Purchased from the Ramapoo Indians in 1708, Ridgefield welcomed immigrants to its bustling community from the start. The peaceful Connecticut town later served as a retreat for wealthy New Yorkers. With its long history and cast of local characters, Ridgefield has many fascinating stories to tell. In the early 1900s, Typhoid Mary was known to cook for a Ridgefield family. On Olmstead Lane, the landmark that most locals think is a broken fountain is actually a watering trough. For more than forty years, newspaper editor Jack Sanders has covered the captivating history of Ridgefield. In a uniquely selected collection of articles, the town's history comes to life with tales of Pulitzer Prize winners like Eugene O'Neill and disasters such as the 1905 train wreck. These and other glimpses of the past celebrate Ridgefield's rich history.

A strange and puzzling incident, regarded as a high school prank, presents an unusual dilemma for Mayor Barnes and the small restful town of Cherryville. One morning the town awakens to find that their address numbers are mysteriously missing. Every single one of them, gone; taken from private homes, shops, boutiques, city buildings and industrial complexes and for no apparent reason. Normally this kind of theft would be handled by the local law agency, Sheriff Sam and Deputy Basil. However, at a Town Hall Meeting, a meeting called to sooth the nerves of a rattled community, Sheriff Sam becomes extremely frustrated over a number of things; the Mayor's pettiness over jurisdictional responsibilities and the constant carping of the town-hall people. Sam resigns his post as does his trusted Deputy, Basil. Enter Max and Andy, two high school students on summer break, who offer their services to a very reluctant Mayor. Given the opportunity, the two eager temporary lawmen soon discover that the house number theft was not a mere prank but the prelude to a more sinister and complex case; one involving a fifty year old gem theft, infidelity, deceit, and an apparent murder. Their odyssey begins when they investigate the strange and eerie noises emanating from a house referred to by the local community as "haunted". The house was abandoned, and then totally neglected, after the old eccentric owner was apparently kidnapped and never heard from again. However, once inside the house Max and Andy are startled when they hear creaking sounds coming from a room directly above them. There are no footprints or smudge marks on the dusty floor below, so Max asks the obvious "How did they get up there." Despite Max's fear, which was bordering on panic, Andy's stubborn curiosity convinces Max to pursue their dangerous voyage up the stairs, to the second floor. And although they pay dearly for their journey they do come away with a few pieces to an ever widening puzzle. The puzzle which was eventually pieced together by the young sleuths established why the address plaques were stolen. They also uncovered a murder, made to look like suicide, and developed an insight into a fifty year old jewel theft and the mystery of the "haunted" house.

In Ridgefield, a cannonball remains lodged in the side of an old tavern, evidence of the Battle of Ridgefield fought here during the Revolutionary War. The town's history dates back to 1708, when two dozen settlers from Norwalk purchased the land from the Ramapoo Indians. Founders carved Ridgefield from the wilderness, and members of the Congregational Church designed its wide, beautiful Main Street. In the mid-1800s, families immigrated from Ireland; in the late nineteenth century, New Yorkers discovered Ridgefield to be an ideal summer place. As the town developed, Italian stonemasons and other workers arrived to build roads and sewer lines. Ridgefield has been the home of two Connecticut governors, and of celebrities from the arts, sports, and entertainment fields. Stone walls still abound in Ridgefield, and the road that once roared with cannon fire ranks as one of the state's most beautiful streets.

Labor and the Locavore focuses on one of the most vibrant local food economies in the country, the Hudson Valley that supplies New York restaurants and farmers markets. Based on more than a decade's in-depth interviews with workers, farmers, and others, Gray clearly documents how the romance of small family farms serves to mask the predicament of their migrant workforce. She also explores the historical roots of farmworkers' substandard conditions and examines the region's shift from black to Latino workers.--Publisher description.