Ridgefield Historical Society

### Context Profile for Ridgefield Historical Society

1. **Organization Mission & Cause**:
   - The Ridgefield Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich history of Ridgefield, Connecticut. Their mission focuses on educating the community about local history through various programs, events, and resources. They aim to foster an appreciation for Ridgefield's heritage and encourage community engagement with historical narratives.

2. **Type of Activities**:
   - The organization conducts a variety of activities including:
     - **Educational Talks and Walks**: Such as the "Here Lyes Ye Body: A Talk and Walk" event, which combines storytelling and historical exploration of local cemeteries.
     - **Community Programs**: Regular events that engage the community in local history, often featuring local historians and authors.
     - **Fundraising Campaigns**: Events that not only serve educational purposes but also raise funds to support the society's initiatives.
     - **Membership Programs**: Offering benefits to members, including discounted event tickets.

3. **Tone of Voice**:
   - The tone of the Ridgefield Historical Society is **friendly**, **informative**, and **engaging**. Their communications are designed to be accessible and inviting, encouraging participation from the community. The language used is often descriptive and evocative, aiming to inspire curiosity about local history.

4. **Emoji Usage**:
   - The organization does not appear to use emojis in their communications. Their content maintains a more traditional and professional appearance, focusing on clear and informative language.

5. **Key Facts**:
   - **Founding Info**: Specific founding details were not found on the website, but the organization has been active in promoting local history for several years.
   - **Scale**: The organization has a total of 9 forms and has conducted 7 email campaigns, indicating an active engagement with their audience.
   - **Impact Metrics**: Specific impact metrics were not detailed on the website, but the success of events like "Here Lyes Ye Body" suggests a strong community interest and participation.
   - **Volunteer Info**: There is an indication of volunteer involvement, particularly in historical research and event organization, but specific details were not provided on the website.

6. **Writing Guidelines**:
   - **Style**: Use a friendly and engaging tone that invites community participation. Avoid overly formal language; instead, aim for a conversational style that is accessible to a broad audience.
   - **Content Structure**: Organize information clearly, using headings and bullet points where appropriate to enhance readability.
   - **Call to Action**: Encourage participation in events and membership sign-ups, emphasizing the benefits of community engagement with local history.
   - **Imagery**: Use evocative and relevant images when possible to complement the historical narratives being shared.

This context profile provides a comprehensive overview of the Ridgefield Historical Society, guiding future content creation to align with their mission, values, and communication style.

Attendees should plan to drive to Farmington High School independently and meet Ridgefield Historical Society staff in the school lobby at 2:15 p.m. to check in and secure seating. Please allow approximately one hour and fifteen minutes for travel from Ridgefield, depending on traffic. The presentations begin promptly at 2:45 p.m.

General Admission

Join the Ridgefield Historical Society on Saturday, March 29, 2025, for a special meetup at the Friends of the Office of State Archaeology (FOSA) Annual Meeting, where leading researchers will present on Burial Sites from the American Revolution. The event will take place at the Farmington High School Auditorium, 10 Monteith Drive, Farmington, CT. Admission is $10 per person, and online registration is requested here. The presentations will highlight recent archaeological discoveries related to Revolutionary War burials. Connecticut State Archaeologist Sarah Sportman will discuss the 2019 discovery of adult male burials in Ridgefield, believed to be casualties of the Battle of Ridgefield. Wade P. Catts and Jennifer Janofsky will explore the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project, where a mass burial site of Hessian soldiers from the 1777 attack on Fort Mercer was uncovered. Lisa Anderson from the New York State Museum will examine the impact of smallpox on Revolutionary War soldiers, focusing on unmarked graves discovered in 2019 at Fort George in Lake George, NY. A Q&amp;A session will follow the presentations. Attendees should plan to drive to Farmington High School independently and meet Ridgefield Historical Society staff in the school lobby at 2:15 p.m. to check in and secure seating. Please allow approximately one hour and fifteen minutes for travel from Ridgefield, depending on traffic. The presentations begin promptly at 2:45 p.m. Following the presentation everyone is invited to join Ridgefield Historical Society Executive Director Stephen Bartkus and members of the Battle of Ridgefield Archaeology Project Advisory Committee for continuing conversation in the bar at Wood-n-Tap Grill, 1593 Farmington Ave., located across the street from Farmington High School. To view the menu and read more about Wood-n-Tap Grill, visit: <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.woodntap.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=GMB_Farmington" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_new">https://www.woodntap.com/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=organic&amp;utm_campaign=GMB_Farmington</a>. For additional information, contact the Ridgefield Historical Society at info@ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org or 203-438-5821, or visit <a fr-original-style="" href="http://ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_new">ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org</a>.&nbsp;Speaker Schedule2:45-3:00pmOSA UPDATE ON POSSIBLE BATTLEFIELD BURIALS FROM RIDGEFIELD, CTSarah Sportman, Connecticut State Archaeologist&nbsp;2019 construction activities uncovered burials under the cellar of a private residence in Ridgefield, CT. Excavations by the State Archaeologist yielded remains of adult males, four of whom were hastily buried together in a common shallow grave within the Battle of Ridgefield (April 27, 1777) battlefield. Recovered buttons dated the remains to the last quarter of the 18th-century. The working hypothesis is that these men were victims of the battle. This presentation provides a brief overview of the discovery, and an update on the analysis of the burial site skeletal remains and material culture. Please note: The study of the Ridgefield skeletal remains is still in progress, and no findings will be shared during this presentation.&nbsp;3:00-3:30pm&ldquo;NAKED AND TORN BY THE GRAPESHOT&rdquo;: THE RED BANK BATTLEFIELD ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECTWade P. Catts, President, South River Heritage Consulting and Jennifer Janofsky Prof. of Public History, Rowan University &nbsp;&nbsp;During the summer of 2022, a mass burial space was discovered at Red Bank Battlefield Park in Gloucester County, New Jersey. The burial is believed to contain remains of Hessian soldiers who died during the October 22, 1777 attack on Fort Mercer. This presentation summarizes the histories of the battle and of Battlefield Park, as well as the archaeological fieldwork and forensic research. The multi-disciplinary project team&#39;s work is continuing, and we will highlight some of the team&#39;s analyses.&nbsp;&nbsp;3:30-4:00pm&ldquo;SMALLPOX IN OUR NORTHERN ARMY CARRIES WITH IT MUCH GREATER DREAD THAN OUR ENEMIES&rdquo;: THE QUEBEC CAMPAIGN &amp; COURTLAND STREET BURYING GROUNDLisa Anderson, Curator of Bioarchaeology, New York State MuseumIn 1776, Governor Jonathan Trumbull wrote about smallpox plaguing troops returning from a failed campaign to invade Quebec. The army established a general hospital at Fort George to isolate the sick. In 2019, unmarked graves believed to be associated with the general hospital were disturbed by construction in the Village of Lake George, NY. A major salvage effort recovered the fragmentary and scattered remains of over 40 individuals. Subsequent work has focused on reconstructing and interpreting the lives of soldiers and plans to honor them in 2026.&nbsp;4:00-4:30pmQ&amp;A

Hi <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstName}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; color: rgb(42, 42, 196); padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;">First name, Thank you for purchasing tickets to Burial Sites from the American Revolution! The Ridgefield Historical Society looks forward to seeing you on Saturday, March 29, 2025, for a special meetup at the Friends of the Office of State Archaeology (FOSA) Annual Meeting, where leading researchers will present on Burial Sites from the American Revolution. The event will take place at the Farmington High School Auditorium, 10 Monteith Drive, Farmington, CT. The presentations will highlight recent archaeological discoveries related to Revolutionary War burials. Connecticut State Archaeologist Sarah Sportman will discuss the 2019 discovery of adult male burials in Ridgefield, believed to be casualties of the Battle of Ridgefield. Wade P. Catts and Jennifer Janofsky will explore the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project, where a mass burial site of Hessian soldiers from the 1777 attack on Fort Mercer was uncovered. Lisa Anderson from the New York State Museum will examine the impact of smallpox on Revolutionary War soldiers, focusing on unmarked graves discovered in 2019 at Fort George in Lake George, NY. A Q&amp;A session will follow the presentations. Attendees should plan to drive to Farmington High School independently and meet Ridgefield Historical Society staff in the school lobby at 2:15 p.m. to check in and secure seating. Please allow approximately one hour and fifteen minutes for travel from Ridgefield, depending on traffic. The presentations begin promptly at 2:45 p.m. Following the presentation everyone is invited to join Ridgefield Historical Society Executive Director Stephen Bartkus and members of the Battle of Ridgefield Archaeology Project Advisory Committee for continuing conversation in the bar at Wood-n-Tap Grill, 1593 Farmington Ave., located across the street from Farmington High School. To view the menu and learn more about Wood-n-Tap Grill, visit: <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.woodntap.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=GMB_Farmington" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;">https://www.woodntap.com/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=organic&amp;utm_campaign=GMB_Farmington</a>. For additional information, contact the Ridgefield Historical Society at info@ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org or 203-438-5821, or visit ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org. Speaker Schedule 2:45-3:00pmOSA UPDATE ON POSSIBLE BATTLEFIELD BURIALS FROM RIDGEFIELD, CTSarah Sportman, Connecticut State Archaeologist&nbsp;2019 construction activities uncovered burials under the cellar of a private residence in Ridgefield, CT. Excavations by the State Archaeologist yielded remains of adult males, four of whom were hastily buried together in a common shallow grave within the Battle of Ridgefield (April 27, 1777) battlefield. Recovered buttons dated the remains to the last quarter of the 18th-century. The working hypothesis is that these men were victims of the battle. This presentation provides a brief overview of the discovery, and an update on the analysis of the burial site skeletal remains and material culture. Please note: The study of the Ridgefield skeletal remains is still in progress, and no findings will be shared during this presentation.&nbsp;3:00-3:30pm&ldquo;NAKED AND TORN BY THE GRAPESHOT&rdquo;: THE RED BANK BATTLEFIELD ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECTWade P. Catts, President, South River Heritage Consulting and Jennifer Janofsky Prof. of Public History, Rowan University &nbsp;&nbsp;During the summer of 2022, a mass burial space was discovered at Red Bank Battlefield Park in Gloucester County, New Jersey. The burial is believed to contain remains of Hessian soldiers who died during the October 22, 1777 attack on Fort Mercer. This presentation summarizes the histories of the battle and of Battlefield Park, as well as the archaeological fieldwork and forensic research. The multi-disciplinary project team&#39;s work is continuing, and we will highlight some of the team&#39;s analyses.&nbsp;&nbsp;3:30-4:00pm&ldquo;SMALLPOX IN OUR NORTHERN ARMY CARRIES WITH IT MUCH GREATER DREAD THAN OUR ENEMIES&rdquo;: THE QUEBEC CAMPAIGN &amp; COURTLAND STREET BURYING GROUNDLisa Anderson, Curator of Bioarchaeology, New York State MuseumIn 1776, Governor Jonathan Trumbull wrote about smallpox plaguing troops returning from a failed campaign to invade Quebec. The army established a general hospital at Fort George to isolate the sick. In 2019, unmarked graves believed to be associated with the general hospital were disturbed by construction in the Village of Lake George, NY. A major salvage effort recovered the fragmentary and scattered remains of over 40 individuals. Subsequent work has focused on reconstructing and interpreting the lives of soldiers and plans to honor them in 2026.&nbsp;4:00-4:30pmQ&amp;A Warm regards,Janet GravesExecutive AssistantRidgefield Historical Societyinfo@ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org

Join the Ridgefield Historical Society on Saturday, March 29, 2025, for a special meetup at the Friends of the Office of State Archaeology (FOSA) Annual Meeting, where leading researchers will present on Burial Sites from the American Revolution. The event will take place at the Farmington High School Auditorium, 10 Monteith Drive, Farmington, CT. Admission is $10 per person, and online registration is requested here. The presentations will highlight recent archaeological discoveries related to Revolutionary War burials. Connecticut State Archaeologist Sarah Sportman will discuss the 2019 discovery of adult male burials in Ridgefield, believed to be casualties of the Battle of Ridgefield. Wade P. Catts and Jennifer Janofsky will explore the Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project, where a mass burial site of Hessian soldiers from the 1777 attack on Fort Mercer was uncovered. Lisa Anderson from the New York State Museum will examine the impact of smallpox on Revolutionary War soldiers, focusing on unmarked graves discovered in 2019 at Fort George in Lake George, NY. A Q&amp;A session will follow the presentations. Attendees should plan to drive to Farmington High School independently and meet Ridgefield Historical Society staff in the school lobby at 2:15 p.m. to check in and secure seating. Please allow approximately one hour and fifteen minutes for travel from Ridgefield, depending on traffic. The presentations begin promptly at 2:45 p.m. Following the presentation everyone is invited to join Ridgefield Historical Society Executive Director Stephen Bartkus and members of the Battle of Ridgefield Archaeology Project Advisory Committee for continuing conversation in the bar at Wood-n-Tap Grill, 1593 Farmington Ave., located across the street from Farmington High School. To view the menu and read more about Wood-n-Tap Grill, visit: <a href="https://www.woodntap.com/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=organic&amp;utm_campaign=GMB_Farmington" target="_new">https://www.woodntap.com/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=organic&amp;utm_campaign=GMB_Farmington</a>. For additional information, contact the Ridgefield Historical Society at info@ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org or 203-438-5821, or visit <a href="http://ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org" target="_new">ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org</a>. Speaker Schedule2:45-3:00pmOSA UPDATE ON POSSIBLE BATTLEFIELD BURIALS FROM RIDGEFIELD, CTSarah Sportman, Connecticut State Archaeologist 2019 construction activities uncovered burials under the cellar of a private residence in Ridgefield, CT. Excavations by the State Archaeologist yielded remains of adult males, four of whom were hastily buried together in a common shallow grave within the Battle of Ridgefield (April 27, 1777) battlefield. Recovered buttons dated the remains to the last quarter of the 18th-century. The working hypothesis is that these men were victims of the battle. This presentation provides a brief overview of the discovery, and an update on the analysis of the burial site skeletal remains and material culture. Please note: The study of the Ridgefield skeletal remains is still in progress, and no findings will be shared during this presentation. 3:00-3:30pm“NAKED AND TORN BY THE GRAPESHOT”: THE RED BANK BATTLEFIELD ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECTWade P. Catts, President, South River Heritage Consulting and Jennifer Janofsky Prof. of Public History, Rowan University   During the summer of 2022, a mass burial space was discovered at Red Bank Battlefield Park in Gloucester County, New Jersey. The burial is believed to contain remains of Hessian soldiers who died during the October 22, 1777 attack on Fort Mercer. This presentation summarizes the histories of the battle and of Battlefield Park, as well as the archaeological fieldwork and forensic research. The multi-disciplinary project team's work is continuing, and we will highlight some of the team's analyses.  3:30-4:00pm“SMALLPOX IN OUR NORTHERN ARMY CARRIES WITH IT MUCH GREATER DREAD THAN OUR ENEMIES”: THE QUEBEC CAMPAIGN &amp; COURTLAND STREET BURYING GROUNDLisa Anderson, Curator of Bioarchaeology, New York State MuseumIn 1776, Governor Jonathan Trumbull wrote about smallpox plaguing troops returning from a failed campaign to invade Quebec. The army established a general hospital at Fort George to isolate the sick. In 2019, unmarked graves believed to be associated with the general hospital were disturbed by construction in the Village of Lake George, NY. A major salvage effort recovered the fragmentary and scattered remains of over 40 individuals. Subsequent work has focused on reconstructing and interpreting the lives of soldiers and plans to honor them in 2026. 4:00-4:30pmQ&amp;A

Ridgefield Historical Society

Burial Sites from the American Revolution

10 Monteith Dr

General Admission

$10

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