Welcome to Wilton !

Summary

With the charm of a quaint New England town and convenience of suburban living, Wilton successfully combines country atmosphere with in-town sophistication.  A quiet, beautiful town, Wilton is located in a bucolic setting characterized by rolling, wooded hills, winding roads, old stone walls, rippling streams and tranquil ponds. 

Wilton is located 55 miles from mid-town Manhattan and commuters find the destinations of Fairfield and Westchester Counties, as well as New York City, easily accessible by road or rail.  Easy access to the Merritt Parkway and the Connecticut Turnpike makes travel to other towns in the Tri-State very convenient.  Wilton’s main and Cannondale railroad stations provide Metro-North trains to Grand Central Station and the advantage of free parking without special permit.

Various community events take place in Wilton Center, the location of its town green, gazebo and a number of charming stores, restaurants and movie theatre.  Artists have always thrived amidst the quiet beauty of Wilton. Today, the Wilton Arts Council sponsors art exhibits of new and established artists and has special programs for its membership.  Wilton has an Arts and Crafts Society, as well.

Wilton is proud of its recreational facilities which feature a wide variety of programs both public and private.  The Wilton Family Y is a 20-acre community, park boasting an indoor/outdoor Olympic-sized pool, home to the Champion Wilton Wahoos Swim Team, pavilion, picnic facilities and fitness trail.  Also offered are a gym, racquetball, handball, squash and paddle tennis courts, an exercise room and Nautilus fitness center as well as a second indoor pool.

Merwin Meadows Park is a fresh water swimming pond with picnic facilities and playground.  It is the site of many activities, including jazz festivals in the summer and gatherings after the Memorial Day parade.  Several tennis courts are available for use in the athletic complex behind Middlebrook School, plus town tennis courts by the High School. The Woodcock Nature Center and Weir Farm National Historic Site attract walkers, hikers and explorers to many scenic trails.

Wilton enjoys a school system that is supported by about two thirds of its total budget.

Community involvement plays a strong role in all aspects of town life, no less in the school system.

Quality education is a number one priority in Wilton.  Class size is kept low at all of the schools, holding steadily in the 19-21 range.  Wilton takes great pride in its outstanding school system.  It continues to be recognized as one of the top 100 school districts in the country.  Wilton's school population is enrolled in two elementary schools for Grades K-2, one elementary school serving Grades 3-5, a middle school for Grades 6-8 and Wilton High School for Grades 9-12.

See why Wilton offers something for just about everyone - the wonderful school system for young families and the amenities and resources that appeal to a variety of tastes. Nestled in the Norwalk Valley, west of the town of Weston and only an hour from Grand Central, you will find many commuters calling it home. The transformation from a small farming town to a suburban residential community has been carefully controlled by zoning and through the preservation of the town's older colonials. The two acre zoning is conducive to privacy and while the town has all the amenities for today's lifestyle, it also values it antiquity.

The Town of Wilton was incorporated in 1802, and operates with a Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance

and Town Meeting form of government pursuant to the Connecticut Home Rule Act of 1957. The Board of Selectmen is the elected administrative board for the Town. Other elected boards are Finance, Education, Planning and Zoning, ZBA, and Assessment Appeals. Members of these boards are elected by the registered voters and serve as volunteers.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 27.4 square miles (70.9 km²), of which, 27.0 square miles (69.8 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (1.50%) is water, including the South Norwalk Reservoir.  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.

Wilton is a very accessible town.  Easy access to I-95 and the Merritt Parkway puts all of Connecticut’s towns and cities within reach.  To the south, the Route 7 Connector links Wilton to both the Merritt Parkway and Interstate 95.  The Metro North Railroad will take you to New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, about 60 miles away.   Wilton is just 60 minutes from LaGuardia Airport, 80 minutes from Hartford Airport, and about 70 minutes from JFK.  Hartford, the state capital, is 80 minutes away and White Plains is within a 50 minute drive.   In short, Wilton offers access to major employment centers as well as cultural opportunities. 

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

Wilton provides an exemplary level of support for education and has an award winning public school system.  Wilton has three Elementary Schools Ina E. Driscoll School – Grades K-2 Tilford W. Miller School – Grades K-2 Cider Mill School – Grades 3-5.  The Ina E. Driscoll School and Tilford W. Miller School have been connected to serve kindergarten through third grade. These schools each have about 600 students. The Cider Mill School has roughly 664 children in the fourth and fifth grades. Wilton has one Middle School – Grades 6-8, The Middlebrook School with 743 students. Wilton has one high school – Grades 9-12.  For the 2006-2007 school year, there was a total enrollment of 4,371 students.    

The modern Wilton High School on Route 7, built at a cost of $15,000,000 has superb facilities including a mountaineering climbing wall. There are 26 interscholastic athletic teams, advanced placement courses in English, American History, science and mathematics, award-winning orchestra, band and chorus training and extracurricular activities that run the gamut from Russian club to debate team. Foreign languages, computers, art and gifted student programs begin in the middle school and even at the elementary school level. Over 94 percent of graduating seniors go on to pursue higher education. The average number of merit scholar finalists over the last ten years is 6.3.

The Town of Wilton has 4,371 students who attend pre-K through 12th grade in the 5 schools. Two of the elementary schools (Miller and Driscoll Schools) are located on the same campus and they teach children from preschool through 2nd grade. The three elementary schools have class sizes ranging from 18 to 22 and a 19 to 1 student/ teacher ratio. Language studies begin in the 3rd grade with French and Spanish. The junior high (Middlebrook) school 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.

Wilton's sports teams have won many FCIAC and state titles, and many individuals have been recognized on those levels as well. For example, Wilton has won more state championships in lacrosse than any other town in Connecticut. Wilton, New Canaan and Darien comprise "The Big Three" in Connecticut lacrosse.

For the 2005-2006 fiscal year, the school district's budget was $56.6 million giving it an average per pupil expenditure of $13,040. The average class size in the school system as a whole was 21 students. 

There are several private schools in Wilton.  Landmark Academy serves children from preschool through the middle school years.  Our Lady of Fatima is a Catholic school for students from kindergarten to eighth. The Linden School serves children from pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade.  The Montessori School in town has enrollment from preschool through eighth grade.  Finally, the Connecticut Friends School, a Quaker school, serves Kindergarten through eighth grade. Other private educational institutions are located close by in neighboring towns.  St. Luke’s in New Canaan, Fairfield Prep in Fairfield, Greens Farms Academy in Westport and the Wooster School and two parochial high schools are available in Danbury.

Nursery Schools

• Friends Nursery School
• Georgetown Early Learning Center
• Homespun Learning Environment Ltd.
• Landmark Academy www.landmarkpreschool.com
• Mitten Hill Nursery School
• Montessori School - www.themontessorischool.com
• Montessori-Town & Country School - www.tcmontessori.org
• Wilton Children’s Center
• Wilton Community Nursery School Inc.
• Wilton Congregational Day School  - www.wiltoncongregational.org

Day Care Services

• Georgetown Early Learning Center
• Homespun Learning Environment Ltd.
• Hometown Nannies Inc.  - www.hometownnannies.com
• Nannie Source Inc.
• Tuesday’s Child - www.brighthorizons.com
• Wilton Children’s Center
• Wilton Montessori  - www.themontessorischool.com
• Zion’s Hill Methodist Church - www.zhpp.org

 Historical Places in Wilton

·     Lambert Corners, 150 Danbury Road

·     David Lambert House, c. 1727

·     Wilton Railroad Station, 1852

·     Hurlbutt Street General Store & Post Office, c. 1889

·     Kent Schoolhouse, c. 1843

·     Davenport Barn, c. 1860

·     Outhouse, c. 1880

·     Cannon General Store, c. 1790

·     Corncrib, c. 1880

·     Daniel Gregory House, 11 Belden Hill Road, c.1775

·     Alan Spirer House, 16 Deacon’s Lane, 1988

·     Original Congregational Church Parsonage, 65 Ridgefield Road, 1832 

·     Old Town Hall, 69 Ridgefield Road, 1832

·     Congregational Church, 70 Ridgefield Road, 1790 

·     Nathan Comstock House, 77 Ridgefield Road, c.1810 

·     Winton House, 80 Ridgefield Road, 1926

·     Halsey House, 98 Ridgefield Road, 1934 

·     Deodate Davenport House, 108 Ridgefield Road, 1791

·     Hurlbutt Street Schoolhouse, 157 Hurlbutt Street, 1834 

·     Wilton Historical Society Museum Complex, 224 Danbury Road

·     Raymond/Fitch House, 1772

·     Betts/Sturges/Blackmar House, c. 1740

·     Basil Burt Barn, c. 1860

·     Abbott Barn, c. 1860

·     Abbott Blacksmith Shop, c. 1890

·     Georgetown Neighborhood of Church Street, West Church Street, & Redding Road

·     3, 23, 33 and 37 Church Street 

·     13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 25, 28, 31 and 32 West Church Street 

·     25, 27 and 29 Redding Road 

·        Sophie Cabot Black, poet who grew up in and lives in town

·        Robert Sidney Bowen, an author, lived here in the 1940's

·        Chance Browne, cartoonist of syndicated comic strip Hi and Lois

·        Dave Brubeck, jazz musician

·        David Canary, actor, "All My Children"

·        Paul Dano (born 1984), actor born and raised in town

·        Ace Frehley, rock guitarist, lived in Wilton in the early 1980s

·        Charles Grodin, actor

·        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

·        Patty Hearst, now known as Patricia Hearst-Shaw

·        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

·        Kristine Lilly, US Olympic Soccer Team

·        Joe Pantoliano, actor

·        Steve Phillips, Former NY Mets General Manager and current ESPN baseball analyst

·        Charles E. Pont, artist and Baptist minister, lived here from 1958 until his death in 1971

·        Randy Rasmussen, former left guard of the New York Jets for 15 years (1967-1981), started

in Super Bowl III

·        John Scofield (not a current resident, but grew up in the town), jazz guitarist for Miles Davis

·        Christopher Walken, actor

·        Chris Elliott, actor

The Wilton Library acts as the cultural center of Wilton, which nearly 17,000 people make use of each month.  Besides traditional programs, the Library organizes trips to New York City to attend Broadway plays, visit museums and see other areas of interest.

The Wilton Playshop has been a part of Wilton's cultural cornucopia for nearly 70 years, making it one of the longest continuously running community theatres in the northeast. The Playshop caters to a wide variety of theatrical tastes with up to five major productions during its season which runs from October to August. Community theater thrives at the Wilton Playshop and the Wilton’s Children’s Theater.

Speaking out on important issues involving the arts, The Wilton Arts Council (WAC) is the official arts agency for the Town of Wilton. WAC is a membership driven organization whose priorities include broadening participation in the arts throughout Wilton and surrounding Fairfield County communities strengthening the position of the arts within the community. WAC is an important instrument of communication and a voice of advocacy to help the arts add value to the quality of life in the community.

Media

·        The Wilton Villager, a weekly paper published by The Hour of Norwalk.

·        Wilton Bulletin, a weekly paper published by Hersam Acorn.

·        Westport Magazine is a monthly published by Moffly Publications. This magazine also covers the towns of Wilton, Weston, and Fairfield.

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

The people are what make Wilton a great place to live. While statistics cannot paint a complete picture of the town and its people, the following information can help you compare the more measurable qualities with those from other communities.

According to the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, in 2006, the population of Wilton was 18,163 people, and 6,095 households residing in the town. The population density was 674 people per square mile.  There were 6,149 housing units at an average density of 227.7/km². The racial makeup of the town was 90.02% White, 1.85% African American, 0.05% Native American, 3.7% Asian Pacific, 2.16% from two or more races. 2.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The town the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 49, 21.0% from 50 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years.

The median income for a household in the town was $160,900.  The per capita income for the town was $65,806.

Wilton boasts ideal outdoor and indoor recreational facilities.  The Town has 209 acres of developed recreation facilities.  The Parks and Recreation Department also utilizes eight school sites for playgrounds and athletic activities which account for 165 acres.  The Town’s park system has 44 acres of developed land.  A variety of seasonal programs and activities for all ages are offered through the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Wilton Family YMCA.  Throughout the year, ongoing programs are offered in activities such as floor hockey, basketball, tennis, ballet, golf, horseback riding, baseball, racquetball and swimming lessons, as well as school vacation camps and summer camps.  There are active youth soccer, baseball, football, and lacrosse leagues plus a wonderful children’s theater group.  Wilton is home to three private clubs offering tennis and swimming, a country club offering golf, tennis and swimming, and a golf club.  Town recreational facilities include several tennis courts and numerous playing fields.

Wilton is also home to the Nature Conservancy and Woodcock Nature Center, which hold summer camps for ages 4-10, special programs and walking trails. The Norwalk River meanders through Wilton and attracts many local fishermen (especially in April for the opening of trout season). Merwin Meadows, situated in the heart of Wilton, features a swimming pool, picnicking and playground area. There are 10 playgrounds and 8 passive parks in the town, which offer scenic hiking and jogging trails. Weir Farm is Connecticut’s only National Park and the only one dedicated to an American artist. Visitors can tour Weir’s studio and walk through 57 acres of rolling meadows and woods, historic farmhouses and barns.

The Town of Wilton recognizes the importance of recreation in the overall quality of life of its residents.  Parks, athletic facilities, and recreation programs are designed to enhance that quality of life. From undeveloped park lands and playgrounds to golf courses and beaches, from organized sports to kite flying and crafts - the Town of Wilton is committed to meeting the changing needs and desires of the community.  Following are some of the more frequented sites.

·        Allen’s Meadows – six athletic fields

·        Bradley Park – 83 acres of trails, boardwalk and wetlands on Oakledge Lane

·        Comstock Community Center – indoor recreational facilities, 2 lighted basketball courts, athletic field (10 acres, 1 baseball field and 1 soccer field

·        Cherry Lane Park

·        Gilbert and Bennett – athletic field, playground, 4 acres Near intersection of Cherry Lane and Banks Drive, 50 acres, trails, a pond and picnicking

·        Horseshoe Park – Six acres of trail, pond, and birding on Horseshoe Road

·        Merwin Meadows – The only town-owned swimming spot.  It is a spring-fed fresh water pond located on the charmingly named Lovers Lane.  In addition, there is an athletic field, picnic facilities, playground and basketball court

·        Middlebrook Multi-Purpose Athletic Field, 7 acres

·        Post Athletic Field, 4 acres

·        Quarry Head – 32 acres, trails, old quarry and scenic overlook

·        Schenck’s Island – 13 acres of trails, picnicking and a river located on River Road

·        Town Forest –Boas Lane/Branch Brook Road, 188 acres of walking, bridle trails & camping

·        Wild Duck Reserve – 16 acres, trails and nature study

·        Woodcock Nature Center –156 acres through Wilton and Ridgefield, exhibits, nature store, educational and recreational programs

·        In addition, there are 10 athletic fields, 4 baseball diamonds, 3 softball diamonds, one of which is lighted, Stadium Athletic field, all-weather track.  The stadium and high school baseball and softball fields are illuminated for night events as are the fields at Middlebrook.

·        12 tennis courts, 8 of which are lighted

Animal Control                                                            (203) 563-0150

Ambulance & Paramedics                                           (203) 834-6245

Assessor                                                                      (203) 563-0122

Building Department                                                   (203) 563-0177

Conservation Commission                                           (203) 563-0180

Environmental Affairs                                                 (203) 563-0180

Finance Office                                                                        (203) 563-0201

Fire Department                                                          (203) 834-6246

First Selectman's Office                                              (203) 563-0100

Health Department                                                     (203) 563-0174

Human Resources                                                       (203) 563-0118

Inland Wetlands Department                                      (203) 563-0180

Park and Recreation Department                                (203) 834-6234

Planning and Zoning                                                   (203) 563-0185

Police Department                                                      (203) 834-6260

Public Works                                                               (203) 563-0155

Registrar of Voters / Elections Department               (203) 563-0112/(203) 563-0113

Social Services                                                             (203) 834-6238

Tax Collector                                                               (203) 563-0126

Town Clerk                                                                 (203) 563-0106

Transportation                                                             (203) 834-6235

Community Emergency Response Team                     (203) 834-6247

Elementary Schools:

Driscoll School (Grades K-2)

 (203) 762-3374
 www.wilton.k12.ct.us/md

 Miller School (Grades K-2)

(203) 762-8678
 www.wilton.k12.ct.us/md

Cider Mill School (Grades 3, 4 & 5 )

203) 762-3351
www.wilton.k12.ct.us/cm

Middle School:

Middlebrook School (Grades 6-8)

(203) 762-8388
      www.wilton.k12.ct.us/mb

High School:

Wilton High School (Grades 9-12)

(203) 762-0381
 www.wilton.k12.ct.us/whs/

Wilton Important Websites

·          www.wiltonct.org - official Wilton site with links to all schools and town info 

·         www.wilton.k12.ct.us - link to Wilton Public schools

Publications

·         The Wilton Villager (203) 354-1000 www.wiltonvillager.com

·         Westport Magazine (203)222-0600 www.westportmag.com

·         Wilton Bulletin (203)762-3866 www.acorn-online.com

Yearly Events

·         Minks to Sinks is a large, twice-a-year flea market that benefits the local Family and Children's Services Agency

·         Cannon Grange, hosts an annual fair

·         Ambler Farm Day is an annual fall tradition bringing family and friends together to enjoy a variety of events and farm activities, including hays rides, apple sling shots, and scarecrow making contests