Ridgefield Historical Society Awarded $117K To Map Revolutionary War

RIDGEFIELD, CT — The Ridgefield Historical Society has received a $117,714 grant that will go toward the group's multi-year effort to map the Revolutionary War battlefield through present day Ridgefield.

The Preservation Planning Grants from the National Park Service's American Battlefield Protection Program are intended to promote the stewardship of battlefields and sites of armed conflict on American soil.

The cash injection will enable the historical society to conduct a second phase of archeological field tests and complete its multi-year effort to map the Revolutionary War battlefield through present day Ridgefield.

Using data collected from these field tests, the non-profit will also develop documentation for a National Register nomination.

The RHS grant was one of ten awarded by the NPS in July, totaling over $1.2 million.

"The diverse grants provided through American Battlefield Protection Programs help our preservation partners study and protect hundreds of years of conflict history," NPS Director Chuck Sams said in a statement. "By supporting these localized efforts, all Americans gain the opportunity to learn from these conflicts and understand their impact on the foundation and growth of this country."

Last year, The 5th Connecticut Regiment, a group of historical military reenactors, led the reenactment of the Battle of Ridgefield in town as part of a weekend-long celebration of the conflict's 245th anniversary.