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.

This event is sold out. Discounted admission for members of the Ridgefield Historical Society or The Meetinghouse to Keith Marshall Jones III's illustrated presentation, "Rochambeau – America’s Forgotten French Founding Father", on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 6:30pm in the historic Meetinghouse at 602 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, CT. Held in honor of the 300th anniversary of Rochambeau’s birth (July 1, 1725), the presentation will be followed by a reception. 

SOLD OUT-Ticket for Members

This event is sold out. Regular admission for those who are not yet members of the Ridgefield Historical Society or The Meetinghouse to Keith Marshall Jones III's illustrated presentation, "Rochambeau – America’s Forgotten French Founding Father", on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 6:30pm in the historic Meetinghouse at 602 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, CT. Held in honor of the 300th anniversary of Rochambeau’s birth (July 1, 1725), the presentation will be followed by a reception. 

SOLD OUT-Ticket for Nonmembers

7/1/2025 This event is now sold out. Please continue to register to join the wait list and you will be notified if a ticket becomes available. The Ridgefield Historical Society and The Meetinghouse in Ridgebury proudly present historian Keith Marshall Jones III who will give the illustrated presentation, Rochambeau &ndash; America&rsquo;s Forgotten French Founding Father, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 6:30pm in the historic Meetinghouse at 602 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, CT. Held in honor of the 300th anniversary of Rochambeau&rsquo;s birth (July 1, 1725), the presentation will be followed by a reception.&nbsp;&nbsp; Tickets are limited, non-refundable, and expected to sell out quickly. Admission is $15 for members of the Ridgefield Historical Society and The Meetinghouse in Ridgebury, and $20 for those who aren&rsquo;t yet members. Tickets can be purchased online here.&nbsp; On July 1, 1781, French Lieutenant General Jean-Baptiste-Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau, celebrated his 56th birthday right here in Ridgefield. While his superbly equipped and immaculately clad 4,700-man army camped in Ridgebury Parish, en route to Yorktown to join General George Washington&rsquo;s forces and secure American independence, the Comte dined at Ensign Samuel Keeler&rsquo;s nearby tavern. The following morning, one of his regimental chaplains conducted Connecticut&rsquo;s first inland Catholic Mass.&nbsp;&nbsp; Join Keith Marshall Jones III on July 1 to commemorate Rochambeau&rsquo;s birthday visit and explore the story of his army&rsquo;s two-day stay in Ridgefield. Learn why French money, arms, and manpower paved the way for American independence. Discover how it was Rochambeau, not General George Washington, who devised the bold stale-mate-breaking strategy that led to the decisive victory at Yorktown, and how he later narrowly escaped the guillotine during the French Revolution as thanks for his efforts. Keith Marshall Jones III, Founding President of the Ridgefield Historical Society, is the author of THE BATTLE OF RIDGEFIELD, Benedict Arnold, the Patriot Militia and the Surprising 1777 Battle that Galvanized Revolutionary Connecticut&nbsp;(2024). Other books include: JOHN LAURANCE, the Immigrant Founding Father America Never Knew&nbsp;(awarded the American Philosophical Society&rsquo;s 2019 &ldquo;Publication of the Year&rdquo;);&nbsp;CONGRESS AS MY GOVERNMENT, Chief Justice John Marshall in the War for Independence (2008); Farmers Against the Crown (2002); and The Farms of Farmingville (2001). He lives in New York City and Connecticut. For more information contact: <a fr-original-style="" href="mailto:info@ridgfieldhistoricalsociety.org" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">info@ridgfieldhistoricalsociety.org</a> 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 historian Keith Marshall Jones III&#39;s illustrated presentation, Rochambeau &ndash; America&rsquo;s Forgotten French Founding Father, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 6:30pm in the historic Meetinghouse at 602 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, CT. Held in honor of the 300th anniversary of Rochambeau&rsquo;s birth (July 1, 1725), the presentation will be followed by a reception.&nbsp; The Ridgefield Historical Society and The Meetinghouse in Ridgebury are thrilled to collaborate on this exciting America 250 program. To learn more, get involved, and support both of our organizations 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><a fr-original-style="" href="https://meetinghouse.life/" rel="noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">https://meetinghouse.life/</a> Warm regards,Ridgefield Historical Society and The Meetinghouse

7/1/2025 This event is now sold out. Please continue to register to join the wait list and you will be notified if a ticket becomes available. The Ridgefield Historical Society and The Meetinghouse in Ridgebury proudly present historian Keith Marshall Jones III who will give the illustrated presentation, Rochambeau – America’s Forgotten French Founding Father, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 6:30pm in the historic Meetinghouse at 602 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, CT. Held in honor of the 300th anniversary of Rochambeau’s birth (July 1, 1725), the presentation will be followed by a reception.   Tickets are limited, non-refundable, and expected to sell out quickly. Admission is $15 for members of the Ridgefield Historical Society and The Meetinghouse in Ridgebury, and $20 for those who aren’t yet members. Tickets can be purchased online here.  On July 1, 1781, French Lieutenant General Jean-Baptiste-Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau, celebrated his 56th birthday right here in Ridgefield. While his superbly equipped and immaculately clad 4,700-man army camped in Ridgebury Parish, en route to Yorktown to join General George Washington’s forces and secure American independence, the Comte dined at Ensign Samuel Keeler’s nearby tavern. The following morning, one of his regimental chaplains conducted Connecticut’s first inland Catholic Mass.   Join Keith Marshall Jones III on July 1 to commemorate Rochambeau’s birthday visit and explore the story of his army’s two-day stay in Ridgefield. Learn why French money, arms, and manpower paved the way for American independence. Discover how it was Rochambeau, not General George Washington, who devised the bold stale-mate-breaking strategy that led to the decisive victory at Yorktown, and how he later narrowly escaped the guillotine during the French Revolution as thanks for his efforts. Keith Marshall Jones III, Founding President of the Ridgefield Historical Society, is the author of THE BATTLE OF RIDGEFIELD, Benedict Arnold, the Patriot Militia and the Surprising 1777 Battle that Galvanized Revolutionary Connecticut (2024). Other books include: JOHN LAURANCE, the Immigrant Founding Father America Never Knew (awarded the American Philosophical Society’s 2019 “Publication of the Year”); CONGRESS AS MY GOVERNMENT, Chief Justice John Marshall in the War for Independence (2008); Farmers Against the Crown (2002); and The Farms of Farmingville (2001). He lives in New York City and Connecticut. For more information contact: <a href="mailto:info@ridgfieldhistoricalsociety.org" target="_blank">info@ridgfieldhistoricalsociety.org</a> or 203-438-5821

Ridgefield Historical Society

Rochambeau - America’s Forgotten French Founding Father

602 Ridgebury Rd

SOLD OUT-Ticket for Members

Free

SOLD OUT-Ticket for Nonmembers

Free

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