Tarrywile Mansion

Tarrywile Mansion was built for Dr. William Wile in 1897.  The name is a play on the phrase "tarry for a while."  Dr. Wile served in the Civil War, fought at Gettysburg, and accompanied General Sherman in his March to the Sea.  Dr. Wile was Danbury's first medical examiner and a benefactor of Danbury Hospital. 

Mrs. Wile fell down the stairs ten years later and was badly injured, so Dr. and Mrs. Wile sold the house and gardens to C.D. Parks, who developed a process useful in hatmaking.  (Danbury is known as the Hat City and even today the high school's sports teams are called the Danbury Hatters.)

In 1985 the City purchased the mansion from the Charles D. Parks estate with 535 acres of meadows, forests, mountains, lakes, and ponds as well as 19 buildings.  The mansion is used as a community center for the City, providing a space for public and private events of all kinds.