Page 27 - North Park Flipbook

The Story of Redding

Redding has been blessed with a natural beauty in its landscape, hills, marshes,

lakes, and glens. The residents of Redding have always shown a strong interest in
preserving this natural beauty by maintaining an open space program, restraining
new home development to a moderate level, and adhering to the best use of land
via enforcement of reasonable planning, zoning, and conservation regulations.
Traveling through Redding with a camera is like going on a photo-shoot. The
scenery is gorgeous.

Redding offers close proximity to major job markets in New York City, Westchester
County, and Fairfield County with the presence of a rural community environ-

ment. It is located approximately 53 miles northeast of New York City, 35 miles
northeast of White Plains, 30 miles northeast of Stamford, 8 miles south of Dan-
bury, and 48 miles west of Hartford. The town has been rated #1 among small
towns in Connecticut by Connecticut Magazine. The current population is 8270
with an annual growth rate of 1.28% and a land area of 31.5 square miles. The
total school enrollment is 2010 pupils with an average class size of 22 pupils. The
annual per capita income is $54,000 and the real estate tax rate is 29.0 mils at 70%

assessment. Commuters into New York City can take the train from West Redding,
Branchville, or Canondale.

Redding was named after the first colonist to settle here, John Read, who came
With a wife and two children in 1714. Read was an eighteenth century lawyer,
investor, and farmer. He homesteaded on land that is now part of Redding and
claimed 500 acres to build a farm, which he called Lonetown Manor. At that time,
the land that later became Redding was considered part of the Town of Fairfield,
though in name only. Travel by horse and wagon to Fairfield Center for attending

church and buying/selling goods took too long. The residents of Redding decided
to petition the State of Connecticut for separation from Fairfield. Finally, in 1797,
the Connecticut General Assembly incorporated the Town of Redding as an inde-
pendent township. At the time, Redding had less than 1000 inhabitants.

It is interesting to note that the early town records of Redding were destroyed
by the British in 1777 when they marched from Fairfield to Danbury, burning

many homes and public buildings along the way. Homes with a black ring paint-
ed around the chimneys, indicating loyalty to the King, were spared. The route
through Redding included Blackrock Turnpike and Sunset Hill Road. The British
troops captured a munitions supply in Danbury and then returned to Long Island
Sound via Ridgefield, Wilton, and Norwalk.