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$10,000 Matching Gift Challenge

Thanks to the generosity of our Board President, Steven Meyers, every gift to the Ridgefield Historical Society made through December 31, will be matched by him dollar for dollar, up to $10,000. This is an exciting opportunity to double the impact of your tax-deductible donation!

December 2025

Dear Friends of Ridgefield History,

Your generosity fuels the Ridgefield Historical Society’s work to preserve, protect, and share the rich history of our community. I’m writing to thank you for your continued support and invite you to participate in our Annual Appeal, helping ensure that our nonprofit organization remains a vibrant force for historic preservation, knowledge, and learning in Ridgefield.

In 2026, we will commemorate a once-in-a-generation milestone — the 250th anniversary of the United States. At the Ridgefield Historical Society, we are preparing to honor this historic moment with meaningful programming that illuminates Ridgefield’s role in the American story. Your support plays a vital role in advancing this work and safeguarding our town’s heritage for generations to come.

Your donations have directly helped us:

• Preserve beloved landmarks, from rescuing the 1714 Scott House from demolition at our inception to restoring the 1872 Branchville Schoolhouse as a new community space.

• Advance groundbreaking research, including our National Park Service Battle of Ridgefield Archaeology Project, which will lead to its listing on the National Register.

• Educate students through programs such as Witness Stones, exploring the history of slavery in Ridgefield; Civil War studies through original Ridgefield letters; Indigenous history lessons using ancient stone tools; and internships that mentor future historians.

• Support town planning and preservation by assisting the Historic District Commission and Planning & Zoning, expanding the Ridgefield Historic Resources Inventory, managing the House Plaque Program, and promoting Ridgefield’s historic character.

• Share our heritage through the Battle of Ridgefield Reenactment, Ridgefield Garden Tour, and Ridgefield Holiday House Tour; operation of the Peter Parley Schoolhouse Museum; and collaborations with our nonprofit partners that expand cultural tourism.

• Protect over 10,000 Ridgefield artifacts, including more than 200 oral history interviews, preserved in our climate-controlled vault and accessible through our online archive.

The Ridgefield Historical Society is an independent nonprofit organization with no operational funding from the town, state, or federal government. We rely entirely on the generosity of individuals like you. Your tax-deductible year-end contribution to our Annual Appeal is vital to sustaining our organization. Your support matters now more than ever. Every gift, no matter the size, strengthens our ability to preserve Ridgefield’s history, inspire new generations, and ensure our heritage endures.

Thanks to the generosity of our Board President, Steven Meyers, every contribution made through December 31 will be matched by him dollar for dollar, up to $10,000 — doubling the impact of your gift. We are deeply grateful for your support of our mission! Please consider making your year-end gift today.

With gratitude and warm regards,

Stephen Bartkus

Executive Director