Rockwell House

 Built in 1850, likely as a late-Greek Revival or Italianate style home, this house on Main Street in Ridgefield was completely "modernized" in the 1880s in the Queen Anne style popular at the time. 

It is my daughter's favorite house on Main Street.  She loves big porches.

The original owners, Francis and Mary Rockwell, died in 1881 and 1883 respectively. The family home was inherited by their eldest son, Charles Lee Rockwell, who became the director of the First National Bank in town. Charles updated the house to give it the Queen Anne Victorian look it has today. 

Redbud

 A 1756 house by Benjamin Keeler (one of the ubiquitous 18th century Keelers in Ridgefield) is at the southern end of Main Street.  It is easy to overlook when the spectacular redbud tree isn't blooming.

Lucky Bee!

 

If the lilac tastes as good as it smells . . .

Whipstick Farm

 A retired journalist from Ridgefield's local paper is the town's informal historian.  I try to read his essays about this new-to-me town.  Not long ago I read about a 19th century Chairman and CEO of Chase National Bank who built a weekend getaway mansion in a high end part of Ridgefield.

It turns out that this banker was born on a Midwest farm.  Even though he rose to the heights in finance, he remained a farmer at heart.  So, about a mile away from his weekend mansion he bought a farmhouse and over time accumulated 150 acres that he hired locals to farm.  

Whipstick Farm is still here today, though the land is no longer actively farmed and has largely returned to nature.  The main house now has six acres.  It is now on the market and ready for its next owner 

Birthday Party

The seventh birthday was earlier in the week, but yesterday was the party with friends.  

The birthday girl picked out a llama piñata.

She swung but didn't break it. 

(Mom is a sustainability professional and is observing No Mow May.) 

A boy classmate broke it open.  The herd descended.

(I put the photo through a program to disguise the kids since some parents are sensitive about showing their kids on social media.  In the other photos, my granddaughters are the only identifiable kids.)

The kids used Sharpies to color wooden boats.  

(The birthday girl is in pink; her five year old sister is in a blue-green dress.)

Some of the kids raced their boats from the dock.

Ice cream sundaes gave a delicious finish to the party. 

Saint Mary Church

Saint Mary Church is one long block from the center of town, on Catoonah Street.

 Ridgefield's Catholic church opened in 1897.  A new gathering space on the right front of this photo hosts hospitality after mass, meetings, talks and video presentations. It also serves as St. Mary’s baptistry.

Lounsbury House

 I have shown Ridgefield's community center, Lounsbury House, several times before, but not in tulip season.  Here it is.

And, here it is again, turned into "art" through the Waterlogue app.