructional program with audiovisual equipment and software of all kinds. A dial-access system has been incorporated in the High School Resource Center to provide a classroom or individual students with audio and videotaped programs.

  Physical education is required at all levels. To graduate from Wilton High School, students must complete at least three semesters of physical education. There are several intramural sports offered before and after regular school hours to interested students in grades four through twelve.

  In addition to the usual business-education, industrial-arts, and home-arts offerings at the middle-school and high-school levels, Wilton offers a cooperative work-study program enabling a student to relate his/her school work to on-the-job training. The High School also has an evening alternative program for students sixteen years or older. Upon recommendations of the High School faculty, students may participate in this program which enables them to work full-time and attend school from 6 pm to 9:30 pm, four evenings a week.

  Advanced placement courses are offered in English, math, biology, chemistry, and American history. The High School also offers an Independent Study Program as an elective.

  A program for gifted children in grades four through eight and grades eleven and twelve is provided on an optional basis for those students who have been identified as meeting various criteria. Criteria used are: IQ scores, classroom work, teacher recommendations, and achievement test results.

  A professionally-staffed special education program begins at the preschool level and is continued in each of the schools. Although attending special classes, these students participate in regular classroom activities whenever possible. All of the schools also provide remedial instruction and speech and hearing programs. Those students with sever disabilities who cannot be served in the town are placed in special schools elsewhere. All special needs children are evaluated by a Central Planning and Placement Team.

  School offerings are supplemented at all grade levels by drawing on the community. Enrichment activities are many and varied, including cultural performances sponsored by Young Horizons, demonstrations of the past by the Wilton Historical Society, and information on the election process by the League of Women Voters. The Parent-Teacher Associations are very active. They coordinate a large group of volunteers who help in the classrooms and the libraries, perform clerical duties, act as bus monitors, and help with parties and field trips. They also publish student and / or parent newsletters in each school. The PTA Art Appreciation Program trains volunteers who present and and analyze phot-reproductions or slides with classroom groups. Additional PTA programs are "People Who Share", which maintains a file of people in the community with specific talents and expertise which they re willing to share with students; a Music Appreciation Program; a program to teach young people to understand the handicapped; the River Study Program which trains parent volunteers to teach fifth grade students about the geology, history and ecology of the Norwalk River.

Miscellaneous Facts and Services

Adult Education - A variety of evening programs for adults plus a few daytime courses, including those required by state law and those for which there is popular demand, are offered during three terms in the course of the school year. A course bulletin is mailed to residents of Wilton prior to each term. Further information is available for the Adult Education Coordinator.

Private Elementary/Secondary Schools

• Landmark Academy
  203-544-9391
  Serves preschool through middle school grades.

• Our Lady of Fatima
  203-762-8100
  A Catholic school for grades K-8. The later has an all-day kindergarten.

• St. Luke's
  203-966-5612
  Grades 5-12

• New Canaan Country School
  203-972-0771
  Grades K-9 in New Canaan

• Fairfield Prep
  203-254-4000
  A boys-only Catholic high school run by Jesuits.

• Wooster School
  203-743-6311
  Grades K-12

• Immaculate High School
  203-744-1510
  A Catholic coed high school.

Daycare Facilities

The child care information line in Norwalk at 203-853-2525 will provide you with a list and phone numbers for all of the day care centers in Wilton and surrounding towns. Currently three full day care centers are in Wilton:

• The Wilton Children's Center
  203-762-0663
  Run by the Wilton Y at Comstock Community Center,
  180 School Road.

• Homespun Childcare
  203-762-2863
  Located at 436 Danbury Road, Wilton CT

• Tuesday's Child
  203-834-2616
  Located at the Wilton Episcopal Presbyterian Church
  Complex. 48 New Canaan Road

There are also licensed home day care givers in Wilton.

Nursery Schools

There are eight nursery schools in Wilton.

• Homespun Learning Environmental Ltd.
  203-762-2863

• Landmark Academy
  203-544-9391

• Mitten Hill Nursery School
  203-834-0725

• Montessori School
  203-834-0400

• Notre Dame Child Development Center
  203-762-9373

• Wilton community Nursery School Inc.
  203-762-8001

• Wilton Montessori
  203-834-1011

• Zion's Hill Preschool Program
  203-762-9620

• Wilton High School Preschool
  203-762-0381

• Wilton Y
  203-762-8384

Extra Curricular Activities

High school activities include:

• Cheerleading
• Computer Club
• Debate Club
• Drama Club
• Drama Productions
• Echelon (yearbook)
• Ecology Club
• Foreign Language Club
• Forum (newspaper)
• Key Club
• Literary Club
• Long-Rang Planning Team
• Math Club
• Mountaineering Club
• Open Arts Studio
• Prevention
• Student Government
• Varsity Club
• Weight Training

Sports

There are interscholastic varsity teams for all the high schools sports. Some also offer junior varsity and/or freshman teams. Sports which offer teams at all three levels include (both boys and girls):

• Soccer
• Outdoor Track
• Indoor Track
• Cross Country
• Lacrosse
• Wrestling
• Volleyball

Sports with just varsity teams are (both boys and girls):

• Tennis
• Swimming
• Ski Teams
• Ice Hockey
• Gymnastics
• Golf

ORGANIZATIONS

• Athletic Organizations For Adults

  • Wilton Athletic and Social Club, Inc.

• Athletic and Other Organizations For Youths

  • Boy Scouts of America

  • Door II and Door II Junior High

• Town Recreation

  • Fairfield County Student Operetta Workshop, Inc.
  • 4-H Club
  • Girl Scouts of America
  • Norwalk Youth Symphony
  • Phone-A-Friend
  • Safe Rides
  • Samuel Comstock Fife and Drum Corps. Inc.
  • Wilton Children's Theatre
  • Wilton Lacrosse Association
  • Wilton Little League
  • Wilton Pony Club
  • Wilton Pop Warner Football Association
  • Wilton Skating Association
  • Wilton Soccer Association
  • Wilton Student Summer Playshop

  • Wilton Youth Action Committee

• Organizations Related To The Schools

  • American Field Service International Scholarships
  • Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA)
  • Wilton Associations for Gifted and Talented
  • Wilton High School Scholarship Committee

  • Young Employment Services of Wilton, Inc. Y.E.S.

• Civic, Service, and Social Cultural Organizations

  • Adult Center
  • AID Animals in Distress
  • American Legion
  • Ark Lodge (#39), A.F. and A.M. of the Masons
  • Bereaved Parents
  • Camden Project
  • Cannon Grange
  • Daughters of the American Revolution
  • Encore Club
  • Georgetown Community Association
  • Georgetown Volunteer Fire Department
  • Golden Age Club
  • Hurlbutt Street School House, Inc.
  • Interfaith Council, Inc.
  • International Hospitality Committee of Fairfield County
  • Kiwanis Club
  • Lions Club
  • Rotary Club of Wilton
  • R.S.V.P. Retired Senior Volunteer Personnel
  • Telephone Reassurance Service
  • Turnover Shop of Wilton, Inc.
  • United Way of Wilton, Inc.
  • Villagers
  • Volunteer Action Committee, V.A.C.
  • Wilton League of Women Voters
  • Wilton Newcomer's Club, Inc.
  • Wilton Orchestra
  • Wilton Salvation Army
  • Wilton United Nations Committee
  • Wilton Volunteer Fire Department
  • Wilton Women's Club, Inc.
  • Women's Center of Greater Danbury, Inc.
  • Women's Crisis Center, Inc.

  • Women's Republican Club

• Health And Welfare Organizations

  • Alcoholics Anonymous
  • Alcoholism Council of Mid-Fairfield County, Inc.
  • American Red Cross
  • Family and Children's Aid, Inc.
  • FISH, Inc.
  • La Leche League of Wilton-Westport
  • Meals on Wheels
  • Mid-Fairfield Child Guidance Center
  • Mid-Fairfield Hospice
  • Society to Advance the Retarded and Handicapped, STAR

  • Wilton Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

• Environmental, Conservation, and Nature Organizations
  

  • Citizens for Balanced Environment and Transportation Foundation
  • Pace (People for Environmental Awareness, Conservation & Ecology)
  • Weir Preserve
  • Wilton Historical Society
  • Wilton Garden Club
  • Wilton Land Conservation Trust
  • Wilton Trails Associations

  • Woodcock Nature Center

• The Wilton Family Y

  The Wilton Family Y is a community service organization that offers a wide range of health, wellness and recreational programs for its members and area residents.

  The Y recently doubled the size of its facility with a major building expansion project. The Y offers swimming lessons, advanced aquatics, water-polo, competitive swim teams and a 25-yard indoor pool and 50 meter indoor/outdoor pool. A freshwater pond/beach/pavilion complex is also available.

  Other offerings include a full gymnasium, adult fitness center, racquetball, squash and paddle tennis courts many program activity rooms, outdoor playgrounds and fields, and a spacious community area in the main lobby.

  The Y also maintains two of the Town's Little League baseball fields on the property.

  The Wilton Y has over 5,000 members who live or work in Wilton and the surrounding communities. Family, adult and youth memberships are available on an annual or summer-only basis. Corporate memberships and daily guest fees are also offered.

  The activity rooms and outdoor grounds are available for rent, and are ideal spots for community groups, corporate picnics and birthday parties. It is open 360 days a year.

RECREATION

• Comstock Community Center

  • Preschool & Youth Programs: fine & performing arts, athletics, story time, parent-child activities.

  • Youth & Teen Programs: karate, athletics, dances.

  • Adult Programs: fine arts, crafts, athletics, bridge, fitness, dance, golf.

  • Senior Programs: line dancing, chorus, yoga, bridge, computers, movie club, crafts, 55 Alive / Mature Driving

• Private Organizations

  • Children's Theater
  • Pony Club
  • Trails Association

  • Wilton Playshop

• Special Events

  • Halloween Event: ages 3 - 10

  • Hay ride with Santa: children ages 2 - 10 & their families. Reservations required.

  • Polar Bear Club & March Vacation Camp: vacation camp for children ages 5 -10 years, games, crafts, sports, field trips.

  • Thanksgiving Day Luncheon: seniors turkey feast.

  • Holiday Luncheon: seniors entertainment.

• Special Locations/Activities

  • Town Forest: walking and bridle trails, camping
  • Bradley Park: trails, boardwalk, wetlands
  • Cherry Lane Park: trails, pond and picnicking
  • Quarry Head: trails, scenic overlook
  • Wild Duck Reserve: trails and nature study
  • Schenck's Island: trails, picnicking, river

  • Horseshoe Park: trails, pond, birding

• Public Tennis Courts

  • Eight courts are on Route 7 next to the high school and four behind Middlebrook School on School Road. Season passes are required from Memorial Day to Labor Day to use the Route 7 courts.

• Private Tennis Courts

  • The Four Seasons Racquet Club
    203-762-2423

  • Lake Club Inc. on Thayer Pond Road
    203-762-7646

  • Both are private and require membership. The same holds true for other clubs outside Wilton including: the Ridgefield Tennis Club and Sugar Hollow Tennis Club. There's also the Norwalk Racquet Club and New Canaan Racquet Club.

• Wilton Family Y
  404 Danbury Road
  203-762-8384

  • Programs: swimming, aquatic classes, swim team, nursery school, preschool activities, fitness, after school childcare, wellness workshops, sports, rehabilitative programs, summer camp.

• Woodcock Nature Center
  56 Deer Run Road
  203-762-7280

  • Hiking: 2 miles of trails & swamp boardwalk

  • Interpretive Center: classroom areas, exhibits, book/gift store.

  • Programs: botany walks, birding, geology lectures, Adult Outing Club, senior day trips, and outdoor recreation.

  • Summer Camp: hikes, games, specimen collection & nature crafts. Ages 4 - 10

• Weir Farm

  • Located on Nod Hill Road on the Wilton/Ridgefield border, Weir Farm is Connecticut's first national park, and the only park in the country dedicated to an American painter.

  • The Farm was the summer home and workplace of Impressionist painter J. Alden Weir (1852 - 1919). Originally over 200 acres, the Farm inspired many of Weir's finest works and those of other leading artists, including Childe Hassam, H.J. Twachtman, John Singer Sargent, and Albert Pinkham Ryder. Today the Farm is a remarkable intact historic site whose gentle landscape has inspired artists continuously for over a century, from Weir to sculptor Mahonri Young and the current resident artist, Sperry Andrews.

  • Visitors can tour Weir's studio and walk through 57 acres of rolling meadows and woods, historic farmhouses, barns and other outbuildings. A new historic painting sites trail allows guests to view the actual locations depicted in several of Weir's paintings.

  • The Weir Farm Heritage Trusts, formed to save the farm from development, is dedicated to preserving Weir Farm in partnership with the National Park Service.

  • The Trust sponsors cultural programs including art classes, lectures, exhibitions and a Visiting Artist program. Future plans include establishing artists-in-residence program, whereby artists can live and work at the Farm, and build an art collection for the site.

  • There is a park volunteer program with regular training sessions. Studio tours are offered Wednesday through Friday at 10 AM. Reservations are required for groups. For reservations and visitor center hours, please call 203-834-1896. For more information of the Trust's programs call 203-761-9945.