Thursday, March 13 @ 6:30 pm – 8:15 pm EDT
Join us for an enlightening evening with Phil Esser as he discusses “20 Architectural Gems of Ridgefield,” presented by the Ridgefield Historical Society and Lounsbury House. The event will take place on Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 6:30pm in the ballroom at Lounsbury House, 316 Main Street, Ridgefield. This event is proudly sponsored by Karla Murtaugh Homes and Doyle Coffin Architecture.
“When you live in a town like Ridgefield,” says Mr. Esser, an architectural historian and preservationist, and chair of the Historic Preservation Committee of the Ridgefield Historical Society, “it’s almost easy to forget how special and meaningful the structures and residences that surround us are. Each has a story, both personal and architectural, and our mission is to preserve these stories and share them broadly — for centuries to come.”
Mr. Esser will lead the presentation, joined by Tracy Seem of the Historic Preservation Committee, and Mary Dunne, the Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer from the CT State Historic Preservation Office. Mr. Esser plans to discuss 20 exemplary structures that represent different architectural styles present in the town, exceptional preservation efforts, and architectural and societal trends of the times in which they were developed. A highlight will be Lounsbury House, host for the evening and a crown jewel on Main Street since 1896.
Not intended to exclude the hundreds of fine architectural examples in Ridgefield, the presentation will feature notable examples of architecture captured in the 2023 Historic Resources Inventory [HRI], a survey funded by grants from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). The grants were awarded to the Ridgefield Historical Society and Town of Ridgefield to expand the original 1979 Ridgefield Historic and Architectural Resources Survey with the addition of 300 properties, some of which reflect more recent growth and development in the town. The resulting document will serve as an extraordinary record of Ridgefield’s built environment and aid in preservation efforts.
The presentation will also include a brief reception. Seating is limited and tickets are nonrefundable. Discounted tickets ($20) are available for Ridgefield Historical Society and Lounsbury House members. Full-price tickets ($25) for non-members. The snow date is Thursday, March 20 at 6:30pm. For more information contact [email protected] or 203-438-5821.
