Quick Facts

A complementary mix of residential, commercial and undeveloped sites make up the town of Wilton, located in the heart of mid-Fairfield County. Originally a part of Norwalk, Wilton became its own parish in 1726 and was granted a Town Charter by the state in 1802.

The 26.8-square mile town is bordered by Norwalk, Ridgefield, New Canaan and Weston, and sits 55 miles from New York City. Routes 7, 33 and 106 run through town, and the Danbury Branch of the Metro-North Railroad s New Haven line stops here as well.

Approximately 18,145 residents live in Wilton, with an average age of 42 years and an average family per capita income of $155,261.

In the Beginning

In 1640, settler Roger Ludlow and others purchased from the Indians the area we know as greater Norwalk, though they distinguished it as the land between Norwalk and the Saugatuck River and a days walk into the country. It included Norwalk, Wilton, half of New Canaan and Westport, and parts of Darien and Weston.

These early settlers were called the Proprietors, and as their numbers grew they began to displace the Indians. Both the settlers and Indians were using the land for planting and animal grazing. Around 1670, when the Indians had difficulty keeping the settlers pigs out of their corn crops, they moved north and created Wilton s first settlement, known as Indian Field in the Chestnut Hills area. They eventually found this location too remote from the ocean and moved back into Norwalk proper around 1687. The Chestnut Hills area was then opened for private ownership by the settlers.

Families began to move to Norwalk, but they still had to trek to Norwalk for church each Sunday. With 40 families in Wilton by 1725, the town decided to create Wilton Parish, a village for enjoying parish privileges that would still be a part of Norwalk. This gave the town the right to erect its own church and handle matters such as communal flocks, trade and tavern regulation, and road repair. The first minister, who also served as the first schoolmaster, was Robert Sturgeon.

The first meeting house was built in 1726, but by 1732 it was too small and a second building was erected on the corner of Sharp Hill Road. When that building fell into disrepair, a third meeting house was built in 1790 on Ridgefield Road, where it still stands.

When the first meeting house was built, David Lambert located his home - which also served as a store and inn - nearby. Today, Lambert House is owned by the Historical Society and is one of a dozen or so buildings in town that date back to the 18th century.

Wilton actively participated in the Revolutionary War when British soldiers came quickly through town as they retreated from Danbury. A few homes were set on fire, but none were destroyed. After the war, Wilton followed New Canaan's lead and began to form a separate town. This was accomplished in 1802.

After Incorporation

The town continued to draw families, and the population grew from 1,728 in the 1810 census to 2,208 in the 1860 census. The land was primarily used for dairy herds, horses and marketable crops. But farmers found that Wilton s rocky soil (which led, in part, to the number of stone walls in town) yielded low crop levels, and that mid-western farmers could send their produce to the area by rail. Other industries began to take shape in town, including the production of clothing by women who worked at home, five distilleries and a company that made wire sieves.

Wilton served as one of the stops on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War, but otherwise the war had little impact on the town. After the war, industrialization drew people out of Wilton and to the cities. Farms were abandoned, and the population fell to 1,284 by 1920. With trains to New York City, commuting to work became a way of life for many residents after World War II and the population began to increase again.

A Time of Expansion

To keep pace with the growing population, Wilton erected a junior high school (now Cider Mill School) in 1950, Post School in 1953 and Comstock in 1956. A new high school (now Middlebrook) was erected in 1963, followed by Miller in 1965 and Driscoll in 1969. The Wilton High School building was completed in 1971.

The 1950s also brought builder subdivision to town and a planning commission to augment the Zoning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals. A Town Plan was adopted in 1963 and called for keeping Wilton a primarily residential town with light industry located principally along Route 7. Other plans were added, including a Wilton Center Plan in 1969 and an Open Space Plan in 1983.

These plans continue the town's goals: to create "a better environment in which to live, work, plan, learn, enjoy, and raise a family - blending the heritage of the past with the promise of the future."