Dr. Darla Shaw portrays Liz Leonard, the first female Selectman of Ridgefield. The stretch of highway on Route 116 from Barlow Mountain to Scotland School is named after her. She moved to town in the 1960s and found work as a political journalist for the Danbury News Times and Bridgeport Post, among others, before coming into office as State Representative and later First Selectman.
Our collaborative community history project has received national recognition for bringing long-overlooked voices into Ridgefield’s historical record and expanding how local history is preserved, shared, and understood.
This year’s scholarship honors a student whose academic achievement and community involvement reflect the values at the heart of local history work.
This new book shares LGBTQIA+ experiences of Ridgefield through personal stories gathered during our community oral history project, preserving voices and perspectives that will broaden the understanding of the town’s
A hands-on volunteer group is helping preserve the beauty and character of the outdoor spaces that surround some of Ridgefield’s most distinctive historic and architectural landmarks.