Fairfield, Connecticut, United States

🇺🇸 Fairfield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It borders the city of Bridgeport and towns of Trumbull, Easton, Weston, and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. In September 2014, Money magazine ranked Fairfield as the best place to live in Connecticut.

History: Colonial era In 1635, Puritans and Congregationalists in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, were dissatisfied with the rate of Anglican reform, and sought to establish an ecclesiastical society subject to their own rules and regulations. The Massachusetts General Court granted them permission to settle in the towns of Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford which is an area now known as Connecticut.

On January 14, 1639, a set of legal and administrative regulations called the Fundamental Orders was adopted and established Connecticut as a self-ruling entity. By 1639, these settlers had started new towns in the surrounding areas. Roger Ludlowe, framer of the Fundamental Orders, purchased the land called Unquowa (presently called Fairfield), and established the name. The name "Fairfield" is commendatory.

According to historian John M. Taylor: Early in 1639, the General Court granted a commission to Ludlowe to begin a plantation at Pequannocke. He was on that errand, with a few others from Windsor, afterwards joined by immigrants from Watertown and Concord. He stole a large tract of land from the Pequannocke sachems – afterwards greatly enlarged by other purchases to the westward – and recalling the attractive region beyond (Unquowa), which he had personally seen on the second Pequot expedition, he also "set down" there, having purchased the territory embraced in the present town of Fairfield, to which he gave its name.

Towns created from Fairfield Fairfield was one of the two principal settlements of the Connecticut Colony in south-western Connecticut (the other was Stratford). The town line with Stratford was set in May 1661 by John Banks, an early Fairfield settler, Richard Olmstead, and Lt. Joseph Judson, who were both appointed as a committee by the Colony of Connecticut. The town line with Norwalk was not set until May 1685.

Over time, it gave rise to several new towns that broke off and incorporated separately. The following is a list of towns created from parts of Fairfield. • Redding in 1767 • Weston in 1787 • Easton, created from Weston in 1845 • Bridgeport in 1821 (also partly from Stratford) and again in 1870 when the Black Rock section left Fairfield • Westport in 1835 (partly from Weston and Norwalk)

Revolutionary War When the American Revolutionary War began in the 1770s, Fairfielders were caught in the crisis as much as, if not more than, the rest of their neighbors in Connecticut. In a predominantly Tory section of the colony, the people of Fairfield were early supporters of the cause for independence. Throughout the war, a constant battle was being fought across the Long Island Sound as Loyalists from British-controlled Long Island raided the coast in whaleboats and privateers. Gold Selleck Silliman, whose home still stands on Jennings Road, was put in charge of the coastal defenses.

In the spring of 1779, Silliman was kidnapped from his home by Loyalist raiders in preparation for a British raid on Fairfield County. His wife, Mary Silliman watched from their home as, on the morning of July 7, 1779, approximately 2,000 British troops landed on Fairfield Beach near Pine Creek Point and invaded the town; the force proceeded to burn Fairfield due to the town's support for Patriot cause. A decade later, President George Washington noted that after traveling through Fairfield that "the destructive evidence of British cruelty are yet visible both in Norwalk and Fairfield; as there are the chimneys of many burnt houses standing in them yet".

History: 20th century The First World War brought Fairfield out of its agrarian past by triggering an unprecedented economic boom in Bridgeport, which was the centre of a large munitions industry at the time. The prosperity accompanied a temporary housing shortage in the city, and many of the workers looked to Fairfield to build their homes. The trolley and later the automobile made the countryside accessible to these newly rich members of the middle class, who brought with them new habits, new attitudes, and new modes of dress. The prosperity lasted throughout the twenties.

By the time of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the population had increased to 17,000 from the 6,000 it had been just before the war. Even during the Depression, the town kept expanding.

The grounding of a barge with two crewmen on Penfield Reef in Fairfield during a gale led to the 1st civilian helicopter hoist rescue in history, on November 29, 1945. The helicopter flew from the nearby Sikorsky Aircraft plant in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Fairfield became the home of the corporate headquarters of General Electric (GE), one of the world's largest companies. On May 8, 2017, GE relocated to Boston, Massachusetts.

The opening of the Connecticut Turnpike in the 1950s brought another wave of development to Fairfield, and by the 1960s the town's residential, suburban character was firmly established.

Geography The town is on the shore of the Long Island Sound. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.3 square miles (81 km²), of which 30.0 square miles (78 km²) is land and 3.4 square km (1.3 sq mi), or 4.15%, is water. The Mill River, the waters of which feed Lake Mohegan, flows through the town.

Neighborhoods Fairfield consists of many neighborhoods. The best known are wealthy Southport, where General Electric Chief Executive Officer Jack Welch lived for many years, and Greenfield Hill, with its large green areas, famous dogwood trees, and picturesque green with its white-spired Congregational church. Other neighborhoods include Stratfield, Tunxis Hill, the University area, Grasmere, Mill Plain, Knapp's Village, Melville Village, Holland Hill, Murray, and the Fairfield Beach area, which has recently undergone a renaissance with the construction of many new homes by residents wishing to live in proximity to the beach and downtown. This has resulted in steadily rising property prices. Two shopping districts in town include the Post Road (U.S. 1) and Black Rock Turnpike. • Fairfield Center/Downtown Fairfield • Fairfield Beach • Fairfield Woods • Grasmere • Greenfield Hill • Lake Hills • Mill Plain • Murray • Sasco Hill and Beach • Southport • Stratfield Village • Tunxis Hill.

Economy In May 2012, Moody's Investors Service revised the Town of Fairfield's $192 million general obligation bond debt from negative to stable. In June 2012, Moody's awarded Fairfield with an AAA bond rating, which it maintains to this date.

Taxes In 2005, the mill rate of Fairfield was 16.67. The 2012–2013 taxes in Fairfield rose 4% to a mill rate of 23.37. The 2013–2014 mill rate which went into effect on July 1 for fiscal year 2013–2014 also increased by 2.38% to 23.93.

Large and distinctive companies • R.C. Bigelow (Bigelow Tea Company) – headquarters, Black Rock Turnpike • Sturm, Ruger & Co. – headquarters, Lacey Place in Southport, firearms manufacturer • Fairfield University – 1073 North Benson Road (5000 students and more than 500 academic employees plus additional administrators and staff) • Sacred Heart University – New England's second largest Roman Catholic university

Historic sites • Connecticut Audubon Society Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary – 314 Unquowa Road (added 1982) • Bronson Windmill – 3015 Bronson Road (added 1971) • David Ogden House – 1520 Bronson Road (added 1979) • Fairfield Historic District – Old Post Road from Post Road to Turney Road (added 1971). This is the old town centre of Fairfield, roughly along Old Post Road between U.S. Route 1 and Turney Road. The area contains Fairfield's town hall, public library, and houses dating from the late 18th century. • Fairfield Railroad Stations – Carter Henry Drive (added 1989) • Greenfield Hill Historic District – Roughly bounded by Meeting House Lane, Hillside Road, Verna Hill Road and Bronson Road (added 1971) • John Osborne House – 909 King's Highway West (added 1987) • Jonathan Sturges House – 449 Mill Plain Road (added 1984) • Pine Creek Park Bridge – North of Old Dam Road, over Pine Circle (added 1992) • Southport Historic District – Roughly bounded by Southport Harbor, railroad tracks, Old South Road, and Rose Hill Road (added 1971) • Southport Railroad Stations – 96 Station St. and 100 Center St. (added 1989)

Arts, entertainment, and sports • The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on the campus of Fairfield University opened in 1990. Its schedule of events includes popular and classical music, dance, theatre, programs for young audiences, and the Open VISIONS Forum lecture series which feature opinion-makers, artists, authors, political commentators, and contributors to the humanities and sciences. The Quick Center houses the 740-seat Kelley Theatre, the 150-seat Lawrence A. Wien Experimental Theatre, and the Thomas J. Walsh Jr. Art Gallery. The Quick Center has become known as one of the finest concert halls in the country and was recognised as the "cultural epicenter of Fairfield County" by Westport Magazine. • The PepsiCo Theatre, a renovated 1922 carriage house on the campus of Fairfield University, is the home to the theatre program of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts and Theater Fairfield, the resident production company of the university. The PepsiCo Theatre also hosts experimental productions by students, faculty and local professionals. • The Bellarmine Museum of Art on the campus of Fairfield University hosts shows by regional artists and touring exhibitions as well as a permanent collection. • The Gazebo on Sherman Town Green is home to free concerts during the summer in the afternoon hours. • WSHU-FM Public Radio, operated by Sacred Heart University • WVOF, student-run radio at Fairfield University • Fairfield University hosts collegiate athletic competitions open to the public including basketball, baseball, cross-country, field hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, swimming, tennis, and volleyball.

Parks and recreation Fairfield residents enjoy a wealth of recreational opportunities, many of which stem from Fairfield's enviable location on the Long Island Sound. • The town's 5 miles (8 km) of Long Island Sound coastline include five town beaches which are staffed by lifeguards during the summer, and miles of privately owned beach which are open to the public below the high tide mark. • South Benson Marina is a town-owned facility providing 600 boat slips which residents can rent for the summer. • Lake Mohegan, which includes waterfalls called The Cascades, is a popular destination for hiking, as are the Fairfield Audubon Society and the Bird Sanctuary. • Ye Yacht Yard, a town-owned facility on Southport Harbor, provides boat launch services to residents, and access to moorings in Southport Harbor. Ye Yacht Yard is also the location of Community Sailing of Fairfield, whose members share use of two 18-foot sailboats. • The "SportsPlex" is located in downtown Fairfield and offers athletic activities such as ice skating, indoor climbing, indoor soccer and gymnastics.

Other points of interest • Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Fairfield (separate from the Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary) – 6 miles (10 km) of boardwalk nature trails in a wildlife sanctuary of 160 acres (0.65 km²) with a nature center • Fairfield Museum and History Center – displays on local history, art and decorative arts, and a library on local history • Gallery of Contemporary Art at Sacred Heart University – holds five exhibitions each year • Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University.

Education Fairfield is home to two post-secondary institutions, Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University.

Media • Fairfield Online News • Connecticut Post (headquartered in neighboring Bridgeport) • Fairfield Minuteman • Fairfield Citizen-News • Fairfield Sun • HamletHub Fairfield • Fairfield Magazine • Fairfield County Catholic • WVOF.

Transport Fairfield is traversed by U.S. 1, Interstate 95, and the Merritt Parkway. It has three Metro-North Railroad stations, Fairfield Metro, Fairfield and Southport. The town is served by several public bus lines of the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority.