Nestled between the majestic shores of Long Island Sound and the rolling countryside and hills of New England lies Greenwich, Connecticut. The town of Greenwich has a long and distinguished history of producing remarkable residential structures spanning from pre-revolutionary war times to modern day. Though Greenwich has deep colonial and agrarian roots, the town experienced a “golden age” with the advent of industrialization and the expansion of the railroads, allowing people to work in New York City and live in Greenwich, CT. The time from the 1880s to the 1929 crash of the stock market became known as the period of the “Great Estates” for the town. During this period, renowned architects like Delano Aldridge, Harry T. Lindenberg, H.H. Richardson, McKim, Mead and White, and Carrere and Hastings were drawn to the area, designing residences and structures for the town. Greenwich also saw an influx of famous landscape architects like Frederick Law Olmstead, who designed central park as well as Greenwich’s Khakum Wood neighborhood. Around the turn of the last century, a number of notable neighborhoods were developed including Millbrook, Deer Park, and Belle Haven, each with its own distinct and cohesive collection of styled homes. Following the stock market crash and the end of the Second World War, tastes evolved, and Greenwich saw the construction of more modern residences, including those by the noted Harvard Five architects: John M. Johnson, Marcel Breuer, Landis Gores, Philip Johnson, and Eliot Noyes. Today, the architecture of Greenwich, Connecticut has a wide variety of fine residences that represent this rich and cultural heritage.

This video features Greenwich architect, Charles Hilton, of Charles Hilton Architects, during a live recording of his presentation to the members of the Greenwich Association of Realtors on the campus of the Greenwich Historical Society in Cos Cob, Connecticut. Join Charles Hilton as he takes the viewer on a whirlwind tour through 440 years of Greenwich history, discussing the home styles, features, and the storied residences that have helped shape the town over time.

Charles Hilton is the principal of Charles Hilton Architects, an award-winning architectural firm specializing in the finest quality custom residential architecture. Hilton is a member of the New England Design Hall of Fame and is a Top 50 Coastal Architect. The firm has been recognized by the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art, the American Institute of Architects, the Brick Industry Association, along with many more. CHA’s work has been published in Veranda, Luxe Interiors + Design, Ocean Home, New England Home, Cottages and Gardens, and numerous other national and local magazines.