FAIRFIELD, a town of Fairfield county, Connecticut, U.S.A., on Long Island sound, adjoining Bridgeport on the west. It is served by the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad. The population in 1920 was 11,475, and was 17,218 in 1930 by the Federal census. The town is a summer resort. Truck-gardening is an important occupation, and the principal village, Fairfield, has structural steel and boiler-plate plants, an aluminium factory, a gold and silver refinery, and other manufacturing industries. The town was settled in 1639 by Roger Ludlow, who in 1637 had been one of a band which defeated the Pequot Indians in the vicinity and was attracted by the region. During the colonial period it was a place of importance, but later was overshadowed by Bridgeport. On July 8, 1779, it was burned by the British and Hessians under Governor Tryon.