The Livery Stable and the First Catholic Church
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Whitlock's Livery, later the Sperry Livery stable, was across the street from the firehouse. Whitlock ran a stage to the Branchville station before the branch line was built in 1870. The livery stable also boarded horses, including those used by the fire department. One of Sperry's employees remembered weekends when a party coming from the station to one of the "summer cottages" would have from 12 to 20 trunks delivered by their drivers. Sperry's was replaced by Young's Feed Store.
In 1867 a small frame building was purchased for $975 for use as a Catholic Church. A year later the building was destroyed by fire when the candlestick factory next door burned down. By 1879 a small church was built on the property and was added onto in 1888. In 1904 the building was moved back from the street to its present site. A few of the pointed lancet windows remain on the west façade. John Rockwell and his brother Francis owned the candlestick factory located first in a building that became the Bailey Inn on Main Street, and later on Catoonah Street. Other businesses included the largest hat manufactory in town, a harness shop and a livery stable.
Marker is at the intersection of Catoonah Street and Main Street (Connecticut Route 35), on the left when traveling east on Catoonah Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
