The Georgetown Historic District is a residential/industrial village in a valley of the Norwalk River in the southwestern corner of Connecticut. Apparently only a geographical designation and never a political entity, the village encompasses part of Wilton, Redding, Weston, and Ridgefield. The Georgetown local historic district in Wilton is partially contained in the Georgetown National Register Historic District which includes sections of Redding and Wilton. Nineteenth century Georgetown was substantially created by the Gilbert and Bennett Company. Although there is no reason to believe that Georgetown was a social experiment, or that there was a conscious attempt to create a planned industrial community there, the company played a major role in the social and economic structure of the village in the nineteenth century and established many of its major institutions. Guided by nineteenth-century paternalism and enlightened self-interest which carried over well into the twentieth century, the company shaped a community which today resembles the rural industrial village of nineteenth-century Utopian ideology. [NR]

Architecture, Community Planning, Industry:A rare survival of rural industrial history, the Georgetown Historic District is a significant and cohesive entity which has retained its nineteenth and early-twentieth century historic character. A company town for over 160 years, almost exclusively associated with the Gilbert and Bennett Manufacturing Company, national producers of wire products, the Georgetown Historic District contains all its well-preserved historic components: residential, industrial, and institutional architecture dating from about 1820 to 1936. Several styles are represented in the residential architecture, including a small notable group of Italianate style houses and a larger number of modest examples of nineteenth and early-twentieth century housing. The latter include a large group of Colonial Revival style duplexes, workers' housing. for employees of the Gilbert and Bennett Company.The Georgetown Historic District is a twentieth century anachronism: peaceful, tree-lined residential streets converge on a functioning industrial complex; well-preserved historic houses stand cheek-by-jowl with modern factories; the deteriorated slum neighborhoods associated with modern industry do not exist. This residential pattern was exceptional even in the late nineteenth century. The elite of Georgetown, almost exclusively people associated with Gilbert and Bennett, lived in the midst of their workers. The predictable ethnic neighborhoods did exist in Georgetown, outside the district for the most part, but their employees were apparently encouraged to occupy, or build houses next to the mansions of the managers and officers. Furthermore, while it would be expected that the workers would live near the factory in this period, it is most unusual to find upper-class houses in this location. [NR]

[1] District and Property information retrieved from the town website http://www.wiltonct.org/index.asp.
[2] Information booklet on Wilton's Historic Districts and Historic Properties, Wilton Historic District and Historic Property Commission, 2007, SHPO Library, Hartford.
[3] Proposed Georgetown Historic District No.6 Expansion, Study Committee Report, Wilton Historic District and Historic Property Commission, 2009, SHPO Library, Hartford.
[4] Assessors information and Parcel IDs retrieved from the website www.visionappraisal.com.
[NR] Cunningham Jan, Georgetown Historic District, National Register Nomination Number- 87000343 NRIS, National Park Service, 1987 - http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/87000343.pdf; http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Photos/87000343.pdf.

In 1961, the Connecticut State Legislature enabled local municipalities to establish historic districts, and, since October 1, 1984, historic properties by ordinance, and to establish commissions which review and approve or deny alterations, demolitions, or construction of buildings and other structures within their boundaries and are visible from a public street, way, or place.At a Wilton Town Meeting in 1963 an ordinance was adopted establishing Historic District #1. Since then additional buildings were moved to the site, referred to as Lambert Corners, and the Board of Selectmen updated the ordinance establishing HD #1 in June 2005.A Town Meeting in 1970 established Historic District #2: Wilton Congregational Church, Old Town Hall, and neighboring residences, #3: the Sloan-Raymond-Fitch House historic property, and #4: Hurlbutt Street Schoolhouse historic property. At a Board of Selectmen meeting in June 2005, Historic District #5: the Wilton Historical Society Museum Complex was created. Former Historic District #3, the Sloan-Raymond-Fitch House, was moved to this site and is now included in this district; therefore, #3 was removed. The members of the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously on April 4, 2007 to create Historic District #6: Georgetown Neighborhood of Church Street, West Church Street and Redding Road. The ordinance to officially establish Historic District #6 was approved by the Board of Selectmen on May 21, 2007. [ Town website]