Easton CT

Easton, CT at a Glance

Numbering just over 7,000 residents, Fairfield County's Easton is a small Connecticut town with treasures tucked within it. Roughly half made up of watershed owned by the Aquarion Water Company of Connecticut, it retains an enduring rural character. Though a portion falls to Weston, the majority of the charming historic district of the Village of Aspetuck belongs to Easton as well. An unincorporated village along the Aspetuck River, it contains a trove of Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century architecture in the Colonial Revival style, and long with Easton Center and Plattsville, contributes to the unique admixture that is Easton.

Settlers from Fairfield first arrived in Easton in 1757 and a congregation called the North Fairfield Society was established by 1762. The area broke off from Fairfield and incorporated as Weston in 1787, but due to obstacles stemming from the hilly terrain the town developed at a gradual pace, taking nearly a century to incorporate into its own.

A number of working farms distinguish Easton's quaint yet industrious persona. The forested landscape that proliferates brilliant autumns is cut through by farm patches bursting with strawberries, blueberries, apples and pumpkins throughout the seasons. On North Park Avenue, visitors may enjoy the evergreen of Maple Row Tree Farm through warmth and winter alike. Originally a dairy farm, Maple Row took on its current function as a Christmas tree farm in the 1950's and is still owned and run by descendants of the original Edwards family.

Easton, CT at a Glance

Fruits of every sort ripen for plucking at Silverman's Fruit Farm, where people have come since the 1980's to fill their own baskets with the farm's choicest yields. First established by Ben Silverman as a cider mill in the 20's, today it includes a petting zoo and market, and offers tractor rides. More than a dozen other farms that sell fruits, vegetables, trees and honey are scattered throughout the area.

In addition to innumerable scenic walks and drives, Easton offers up waterways, brooks, ponds and parks where the Easton Parks and Recreation Department conducts programs and events like the Easter Egg Extravaganza, a fishing derby and outdoor movie nights. Major town parks are Veteran's Field, the Skate Park, Toth Park and Hellen Keller Park, among which are opportunities for fishing, picnic, baseball, basketball, tennis, soccer, softball and more.

The Easton Arts Council is an invaluable organization that conducts special and annual events such as performances from the Readers Theater series, a Taste of Opera, and the Youth Art and Talent shows. Competitions and exhibitions include the Members Art Show, Regional Juried Photography Exhibit, and Art in the Country. A Winter Celebration for the Arts that celebrates those presenting in the Members Art Show extends an opportunity for residents to meet and commingle with local artists. The Arts Council additionally gives out yearly awards to students who demonstrate career potential, and collaborates with the Easton Public Library to fill the library gallery space.

Deeply inspiring women are among Easton's most celebrated residents. The blind and deaf activist and author Hellen Keller, for whom Easton's middle school is named, was known to take solitary walks through town to the Aspetuck River. Pioneer of investigative journalism and author of The History of the Standard Oil Company, Ida Tarbell also lived for a time and died in Easton. Her home is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.