Brookfield, a prosperous and upscale community in Fairfield County, Connecticut, lies nestled in the picturesque southern foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. Positioned roughly 43 miles (69 km) northeast of New York City, it integrates seamlessly into the broader New York metropolitan area, serving as a popular commuter hub for urban professionals. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the town boasts a population of 17,528 residents spread across approximately 20.4 square miles, including notable water features that make up about 3% of its area. Its humid continental climate brings mild summers, cold winters with frequent snowfall, and ample precipitation, particularly in September. In July 2013, Money magazine highlighted Brookfield as the 26th-best place to live nationwide and the premier destination in Connecticut, a distinction bolstered by its low crime rates, top-rated schools, and high median household income of around $133,000 as of recent data. The town's history dates back to 1710, when colonists settled the area after negotiating land from local Native American tribes, evolving from a farming and milling community into a modern suburban enclave with a mix of white-collar jobs in sectors like technology, healthcare, and finance.
Brookfield Center Historic District: This charming area, recognized
on the National Register of Historic Places since 1991, preserves the
town's original heart with structures like the old town hall, general
store, historical society building, churches, and an elementary school,
offering a glimpse into 18th- and 19th-century New England life.
Candlewood Lake: As the largest lake in Connecticut, this expansive body
of water borders Brookfield to the west and spans multiple towns,
providing stunning scenic views, beaches, marinas (such as Brookfield
Bay and Echo Bay), and opportunities for boating, fishing, and swimming
in private communities like Candlewood Shores.
Additional highlights
include the Brookfield Craft Center, a fine arts gallery in a repurposed
mill and train station; DiGrazia Vineyards, part of the Connecticut Wine
Trail for tastings and tours; and the Still River Greenway, a paved
trail ideal for walking, biking, and enjoying nature along the river.
Brookfield Theatre for the Arts, 184 Whisconier Rd, ☏ +1
203-775-0023: Housed in the historic former Curtis School for Boys (a
boarding school from 1883 to 1943 that later became co-educational),
this community venue stages a variety of plays, musicals, and
performances, fostering local talent and cultural engagement.
Sunset
Hill Golf Club, 13 Sunset Hill Rd, ☏ +1 203-740-7800: Operating weekdays
from 8AM to dusk and weekends from 7AM to dusk, this public 9-hole
course, originally designed by golf legend Gene Sarazen in 1936,
welcomes players on a first-come, first-served basis and offers a
relaxed, scenic golfing experience amid rolling hills.
Other
activities abound, such as visiting Brookfield Town Beach on Candlewood
Lake for swimming and picnics (open to residents and guests), exploring
trails in Williams Park, or attending events at the Brookfield Museum
and Historical Society.
By Car
Major roadways like U.S. Route 7 and U.S. Route 202 cut
directly through Brookfield, linking to Interstate 84 just south of town
via Exits 7 or 9. The journey from New York City typically takes about
70 minutes, with a U.S. Route 7 bypass added in 2009 to ease traffic
flow. Connecticut Routes 25 and 133 also provide access from neighboring
areas like Newtown and Bridgewater.
By Plane
Several airports
serve the region with varying flight options and drive times:
Stewart
International Airport in Newburgh, NY (about 70 minutes away): Offers
flights to destinations like Philadelphia, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale,
Atlanta, and Detroit.
Tweed New Haven Regional Airport in New Haven
(about 70 minutes away): Primarily connects to Philadelphia.
LaGuardia Airport in Queens, NYC (about 80 minutes away): Features
extensive domestic and international flights.
Bradley International
Airport in Windsor Locks (about 90 minutes away): Provides worldwide
connections.
John F. Kennedy International Airport in Brooklyn, NYC
(about 90 minutes away): Hub for global travel.
Newark Liberty
International Airport in Newark, NJ (about 110 minutes away): Another
major international gateway.
Closer options include Danbury
Municipal Airport for general aviation and Westchester County Airport
for regional flights.
By Bus
The Housatonic Area Regional Transit (HART) system operates
multiple routes through Brookfield and the Greater Danbury area,
including the "4 Route," "7 Route," and "New Milford Loop" for
convenient local travel. A park-and-ride facility at 67 White Turkey
Road Extension connects to buses, trains, and airport shuttles, with a
HART shuttle to Brewster station running weekdays from 5 AM to 10 PM for
Metro-North rail links to New York City.
For non-motorized options,
the Still River Greenway offers a pedestrian-friendly path, while
driving remains the most common way to navigate the town's local roads,
such as the revitalizing Federal Road area with new shops and
apartments.
Pre-Colonial Era
The area now known as Brookfield, Connecticut,
was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, primarily the
Wyantenuck (also spelled Wawyachtonoc or Weantinock) and Potatuck
(Pootatuck or Paugusset) Nations, both part of the Algonquian-speaking
peoples. These groups were ruled by sachems such as Waramaug and his son
Pocono (also spelled Pokono), who led a village in a large palisade
along the Still River. The indigenous inhabitants were subsistence
farmers, hunters, and gatherers, cultivating the "three sisters" crops
(corn, beans, and squash), harvesting wild nuts like acorns and
chestnuts, and hunting animals including deer, turkeys, and squirrels.
Artifacts from this period, such as tools and relics, have been found in
local hills and fields. Place names in the region reflect this heritage,
including Lake Waramaug (named for Sachem Waramaug), Lake Lillinonah
(named for his daughter), and Pocono Road (for Chief Pocono). A notable
site is the "Indian Tree," a wild cherry tree on Route 133 used for
pow-wows and gatherings.
Colonial Settlement and Founding
(1710–1788)
European settlement began around 1710 when colonists, led
by figures like John Muirwood, Hawley, Peck, and Merwin, bartered for
land from the Wyantenuck and Potatuck Nations. The area was initially
part of neighboring towns: Danbury (settled 1687), New Milford (1707),
and Newtown (1710). Early settlers faced challenges, including long
winter travels to churches in these towns, prompting a 1743 petition to
the Connecticut General Assembly for an ecclesiastical society or
"winter privileges." In 1752, these privileges were granted, allowing
home worship from September to March, and boundaries for the Parish of
Newbury were established, named after parts of Newtown, Danbury, and New
Milford.
By 1754, the General Assembly permitted the parish to build
its own meetinghouse and hire a minister. Construction began in 1755
near the present-day Congregational Church site. On September 28, 1757,
the meetinghouse was dedicated, and Reverend Thomas Brooks was ordained
as the first permanent pastor. The parish operated as Newbury until May
1788, when the General Assembly incorporated it as the Town of
Brookfield in honor of Reverend Brooks, who had served for over 30
years. The first town meeting occurred on June 9, 1788, at the
meetinghouse, where officers were elected, including a town clerk,
selectmen, tythingmen (to maintain church order), howards (to regulate
pigs), fence viewers, tax collectors, and more.
18th and 19th
Century Development and Industry
Brookfield quickly became an
industrial hub, particularly along the Still River in the Iron Works
District, where mills operated as early as 1732. Key industries included
iron furnaces (producing muskets, chains, anchors, and ingots), grist
mills, sawmills, comb and button factories, carding and cotton mills, a
paper mill, knife factories, hat factories, stage-coach shops, lime
kilns, harness shops, and shear shops for tools like scissors and
knives. The grist mill, which ground grains for flour, still stands
today as the Brookfield Craft Center. In 1837, the Iron Works Aqueduct
Company was formed to supply water from mountain springs; it evolved
into the modern Brookfield Water Company.
Agriculture was also
central, with farms producing crops like wheat, barley, tobacco, and
apples (including local varieties like "Colonel Hawley" and "Johnson").
Farms included vegetable gardens, dairy, chicken, sheep, and even
unusual operations like chinchilla and pheasant raising. Homesteads
featured barns, silos, icehouses, and tool sheds. Education was
prioritized early; by 1756, schools operated for six months in three
locations. In 1793, Mary Murray Northrop (known as "Molly") bequeathed
her estate (valued at 138 pounds, 11 shillings, 9 pence) for public
education in the town center, creating the "Molly Fund" by 1804, which
supported schools and even a singing master. By 1807, eight school
districts existed: Brookfield Center, Iron Works, Longmeadow,
Whisconier, Obtuse, Bound Swamp, North Mountain, and South Mountain
(Huckleberry Hill). One-room schoolhouses taught reading, writing,
arithmetic, manners, and skills like sewing for girls.
Infrastructure
grew with the first post office in 1801 and the first Town House (Town
Hall) built in 1794–1796 opposite the meetinghouse, complete with a bell
(replaced in 1829). It hosted town business until 1875, when a new
$4,000 Town Hall was constructed (now housing the Brookfield Museum and
Historical Society since 1975). Transportation included stagecoaches on
old Indian paths turned roads, and by the 1840s, the Housatonic Railroad
with two stations: one in Iron Works and Brookfield Junction. Masonic
Federal Lodge #41 was established in 1797. The town also had taverns,
hotels, a private boys' school, and an internationally acclaimed music
school in the 19th century.
20th Century Growth and Modernization
The early 20th century saw continued development. Electricity arrived in
1915 via the Danbury & Bethel Gas and Electric Company. Brookfield
celebrated its centennial in 1888 and bicentennial in 1976, with the
latter including the dedication of an 18th-century historical garden
designed by Dr. Rudy Favretti at the museum, planted by the Brookfield
Garden Club. The first town library, Joyce Memorial Library, opened in
1951.
Major changes came with man-made lakes: Candlewood Lake
(Connecticut's largest, 5,420 acres, 11 miles long) was created in 1926
by Connecticut Light and Power, flooding farms, roads, and mills in
multiple towns, including Brookfield. It serves as a pump-storage
facility for electricity. Lake Lillinonah (14 miles long) was built in
1955 via the Shepaug Dam, filling rapidly during Hurricane Diane. In
1961, boundary adjustments added areas like Candlewood Shores, Hickory
Hills, Candlewood Orchards, Arrowhead Point, and Brookfield Town Park
from New Fairfield.
Education consolidated in 1938 with the Center
School (from five one-room schoolhouses; the original 1762 building
later became Town Hall). Long Meadow Hill School (1959) became
Brookfield High School, with its first graduating class in 1967.
Huckleberry Hill School was dedicated in 1964 (expanded 1966), and
Whisconier School in 1970.
The mid-20th century marked industrial and
cultural shifts. In the early 1970s, Wildey J. Moore developed the .475
Wildey Magnum gun in Brookfield (factory later relocated). LEGO USA
headquartered there briefly. A massive population surge occurred in the
1970s due to New Yorkers relocating to suburbs, aided by Interstate
684's construction, turning Brookfield into a commuter town. By the late
20th century, 88.7% of workers held white-collar jobs in fields like
professional services, healthcare, and finance, with many commuting to
New York City or working remotely.
In 1991, most buildings in
Brookfield Center's Historic District were added to the National
Register of Historic Places. The current Town Hall, Police Station, and
Community Center were built in 1983. Notable events include the 1963
loss of the USS Thresher submarine, claiming local resident Richard
Herman Mann Jr., and veterans' service from the French and Indian War
through modern conflicts.
Recent History (2020–2025)
Brookfield's recent years have focused on infrastructure, budgets, and
community projects amid continued growth as an affluent Fairfield County
suburb. The 2020 census recorded 17,528 residents, up 6.5% from 2010. In
May 2018 (impacting into 2020 recovery), a macroburst with 110 mph winds
downed 7,000 trees, causing $3.78 million in damage and debris-laden
flooding.
The COVID-19 pandemic influenced remote work trends, with
about 20% of residents working from home full-time by 2022. In 2025,
voters approved a $91.1 million budget for 2025–26, including $35
million for town operations and $55 million for schools (passing 958–503
and similarly for education). In November 2025, Democrat Tara Carr won
the first selectman election, defeating Republican Karl Hinger.
Infrastructure advancements included a state Community Connectivity
grant in November 2025 to restart a stalled $12.4 million streetscape
and Still River Greenway Connector project. The town's expanding
commercial sector and residential areas around Candlewood Lake continue
to drive development.
Brookfield, a quiet town in Fairfield County, has a few notable
haunted legends tied to paranormal investigations and ghostly
apparitions. The most infamous is the "Devil Made Me Do It" case, which
gained national attention and inspired horror films.
The Arne
Cheyenne Johnson Demon Possession Case (1981)
This case revolves
around claims of demonic possession and marks the first time in U.S.
history that such a defense was attempted in a murder trial. It began
with the Glatzel family, who reported that their 11-year-old son, David
Glatzel, showed signs of possession starting in 1980. Symptoms included
visions of a menacing old man, strange noises, night terrors,
unexplained bruises, growling, and reciting passages from religious
texts. The family sought help from demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren,
who concluded David was possessed by multiple demons. Several exorcisms
were performed by priests over days.
Arne Cheyenne Johnson, then 19
and engaged to David's sister Debbie Glatzel, allegedly taunted a demon
during one exorcism to leave David and possess him instead. Afterward,
Johnson exhibited similar behaviors: trances, hallucinations, and an
incident where he claimed a demon caused him to crash his car into a
tree without injury.
On February 16, 1981, at a dog kennel in
Brookfield where Debbie worked (and where the couple rented from
landlord Alan Bono), a heated argument erupted after a day of drinking.
Bono grabbed Debbie's young cousin, refusing to let go. Johnson,
reportedly growling like an animal, stabbed Bono multiple times with a
pocket knife, killing him. Johnson claimed no memory of the act.
In
court, Johnson's lawyer argued demonic possession absolved him of
responsibility, citing the Warrens' involvement. However, Judge Robert
Callahan ruled the defense unscientific and inadmissible. Johnson was
convicted of first-degree manslaughter on November 24, 1981, sentenced
to 10-20 years, and served about five for good behavior. The case has
been featured in books like The Devil in Connecticut and films such as
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.
The events unfolded at a
property in Brookfield, often referenced in paranormal lore as a site of
intense demonic activity.
The Ghost of Rene Bricker
In the
early 1980s, residents Gail Martin and George Neumann bought a property
on Old Turnpike Road in Brookfield, consisting of two mid-1940s cottages
built by Dr. and Mrs. Rene Bricker. While renovating and gardening,
Neumann photographed Martin on a clear day. The developed photos showed
a translucent woman standing beside her in three shots, posing
differently each time—once looking at the camera and once at Martin.
Initially thought to be a double exposure resembling Neumann's mother,
the couple later showed the photos to the Warrens during a paranormal
class. The Warrens identified it as "spirit photography" and believed
the figure was Rene Bricker, who had died heartbroken after her son's
polio death. They suggested renovations stirred the spirit, who was
admiring the garden. Photo experts confirmed no tampering, and Bricker's
niece verified the resemblance. No further activity was reported, but
the story aired on the Warrens' show Seekers of the Supernatural.
While not in Brookfield proper, nearby legends include the haunted
Hearthstone Castle in Danbury (shadowy figures and orbs) and Fairfield
Hills State Hospital in Newtown (spirits of abused patients), often
associated with the area's eerie reputation.
Abandoned Places in
Brookfield, Connecticut
Brookfield has a handful of abandoned or
vacant sites that contribute to its mysterious vibe, though they're more
about urban decay than confirmed hauntings. These include old homes and
commercial spots left to deteriorate.
The Pillar House (206
Hattertown Road)
This historic house from the 1800s stood vacant for
many years, earning a reputation as a creepy, abandoned relic with its
distinctive pillars. It was damaged during Tropical Storm Isaias in
August 2020 when a tree fell on the roof, leaving it exposed to the
elements for months before removal. The structure remains in disrepair,
with an open roof allowing rain and wildlife inside. Local lore paints
it as an eyesore and potential hazard, though efforts have been
discussed for redevelopment or demolition. It's a classic example of
forgotten New England architecture slowly reclaiming by nature.
Other Vacant Properties
846 Federal Road: A former commercial
building, possibly an old restaurant or shop, now boarded up and
overgrown. It gives off an eerie, forgotten feel with shattered windows
and fading signage.
Other Sites on Hattertown Road: Additional
abandoned homes in the area, like rear structures at 206 Hattertown
(tied to the Pillar House), feature crumbling facades and untended
yards, contributing to the town's collection of creepy vacancies.