Darien is a town in Fairfield County that lies a few miles northeast of New York City. Originally, Darien was a part of Stamford and was known as Middlesex Parish, but in 1820 it was incorporated into Darien, CT. Until the arrival of the railroad, Darien remained a small, rural community of about 1,000 residents. After the Civil War, the town became one of the many resorts where New Yorkers built grand, luxurious summer homes. Today Darien is a community of over 20,000 with an active town center, excellent schools, and involved residents.