114-471: Ridgefield may refer to: Places [ edit ] Ridgefield, Connecticut , a New England town Ridgefield (CDP), Connecticut , a village in the town of Ridgefield Ridgefield Playhouse , a theater located in Ridgefield Ridgefield, New Jersey Ridgefield Park, New Jersey Ridgefield Township, New Jersey Ridgefield, Washington ,
228-705: A 42-acre (17 ha) turn-of-the-20th-century estate on West Mountain that was once home to the Congregation de Notre Dame. There are also various preschools and a Montessori school. Ridgefield is predominantly made up of 19 encompassing neighborhoods. Ridgefield, Main Street, Branchville, Titicus, Farmingville, Ridgebury, Topstone, West Mountain, Cooper Hill, Ramapoo, Route 7, Georgetown, Deer Run, Peaceable Hill, Quail Ride, Westmoreland, Twixt Hills, Long Ridge, and Starrs/Picketts Ridge. See: List of people from Ridgefield, Connecticut Benedict Arnold This monument
342-465: A camp south of Stillwater . He then distinguished himself in both Battles of Saratoga , even though General Gates removed him from field command after the first battle, following a series of escalating disagreements and disputes that culminated in a shouting match. During the fighting in the second battle, Arnold disobeyed Gates' orders and took to the battlefield to lead attacks on the British defenses. He
456-531: A change accelerated by his marriage to the very young, very pretty, very Tory Peggy Shippen? Wetherell says that the shortest explanation for his treason is that he "married the wrong person". Arnold had been badly wounded twice in battle and had lost his business in Connecticut, which made him profoundly bitter. He grew resentful of several rival and younger generals who had been promoted ahead of him and given honors which he thought he deserved. Especially galling
570-564: A city in Clark County, Washington Ridgefield Township, Huron County, Ohio Other uses [ edit ] Battle of Ridgefield , a battle in the American Revolution Ridgefield High School (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Ridgefield . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
684-495: A coded letter from André with Clinton's final offer: £20,000 (equivalent to £3,353,000 in 2023) and no indemnification for his losses. Neither side knew for some days that the other was in agreement with that offer, due to difficulties in getting the messages across the lines. Arnold's letters continued to detail Washington's troop movements and provide information about French reinforcements that were being organized. On August 25, Peggy finally delivered to him Clinton's agreement to
798-624: A difficult passage in which 300 men turned back and another 200 died en route. He and his men were joined by Richard Montgomery 's small army and participated in the December 31 assault on Quebec City in which Montgomery was killed and Arnold's leg was shattered. His chaplain Rev. Samuel Spring carried him to the makeshift hospital at the Hôtel Dieu. Arnold was promoted to brigadier general for his role in reaching Quebec, and he maintained an ineffectual siege of
912-403: A discussion on the types of assistance and intelligence that Arnold might provide, and included instructions for how to communicate in the future. Letters were to be passed through the women's circle that Peggy Arnold was a part of, but only Peggy would be aware that some letters contained instructions that were to be passed on to André, written in both code and invisible ink , using Stansbury as
1026-545: A few miles downriver from the town where he had grown up. In the winter of 1782, he and Peggy moved to London . He was well received by King George III and the Tories but frowned upon by the Whigs and most British Army officers. In 1787, he moved to Canada to run a merchant business with his sons Richard and Henry. He was extremely unpopular there and returned to London permanently in 1791, where he died ten years later. Benedict Arnold
1140-512: A highly detailed report through the secret channel. When he reached Connecticut, Arnold arranged to sell his home there and began transferring assets to London through intermediaries in New York. By early July, he was back in Philadelphia, where he wrote another secret message to Clinton on July 7 which implied that his appointment to West Point was assured and that he might even provide a "drawing of
1254-519: A letter of resignation on July 11, the same day that word arrived in Philadelphia that Fort Ticonderoga had fallen to the British. Washington refused his resignation and ordered him north to assist with the defense there. Arnold arrived in Schuyler's camp at Fort Edward, New York , on July 24. On August 13, Schuyler dispatched him with a force of 900 to relieve the Siege of Fort Stanwix , where he succeeded in
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#17328370520511368-709: A local inn and museum, features a British cannonball still lodged in the side of the building. There are many other landmarks from the Revolutionary War in the town, with most along Main Street. In the summer of 1781, the French army under the Comte de Rochambeau marched through Connecticut, encamping in the Ridgebury section of town, where the first Catholic mass in Ridgefield was offered. For much of its three centuries, Ridgefield
1482-513: A ruse to lift the siege. He sent an Indian messenger into the camp of British Brigadier-General Barry St. Leger with news that the approaching force was much larger and closer than it actually was; this convinced St. Leger's Indian allies to abandon him, forcing him to give up the effort. Arnold returned to the Hudson where General Gates had taken over command of the American army, which had retreated to
1596-596: A sign of loyalty to the United States. The British withdrew from Philadelphia in June 1778, and Washington appointed Arnold military commander of the city. Historian John Shy states: Arnold began planning to capitalize financially on the change in power in Philadelphia, even before the Americans reoccupied their city. He engaged in a variety of business deals designed to profit from war-related supply movements and benefiting from
1710-461: A small colonial militia force (state militia and some Continental Army soldiers), led by, among others, General David Wooster , who died in the engagement, and Benedict Arnold , whose horse was shot from under him. They faced a larger British force that had landed at Westport and was returning from a raid on the colonial supply depot in Danbury . The battle was a tactical victory for the British but
1824-587: A source of uranium , is found here, too. As of the census of 2000, there were 23,643 people, 8,433 households, and 6,611 families residing in the town. The population density was 686.7 inhabitants per square mile (265.1/km ). There were 8,877 housing units at an average density of 257.8 per square mile (99.5/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 96.12% White , 0.62% Black or African American , 0.09% Native American , 2.08% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.36% from other races , and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.97% of
1938-408: A spy. He then took the letter back to Connecticut, suspicious of Arnold's actions, where he delivered it to the head of the Connecticut militia. General Samuel Holden Parsons laid it aside, seeing a letter written as a coded business discussion. Four days later, Arnold sent a ciphered letter with similar content into New York through the services of the wife of a prisoner of war. Eventually, a meeting
2052-520: A strategic one for the Colonials because the British would never again conduct inland operations in Connecticut, despite western Connecticut's strategic importance in securing the Hudson River Valley . Today, the dead from both sides are buried together in a small cemetery on Main Street on the right of the entrance to Casagmo condominiums: "...foes in arms, brothers in death...". The Keeler Tavern ,
2166-471: A tender of [Arnold's] services to Sir Henry Clinton". Stansbury ignored instructions from Arnold to involve no one else in the plot, and he crossed the British lines and went to see Jonathan Odell in New York. Odell was a Loyalist working with William Franklin , the last colonial governor of New Jersey and the son of Benjamin Franklin . On May 9, Franklin introduced Stansbury to André, who had just been named
2280-523: A traitor because of all the injustice he suffered, real and imagined, at the hands of the Continental Congress and his jealous fellow generals? Because of the constant agony of two battlefield wounds in an already gout-ridden leg? From psychological wounds received in his Connecticut childhood when his alcoholic father squandered the family's fortunes? Or was it a kind of extreme midlife crisis, swerving from radical political beliefs to reactionary ones,
2394-473: A wrong. Arnold spent several months recovering from his injuries. He had his leg crudely set, rather than allowing it to be amputated, leaving it 2 inches (5 cm) shorter than the right. He returned to the army at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania , in May 1778 to the applause of men who had served under him at Saratoga. There he participated in the first recorded oath of allegiance , along with many other soldiers, as
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#17328370520512508-425: A year later for a substantial profit. In 1764, he formed a partnership with Adam Babcock, another young New Haven merchant. They bought three trading ships, using the profits from the sale of his homestead, and established a lucrative West Indies trade. During this time, Arnold brought his sister Hannah to New Haven and established her in his apothecary to manage the business in his absence. He traveled extensively in
2622-474: Is 725 feet (221 m) above sea level. The landscape is strewn with countless rocks deposited by glaciers , and among the town's bodies of water is Round Pond , formed in a kettle left by the last glacier 20,000 years ago. Another interesting body of water in the town is Mamanasco Lake , an 86-acre (35 ha) lake near Ridgefield High School. A particularly interesting feature is Cameron's Line , named for Eugene N. Cameron, who discovered that rocks west of
2736-546: Is The First Selectman, who also serves a legislative function as a member of the Board of Selectmen. The current First Selectman, Rudy Marconi (D), was first elected in 1999. Ridgefield has nine public schools and two private schools. The public schools are managed by Ridgefield Public Schools. The six public elementary schools are Veterans Park, Branchville, Farmingville, Scotland, Barlow Mountain, and Ridgebury. Scotts Ridge Middle School (Ridgefield's newest school) and East Ridge are
2850-607: Is a town in Fairfield County , Connecticut , United States . Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains and on the New York state border, Ridgefield has a population of 25,033 as of the 2020 census . The town is part of the Western Connecticut Planning Region . The town center , which was formerly a borough , is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place . The town
2964-535: Is a one-room schoolhouse in use by the town until 1913. The site and grounds are maintained by the Ridgefield Garden Club. The building is open certain Sundays and displays the desks, slates, and books the children used. Ridgefield's public open space includes Aldrich Park, Bennett's Pond State Park, Brewster Farm, Florida Refuge, Hemlock Hills/Lake Windwing, Pine Mountain , Seth Low Pierrepont State Park , and
3078-527: Is based on uncertain documentary evidence. Arnold established himself in business in 1762 as a pharmacist and bookseller in New Haven, Connecticut , with the help of the Lathrops. He was hardworking and successful, and was able to rapidly expand his business. In 1763, he repaid money that he had borrowed from the Lathrops, repurchased the family homestead that his father had sold when deeply in debt, and re-sold it
3192-593: Is created by Town Charter and approved by the voters. The Charter calls for an annual Town and Budget Meeting to be held on the first Monday of May each year. The following are the elective offices of the Town of Ridgefield: Board of Selectmen, Town Clerk, Town Treasurer and Tax Collector. The following are the elective boards and commissions of the Town of Ridgefield: Board of Education, Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Appeals on Zoning, Board of Tax Review, Board of Police Commissioners and Board of Finance. The chief executive
3306-615: Is one of only two official National Park Service units in the state. The Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance was founded as the Ridgefield Studio of Classical Ballet in 1965 by Patricia Schuster. In 2002 it became the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. The Conservatory is home to three pre-professional performance companies: the Ridgefield Civic Ballet, The Junior Dance Ensemble, and
3420-448: The Battle of Ridgefield in Connecticut prompted his promotion to major general. He conducted operations that provided the Americans with relief during the Siege of Fort Stanwix , and key actions during the pivotal 1777 Battles of Saratoga in which he sustained leg injuries that put him out of combat for several years. Arnold repeatedly claimed that he was being passed over for promotion by
3534-563: The French and Indian War , but his mother refused permission. In 1757 when he was 16, he did enlist in the Connecticut militia, which marched off toward Albany, New York , and Lake George . The French had besieged Fort William Henry in northeastern New York, and their Indian allies had committed atrocities after their victory. Word of the siege's disastrous outcome led the company to turn around, and Arnold served for only 13 days. A commonly accepted story that he deserted from militia service in 1758
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3648-563: The Second Continental Congress , and that other officers were being given credit for some of his accomplishments. Some in his military and political circles charged him with corruption and other bad acts. After formal inquiries, he was usually acquitted, but Congress investigated his finances and determined that he was indebted to Congress and that he had borrowed money heavily to maintain a lavish lifestyle. Arnold mingled with Loyalist sympathizers in Philadelphia and married into
3762-461: The Topstone area. North of Cameron's Line, the town is rich in limestone . The mineral was extensively mined, and remnants of several limekilns exist today. Also mined here in the 19th century was mica , pegmatite , and quartz . Gold , as well as gemstones such as garnet and beryl , have been found here, and dozens of minerals have been unearthed at the old Branchville Mica Quarry. Uraninite ,
3876-474: The Weir Farm National Historic Site . Its public open spaces make up 5,200 acres (2,100 ha), accounting for 23% of the towns overall land. Ridgefield Golf Course is the town's municipal 18 hole golf course designed by George Fazio and Tom Fazio and opened in 1974. The town's largest industry is Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, whose United States headquarters are located in
3990-557: The capture of Fort Ticonderoga . He followed up that action with a bold raid on Fort Saint-Jean on the Richelieu River north of Lake Champlain . A Connecticut militia force arrived at Ticonderoga in June; Arnold had a dispute with its commander over control of the fort, and resigned his Massachusetts commission. He was on his way home from Ticonderoga when he learned that his wife had died earlier in June. The Second Continental Congress authorized an invasion of Quebec , in part on
4104-648: The chain across the Hudson were never ordered. Troops were liberally distributed within Arnold's command area (but only minimally at West Point itself) or furnished to Washington on request. He also peppered Washington with complaints about the lack of supplies, writing, "Everything is wanting." At the same time, he tried to drain West Point's supplies so that a siege would be more likely to succeed. His subordinates, some long-time associates, grumbled about Arnold's unnecessary distribution of supplies and eventually concluded that he
4218-490: The "Ridgefield Symphonette" in 1965 with 20 players, only a third of them professionals. It became fully professional by the end of the decade and today has 75 musicians and draws soloists of international reputation. In 1984, Maxim Shostakovich , then a Ridgefielder, conducted a sold-out concert of music by his father, Dmitri Shostakovich , with the composer's grandson, Dmitri, performing as piano soloist. The Keeler Tavern Museum preserves an early 18th-century house that, by
4332-484: The 1940s, but is now mostly subdivisions; and Col. Edward M. Knox's "Downesbury Manor", whose 300 acres (1.2 km ) included a 45-room mansion that Mark Twain often visited. These and dozens of other estates became unaffordable and unwieldy during and after the Great Depression , and most were broken up. Many mansions were razed. In their place came subdivisions of one- and 2-acre (8,100 m ) lots that turned
4446-472: The British Army, an annual pension of £360 (equivalent to £60,000 in 2023), and a lump sum of over £6,000 (equivalent to £1,006,000 in 2023). He led British forces in the raid on Richmond and oversaw a raid on New London, Connecticut which burned much of it to the ground. Arnold also commanded British forces at the Battle of Blandford and the Battle of Groton Heights , the latter taking place just
4560-459: The British arrived. He then directed the construction of a fleet to defend Lake Champlain, which was overmatched and defeated in the October 1776 Battle of Valcour Island . However, his actions at Saint-Jean and Valcour Island played a notable role in delaying the British advance against Ticonderoga until 1777. During these actions, Arnold made a number of friends and a larger number of enemies within
4674-401: The British spy chief. This was the beginning of a secret correspondence between Arnold and André, sometimes using his wife Peggy as a willing intermediary, which culminated more than a year later with Arnold's change of sides. André conferred with Clinton, who gave him broad authority to pursue Arnold's offer. André then drafted instructions to Stansbury and Arnold. This initial letter opened
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4788-635: The CDP was $ 46,843. 3.2% of the population and 1.7% of families were below the poverty line . Out of the total population, 1.6% of those under the age of 18 and 6.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. The Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra , formerly called the Ridgefield Symphony Youth Orchestra, has performed at Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center . The Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra began as
4902-512: The CDP. The population density was 1,125.2 inhabitants per square mile (434.4/km ). There were 3,078 housing units at an average density of 480.2 per square mile (185.4/km ). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.52% White, 0.54% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 2.44% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races, while 2.26% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 2,933 households, out of which 34.4% had children under
5016-739: The Contemporary Dance Ensemble. The conservatory presents The Nutcracker annually at the Ridgefield Playhouse . Thrown Stone Theatre Company is a professional theatre company in town that focuses primarily on new work. Located at the intersection of West Lane and Route 35 , the Peter Parley Schoolhouse ( c. 1750 ), also known as the Little Red Schoolhouse or the West Lane Schoolhouse,
5130-462: The Florida section of Ridgefield is one of the only remaining operational farms in Ridgefield. In the late 19th century, spurred by the new railroad connection to its lofty village and the fact that nearby countryside reaches 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, Ridgefield began to be discovered by wealthy New York City residents, who assembled large estates and built huge "summer cottages" throughout
5244-475: The Loyalist family of Peggy Shippen . She was a close friend of British Major John André and kept in contact with him when he became head of the British espionage system in New York. Many historians see her as having facilitated Arnold's plans to switch sides; he opened secret negotiations with André, and she relayed their messages to each other. The British promised £20,000 (equivalent to £3,353,000 in 2023) for
5358-470: The Parliamentary Acts, which legally amounted to smuggling. He also faced financial ruin, falling £16,000 (equivalent to £2,762,000 in 2023) in debt with creditors spreading rumors of his insolvency, to the point where he took legal action against them. On the night of January 28, 1767, he and members of his crew roughed up a man suspected of attempting to inform authorities of Arnold's smuggling. He
5472-579: The Ridgebury section of town. In 2006, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree selected to be displayed in New York's Rockefeller Center for the Christmas season came from Ridgefield. The town also features a skatepark , owned by the town and maintained by the town's parks and recreation service, in which both skateboarding and aggressive inline skating are done. In 2010 the skatepark
5586-613: The Ridgefield- Wilton border, preserves much of the farm of J. Alden Weir (1852–1919), a painter of the American Impressionism style. The property was later used by his son-in-law, Mahonri Young (1877–1957), noted sculptor and a grandson of Brigham Young . The site includes the Weir Farm Art Center and a gallery, and many special events take place there, including shows by visiting artists in residence. Weir Farm
5700-456: The Shippen family were being threatened. Arnold was rebuffed by Congress and by local authorities in requests for security details for himself and his in-laws. Arnold's court martial on charges of profiteering began meeting on June 1, 1779, but it was delayed until December 1779 by Clinton's capture of Stony Point, New York , throwing the army into a flurry of activity to react. Several members on
5814-504: The Tories." A few days later, Arnold wrote to Greene and lamented over the "deplorable" and "horrid" situation of the country at that particular moment, citing the depreciating currency, disaffection of the army, and internal fighting in Congress, while predicting "impending ruin" if things did not change soon. Biographer Nathaniel Philbrick argues: Peggy Shippen… did have a significant role in
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#17328370520515928-418: The age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. Of all households, 28.5% were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.05. In the CDP the population was spread out, with 26.9% under
6042-461: The age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $ 81,179, and the median income for a family was $ 127,327. Males had a median income of $ 93,084 versus $ 47,232 for females. The per capita income for
6156-705: The army power structure and in Congress. He had established a decent relationship with George Washington, as well as Philip Schuyler and Horatio Gates , both of whom had command of the army's Northern Department during 1775 and 1776. However, an acrimonious dispute with Moses Hazen , commander of the 2nd Canadian Regiment , boiled into Hazen's court martial at Ticonderoga during the summer of 1776. Only action by Arnold's superior at Ticonderoga prevented his own arrest on countercharges leveled by Hazen. He also had disagreements with John Brown and James Easton, two lower-level officers with political connections that resulted in ongoing suggestions of improprieties on his part. Brown
6270-405: The average family size was 3.21. In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.6% under the age of 18, 3.2% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males. The median income for a household in the town
6384-435: The battle lines, despite military bans on communication with the enemy. Some of this communication was effected through the services of Joseph Stansbury, a Philadelphia merchant. Historians have identified many possible factors contributing to Arnold's treason, while some debate their relative importance. According to W. D. Wetherell , he was: [A]mong the hardest human beings to understand in American history. Did he become
6498-499: The capture of West Point, a major American stronghold. Washington greatly admired Arnold and gave him command of that fort in July 1780. His plan was to surrender the fort to the British, but it was exposed in September 1780 when American militiamen captured André carrying papers which revealed the plot. Arnold escaped and André was hanged. Arnold received a commission as a brigadier general in
6612-526: The city until he was replaced by Major General David Wooster in April 1776. Arnold then traveled to Montreal where he served as military commander of the city until forced to retreat by an advancing British army that had arrived at Quebec in May. He presided over the rear of the Continental Army during its retreat from Saint-Jean, where he was reported by James Wilkinson to be the last person to leave before
6726-409: The colonial governor. Only he and his sister Hannah survived to adulthood; his other siblings died from yellow fever in childhood. His siblings were, in order of birth: Benedict (1738–1739), Hannah (1742–1803), Mary (1745–1753), Absolom (1747–1750), and Elizabeth (1749–1755). Through his maternal grandmother, Arnold was a descendant of John Lothropp , an ancestor of six presidents. Arnold's father
6840-405: The courier. By July 1779, Arnold was providing the British with troop locations and strengths, as well as the locations of supply depots, all the while negotiating over compensation. At first, he asked for indemnification of his losses and £10,000 (equivalent to £1,698,000 in 2023) an amount that the Continental Congress had given Charles Lee for his services in the Continental Army. Clinton
6954-548: The course of his business throughout New England and from Quebec to the West Indies , often in command of one of his own ships. Some sources allege that on one of his voyages he fought a duel in Honduras with a British sea captain who had called him a "damned Yankee, destitute of good manners or those of a gentleman". The captain was wounded in the first exchange of gunfire, and he apologized when Arnold threatened to aim to kill on
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#17328370520517068-463: The district and renovated it for his use as a summer home. Roughly bounded by Pound Street, Fairview Avenue, Prospect Ridge, and Whipstick Roads, the district was added on October 7, 1984. In addition to the town center historic district, there are a number of individual properties and at least one other historic district in the town that are NRHP-listed: Ridgefield has a traditional New England Board of Selectmen–Town Meeting form of government, which
7182-576: The following month to assist in the Siege of Boston that followed the Battles of Lexington and Concord . He proposed an action to the Massachusetts Committee of Safety to seize Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York, which he knew was poorly defended. They issued him a colonel's commission on May 3, 1775, and he immediately rode off to Castleton in the disputed New Hampshire Grants ( Vermont ) in time to participate with Ethan Allen and his men in
7296-430: The higher sections of town. Among the more noteworthy estates were Col. Louis D. Conley's "Outpost Farm", which at one point totaled nearly 2,000 acres (8.1 km ), some of which is now Bennett's Pond State Park; Seth Low Pierrepont's "Twixthills", more than 600 acres (2.4 km ), much of which is now Pierrepont State Park ; Frederic E. Lewis's "Upagenstit", 100 acres (0.40 km ) that became Grey Court College in
7410-436: The line differed greatly from those east of it. This fault line was formed some 250 million years ago by the collision of "Proto North America " and "Proto Africa ", and there are still occasional light earthquakes felt along its length. The line bisects the southern half of the town, running generally north of West Lane, across the north end of the village, past the south end of Great Swamp and generally easterly into Redding in
7524-426: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ridgefield&oldid=1048758106 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Ridgefield, Connecticut Ridgefield
7638-465: The northern section of town; Scotland, which is south of Ridgebury; Farmingville, located northeast and east of the town center; Limestone, located northeast of the town center; Flat Rock, located south of the town center; and Florida, located just north of Branchville. Ridgefield consists of hilly, rocky terrain, ranging from 1,060 feet (320 m) above sea level (at Pine Mountain ) to 342 feet (104 m) at Branchville . Its average village elevation
7752-476: The offer to surrender West Point, although his price rose to £20,000 (equivalent to £3,353,000 in 2023) (in addition to indemnification for his losses), with a £1,000 (equivalent to £168,000 in 2023) down payment to be delivered with the response. These letters were delivered by Samuel Wallis, another Philadelphia businessman who spied for the British, rather than by Stansbury. On August 3, 1780, Arnold obtained command of West Point. On August 15, he received
7866-622: The panel of judges were ill-disposed toward Arnold over actions and disputes earlier in the war, yet Arnold was cleared of all but two minor charges on January 26, 1780. Arnold worked over the next few months to publicize this fact; however, Washington published a formal rebuke of his behavior in early April, just one week after he had congratulated Arnold on the birth of his son Edward Shippen Arnold on March 19: The Commander-in-Chief would have been much happier in an occasion of bestowing commendations on an officer who had rendered such distinguished services to his country as Major General Arnold; but in
7980-478: The papers exposing the plot to capture West Point and passed them on to their superiors, but André convinced the unsuspecting Colonel John Jameson , to whom he was delivered, to send him back to Arnold at West Point—but he never reached West Point. Major Benjamin Tallmadge was a member of the Continental Army's Culper Ring , a network of spies established under Washington's orders, and he insisted that Jameson order
8094-590: The plot was discovered in September 1780, whereupon he fled to the British lines. In the later part of the war, Arnold was commissioned as a brigadier general in the British Army and placed in command of the American Legion . He led British forces in battle against the army which he had once commanded, and his name became synonymous with treason and betrayal in the United States. Arnold was born in Connecticut . He
8208-417: The plot. She exerted powerful influence on her husband, who is said to have been his own man but who actually was swayed by his staff and certainly by his wife. Peggy came from a loyalist family in Philadelphia; she had many ties to the British. She… was the conduit for information to the British. Early in May 1779, Arnold met with Philadelphia merchant Joseph Stansbury who then "went secretly to New York with
8322-406: The population. There were 8,433 households, out of which 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.6% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and
8436-501: The present case, a sense of duty and a regard to candor oblige him to declare that he considers his conduct [in the convicted actions] as imprudent and improper. Shortly after Washington's rebuke, a Congressional inquiry into Arnold's expenditures concluded that he had failed to account fully for his expenditures incurred during the Quebec invasion, and that he owed the Congress some £1,000 (equivalent to £168,000 in 2023) largely because he
8550-433: The prospects, Clinton informed his superiors of his intelligence coup, but failed to respond to Arnold's July 7 letter. Arnold next wrote a series of letters to Clinton, even before he might have expected a response to the July 7 letter. In a July 11 letter, he complained that the British did not appear to trust him, and threatened to break off negotiations unless progress was made. On July 12, he wrote again, making explicit
8664-506: The protection of his authority. Such schemes were not uncommon among American officers, but Arnold's schemes were sometimes frustrated by powerful local politicians such as Joseph Reed , who eventually amassed enough evidence to publicly air charges against him. Arnold demanded a court martial to clear the charges, writing to Washington in May 1779: "Having become a cripple in the service of my country, I little expected to meet ungrateful returns". Arnold lived extravagantly in Philadelphia and
8778-720: The second. However, it is unknown whether this encounter actually happened or not, and some historians characterize the alleged duel as a fabrication. The Sugar Act of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765 severely curtailed mercantile trade in the colonies. The Stamp Act prompted Arnold to join the chorus of voices in opposition, and also led to his joining the Sons of Liberty , a secret organization which advocated resistance to those and other restrictive Parliamentary measures. Arnold initially took no part in any public demonstrations but, like many merchants, continued to do business openly in defiance of
8892-543: The secret channels with the British, informing them of Schuyler's proposals and including Schuyler's assessment of conditions at West Point. He also provided information on a proposed French-American invasion of Quebec that was to go up the Connecticut River (Arnold did not know that this proposed invasion was a ruse intended to divert British resources). On June 16, Arnold inspected West Point while on his way home to Connecticut to take care of personal business, and he sent
9006-560: The ship that was intended to carry André back to New York. This action did little damage besides giving the captain, Andrew Sutherland, a splinter in his nose—but the splinter prompted the Vulture to retreat, forcing André to return to New York overland. Arnold wrote out passes for André so that he would be able to pass through the lines, and he also gave him plans for West Point. André was captured near Tarrytown, New York , on Saturday, September 23, by three Westchester militiamen. They found
9120-527: The terms. Arnold's command at West Point also gave him authority over the entire American-controlled Hudson River, from Albany down to the British lines outside New York City. While en route to West Point, Arnold renewed an acquaintance with Joshua Hett Smith , who had spied for both sides and who owned a house near the western bank of the Hudson about 15 miles south of West Point. Once Arnold established himself at West Point, he began systematically weakening its defenses and military strength. Needed repairs of
9234-454: The time of the Revolution, had become a tavern and inn. The tavern was a center of community activities, an early post office, and a stop on the northern New York to Boston post road. In the early 20th century, it was the home of noted architect Cass Gilbert . The tavern is open several days a week, offers tours, and has a gift shop. The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum is a leading venue for
9348-468: The town into a suburban, bedroom community in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. However, strict planning and zoning has frozen development and locked in the aesthetic appearance of the 19th- and early 20th-century through to the 21st-century, especially along its famous mile-long Main Street. In 1946, Ridgefield was one of the locations considered for the United Nations Secretariat building, but
9462-545: The town's two middle schools . The high school is Ridgefield High School . The high school's teams are called the Tigers. Ridgefield's Roman Catholic schools are St. Mary, serving preschool through eighth grade, and St. Padre Pio Academy, serving kindergarten through eighth grade and run by the Society of St. Pius X . Ridgefield Academy is a co-educational , independent school serving preschool through eighth grade, situated on
9576-474: The urging of Arnold, but he was passed over for command of the expedition. He then went to Cambridge, Massachusetts , and suggested to George Washington a second expedition to attack Quebec City via a wilderness route through Maine . He received a colonel's commission in the Continental Army for this expedition and left Cambridge in September 1775 with 1,100 men. He arrived before Quebec City in November, after
9690-478: The west, Danbury to the north, Wilton to the south and Redding to the east. The Metro-North Railroad 's Branchville station is in the Branchville corner of town. The census-designated place (CDP) corresponding to the town center covers a total area of 6.4 square miles (17 km ), of which 0.16% is water. Other locales within the town include Titicus on Route 116 just north of the village; Ridgebury in
9804-495: The winter socializing in Boston, where he unsuccessfully courted a young belle named Betsy Deblois. In February 1777, he learned that he had been passed over by Congress for promotion to major general. Washington refused his offer to resign, and wrote to members of Congress in an attempt to correct this, noting that "two or three other very good officers" might be lost if they persisted in making politically motivated promotions. Arnold
9918-507: The works ... by which you might take [West Point] without loss". André returned victorious from the Siege of Charleston on June 18, and both he and Clinton were immediately caught up in this news. Clinton was concerned that Washington's army and the French fleet would join in Rhode Island, and he again fixed on West Point as a strategic point to capture. André had spies and informers keeping track of Arnold to verify his movements. Excited by
10032-587: The world's best contemporary artists. Its exhibitions have attracted national attention and respect. The museum was redesigned and expanded in 2004, and offers many special programs, including concerts. The Ridgefield Playhouse , opened in December 2000, is housed in the former Ridgefield Alternate High School auditorium, and was remodeled as a playhouse. It is the year-round venue for dozens of concerts and other performances, many by internationally known artists. The Playhouse also shows movies, many of them first-run. Weir Farm National Historic Site , which straddles
10146-478: Was $ 107,351, and the median income for a family was $ 127,981 (these figures had risen to $ 125,909 and $ 154,346 respectively as of a 2007 estimate ). Males had a median income of $ 100,000 versus $ 50,236 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 51,795. About 1.3% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line , 5.3% of those age 65 or over. As of the census of 2000, there were 7,212 people, 2,933 households, and 1,994 families residing in
10260-466: Was 14, there was no money for private education. His father's alcoholism and ill health kept him from training Arnold in the family mercantile business, but his mother's family connections secured an apprenticeship for him with her cousins Daniel and Joshua Lathrop, who operated a successful apothecary and general merchandise trade in Norwich. His apprenticeship with the Lathrops lasted seven years. Arnold
10374-561: Was a farming community. Among the important families in the 19th century were the Rockwells and Lounsburys, which intermarried. They produced two Connecticut governors, brothers and business partners George Lounsbury and Phineas Lounsbury . The Ridgefield Veterans Memorial Community Center on Main Street, also called the Lounsbury House, was built by Gov. Phineas Chapman Lounsbury around 1896 as his primary residence. The Lounsbury Farm near
10488-417: Was a long feud with the civil authorities in Philadelphia which led to his court-martial. He was also convicted of two minor charges of using his authority to make a profit. General Washington gave him a light reprimand, but it merely heightened Arnold's sense of betrayal; nonetheless, he had already opened negotiations with the British before his court martial even began. He later said in his own defense that he
10602-531: Was a merchant operating ships in the Atlantic when the war began. He joined the growing American army outside of Boston and distinguished himself by acts that demonstrated intelligence and bravery: In 1775, he captured Fort Ticonderoga . In 1776, he employed defensive and delay tactics at the Battle of Valcour Island in Lake Champlain that gave American forces time to prepare New York's defenses. His performance in
10716-469: Was a prominent figure on the social scene. During the summer of 1778, he met Peggy Shippen , the 18-year-old daughter of Judge Edward Shippen IV , a Loyalist sympathizer who had done business with the British while they occupied the city; Peggy had been courted by Major John André during the British occupation of Philadelphia. She married Arnold on April 8, 1779. Shippen and her circle of friends had found methods of staying in contact with paramours across
10830-413: Was a successful businessman, and the family moved in the upper levels of Norwich society. He was enrolled in a private school in nearby Canterbury, Connecticut , when he was 10, with the expectation that he would eventually attend Yale College . However, the deaths of his siblings two years later may have contributed to a decline in the family fortunes, since his father took up drinking. By the time that he
10944-465: Was again severely wounded in the left leg late in the fighting. Arnold said that it would have been better had it been in the chest instead of the leg. Burgoyne surrendered ten days after the second battle on October 17, 1777. Congress restored Arnold's command seniority in response to his valor at Saratoga. However, he interpreted the manner in which they did so as an act of sympathy for his wounds, and not an apology or recognition that they were righting
11058-410: Was again wounded in his left leg. He then continued on to Philadelphia, where he met with members of Congress about his rank. His action at Ridgefield, coupled with the death of Wooster due to wounds sustained in the action, resulted in his promotion to major general, although his seniority was not restored over those who had been promoted before him. Amid negotiations over that issue, Arnold wrote out
11172-559: Was an American-born British military officer who served during the American Revolutionary War . He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of major general before defecting to the British in 1780. General George Washington had given him his fullest trust and had placed him in command of West Point in New York. Arnold was planning to surrender the fort to British forces, but
11286-550: Was born a British subject, the second of six children of his father Benedict Arnold III (1683–1761) and Hannah Waterman King in Norwich , Connecticut Colony , on January 14, 1741. Arnold was the fourth member of his family named after his great-grandfather Benedict Arnold I , an early governor of the Colony of Rhode Island ; his grandfather (Benedict Arnold II) and father, as well as an older brother who died in infancy, were also named for
11400-414: Was convicted of disorderly conduct and fined the relatively small amount of 50 shillings; publicity of the case and widespread sympathy for his views probably contributed to the light sentence. On February 22, 1767, Arnold married Margaret Mansfield, daughter of Samuel Mansfield, the sheriff of New Haven and a fellow member in the local Masonic lodge . Their son Benedict was born the following year and
11514-652: Was erected under the patronage of the State of Connecticut in the 55th year of the Independence of the U.S.A. in memory of the brave patriots massacred at Fort Griswold near this spot on the 6th of Sept. AD 1781, when the British, under the command of the Traitor Benedict Arnold , burnt the towns of New London and Groton and spread desolation and woe throughout the region. Benedict Arnold (14 January 1741 [ O.S. 3 January 1740] – June 14, 1801)
11628-533: Was followed by brothers Richard in 1769 and Henry in 1772. Margaret died on June 19, 1775, while Arnold was at Fort Ticonderoga following its capture. She is buried in the crypt of the Center Church on New Haven Green . The household was dominated by Arnold's sister Hannah, even while Margaret was alive. Arnold benefited from his relationship with Mansfield, who became a partner in his business and used his position as sheriff to shield him from creditors. Arnold
11742-613: Was in the West Indies when the Boston Massacre took place on March 5, 1770. He wrote that he was "very much shocked" and wondered "good God, are the Americans all asleep and tamely giving up their liberties, or are they all turned philosophers, that they don't take immediate vengeance on such miscreants?" Arnold began the war as a captain in the Connecticut militia, a position to which he was elected in March 1775. His company marched northeast
11856-460: Was loyal to his true beliefs, yet he lied at the same time by insisting that Peggy was totally innocent and ignorant of his plans. As early as 1778, there were signs that Arnold was unhappy with his situation and pessimistic about the country's future. On November 10, 1778, Major General Nathanael Greene wrote to Brigadier General John Cadwalader , "I am told General Arnold is become very unpopular among you oweing to his associateing too much with
11970-615: Was not chosen due to its relative inaccessibility. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 35.0 square miles (91 km ), of which 34.4 square miles (89 km ) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km ), or 1.52%, is water. Ridgefield is bordered by the towns of North Salem and Lewisboro in Westchester County, New York and the town of Southeast in Putnam County, New York to
12084-409: Was on his way to Philadelphia to discuss his future when he was alerted that a British force was marching toward a supply depot in Danbury, Connecticut . He organized the militia response, along with David Wooster and Connecticut militia General Gold Selleck Silliman . He led a small contingent of militia attempting to stop or slow the British return to the coast in the Battle of Ridgefield , and
12198-533: Was particularly vicious, publishing a handbill which claimed of Arnold, "Money is this man's God, and to get enough of it he would sacrifice his country". General Washington assigned Arnold to the defense of Rhode Island following the British capture of Newport in December 1776, where the local militia were too poorly equipped to even consider an attack on the British. He took the opportunity to visit his children while near his home in New Haven, and he spent much of
12312-565: Was pursuing a campaign to gain control of the Hudson River Valley, and was interested in plans and information on the defenses of West Point and other defenses on the Hudson River. He also began to insist on a face-to-face meeting, and suggested to Arnold that he pursue another high-level command. By October 1779, the negotiations had ground to a halt. Furthermore, revolutionary mobs were scouring Philadelphia for Loyalists, and Arnold and
12426-663: Was rebuilt and expanded as a result of the need to expand the Ridgefield Playhouse parking lot. Part of the town center is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) as Ridgefield Center Historic District . The district was added to the Register in 1984 and includes representations of mid-19th-century revival, Late Victorian, and Colonial revival architectural styles. Noted architect Cass Gilbert purchased historic Keeler Tavern within
12540-467: Was selling them on the black market for personal gain. On August 30, Arnold sent a letter accepting Clinton's terms and proposing a meeting to André through yet another intermediary: William Heron, a member of the Connecticut Assembly whom he thought he could trust. In an ironic twist, Heron went into New York unaware of the significance of the letter and offered his own services to the British as
12654-525: Was set for September 11 near Dobbs Ferry. This meeting was thwarted when British gunboats in the river fired on his boat, not being informed of his impending arrival. Arnold and André finally met on September 21 at the Joshua Hett Smith House . On the morning of September 22, from their position at Teller's Point, two American rebels (under the command of Colonel James Livingston ), John "Jack" Peterson and Moses Sherwood, fired on HMS Vulture ,
12768-606: Was settled then quickly incorporated by 1709. Ridgefield was first settled by English colonists from Norwalk in 1708, when a group of settlers purchased land from Chief Catoonah of the Ramapo tribe . The town was incorporated under a royal charter from the Connecticut General Assembly issued in 1709. Ridgefield was descriptively named. The most notable 18th-century event was the Battle of Ridgefield on April 27, 1777. This American Revolutionary War skirmish involved
12882-408: Was unable to document them. Many of these documents had been lost during the retreat from Quebec. Angry and frustrated, Arnold resigned his military command of Philadelphia in late April. Early in April 1780, Philip Schuyler had approached Arnold with the possibility of giving him the command at West Point. Discussions had not borne fruit between Schuyler and Washington by early June. Arnold reopened
12996-431: Was very close to his mother, who died in 1759. His father's alcoholism worsened after her death, and the youth took on the responsibility of supporting his father and younger sister. His father was arrested on several occasions for public drunkenness, was refused communion by his church, and died in 1761. In 1755, Arnold was attracted by the sound of a drummer and attempted to enlist in the provincial militia for service in
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