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WILTON CONNECTICUT
Three Centuries of People, Places, and Progress
A comprehensive history of Wilton, CT written by Robert H. Russell
Wilton began three hundred years ago as part of Norwalk, its larger neighbor to the south. Norwalk was settled in 1651 by Englishmen from Hartford anxious to block any eastward expansion from the Dutch in New Amsterdam. In the 1670s and 1680s, Norwalk relocated its few remaining Native Americans to the "Indian Field" located on Chestnut Hill in present-day Wilton.
The first white settlers, the Jonathan Wood family, came in 1706 to what was then known as Pimpewaug. This name was fortunately changed in 1726 when thirty-one families formed Wilton Parish within Norwalk. Wilton became a separate town in 1802.
Wilton residents enjoyed their close-knit self-sufficient community for several generations until the coming of the railroad in 1852 connected them to the rest of the country and changed their lives. After the Civil War, many moved to the wide expanses of the West or to the cities for better opportunities. Wilton entered a long period of stagnation.
City folks soon discovered Wilton as a quiet and healthful summer home alternative to the noise and smoke of the metropolis. By the opening of the twentieth century, families began to come to Wilton full-time and men commuted to the city by train. This led to inevitable clashes between newcomers with a desire for modern improvements and those who did not want change.
The final stage in Wilton's development occurred after World War II. The demand for housing in the entire New York City region caused farms to rapidly disappear, replaced by homes, schools, commercial development, and traffic.
As this story develops throughout the book, you will meet the early pioneers, the Revolutionary patriots, the Gold Rush prospectors, and other fascinating people who have helped to build the Wilton of today.
Background: Although a quiet town for much of its life, Wilton has had a rich history. Until several years ago, however, there had never been a comprehensive history of Wilton published.
In 2000 Robert (Bob) H. Russell, a retired business executive and former town first selectman took on the project of completing the first published history of Wilton, CT. The effort was sponsored by the Wilton Historical Society. A great deal of research went into compiling the “story”. Bob used many sources for his work, including research done by previous historians, newspaper archives, other publications, and personal interviews. In 2004 the book, Wilton Connecticut – Three Centuries of People, Places and Progress, the first comprehensive history of Wilton was published.
Christopher Collier, Connecticut State Historian and a Wilton native, said this in his forward to the book;
“To me, it was just a great place to grow up. But Robert Russell’s portrayal of the lives and times of Wilton and its residents provides context for my life and times there. It will do the same for everyone who lives there now or ever has lived there.”
Robert H. Russell: Bob is a graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University. His thirty-five year business career with IBM was followed by six years as First Selectman (Mayor) of Wilton. With a lifelong interest in history, he has long felt the need for a published history of Wilton, his adopted hometown for over thirty-five years.
Book Availability: Bob's book makes an excellent gift, especially for family and friends that are living away from Wilton. Of course it's good reading those still enjoying life in Wilton. It is available for purchase ($35) at the Wilton Historical Society gift shop and the Wilton Library.
