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Westport, Connecticut

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The Seal of the Town of Wesport, Connecticut

Westport is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The 2004 population estimate was 26,644

The town is about as affluent as other expensive Fairfield County towns, with per capita income above $70,000, but Westport has more cultural bustle than similar-sized towns, with the Westport Country Playhouse a longtime institution, the unique Levitt Pavilion providing free concerts, a strong arts council and a heritage as a former artists' colony.

The town has two Metro North railroad stations, Westport and Green's Farms.

Westport is a member of Westports of the World (WOW), along with Westports in Ireland, New Zealand, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, Massachusetts, and Missouri.

Politics

The town government consists of the three-member Board of Selectmen, a Representative Town Meeting (RTM), a Board of Finance, a Board of Education, a Planning and Zoning Commission, and many other commissions, boards, and committees.

In a hotly contested race, Westport's former First Selectwoman, Diane Farrell, ran for Congress against long time incumbent Christopher Shays in the Connecticut 4th Congressional District in 2004 and lost. In 2005, she announced that she would not run for First Selectwoman again, and Gordon Joseloff, Democrat and founder of WestportNow.com, won the November 2005 election. He was sworn in as First Selectman of Westport November 21, 2005, along with Second Selectwoman, Shelly Kassen.

While the town has more registered Republicans than Democrats, it is widely known as a liberal town. John Kerry won Westport in the 2004 election. Despite this there still was significant support for George W. Bush.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 86.3 km² (33.3 mi²). 51.8 km² (20.0 mi²) of it is land and 34.5 km² (13.3 mi²) of it (39.96%) is water.

Westport borders Norwalk on the west, Weston to the north, Fairfield to the east and Long Island Sound to the south. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1, as well as the Saugatuck River, run through Westport.

Westport has two stations, Saugatuck and Greens Farms, on the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven line, which serves Grand Central Terminal in New York and Union Station in New Haven. This line is shared with Amtrak trains, as it is part of the Northeast Corridor, but no Amtrak services call at Westport. The nearest station at which these services stop is Stamford.

Westport station is the more widely used of the two, even among people living geographically closer to Greens Farms, and more trains call there. The wait for a parking sticker at Saugatuck station is now nearly four years. Much of the eastern side of town is unusually flat for Connecticut.

Cockenoe Island (pronounced "KawKEEnee") is a part of Westport just off the southeastern coast of the town.

Sections of town

  • Saugatuck -- around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town -- a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices.
  • Greens Farms -- around the Greens Farms railroad station near the southeastern corner of town.

Flooding

A total of 26 percent of town residents live within the 100-year-flood plain, and homes and businesses located near the water can become flooded in extremely intense storms. Many other communities along the Connecticut shoreline have flood-prone areas, but Westport has been cited as an example of a town that has taken more action than others in mitigating the problem. In one storm on December 11, 1992, when a Northeaster struck the state, many cars parked at the Westport railroad station were immersed in water.

"Very strong easterly gales of 55 mph created by the storm caused severe coastal flooding in Westport and several other communities," according to the Association of State Floodplain Managers. "The Compo Beach and Saugatuck Shores areas of Westport were especially hard hit with virtually every building in both areas being inundated."[1]

A total of 22 homes were raised higher starting in in the mid-1990s with some help from state grants, and the town has taken other mitigation measures, including installation of 16 combination staff gauges/evacuation signs, and the publication of a disaster preparedness brochure, which made it the first in the state to "the first community in Connecticut to have an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan" for flooding.[1]

The town also has enacted tough regulations on those who do extensive home renovations in flood-prone areas. Homeowners or businesses that build additions or renovations to their buildings in flood-prone areas must elevate the structure to one foot above the Base Flood Elevation if their renovations or additions in any five-year period exceed 50 percent of the fair market value of the property.[1]

Another flood which hit the town on October 20, 1996, resulted in no damage to the original seven elevated homes, although several dozen others, not elevated, were flooded again. Ideas for preventing more flooding, such as construction of a berm around some parts of town near Compo Beach or having the town buy some flood-prone property, were shelved in the mid-1990s as too expensive.

History

Although colonists settled along the Saugatuck River in 1639, the Town of Westport, CT was officially incorporated as a town in 1835 with land taken from Fairfield, Weston and Norwalk. For several decades after that, Westport was a prosperous agricultural community, which distinguished itself as the nation's leading onion-growing center. Westport's Compo Beach was the site of a British expeditionary force's landing, upon which approximately 2,000 British soldiers marched to Danbury and razed it. They were attacked on the way and attacked upon landing by Minutemen from Westport and the surrounding areas. It wasn't until after the turn of the century that Westport gained the reputation as artist's colony and cultural center. While Westport still retains its cultural roots, the town is no longer an an artist's colony. Despite the small-town charm, Westport is a thriving business center and home to approximately 15 corporate headquarters and more than 660 retailers.

1637: John Mason, Roger Ludlow and group of soldiers enter area for first time to battle Pequot Indians in Great Swamp.

1639: Several families led by Roger Ludlow return to area, purchase land from Fairfield to Norwalk from Indians, build church and log cabins.

1640: Several other families move to area from New Amsterdam, large city 50 miles away.

1648: Five settlers from Fairfield group request Colonial Assembly's permission to settle in Green's Farms. Call selves "Bankside Farmers."

1703: First schoolhouse built at Green's Farms commons area.

1777: British troops land at Compo Point; proceed north to burn supplies and ammunition at Danbury.

1789: George Washington visits Marvin Tavern.

1807: Newly laid out Post Road passes through growing port area of Saugatuck River.

1835: Daniel Nash and group of businessmen petition for incorporation of Westport, which includes parts of Fairfield, Norwalk, Old Saugatuck and Weston.

1842: Railroad arrives.

1861-65: Westport becomes biggest onion supplier to U.S. Army during Civil War.

1882: Staples High School founded, on Riverside Avenue.

1903: First automobile seen in Westport.

1920: F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald spend summer here.

1935: Local artist paints mural on speakeasy wall, commemorating friends "we'll never forget."

1938: Merritt Parkway opens.

1949: First Representative Town Meeting (RTM) formed. Over 125 candidates vie for 26 slots.

1955: Parker-Harding Plaza created, behind Main Street stores.

1958: Connecticut Turnpike opens.

1959: New Staples High School, on North Avenue, opens.

1960: Town purchases Longshore Club Park.

1967: United Illuminating proposes building nuclear power plant on Cockenoe Island. Most Westporters oppose plan, and prevail in court.

Education

Westport Public Schools

Total enrollment in Westport Public Schools as of Oct. 1, 2005 was 5,492 students. Each school has its own Web site.

Staples High School,[5] is one of the top-ranked public schools in the country.[citation needed](Grades 9 to 12) with 1,530 students.

The district has two middle schools (Grades 6 to 8) -- Bedford Middle School[6] and Coleytown Middle School[7] -- with a total of 1,321 students.

There are five elementary schools (Kindergarten to Grade 5) with a total of 2,556 students:

  • Coleytown Elementary School[8]
  • King's Highway Elementary School
  • Green's Farms Elementary School
  • Saugatuck Elementary School
  • Long Lots Elementary School
  • Stepping Stones Pre-school

For the 2006-07 fiscal year, the school district's budget is $82 million.

The school district had a $78.6 million budget for the 2005-06 fiscal year, giving it an average per pupil expenditure of $14,316. The average class size in the school system as a whole was 21 students.

Private education

Greens Farms Academy, located in the 1920's Vanderbilt estate overlooking Long Island Sound. GFA is a K-12 private preparatory school located in the Greens Farms section of town.

Famous Places and Events of Westport

  • Westport's Compo Beach was the site of the British invasion of Danbury, also known as Tryon's Raid.
  • Also near Compo Beach is the famous Minuteman Statue. One may notice that this statue was built facing away from the beach. This is because it commemorates the way the Minutemen hid and waited until they could attack the large British army from behind.
  • Westport houses the Westport Country Playhouse, a theatre scene active since 1930.
  • The city was made famous by the I Love Lucy television show, as it is where the Ricky and Lucy Ricardo (played by Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball) moved to after purchasing their new home. It was also the fictional residence of Darrin and Samantha Stephens on the television series Bewitched.
  • Joe Arcudi (1993-1997) was the first and as of yet the only Italian-American First Selectman in town history.
  • The film The Girl Next Door was vaguely based on Westport. It was filmed and set in California.
  • The book The Stepford Wives was based on Westport. Some scenes from the 1975 film were filmed in Westport.

Media

  • The Westport News, a twice-weekly local newspaper run by the Brooks Community Newspapers chain, owned in turn by the same company that publishes the daily Connecticut Post in Bridgeport.
  • The Westport Minuteman, a weekly owned by the Journal Register Company, which also publishes the New Haven Journal Register and about 40 other daily, weekly and monthly publications in Connecticut.
  • WestportNow.com—Westport’s 24/7 News and Information Source A news Web site (technically a blog) founded by First Selectman Gordon Joseloff when he was still Moderator of the Representative Town Meeting.
  • County Kids, a free monthly newspaper for families, published in Westport by the Journal Register Company (publishers of the Westport Minuteman)
  • Westport Magazine is a monthly published by Moffly Publications. This magazine also covers the towns of Wilton, Weston, and Fairfield.

Notable Residents of Westport, past and present

Wealthiest art collectors in town

These Westport art collectors were listed in the 2006 Art News magazine list of 200 top collectors:[2]

  • Christine and Andrew Hall, new to the list this year, they are said to like "contemporary art, especially German."
  • Ronnie and Samuel Heyman, whose first and second residences are listed as New York and Palm Beach, Fla., also have a home in the Greens Farms section of town. The magazine says they like "modern and contemporary art, especially Miro, Leger, Gorky, Giacometti, and Dubuffet.
In a 2005 interview, Samuel Heyman said about his and his wife's art collection: "My wife and I have been collecting art together since we were married 35 years ago. We are not into what one would call "pretty pictures" but are interested in more difficult art which is challenging, sometimes even disturbing and always thought-provoking."[3]

Movies filmed in Westport

(in reverse chronological order)

  • Tarriance (2005)
  • Victor in December (2005)
  • The Girl Next Door (2004)
  • Of Wanderlust (2003)
  • This Is My Father (1998)
  • Monaco (1997)
  • The Stepford Wives (1975) - the book was based in Westport as well.
  • The Last House on the Left (1972)
  • The Swimmer (1968) starring Burt Lancaster and based on a short story by John Cheever, was filmed in Westport.
  • The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956) - the book on which the movie was based was itself based in Westport, under a fictional town name.
  • In Time of Peril (1912)
  • The Charity of the Poor (1911) filmed in Saugatuck[4]

Source (unless otherwise noted): Internet Movie DataBase Web site's page for Westport, Connecticut

Prominent companies in town

  • Bridgewater Associates, with $20.9 billion in assets, has been ranked the world’s second largest hedge fund, according to Institutional Investor’s Alpha magazine. The company has about 300 employees at its 1 Glending Place headquarters.
  • Pequot Capital Management, a hedge fund with $7 billion under investment, is based in the Nyala Farms office complex on Greens Farms Road. There's a half-court basketball court in the offices.
  • Playtex
  • Terex, a Fortune 500 company

Significant nonprofit institutions

  • Save the Children, the American charity, governed entirely separately from the British charity of the same name, is based in Westport, with about 200 employees working in its headquarters.
  • The 107-year-old (as of 2006) Hall-Brooke Behavioral Health Services, formerly Hall- Brooke Hospital, became a wholly owned subsidiary of St. Vincent's Health Services (a Bridgeport hospital) in 1988. The institution has 76 beds in a 60,000-square-foot facility.
  • Earthplace, The Nature Discovery Center [9] is located at 10 Woodside Lane. The organization is dedicated to the promotion of public environmental education, preservation and conservation. Programs include a 62-acre wildlife sanctuary, a water quality monitoring program, wildlife rehabilitation, an interactive nature discovery area, a nursery school and summer camp.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 26,644 people, 9,586 households, and 7,170 families residing in the town. The population density was 496.8/km² (1,286.7/mi²). There were 10,065 housing units at an average density of 194.2/km² (503.0 persons/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.16% White, 1.13% African American, 0.05% Native American, 2.43% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. 2.34% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,586 households out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples living together, 6.8% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 25.2% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the town the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 2.7% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $125,872, and the median income for a family was $158,894. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $53,269 for females. The per capita income for the town was $73,664. 2.6% of the population and 1.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 2.7% are under the age of 18 and 2.1% are 65 or older.

See also

List of television shows set in Connecticut

For further reading

  • Klein, Woody. Westport, Connecticut: The Story of a New England Town's Rise to Prominence. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2000.

References

  1. ^ a b c [1] a page on the Web site of the Association of State Floodplain Managers accessed on July 4, 2006.
  2. ^ [2] "Top 10" article, Art News magazine, Summer 2006 issue; accessed July 25, 2006
  3. ^ [3]"Closing: A conversation with Samuel Heyman, '63," HLS Alumni Bulletin Spring 2005 issue, accessed on July 25, 2006
  4. ^ [4] Internet Movie DataBase Web site's page for Saugatuck, Connecticut accessed on July 2, 2006

Government

Education

Arts

Science and nature

Other

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