We’re going to Wilton!

We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming historic architecture tour of Wilton, Connecticut. The town has preserved and maintained much of its rural appeal and over the years has served as home to farmers, abolitionists who provided an Underground Railroad stop, Weir Farm’s famous impressionist painters, and modern-day commuters. While the town was officially incorporated in 1802, we will be highlighting Wilton’s broader colonial-era history on our tour. We will take a close look at many examples of colonial-era architecture, discussing the trends, techniques, and other influencing factors that shaped its historic houses.

By the turn of the 18th century, British settlers had been developing areas of Fairfield County for generations. It was in 1706 that they began building homes in Wilton, which was then part of Norwalk. In 1726, the general assembly granted Wilton village status. In 1777, British soldiers blazed through Wilton as they retreated from Danbury, setting fire to several homes. The small community of Wilton survived, and today hundreds of historic buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries remain.

As we explore its historic buildings, we will also be discussing the famous families, such as the Olmsteads and the Keelers, and lesser-known legends from Wilton’s colonial days. From the comfort of our chartered bus, you will learn about many of Wilton’s historic buildings and the stories and people behind them. You will also have the chance to tour several historic houses up-close; our tour will bring guests inside for a one-of-a-kind look at colonial-era architecture and domestic life.

Join us in Wilton on Sunday, March 22 for this season’s kick-off historic house tour—we look forward to seeing you there!

—Lydia Warren, Histoury Intern

Lydia is a PhD candidate at the University of Virginia and works at the intersection of historic preservation, music, and tourism to promote Beale Street in Memphis.

Photo: Sloan Raymond Fitch House in Wilton. Source: Wikimedia, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WiltonCT_SloanRaymondFitchHouse.jpg.