Wilton, Connecticut

Wilton, Connecticut
Town
Seal
Location in Fairfield County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°12′05″N 73°26′15″W / 41.20139°N 73.43750°W / 41.20139; -73.43750Coordinates: 41°12′05″N 73°26′15″W / 41.20139°N 73.43750°W / 41.20139; -73.43750
Country	United States
State	Connecticut
NECTA	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk[1]
Region	South Western Region
Incorporated	1802
Government
• Type	Selectman-town meeting
• First selectman	William F. Brennan
Area
• Total	27.4 sq mi (71.0 km2)
• Land	26.9 sq mi (69.8 km2)
• Water	0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2)
Elevation	335 ft (102 m)
Population (2010)[2]
• Total	18,062
• Density	660/sq mi (250/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code	06897
Area code(s)	203
FIPS code	09-86370
GNIS feature ID	0213535
Website	http://www.wiltonct.org/

Wilton is a town nestled in the Norwalk River Valley in southwestern Connecticut in the United States.^[3] It is located in Fairfield County. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 18,062.^[4] In 2007, it was voted as one of CNN Money's "Best Places to Live" in the United States.^[5]

Located along Connecticut's Gold Coast, it is one of the most affluent communities in the United States. According to CNNMoney, Wilton has a median family income of $194,362 and an average home price of $1,006,017, making it one of the most expensive places to live in the country.^[5]

Wilton was officially recognized as a parish in 1726. The original 40 families of the parish began their own Congregational church and were allowed by Norwalk to hire a minister (Robert Sturgeon, who also became the town's first schoolmaster), open schools and build roads. During the Revolutionary War, in 1777 the British used Wilton as an escape route after their successful raid on Danbury. Several homes were burned, but the town remained intact. In 1802, Wilton was granted a Town Charter by the Connecticut General Assembly and became a political entity independent from Norwalk. With a strong anti-slavery sentiment by its residents, Wilton served as a stop on the Underground Railroad.^{[citation needed]}

Today, Wilton, like many other Fairfield County towns, is an expensive residential community with open lands (a testament to its colonial farming roots), historic architecture and extensive town services. Residents commonly commute to New York City, Stamford, and Norwalk, although there are a number of office buildings in town.

AIG Financial Products was headquartered in the town.^[6] Its trading in credit derivatives essentially bankrupted its parent company, AIG, and helped create the global financial crisis of 2008–2009.^[7][8]

History

For more information: History of Wilton, Connecticut

Wilton was classified as a "dry" town until 1993, when the local ordinance was altered to permit the sale of alcoholic beverages in restaurants. The town was then referred to as "damp". On November 5, 2009, a referendum proposal was passed to allow liquor stores. The town Board enacted an ordinance to allow liquor stores to sell alcoholic beverages in 2010, and several stores have since opened.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 27.4 square miles (71 km²), of which 27.0 square miles (70 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km²), or 1.50%, is water, including the South Norwalk Reservoir. Wilton is bordered by Ridgefield to the Northwest, Norwalk to the South, New Canaan to the Southwest, Westport to the Southeast, and Weston and Redding to the Northeast. It is also bordered on the west by the hamlet of Vista in Lewisboro, Westchester County, New York.

The scenic Ridgefield Road offers a look at many historic homes, places, and sights.

The latitude of Wilton is 41.201N. The longitude is -73.438W.

Housing stock and land use

Wilton has, by some estimates, more than 500 restored 18th- and 19th-century homes. "Teardowns have become quite an issue in town," Marilyn Gould, Wilton's second selectman and director of the Wilton Historical Society, told the New York Times in 2005. "People aren't taking down historic houses but the more modest homes that were built in the '50s and '60s," she said. "What that's doing is changing the affordability of the town and the demographic of the town. Wilton used to have a wide demographic of people who worked with their hands - artisans, builders, mechanics. Now its management and upper management."^[9] Between 1999 to 2005, the town's voters endorsed spending $23 million through municipal bonds to preserve land.^[9]

South Norwalk Electric and Water (SNEW) has a reservoir on the western side of town with about 350 acres (1.4 km²) of land (along with another 25 acres (100,000 m²) adjacent in New Canaan). In the fall, hunters with bows and arrows — no more than 10 at a time — are allowed to hunt deer on the Wilton property in order to keep down the number of deer in the area.^[10]

Wilton's town center contains several local restaurants, boutiques, retail stores, a Starbucks, a Stop & Shop, and a four-screen movie theater owned by Bow-Tie Cinemas. These stores were added around 2000 next to the old Wilton Center, which consists of the Wilton Library, the Wilton Post Office, a CVS/Pharmacy, the Old Post Office Square, and the Village Market. In the southern part of town, U.S. Route 7 contains a commercial section.

Neighborhoods

The southwest corner of town includes part of the Silvermine neighborhood (which also extends into New Canaan and Norwalk). Georgetown, which is primarily in Redding and partly in Weston, extends a bit into the northeast corner of town. Other neighborhoods in town are South Wilton, Wilton Center, Gilbert Corners, Cannondale, and North Wilton.

On the National Register of Historic Places

Weir Farm National Historic Site, Wilton

• Cannondale Historic District — Roughly bounded by Cannon, Danbury and Seeley Rds. (added December 12, 1992) Consists of authentic renovated 17th- and 18th-century buildings that were moved to the site. The train station is the only building at the site that was originally built at that location. The site itself does not hold any special historic value.
• David Lambert House — 150 Danbury Rd. (added August 24, 1992)
• Georgetown Historic District, located on the northeast of town.
• Hurlbutt Street School — 157 Hurlbutt St. (added August 25, 1996)
• Marvin Tavern — 405 Danbury Rd. (added May 26, 1984)
• Sloan-Raymond-Fitch House — 224 Danbury Rd. (added May 29, 1982)
• Weir Farm National Historic Site — 735 Nod Hill Road (added November, 1990) located in both Wilton and Ridgefield.
• Wilton Center Historic District — Roughly, area around jct. of Lovers Ln. and Belden Hill and Ridgefield Rds. (added September 19, 1992). The historic district includes 20 buildings and 1 structure over 240 acres (0.97 km²), including the Old Town Hall building and the Wilton Congregational Church buildings.

Demographics

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 17,633 people, 5,923 households, and 4,874 families residing in the town. The population density was 654.3 people per square mile (252.6/km²). There were 6,113 housing units at an average density of 226.8 per square mile (87.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.55% White, 0.60% African American, 0.09% Native American, 2.69% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population.

There were 5,923 households out of which 46.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.4% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.25.

The age distribution is 31.5% under the age of 18, 2.8% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $141,428, and the median income for a family was $158,415. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $61,611 for females. The per capita income for the town was $65,806. About 1.3% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public schools

Modern facilities include two elementary schools (Miller-Driscoll Elementary School (pre-k-2), Cider Mill (3-5) School), one middle school (Middlebrook Middle School (6-8)), and one high school (Wilton High School), which features accelerated classes for gifted students, music and visual arts courses, and a well-appointed resource center. An innovative language laboratory encourages foreign language studies, including French, German, Spanish, Russian and Latin and they are one of the only towns in the country that still offers Classical Greek.

The town of Wilton has 4,151 students who attend pre-K through 12th grade in the 5 schools. The third elementary school (Cider Mill School) teaches 3rd through 5th grade. (Previously, Cider Mill shared 3rd grade classes with Miller/Driscoll due to construction on the school buildings.) The three elementary schools have class sizes ranging from 18 to 22 and a 19 to 1 student/ teacher ratio. The junior high school (Middlebrook) is for grades 6-8 and features interdisciplinary instruction teams in languages and science, mathematics, social studies, computers, art, and gifted student instruction. Class sizes range from 20 to 25 students with a student/teacher ratio of 13 to 1. In the past five years, over 91% of Wilton High School graduates have gone on to colleges and universities. The mean SAT scores at Wilton High School are 584 verbal and 598 math. The schools are supported by an active PTA organization.

Wilton's sports teams have won many FCIAC and state titles, and many individuals have been recognized on those levels as well.

Private schools

There are three private elementary schools in town:

• Connecticut Friends School, a Quaker school, kindergarten through eighth grade
• Our Lady of Fatima, a Catholic school, preschool through eighth grade
• The Montessori School, preschool through eighth grade.

Clubs and organizations

Clubs and civic organizations in town include a Newcomers Club, League of Women Voters, Kiwanis Club, The Wilton Kiwanis youth coalition, senior meal delivery, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, the Wilton Land Conservation Trust, the Wilton Family Y and the Moms Club of Wilton . Cultural amenities include the Wilton Historical Society, a Library Association, an Arts Council, an Audubon Society, the Wilton Singers and the Wilton Playshop.

Wilton Little League

Wilton Little League organizes Little League baseball and softball leagues for boys and girls 5 to 12 years old, including T-ball, Coach Pitch, Machine Pitch, A, AA, AAA, and Majors leagues. Games are played at Miller and Driscoll Elementary Schools,Cider Mill Elementary School, Middlebrook Middle School, and the Wilton YMCA. In post-season summer play, Wilton all-star teams compete in the District 1 Little League tournaments. In 2012, Wilton’s 12-year-old team won their tournament and advanced to state sectionals.^[12]

Events in town

• Minks to Sinks is a large, twice-a-year flea market that benefits Family & Children's Agency , a not-for-profit family serving agency that supports people and families in crisis or transitional moments.
• Cannon Grange, "a kind of 4-H club for adults,"^[9] hosts an annual fair.
• Ambler Farm Day, an annual fall event that spotlights farm activities such as hay rides, apple sling shots, and scarecrow-making contests.
• CNSW Pumpkin Festival, an annual fall festival run by the families of The Community Nursery School of Wilton. Launched in 1984, it features games, pony rides, and entertainment, and is the school's only public fundraiser for local scholarships.

Transportation

Highways

There are several highways that crisscross the town, including U.S. Route 7 and Route 33, which form the main north-south roadways in town. While not passing through any part of Wilton, the Merritt Parkway (Route 15) also serves the town via the Route 33 exit (Exit 41) which is signed for Wilton, as well as the Route 7 exits (Exits 39B & 40B) which are signed for Danbury. Other state highways that run through Wilton are Route 53 and Route 106.

Railroad

The town has two railroad stations: Wilton and Cannondale (a sub-station where tickets are not sold), both part of the Danbury Line of Metro-North Railroad.

Buses

The town is served by "7 Link" bus route of the Norwalk Transit District that runs between Norwalk and Danbury along the Route 7 corridor. A commuter shuttle bus during rush hours is also available between southern Wilton and the South Norwalk railroad station on the New Haven Line.

Commute times

Notable residents

• Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire, writers and illustrators of children's books
• Chance Browne, cartoonist of syndicated comic strip Hi and Lois
• Dave Brubeck, jazz musician^[13]
• Linda Blair, actress^[14]
• David Canary, actor, All My Children^[15]
• Matt Davies, Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist.
• Abby Elliott, actress/comedian^[16]
• Chris Elliott, actor/comedian^[17]
• Ace Frehley, rock guitarist, lived in Wilton in the early 1980s^[18]
• Charles Grodin, actor^[19]
• Johnny Gruelle, artist who created Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy
• June Havoc, actress, who also renovated buildings to create the Cannon Crossing center of small shops. Her sister Gypsy Rose Lee frequently visited her.^[20]
• Daryl Hawk, documentary photographer, explorer
• Sterling Hayden, actor
• Patty Hearst, now known as Patricia Hearst-Shaw, heiress and actress^[21]
• Lydia Hearst-Shaw, supermodel and heiress
• Ira Levin, writer, lived in Wilton in the 1960s and claimed in a March 27, 2007 letter to the New York Times that he based the fictional town of Stepford on Wilton.^[22]
• Kristine Lilly, US Olympic Soccer Team, holds world record for most professional soccer match appearances in history^[23]
• Joe Pantoliano, actor^[24]
• Sarah Phillips, fashion designer^[25]
• Steve Phillips, former NY Mets General Manager and former ESPN baseball analyst
• Charles E. Pont, artist and Baptist minister, lived here from 1958 until his death in 1971.
• Jane Powell (actress) & husband Dickie Moore, child Actor
• Randy Rasmussen, former left guard of the New York Jets for 15 years (1967–1981), started in Super Bowl III^[26]
• John Scofield (not a current resident, but grew up in the town), jazz guitarist
• Frank Sesno, journalist and professor
• Christopher Walken, actor^[27]
• Marcy Walker, actress, lived in Wilton during the early 2000s.^[28]
• Peter J. D'Adamo, ND - creator of the Genotype Diet lives and works in Wilton for several decades (www.dadamo.com).

References

Police station, behind Town Hall on Danbury Road

External links

• Town of Wilton
• Wilton Public Schools
• Town Calendar

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