Ridgefield in Western Region, Connecticut — The American Northeast (New England)
Out of the Ashes
Ridgefield, Connecticut
| | The Museum in the Streets | |
Photographed by Michael Herrick, June 2, 2010
1. Out of the Ashes
Marker
The photo on the marker shows members of the Ridgefield Fire Department in front of the fire house with horse-drawn fire apparatus.
The Fire District in Ridgefield was organized in 1896 following the devastating fire of 1895. Ex-Governor Phineas Lounsbury was an early benefactor of the Department and the new engine company took his name. The firehouse is also the site of the old Sholes and Smith Shirt factory, later moved to the Big Shop then located at the corner of Main Street and West Lane. The eastern section is the original 1908 Georgian Revival Style building of brick and wood with granite corner quions.
Benjamin Burt, a blacksmith, arrived in 1712 from Norwalk and was assigned building lot #28 on the northwest corner of Catoonah and Main Streets. Shoeing horses was of great importance, but his skills were also needed for making tools, hinges, cranes, kettles, latches, nails and all things made from steel that were needed in a new settlement. During the Revolution the Burt family cast their lot with the Crown and as a result their property was confiscated by the government and sold at public auction, and the family expelled from town.
Erected by The Museum in the Streetsฎ. (Marker Number 13.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce
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Location. 41° 16.88′ N, 73° 30.001′ W. Marker is in Ridgefield in Western Region, Connecticut. It is at the intersection of Catoonah Street and Main Street (Connecticut Route 35), on the right when traveling east on Catoonah Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 23 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield CT 06877, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Connecticut Shoreline, on the Gold Coast, and in Greater Bridgeport. It is also in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Fairfield County and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Livery Stable and the First Catholic Church (within shouting distance of this marker); A Much-Loved Old Church and a Watering Trough for Horses (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Village Center in the Early 1900s (about 400 feet away); The Great Fire of 1895 (about 500 feet away); More of the Great Fire (about 500 feet away); Ridgefield, Connecticut (about 500 feet away); The First Society of Ridgefield (about 600 feet away); The Original Episcopal Church (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ridgefield.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Bailey Avenue: A Short-Cut to the Train Station (was about 500 feet away but has been confirmed missing).
Related markers. Click
Photographed by Michael Herrick, June 2, 2010
2. Out of the Ashes
Marker
Photographed by Michael Herrick, June 15, 2001
3. The Ridgefield Fire House today
Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 20, 2010, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 947 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 20, 2010, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.
