The Cass Gilbert Fountain

This hand-colored view from the 1920s shows what has become a Ridgefield landmark: the fountain at the intersection of Routes 35 and 33 along the southern end of Main Street. The fountain was given to the town by Cass Gilbert, the noted American architect who designed the U.S. Supreme Court building, the Woolworth Building, and many other noteworthy neo-classical edifices. Gilbert lived in the Cannonball House just across the street. The fountain dates from around 1915. Over the years it has been struck by many errant automobiles, and in the early 1990s, was raised and surrounded by greenery to help protect it. In cold months, the fountain wears a special plastic cover to protect it from the elements.