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.

LXCL:Admission for one to Melanie Beal Marks' illustrated presentation and exhibit, Faces from the Past, on Sunday, January 25, 2026, 2 p.m., at Lounsbury House, 316 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT. The snow date is Sun. Feb. 1. Tickets are limited and nonrefundable.

Ticket

A family lost, now found through the collision of serendipity and sheer luck. A prominent foundational Ridgefield family whose revolutionary story has been forgotten for 200 years, will now be revealed.&nbsp; Six portraits from the early 19th Century comprise a remarkable art and history mystery, which began in Ridgefield. Their story will be revealed on Sunday, Jan. 25, at 2 p.m. at Lounsbury House at 316 Main St. in Ridgefield, CT by Melanie Beal Marks, principal researcher and owner of CT House Histories, who is a member of the Historic Preservation Committee of the Ridgefield Historical Society. This program is part of the Ridgefield Historical Society&rsquo;s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of America in 2026.&nbsp; As the national Semiquincentennial celebration begins, it&rsquo;s fitting to observe that the patriarch of this family, Benjamin Lynes, was personally involved in the Revolutionary War, as a Redding teenager taken captive by British troops and then as an American soldier, serving at West Point. He was a longtime prominent resident of Ridgebury and is one of 14 Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Ridgebury Cemetery.&nbsp; This presentation will mark the very first time this collection of portraits has been seen publicly and is a program of the Ridgefield Historical Society in partnership with Lounsbury House. The six portraits from the Lynes family will be on loan from a private collector for the afternoon program. There will be ample opportunity to see these paintings, done by at least two different artists (unknown). Come learn about the subjects&rsquo; storied lives while living in Ridgefield, New York City and Norwalk and discover how these portraits landed in the hands of the current owner.&nbsp; Melanie Beal Marks, whose meticulous house histories bring a wealth of documented information to homeowners who engage her, is also recognized for her knowledge of the itinerant portraitist Ammi Phillips. In 2022, she helped organize an exhibit of Phillips&rsquo; work with the Kent Historical Society. Melanie had been studying Ammi Phillips, also known as the &ldquo;Kent Limner,&rdquo; for several years, helping to establish provenance for paintings done nearly 200 years ago.&nbsp; On Jan 25 Melanie will share the story of how the Lynes portraits came to her attention and how she found the keys to unlocking the mystery of who this group of portraits included. She&rsquo;ll share the stories of Patriot and patriarch, Benjamin Lynes&rsquo; five children but will focus in on his son, Samuel, Samuel&rsquo;s wife, and their daughter and her husband. Their portraits will also be on display &ndash; as well as that of Benjamin&rsquo;s wife. It&rsquo;s a story of many twists, a genealogical/historical mystery, now solved.&nbsp; Tickets for this program are limited, nonrefundable and are available from the Ridgefield Historical Society at ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org. The snow date is Sun. Feb. 1, 2026, 2 pm. For more information contact info@ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org or 203-438-5821.

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 Melanie Beal Marks&#39; illustrated presentation and exhibit, Faces from the Past, on Sunday, January 25, 2026, from 2 p.m., at Lounsbury House, 316 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT. Printed tickets aren&#39;t required, check in with your name at the door. The Ridgefield Historical Society is thrilled to present this exciting America 250 program in partnership with Lounsbury House. To learn more, get involved, and support our work to preserve and share Ridgefield&#39;s remarkable history go to:<a fr-original-style="" href="https://ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">https://ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org/</a>and<a fr-original-style="" href="http://​https://lounsburyhouse.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">https://lounsburyhouse.org/</a> Warm regards,Stephen BartkusExecutive DirectorRidgefield Historical Society

A family lost, now found through the collision of serendipity and sheer luck. A prominent foundational Ridgefield family whose revolutionary story has been forgotten for 200 years, will now be revealed.  Six portraits from the early 19th Century comprise a remarkable art and history mystery, which began in Ridgefield. Their story will be revealed on Sunday, Jan. 25, at 2 p.m. at Lounsbury House at 316 Main St. in Ridgefield, CT by Melanie Beal Marks, principal researcher and owner of CT House Histories, who is a member of the Historic Preservation Committee of the Ridgefield Historical Society. This program is part of the Ridgefield Historical Society’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of America in 2026.  As the national Semiquincentennial celebration begins, it’s fitting to observe that the patriarch of this family, Benjamin Lynes, was personally involved in the Revolutionary War, as a Redding teenager taken captive by British troops and then as an American soldier, serving at West Point. He was a longtime prominent resident of Ridgebury and is one of 14 Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Ridgebury Cemetery.  This presentation will mark the very first time this collection of portraits has been seen publicly and is a program of the Ridgefield Historical Society in partnership with Lounsbury House. The six portraits from the Lynes family will be on loan from a private collector for the afternoon program. There will be ample opportunity to see these paintings, done by at least two different artists (unknown). Come learn about the subjects’ storied lives while living in Ridgefield, New York City and Norwalk and discover how these portraits landed in the hands of the current owner.  Melanie Beal Marks, whose meticulous house histories bring a wealth of documented information to homeowners who engage her, is also recognized for her knowledge of the itinerant portraitist Ammi Phillips. In 2022, she helped organize an exhibit of Phillips’ work with the Kent Historical Society. Melanie had been studying Ammi Phillips, also known as the “Kent Limner,” for several years, helping to establish provenance for paintings done nearly 200 years ago.  On Jan 25 Melanie will share the story of how the Lynes portraits came to her attention and how she found the keys to unlocking the mystery of who this group of portraits included. She’ll share the stories of Patriot and patriarch, Benjamin Lynes’ five children but will focus in on his son, Samuel, Samuel’s wife, and their daughter and her husband. Their portraits will also be on display – as well as that of Benjamin’s wife. It’s a story of many twists, a genealogical/historical mystery, now solved.  Tickets for this program are limited, nonrefundable and are available from the Ridgefield Historical Society at ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org. The snow date is Sun. Feb. 1, 2026, 2 pm. For more information contact info@ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org or 203-438-5821.

Ridgefield Historical Society

Faces from the Past: A History Mystery that Connects a Family to Ridgefield

316 Main St

Ticket

$25

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