The founding families of Danbury, with names such as Thomas Barnum and Judah Gregory and John Hoyt, left Norwalk in 1684 and traveled some 30 miles northward. There, at the western edge of Connecticut, they settled and started a community that over the years grew to become the city of Danbury. The first residents built their homes on Towne Street, today's Main Street, which has played a significant role in the community's history. The story of Danbury returns again and again to this street. Furthermore, the story tells of the people who have come and gone, of the Great Danbury State Fair, and of the prosperous hatting industry. Finally, it reveals why Danbury became the gateway of New England.