The Ridgefield Historical Society is seeking to raise $100,000 to complete a documentary about the 1777 Battle of Ridgefield and the remarkable new archaeological and forensic discoveries that are changing what we know about this important Revolutionary War engagement.
The Battle of Ridgefield, Connecticut’s only inland battle of the Revolutionary War, took place when the United States was less than a year old and the ideals of American independence were still fragile and uncertain. Today, new research is bringing the battle into sharper focus and revealing that the fighting was more fierce, complex, and significant than previously understood.
Through the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program, the Ridgefield Historical Society is leading an archaeological research project that is uncovering new insights into the battle. Working with archaeologists using advanced equipment and forensic scientists studying skeletal remains discovered beneath a Main Street property, the Historical Society has documented this extraordinary work as it unfolded.
Now, as America approaches its 250th anniversary, the Historical Society is creating a documentary to share these discoveries with the public and bring Ridgefield’s Revolutionary War story to audiences near and far.
The film will bring viewers directly into the story of the battle and the ongoing research. Audiences will see musket balls, uniform buttons, and other powerful evidence emerge from the ground, and will hear from battlefield archaeologists, metal detectorists, forensic scientists, and local historians as they explain how these discoveries are reshaping our understanding of Ridgefield’s role in the American Revolution.
The finished documentary will serve as a lasting educational resource for schools, a way to engage the public during America’s 250th anniversary, and a powerful record of a moment when history is being uncovered beneath our feet.
Creating a documentary of this scope requires significant resources. Donations will help support producers, researchers, camera crews, editors, equipment, travel, post-production work, public screenings, online access, and the outreach needed to complete and share the film.
Every contribution, no matter the size, will help preserve this remarkable story and bring it to audiences in Ridgefield and beyond.
The Ridgefield Historical Society invites the community to join in making this documentary possible and to help ensure that the story of the Battle of Ridgefield, and the people who fought here, is remembered, understood, and shared with future generations.
