Darien Heritage Trail in celebration of the town’s 200th birthday
First three points of interest to be unveiled Friday, November 5, 2021.
Did you know that as a coastline town, bitter battles called “Whaleboat Wars” were fought by Patriot mariners protecting our town against Tory marauders from Long Island during the Revolutionary War? Did you know that Stephen Mather of the Mather Homestead is considered to be the founder of our National Park Service? That his daughter Bertha was one of the first female architects in Connecticut? That over 40 parishioners at First Congregational Church were taken captive by the Loyalists during one of the most dramatic events of the Revolutionary War? That the church was a leading voice against slavery in the 19th Century?
You don’t need to be a history buff to appreciate that Darien is a town steeped in history, with fascinating stories and sites that trace back to pre-Revolutionary times. Now, through a $35,500 grant to Darien’s Bicentennial Committee and the Town of Darien, a historical “Heritage Trail” that consists of nine markers will help tell these stories.
The colorful markers tell the story of Darien with vibrant photos and illustrative text that will be installed at various historic points of interest around town. They will also feature a QR code, which will allow visitors to link back to a Darien Heritage Trail microsite hosted on the Museum of Darien’s website at museumofdarien.org. This microsite will house oral histories of each marker site to make the Trail even more accessible.
Due to the pandemic, many festivities and plans related to our town’s 200th (Bicentennial) Birthday, including this initiative, were postponed to this year. Darien resident Shannon Silsby, appointed to oversee this as Project Manager for the Bicentennial Committee and The Darien Foundation, feels that this is a timely celebration of our past. She said, “Now more than ever, we are appreciating the physical spaces that grace our town and understanding how our community has been built. History is all around us in Darien, and the Heritage Trail will enable history lovers – me being one of them – and residents and visitors of all ages to appreciate and experience these stories.”
Silsby was instrumental in overseeing the creative development of the Heritage Trail logo and markers. She explains that the three arches in the Rings End Bridge depicted within the logo bear special significance, “To me, the three arches signify the past, present and the future of our community. The Trail will shed light on the past, illuminate the present, while informing the future. I am so excited to ‘Unveil the Trail’ to the community!”
During the grant review process, The Darien Foundation Board of Directors recommended that two of the nine markers be installed in downtown Darien. Board Member and Heritage Trail Committee Chair Brooke Gies, who was instrumental in this initiative, said, “We are so excited that we will install two of the nine markers in downtown Darien, so that they can be enjoyed by pedestrians. They will serve as an intersection of our town’s history with our current day downtown, which is the heartbeat of our community!”
The Bicentennial Committee also worked closely with the Monuments and Ceremonies Commission to select the nine locations to be memorialized. The trail includes stops that have traditionally been on the Darien Public School field trips.
Museum of Darien historian Ken Reiss, whose book The Story of Darien Connecticut chronicles the history of our town, consulted and advised on the content for each marker.
The markers will be officially unveiled at consecutive ribbon cutting ceremonies on Friday, November 5 at 9:00 a.m. at the Museum of Darien, at 10:00 a.m. at the First Congregational Church, and at the Mather Homestead at 2:00 p.m.
The next six markers will be announced in the upcoming months, with an invitation via social media asking residents to help “Unveil the Trail” #UnveiltheTrail via clues encouraging people to submit their guesses as to which historic points of interest will be announced next.
Sarah Woodberry, Executive Director for The Darien Foundation and member of the Bicentennial Committee said, “The Darien Foundation is thrilled to collaborate on this project that brings together an intersection of history and community as a 200th birthday gift to our town. We are excited that school groups, residents, and visitors can ‘Tour the Trail’ both physically and virtually for years to come.”
The Bicentennial Committee Chair, Al Miller added “We are incredibly grateful to The Darien Foundation for this generous grant - and to Shannon Silsby for her project management, marketing expertise, and passion for history. There are countless stories to be told, and we are so grateful to be able to tell them.”
About The Darien Foundation
The Darien Foundation is an independent, community-based, 501(c) (3) public charity. Since 1998, The Darien Foundation has awarded over $5 million in grants for technology and capital initiatives, which create opportunity for Darien’s youth, support our town’s safety and security services, and enhance the overall quality of life in Darien. Our volunteer Board of Directors—who reflect the many constituencies of Darien—thoroughly evaluates grant requests and assists grant recipients in achieving their goals. Public donations are directed to supporting grants awarded by The Darien Foundation, as all operating costs have been funded by Board member and Officer contributions. Most recently, The Darien Foundation has awarded grants to Abilis, At Home in Darien, Corbin Cares, Darien Arts Center, DAF Media, EMS-Post 53, The Depot Youth Center, Person-to-Person, and STAR, Inc.
The Darien Foundation is an independent, community-based, 501(c) (3) public charity. Since 1998, The Darien Foundation has awarded over $5 million in grants for technology and capital initiatives, which create opportunity for Darien’s youth, support our town’s safety and security services, and enhance the overall quality of life in Darien. Our volunteer Board of Directors—who reflect the many constituencies of Darien—thoroughly evaluates grant requests and assists grant recipients in achieving their goals. Public donations are directed to supporting grants awarded by The Darien Foundation, as all operating costs have been funded by Board member and Officer contributions. Most recently, The Darien Foundation has awarded grants to Abilis, At Home in Darien, Corbin Cares, Darien Arts Center, DAF Media, EMS-Post 53, The Depot Youth Center, Person-to-Person, and STAR, Inc.
For more information about The Darien Foundation, visit darienfoundation.org
Facebook: @darienfoundation
Instagram: @thedarienfoundation
Twitter: @DarienFDN
YouTube: bit.ly/DFoundationYouTube
LinkedIn: @the-darien-foundation
D