Battle of Ridgefield Consensus Planning: FHI Studio Partners with Ridgefield Historical Society for Community Design Charrette
June 8, 2022

In December 2019, the Battle of Ridgefield became the subject of intense interest when human remains were discovered in the basement of a historic 18th-century house. Though the remains have not been positively identified as either British troops, Continental Soldiers, or the militia, all other evidence suggests that they were casualties of the only inland engagement of the Revolutionary War fought in Connecticut.

This effort assessed ways the community could celebrate the Battle of Ridgefield as part of the Town's celebrations commemorating the 250th anniversary of this country's founding. Managed by Co-project Managers Stephanie Brooks and Rory Jacobson, FHI Studio is leading a dynamic effort to engage Ridgefielders in public planning workshops to identify ways that the Town can protect this vital part of its history.

Workshops helped identify the desires of the community and developed a plan to appropriately commemorate the Battle of Ridgefield with a focus on long-term stewardship of the battlefield. A Draft Planning Document was developed through community visioning that captured the community's thoughts and preferences for recognizing this event and the battlefield site. The Ridgefield Historical Society's mission statement is to preserve, interpret, and foster public knowledge of Ridgefield's historical, cultural, and architectural heritage. These workshops were designed with that purpose in mind.

We are thrilled to be part of the effort that provides the foundation for a plan for the future of the battlefield.