Learn About The History Of Fairfield CT
The Early Days of Fairfield
Fairfield, CT was part of the original Connecticut Colony in the United States. It was actually one of two main settlements in southeastern Connecticut, along with Stratford. Its Stratford town line goes back to May 1661. Fairfield actually used to be a lot bigger than it is today, and a lot of different towns were more or less formed from Fairfield. Bridgeport, Redding, Westport, and Weston all fall into this category. This helped to establish the boundaries of modern Fairfield.
Fairfield During the Revolutionary War
All areas within Connecticut were strongly affected by the Revolutionary War. However, Fairfield was much more strongly affected than most other areas. People in Fairfield supported American independence more strongly than a good portion of the other people within Connecticut, who were primarily Tories.Long Island Sound was the site of an ongoing battle in Fairfield during the Revolutionary War.
Unlike a good portion of the other areas within Connecticut, Fairfield was not land-locked. The fact that it had a small coastline made it an easy and popular target compared to some of the other parts of Connecticut. Long Island was controlled by the British, and they would use privateers and whaleboats to attack the coast of Fairfield.Gold Selleck Silliman headed the coastal defenses. He was eventually kidnapped, and one of the most dramatic events in Fairfield history began.
On July 7, 1779, Fairfield was invaded by British troops. They made it to Fairfield Beach near Pine Creek Point. There were two thousand British troops in the area, and they were able to completely destroy the town by the following evening. The Burning of Fairfield is one of the most infamous events in the entire Revolutionary War.
People were horrified that the British would do something like this, especially because there wasn't much of a tactical advantage in the act. They were trying to make Fairfield citizens suffer because they had supported the rebels, making the attack more ideological than strategic. It wasn't until after the war that Fairfield was able to really recover.
Fairfield in the Nineteenth Century
The nineteenth century was not as eventful for Fairfield. It was a largely agricultural area, and it managed to attract immigrants and settlers who were interested in getting some of their own farmland. Fairfield, CT is a prosperous area today. In the nineteenth century, it was a much less wealthy area overall. The Burning of Fairfield still left a toll on the area for generations, and the area didn't manage to attract as many new people as other parts of Connecticut.
Fairfield in the Twentieth Century
The industrialization that followed the end of the nineteenth century completely transformed Fairfield. After World War One in particular, the munitions industry made the area extremely wealthy. Countless individuals were drawn to Fairfield. There was actually a housing shortage before long.
The area actually continued to develop and expand even during the Great Depression. By the time the huge company General Electric was set up in Fairfield, it was clear that this was an area that would continue to be associated with progress and wealth. Today, it's regarded as one of the best places to live in North America, and in the Northeast in general. Given the city's tumultuous beginnings, that's even more impressive.