Founded in 1914 by Mabel Osgood Wright in Fairfield, Connecticut, this small museum and wildlife refuge became the oldest private songbird sanctuary in the United States. Created as a planted haven for migratory and resident birds, it also helped revive a bird conservation movement that had faded after beginning in the 1880s. Its 6-acre landscape was intentionally designed for bird habitat, with features such as a pond, gardens, meadows, and a nesting chimney for chimney swifts, many dating to the original plan. The site has documented more than 120 bird species and remains an important center for conservation, education, and bird study.