On Thursday afternoon, State Representative John Frey (R-Ridgefield) held a dedication ceremony for the “Maurice Sendak Memorial Highway,” a section of Route 35 from the intersection of Limestone Road to the intersection of Route 7.
Rep. Frey had put legislation forth in 2015 to designate this strip of road in memory of the famous children’s author, who was a longtime Ridgefield resident. Among other works, Mr. Sendak wrote Where the Wild Things Are, a classic children’s book published in 1963.
Rep. Frey was first approached by Ridgefield resident Jake Madeson, now a sophomore at St. Joseph’s University, a number of years ago about the idea of dedicating a road in honor of the late author and worked with the state Department of Transportation to make the idea a reality.
“By dedicating this highway in his name, we are helping to honor his memory,” said Rep. Frey. “Mr. Sendak, widely considered the most important children’s book artist of the 20th century, not only contributed to the world at large with his works but also to our community as a resident, and I think by renaming this route in his honor, we are creating a small but meaningful and permanent tribute to him in town. Thank you for everyone who came together to make this happen.”
Rep. Frey was joined by Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi, Lynn Caponera, President of the Maurice Sendak Foundation, Chris Nolan, Ridgefield Library Director, and Gayle Pulley, Head of Children Services at the Library for the ceremony.