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Town Historian - Historic Photos
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Cover of book of Images of Wilton, collected by Jeannie Woutersz.
The Wilton Seminary brochure states “Wilton is a quiet little village situated at the southern base of Mt. McGregor, seven miles north of Saratoga, on the line of Mount McGregor Railroad. Being a small village, it does not present the temptations usually found in large towns. No intoxicating liquor is sold in this town, and no places of questionable amusement are open to ensnare the young.”
Steven Fradenburgh, who opened it as a boarding school of superior facilities, erected the Wilton Academy in 1859. He operated the school for only two years. It was occasionally used as a school throughout the years. The Academy was destroyed in a tragic fire on January 2, 1970
Miss Lucy Allen and her sister, Mrs. Bessie Gailor, conducted a private school in their private home, formerly “The Old Wilton Academy”. The last class was taught in the year 1925. This picture was taken on the last day of school. Students were: James Parker, Earl Fowler, Virginia Washburn, Ann Liddell, Charles Van Rensselaer, Jane Washburn, Loren Liddell and Harold Parker.
On July 24, 1973, the old Town Hall burned; many town records were lost. In this photograph, the World War II; sign listing Wilton Military Personnel can be seen. It succumbed to the snowplow sometime before the fire. Originally the building was the Union Meeting House built in 1805.
Some young men of the town organized the Wilton Coronet Band. They had permission to use The Union Meeting House, which was a non-denominational church in Kent . (Gurn Springs) They were involved in a controversy about their disrespectful behavior. The charges were, according to church records, that “They mocked prayers, Amen's, Hallelujahs, spit tobacco juice on carpets and mistreated the sexton”.
