Westport, Connecticut
Westport is a coastal town located on Long Island Sound in Fairfield County, Connecticut, 47 miles (76 km) north of New York City in the United States. The population was estimated at 26,799 in 2009. Westport is home to the Westport Country Playhouse and the Westport Public Library.
Politics
The town government consists of a three-member Board of Selectmen, a Representative Town Meeting (RTM), a Board of Finance, a Board of Education, a Planning and Zoning Commission, and various other commissions, boards, and committees.
Geography and transportation
According to the United States Census Bureau, Westport has a total area of 33.3 square miles (86.3 km2).20.0 square miles (51.8 km2) or 60.02% of it is land and 13.3 square miles (34.5 km2) or 39.98% is water.Much of the eastern side of town is considered unusually flat in comparison to the rest of Connecticut.Westport is bordered by Norwalk on the west, Weston to the north, Wilton to the northwest, Fairfield to the east and Long Island Sound to the south. Interstate 95, the Merritt Parkway and U.S. 1, as well as the Saugatuck River, run through Westport.Westport has two train stations, Green's Farms and Westport on the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, which serves Stamford and Grand Central Terminal in New York City or New Haven-Union Station. This line is shared with Amtrak trains as it is part of the Northeast Corridor, but no Amtrak services stop at Green's Farms or Westport. The nearest Amtrak stations are at Bridgeport (10 miles) and Stamford (12 miles).Westport station is the more widely used of the two, even among people living geographically closer to Green's Farms mainly because more trains stop there. The wait for a parking sticker at the Westport station is now nearly four years long.
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 1,286.7 people per square mile (496.8/km²). There were 10,065 housing units at an average density of 503.0/sq mi (194.2/km²). 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.According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the town was $147,391, and the median income for a family was $176,740. As of the 2000 Census, 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.Westport was named the fifth top-earning city in the US, with a median family income of $193,540 and median home price of $1,200,000 in July, 2008.
Neighborhoods
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.
Cockenoe Island(pronounced 'KawKEEnee') – just off the southeastern coast of the town.
Old Hill– west of theSaugatuck Riverand north of theBoston Post Road, a historic section of town with many homes from the Revolutionary and Victorian eras.
Coleytown– Located at the northern edge of town, near the Weston town line. Home to Coleytown fire station, Middle and Elementary school.
Compo– Located around the main beach in the town, Compo Beach
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 Nor'easter struck the state, many cars parked at the Westport railroad station were immersed in water. 'Very strong easterly gales of 55 mph (89 km/h) 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.' A total of 22 homes were raised higher starting in the mid-1990s with some help from state grants, and the town has taken other flood protection measures, including the installation of 16 combination staff gauges and evacuation signs, as well as the publication of a disaster preparedness brochure. These made Westport 'the first community in Connecticut to have an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan' for flooding.The town also has enacted tough regulations on home renovation and construction 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 exceed 50 percent of the fair market value of the property in any five-year period.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 near Compo Beach, were shelved in the mid-1990s, as they were considered too expensive. To this day, employees of the town's Guests Services division of the Parks and Rec office place sandbags along Soundview Drive twice a year to prevent any further flooding.
History
Although colonists settled along the Saugatuck River in 1639, Westport 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, in which about 2,000 British soldiers marched to Danbury and razed it, resulting in the Battle of Ridgefield. They were attacked on the way and attacked upon landing by Minutemen from Westport and the surrounding areas. A statue of a Minuteman, rifle in hand, is located near Compo Beach.
Twenty-first century
On September 11, 2001, two Westport residents were killed in the terrorist attacks of that day: Jonathan J. Uman, 33, and Bradley H. Vadas, 37. Both were in the World Trade Center. The state's 9/11 memorial was put in Sherwood Island State Park in Westport.
On the National Register of Historic Places
Bradley-Wheeler House— 25 Avery Pl. (added August 5, 1984), home to the Westport Historical Society.
Compo-Owenoke Historic District— Roughly bounded by Gray's Cr., Compo Rd. S. and Long Island Sound (added May 19, 1991)
Godillot Place— 60, 65 Jesup Rd. (added September 29, 1977)
Green Farms School— Jct. of Morningside Dr. S. and Boston Post Rd. (added May 19, 1991)
Kings Highway North Historic District— Roughly along Kings Hwy. N, from Wilton Rd. to Woodside Ave. (added September 10, 1998)
Mill Cove Historic District— Between Compo Mill Cove and Long Island Sound (added May 19, 1991)
National Hall Historic District— Riverside Ave., Wilton and Post Rds. (added October 13, 1984)
Saugatuck River Bridge— CT 136 (added March 12, 1987)
Saugatuck River Railroad Bridge—Metro-North RailroadRight-of-way at Saugatuck River (added July 12, 1987)
Shambaugh House— 12 Old Hill Rd. (added May 9, 1999)
Westport Town Hall— 90 Post Rd. E. (added June 18, 1982)
Westport Public Schools
Staples High School, Westport's only public high school, was ranked by Newsweek magazine in 2005 as 452nd on a list of the best 1,000 high schools in the country (Grades 9 to 12) with 1,800 students. In the 2008-2009 school year Staples was also ranked the #1 school in Connecticut by Connecticut Magazine. In September 2009, Bedford Middle School was awarded the government-honored Blue Ribbon Award.The district has two middle schools (Grades 6 to 8) – Bedford Middle School and Coleytown Middle School – 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
King's Highway Elementary School
Green's Farms Elementary School
Saugatuck Elementary School
Long Lots Elementary School
There are a number of preschools in Westport, including Stepping Stones Pre-school, Greens Farms Nursery School, Saugatuck Nursery School and Earthplace Nursery School.For the 2009-10 fiscal year, the school district's adopted budget is $110.6 million.The school district had an estimated $109.1 million budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year, giving it an average per pupil expenditure of $16,266. The average class size in the school system as a whole was 21 students.[citation needed]
Private education
Greens Farms Academy, located in the 1920s Vanderbilt estate overlookingLong Island Sound. GFA is a K-12 private preparatory school located in the Greens Farms section of town.
Pierrepont School, located on Sylvan Road, opened in that location in 2002. Pierrepont is a private K-12 school for gifted students.
Attractions
Earthplace, The Nature Discovery Center, isnatural historymuseum,nature centerandwildlife sanctuarylocated at 10 Woodside Lane. The organization is dedicated to the promotion of public environmental education, preservation and conservation. Activities include maintaining a 62-acre (250,000 m2) open space wildlife sanctuary with trails, presenting public nature education programs, a water quality monitoring program, wildlife rehabilitation, an interactive nature discovery area, a nursery school and summer camp.
Wheeler Houseis aVictorianperiodhistoric house museumoperated by theWestport Historical Society. Located near Town Hall at 25 Avery Place, Wheeler House features a gallery for changing exhibits related to Westport's history and culture. The property includes a seven-sided barn that houses the Museum of Westport History. Open seasonally, exhibits include a model of Westport in the 1860s, a model railroad train, photos and artifacts about the town's industries, agriculture, history and famous residents.
TheWestport Public Libraryfeatures changing displays of art from area artists.
Comprising 234 acres (0.95 km2),Sherwood Island State Parkis located onLong Island Soundand includes beach access. Compo Beach and Burying Hill Beach are municipal beaches that are open to out-of-town visitors in the summer for a fee.
TheRolnick Observatory, operated by the Westport Astronomical Society, is open to the public for free on clear Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The observatory is located at 182 Bayberry Avenue, on a formerNike missile site.
Theater & Culture
TheWestport Country Playhouse, founded in 1930, is a regional theater known for its excellent theatrical performances. It went through a renovation process that was completed in 2005.
Famous Places and Events of Westport
Westport's Compo Beach was the site of the British invasion of Danbury, also known asTryon'sRaid.
Also near Compo Beach is the famousMinutemanStatue. 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.
The town was made famous by theI Love Lucytelevision show, as it is where Ricky and Lucy Ricardo (played byDesi ArnazandLucille Ball) moved after purchasing their new home ('I Love Lucy' writer Bob Weiskopf was from Westport.). It was also the fictional residence (1164 Morning Glory Circle) of Darrin and Samantha Stephens on the television seriesBewitched.The Twilight Zonehad one episode calledA Stop at Willoughbywhere the main character worked in NYC and commuted on the train to his home in Westport - it aired on May 6, 1960 - The episode was written by then Westport residentRod Serling.
The filmThe Girl Next Doorwas vaguely based on Westport - directorLuke Greenfieldgrew up in town. It was filmed and set in California.
One of the most popular tracks onREO Speedwagon's eponymous debut album, released on Epic Records in 1971, was '157 Riverside Avenue.' The title refers to the Westport address in which the band stayed during the recording process.
In the musicalRENT, Benny is married to Alison Grey of Westport, who comes from a wealthy family.
In the television seriesThe West Wing,Bradley Whitfordplays Josh Lyman the White House Deputy Chief of Staff who comes from a wealthy family from Westport.
The movie,The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, withGregory Peck, based on the book bySloan Wilson, takes place in part and was filmed in parts of Westport. In particular, shots of the Westport Saugatuck train station can be seen, as well as a sequence towards the end of the movie showing a still recognizable Westport Main Street in the late 1950s.
The filmThe Swimmerwas largely shot in Westport in 1966.
In the late 1950s, the construction of aNike missilebase in Westport became the inspiration for the comedic filmRally 'Round the Flag, Boys!. The launch site has since been demolished and the radar site is now the location of theRolnick Observatory, a public astronomical facility. Bedford Middle School now sits atop the demolished Nike missile base.
Economy
At one point Business Express Airlines had its headquarters in Westport.
Notable people past and present
For a much longer list, see: List of people from Westport, ConnecticutAmong the many famous actors, singers and other entertainers who have lived in town is Paul Newman (until his death in 2008). Fala (1940–1952), President Franklin D. Roosevelt's dog, was an early Christmas gift from Mrs. Augustus G. Kellogg, a town resident. Actress Gene Tierney grew up in Greens Farms.[citation needed]
Movies filmed in Westport
The following films have at least partially been filmed in Westport.Tarriance (2005)
Of Wanderlust (2003)
This Is My Father (1998, documentary)
Monaco (1997)
The Stepford Wives(1975)
The Last House on the Left(1972)
The Swimmer(1968) starring Burt Lancaster and based on a short story by John Cheever, was partially filmed in Westport at a house on Old Hill Road.[citation needed]
Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!(1958)[citation needed]
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
Prominent companies
Bridgewater Associates, a globalinvestment manageris the largest employer in Westport.[citation needed]The company has about 800 employees spread between its 1 Glendinning Place headquarters, a nearby building, theNyala Farms Corporate Center, and a building on the Saugatuck River.[citation needed]Presidential candidateJohn McCainvisited Bridgewater Associates on a campaign trip in 2008
Canaan Partners, a leading early stage venture capital firm focusing on IT and life sciences. Canaan is located on Riverside Avenue, less than 1-mile (1.6 km) from the Westport train station.
dLife, a multimedia diabetes education (and marketing) company with a weekly television program onCNBC.
Playtex Products Inc.(PYX) – used to have its headquarters at 300 Nyala Farms Road; the company is concentrating on feminine, infant, and skin care products, selling off brands that don't fit those categories; its brands include Playtex tampons, the No. 2 brand in the country behind Procter & Gamble's Tampax; brands acquired since 1994 include Banana Boat, Wet Ones,Mr. Bubble, Ogilvie, Binaca,Diaper Genieand Baby Magic; Douglas Wheat, the former chairman, owns about 33% of the company through his investment firmHaas Wheat & Partners, another 20 percent is owned by investors ed by merchant bankerRichard Blum(husband of U.S. SenatorDiane Feinstein); 1,250 employees companywide, 200 of them at the Westport headquarters; net sales of $643.8 million in 2005; CEO Neil Defeo (older brother of the Terex CEO Ronald M. DeFeo, whose offices are also in town)
Terex, aFortune 500company that makes equipment for industries including construction, infrastructure, quarrying, recycling,surface mining, shipping, transportation, refining, utility and maintenance, and it offers financial services to assist in the acquisition of Terex equipment; 17,600 employees companywide, 91 in Connecticut; $6.4 billion in 2005 revenues; CEO Ronald M. Defeo (younger brother of the Playtex CEO Neil DeFeo, whose offices are also in town)
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.
Sister cities
Westport currently has three sister cities:Marigny, France
St. Petersburg, Russia
Yangzhou, People's Republic of China
For further reading
Klein, Woody. Westport, Connecticut: The Story of a New England Town's Rise to Prominence. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2000.
