In July 1915, the Board of Directors of the Gilbert & Bennett Manufacturing Company allocated $25,000 to construct a new school—one that would set the standard for many towns in the years to come. Built through the generosity of the factory owners and gifted to the people of Georgetown with the right to use it as a Community Center forever, the Gilbert & Bennett School became a model institution for both the local community and beyond.

At the time of its construction, the building was the largest and most advanced school in Wilton. For over 50 years, it educated thousands of students from Redding, Wilton, and Weston until its closure in 1971. Situated at a major crossroads on two of the town’s busiest roads, the school is a striking blend of architectural styles, making it a distinctive and historic landmark.

The property is located within a designated Local Historic District and is also part of the National Register’s Georgetown Historic District. Additionally, the Gilbert & Bennett School itself holds a National Register designation. National Register documentation highlights the school's significance, stating:

“The New Street District includes one of the most outstanding buildings in the village, that is the Gilbert & Bennett School… The building and its location continue the early twentieth-century development of the village.”

It further emphasizes that the school and surrounding homes formed a “unique and remarkable neighborhood” built around the Gilbert & Bennett Manufacturing Company’s wire mill.

Timeline of Key Events

• 1915 – The Gilbert & Bennett Manufacturing Company constructs the Gilbert & Bennett School for the local community, primarily serving the families of G&B wire mill employees. The company establishes School District #10, enrolling students from Redding, Weston, and Wilton.

• 1916 – The Gilbert & Bennett Manufacturing Company formally deeds the school and property to School District #10. The deed includes covenants requiring the building to remain a "Community Hall" for the benefit of Georgetown and its surrounding areas.

• 1964 – School District #10 is dissolved, and the school begins serving only Wilton students. The G&B Manufacturing Company transfers ownership to the Town of Wilton via a quitclaim deed. While this deed omits the original covenants to comply with state educational funding rules, it references the 1916 deed that contains them. These agreements are also documented in official meeting minutes from several Wilton town boards (Finance, Selectmen, and Education), as well as in correspondence and records from the G&B Manufacturing Company’s Board of Directors.

• 1971 – The Gilbert & Bennett School closes following the construction of new school buildings in Wilton.

• 1971–1980 – Wilton has  no use for the building, but for occasional storage.  The Georgetown community, however, continues to use the building for community events and functions under a three-man “hall committee” as specified in the 1916 deed and overseen by the Wilton Board of Education.

• 1980–1999 – Wilton leases the school to Landmark Academy, a private school.  In Landmark’s lease it specifies that the Georgetown community may use the building for community events.

• 1998 – Landmark attempts to buy the school from Wilton and Wilton agrees.  The Georgetown community is up in arms and forces a public meeting.  Georgetown shows up in force at Middlebrook auditorium.  Bob Russell, then-First Selectman, cancels the sale, and allows GCA to now run the building as a community center or find other tenants as well.  It is at this time that Peter Levin writes his noteworthy letter outlining the agreement between the Town of Wilton and the Gilbert & Bennett Manufacturing Company in 1964: the school is to be used by the Georgetown community as a community center.

• 2011 – GCA still operates the building but the Town of Wilton under Bill Brennan as First Selectman, gives GCA a five-year lease, which for the first time says the town may evict GCA with minimal notice. This agreement reduces costs for the Town while allowing GCA to oversee daily operations and community rentals in accordance with Town guidelines. Under the $1-per-year lease, GCA assumes responsibility for routine maintenance (up to $600), utility bills, liability insurance, and trash removal, while the Town remains responsible for major repairs, property insurance, field upkeep, and snow plowing. This partnership leads to the establishment of the Gilbert & Bennett Cultural Center, providing a valuable resource for the Historic District and neighboring communities. The Town violated the terms of its own lease by failing to maintain the building.

• 2016 - The Town will not renew the five-year lease but goes to a year- by-year lease for all town-owned property.

• 2024 - On September 4, First Selectwoman Toni Boucher sends a letter to the G&B Cultural Center ordering all occupants to vacate within 30 days, ostensibly citing damage from a severe rainstorm in August.

  Boucher fails to disclose that she had been in negotiations since at least March of 2024 with a private school to purchase the building.  The town estimated that the school has over $3 million of deferred maintenance because of their negligence and failure to maintain the school by the terms of the Town’s lease.  The Georgetown community, currently, has been denied access to the building by the Town of Wilton.

• 2024-2025 - The Georgetown Community Association (GCA) calls out the Town for lack of transparency in its plans for the building, and GCA offers to purchase the property. GCA subsequently mobilizes a movement to preserve it and ensure its continued use as a community center, as intended by its founders and as Wilton is obligated to honor.
  
  As of April 1, 2025, the Town has yet to tarp the building, despite previously stating it would do so to prevent further damage, continuing its pattern of neglect..

Position
The Town of Wilton wants to sell and develop the Gilbert & Bennett School and its grounds to fund other town projects.

The Town has neglected the building, and First Selectwoman Toni Boucher has stated that there are no funds available to address its issues. Reports estimate that bringing the building up to code would cost nearly $3 million—funds Wilton is either unable or unwilling to provide.

As members of the Georgetown community and surrounding areas, we must unite to save this historic landmark and preserve it for future generations.

If Wilton does not wish to repair and maintain the building, it should deed it to the Georgetown Community Association (GCA). Selling the property for profit—despite historical covenants, the town’s obligations, and the community’s rightful inheritance—is wrongful.

Historical records confirm that the Town of Wilton is responsible for preserving the school as a community center, not selling it for financial gain. We must take action to prevent its sale by raising public awareness and opposition.

Our goal is to secure ownership of the building, restore it, and restore it to its valued and treasured use as a community space. Achieving this will require significant funding, but with collective effort, we can make the necessary repairs and upgrades—keeping the school safe, welcoming, and accessible for all.

Vision
The Georgetown Community Association is dedicated to bringing together people of all ages for socialization, education, work, group activities, and cultural events. Serving the greater Georgetown, CT community including the towns of Wilton, Redding, Weston,  Branchville/Ridgefield.  GCA aims to foster a strong, inclusive environment in the form of the Georgetown Community Center  (GCC) where residents can connect, learn, and support each other. The Georgetown Community Center will be located in the historic Gilbert & Bennett School, listed on the National Historic Register and a cornerstone of the Georgetown Historic District.

Mission Statement
Our mission is to create a safe, inviting, and dynamic space that nurtures community connections, lifelong learning, and cultural enrichment and that upholds and advances the enduring legacy of the School's founders.

Objectives
Our objectives are to:

• Create a warm and inclusive community hub that fosters connection and engagement;

• Offer diverse programming that fulfills the educational, cultural, and recreational needs of the community;

• Ensure financial sustainability through space leasing, fundraising events, donations, and volunteer support;

• Preserve and enhance the historic Gilbert & Bennett School building, a treasured landmark gifted to the people of Georgetown.
  

Good Morning Wilton
Health Dept.: Town-Owned, Historic Gilbert & Bennett Building ‘Unsafe to Occupy,’ Forcing G&B Cultural Center to Close; Boucher says “Wilton Can’t Afford to Fix It”

Town Issues Last Call for Gilbert & Bennett Tenants to Remove Belongings

“What Voice Do We Have?” — Hist. District Commissioners Grapple with How to Influence Town’s Plans for Gilbert & Bennett Bldg. and Other Historic Properties

Some Public Skepticism Remains as Boucher Vows: No Redevelopment Plans for Historic Gilbert & Bennett Building — “Priority is Preservation”

Letter: Wilton Historical Society Advocates for Town to Prioritize Gilbert & Bennett School Preservation

Preservation Push: Historic Properties Commission Amps Up Efforts to Preserve Gilbert & Bennett Bldg., Town Hall and More, as Public Outcry Over G&B Grows

The Hour
Wilton closed the G&B Cultural Center: Now a petition seeks to 'block any sale' of historic building

The Easton Courier
The Uncertain Fate of the Gilbert and Bennett School

Miscellaneous Correspondence
Letter from Peter Levin, former member of Wilton’s Board of Finance

Wilton Historical Society Statement on Gilbert & Bennett School Preservation

Join us as a member for just $10 per year! You'll receive GCA updates, news, meeting details, volunteer opportunities, and more via email.

Volunteer
We’re looking for passionate volunteers to help drive our efforts! If you’re interested in event planning, advocacy, community outreach, fundraising, or have ideas, enthusiasm, or specific skills or talent, we’d love your support! Reach out to us at GtownCommunityAssoc@gmail.com to learn more.

Georgetown Day is a major fundraiser for GCA.Come join the fun and help support GCA and our community!  We need your help, ideas, and energy to make this year’s event the best one yet.

Stop by the GCA tent on Georgetown Day. You don’t need to be a member to enjoy the food, fun, and festivities!

Show your Support
Keep an eye out for yard signs that are going up around the community! If you’d like a sign to place in your yard, contact us at GtownCommunityAssoc@gmail.com. Signs can be purchased for ~$30 a set. (When placing on your property keep 10-15 ft. away from the road or Wilton DPW will remove them.) 

Attend Wilton Town Meetings relevant to the G&B School and voice your support of our cause:

• Note: The 2025 Annual Town Meeting is on Tuesday, May 6 @ 7:00 PM.

All members of the public can attend, but only eligible voters can participate. To be eligible, you must be one of the following:

• registered to vote in Wilton

• a U.S. citizen, 18-years-old or older, who owns taxable property with an assessed value of $1,000 or more on the Oct. 1, 2023 grand list.