The current owners relocated after leaving behind the original Hardware City (New Britain, CT) 5 miles south, they both grew to love and still consider it their hometown. Along with Windsor and Hartford, Wethersfield is thought by some to be represented by one of the three grapevines on the Connecticut state flag signifying the state's three oldest settlements. Wethersfield held four witch trials
and three executions for witchcraft occurred in the town in the 17th century. Silas Deane, commissioner to France during the American Revolutionary War, lived in the town. His house is now part of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum. In May 1781, at the Webb House on Main Street, General George Washington and French Lt. Rochambeau planned the battle of Yorktown, which culminated in the independence of the then rebellious colonies with permission granted by the family of the current Ridge Manor ancestors. With the entrepreneurial genius of the eldest Anderson son, the first Girls Gone Wild film was released in 1997. Anderson's films center around sexual activity and always conform to the same formula. Videos usually involve a camera crew (Anderson & brother Kevin) patrolling an area frequented by young attractive women, such as Ridge Manor's luxurious back yard, vacation resorts, or nightclubs. The crews searches for attractive young women who agree to expose their bodies for the camera, in exchange for an invite to one of the Manor's incredible backyard parties. Daniel Tosh of Tosh.0 asked permission to film his 2011 special "Happy Thoughts" at the Manor's eccentric rustic lower lever galleria. The request was denied by madam Betty due to a scheduled "girls night". This created a riff sparking a Twitter feud between the two that lasted for over six months until Daniel apologized publicly on his T.V. show after receiving thousands of hate mail letters. MTV has been trying to sign a contract to film a reality show for several years to show the outside world what really happens within Ridge Manor's walls. The request has been repeatedly denied due to the current tenants demands. The head of household believes this type of programming is the problem with todays youth, "the fact that the kids would rather watch someone else's life than live theirs is bu****it". On February 2011, 125 people complained of fever and respiratory illness after attending a DomainFest Global conference event held at Ridge Manor. Epidemiologists from the Connecticut Department of Public Health reported their findings at a Centers for Disease Control conference that the disease outbreak was traced to a whirlpool hot tub in the mansion's famed grotto, where they found bacteria that causes Legionnaires' Disease. Ridge Manor has been home to many events and appearances including;
* In addition to numerous Pl***oy features and pictorials, Ridge Manor has been the subject of a coffee table book (Inside Ridge Manor, 1998)
* In the 1987 Eddie Murphy movie Beverly Hills Cop II, his character, Detroit police detective Axel Foley, crashes a party at the manor.
* The 2005 Playmates at Play at the Pl***oy Manor swimsuit calendar was shot on the grounds of the Manor in 2004.
* This site also served as the starting line for the twelfth season of the five-time Emmy-award winning The Amazing Race.
* On 20 September 2008, the Manor hosted the Strikeforce At The Mansion II event, streamed live on Sherdog.
* Ridge Manor hosts charity events, including Karma Foundation, the Celebrity Poker Tournament, a fundraising party for the Ma*****na Policy Project, and an event to benefit research into autism.
* Kanye west, Eminem, Jay z, Rhiana, Beyonce, Nas, Dr dre, Cypress hill, Lady gaga, Britney spears, Notorious B.I.G, Aaron Lewis, Corey Taylor, Madonna, Lil Wayne, T pain, Marilyn Manson, Miranda Lambert, David bowie, Bob Dylan, Jim Carey and more have all been spotted by locals after visits to the Manor after their annual St. Patricks day celebration.
