Built in 1866 and abutting historic Hillside Cemetery where many of Wilton’s oldest families are interred including several Revolutionary War veterans, the Schlichting homestead located at 183 Ridgefield Road is the finest and one of the last remaining examples of the Victorian Italianate style still standing in town today. Former noteworthy residents of this home include William A. Sturges, a prominent 19th-century landowner who struck it rich during San Francisco’s 1849 gold rush and established much of Wilton Center; physician Dr. J. Edward Turner an internationally renowned pioneer in treating alcoholism as a disease in the 1860s; and for over 100 years, multiple generations of the Schlichting family including William C. A. Schlichting (1878-1932) who served many years in town government.

Now is the time to act to save this important home. The property’s current owner, real estate developer James A. Fieber has recently filed an application for demolition of the house, its adjacent barn and outbuildings. Please show him that there are people who value this history and want to preserve it for future generations by signing this petition. With your help, we can save a vital piece of Wilton’s history before it’s too late.