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This beautiful 200-year-old, 22 acre working farm was purchased in 1999 by the Town of Wilton. Come and see the progress to date and plans for further preservation so that the buildings and grounds can be used and enjoyed by all Wilton residents. |
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In 1794 when Wilton was still part of Norwalk, Josiah Raymond began buying land in this area, and soon after, he and his son Platt Raymond built two homes on the property and established a farm here. Under Lewis Raymond, son of Platt, the farm encompassed nearly 300 acres.The large White house was built by Josiah Raymond in 1799, and was occupied by the Raymonds and their Ambler descendants till 1999. The large yellow house at the entrance to the farm, was also built around 1800, and was occupied by the Raymond and Ambler families until 1937. Lewis's daughter, Hannah, married Charles A. Ambler, and they inherited the farm. Their two sons, Charles M. and Lewis Ambler, lived in the two houses until their deaths in the 1930s. The white horse barn was built in 1880, the red hay barn was built in 1899, and the ice house was bult in 1900, all by local carpenter George Taylor. He also built the back wing on the white house, and remodeled the yellow house, taking out the center chimney and traditional front stairs, and adding the bow windows on north and south, all about in 1900. Charlie M Ambler married Bertha Emerson in 1900, and they lived in the yellow house. In 1915 they divorced, and in 1918 he married Anna Schuessler. Charles and Anna were the parents of Elizabeth (Betty), the last of the family to live there. Charlie died in 1939 when Betty was 20. Betty married Reed Shields, the first president of our Wilton Kiwanis Club, in 1942. They divorced about 8 years later. He moved to Ridgefield and she went back to live with her mother at the family homestead. Anna and Betty continued to run the farm until Anna died in 1988 at 95, Betty continued on until she died ten years later in 1998 at 79. The next year, the Town of Wilton, with overwhelming taxpayer support, purchased this beautiful 200-year-old working farm. From his book "Wilton, Connecticut, Three Centuries of People, Places and Progress", Bob Russell has allowed us to reproduce the section on the Raymond and Ambler Families. Download it by clicking here. The book is available from the Wilton Historical Society. |
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Today the Ambler Farm Complex consists of two late 18th century houses, two late 19th century barns, a corn crib, ice house, garage, and three outhouses, all on twenty-two acres of rolling fields complete with stone walls and breathtaking views. Time has taken its toll on the grounds and buildings, but with enthusiastic participation of town organizations and individual volunteers, the grounds are being cleaned up and gardens planted. Progress with repair and preservation of buildings has been deliberate and careful. Work on the red barn and ice house is nearly complete. Unfortunately, three buildings were torn down after the town acquired the farm because they were too far gone to be saved - a sheep pen, a pig barn, and a farm workers' cottage. |
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