New Fairfield on Candlewood Lake
New Fairfield sits in the northwest corner of Fairfield County, bordering New York State to the west and Candlewood Lake to the east. The town has roughly 14,126 residents and a landscape dominated by the lake, which was created in 1928 when Connecticut Light and Power dammed the Rocky River to build a pumped-storage hydroelectric facility. Candlewood is the largest lake in Connecticut, and New Fairfield's eastern shoreline provides access to boating, fishing, and swimming. Squantz Pond State Park, located at the southern end of the lake within town limits, draws visitors from across the region.
Before the lake's creation, the area was heavily agricultural. Some farms and homesteads were flooded when the reservoir filled, and stone walls and old foundations are reportedly still visible beneath the water in certain spots. The town remained small through most of the 20th century, but development accelerated in the 1970s and 1980s as New Yorkers and Danbury-area commuters discovered the lakefront properties. Today, real estate along Candlewood Lake commands premium prices, and the seasonal population fluctuates as summer residents return to cottages and vacation homes.
Route 39 is the primary road through town, connecting New Fairfield to Sherman to the north and Danbury to the south. There is no rail service and limited public transit, making car travel a necessity. The school district operates New Fairfield High School and several elementary and middle schools. The town has resisted large-scale commercial development, keeping the center small and the road frontage mostly residential.
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New Fairfield sits in the northwest corner of Fairfield County, bordering New York State to the west and Candlewood Lake to the east. The town has roughly 14,126 residents and a landscape dominated by the lake, which was created in 1928 when Connecticut Light and Power dammed the Rocky River to build a pumped-storage hydroelectric facility. Candlewood is the largest lake in Connecticut, and New Fairfield's eastern shoreline provides access to boating, fishing, and swimming. Squantz Pond State Park, located at the southern end of the lake within town limits, draws visitors from across the region.
Before the lake's creation, the area was heavily agricultural. Some farms and homesteads were flooded when the reservoir filled, and stone walls and old foundations are reportedly still visible beneath the water in certain spots. The town remained small through most of the 20th century, but development accelerated in the 1970s and 1980s as New Yorkers and Danbury-area commuters discovered the lakefront properties. Today, real estate along Candlewood Lake commands premium prices, and the seasonal population fluctuates as summer residents return to cottages and vacation homes.
Route 39 is the primary road through town, connecting New Fairfield to Sherman to the north and Danbury to the south. There is no rail service and limited public transit, making car travel a necessity. The school district operates New Fairfield High School and several elementary and middle schools. The town has resisted large-scale commercial development, keeping the center small and the road frontage mostly residential.
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