Westport, Connecticut Westport, Connecticut Westport Town Hall Westport Town Hall Flag of Westport, Connecticut Flag Official seal of Westport, Connecticut Westport is a coastal town of colonial origin positioned along Long Island Sound in Fairfield County, Connecticut, 47 miles (76 km) northeast of New York City in the United States. The town had a populace of 26,391 as stated to the 2010 U.S.
Old Map of Westport, CT The earliest known inhabitants of the Westport region as identified through archaeological finds date back 7,500 years. Records from the first white pioneer report the Pequot Indians living in the region which they called Machamux interpreted by the colonialists as beautiful land. Settlement by colonialists dates back to the five Bankside Farmers; whose families interval and prospered into a improve that continued expanding.
The improve had its own ecclesiastical society, supported by autonomous civil and theological elements, enabling it to be autonomous from the Town of Fairfield. The pioneer appeared in 1693, having followed cattle to the isolated region known to the Pequot as the "beautiful land". As the settlement period its name changed: it was briefly known as "Bankside" in 1693, officially titled Green's Farm in 1732 with respect to Bankside Farmer John Green and in 1835 incorporated as the Town of Westport. During the revolutionary war on April 25, 1777, a 1,850 strong British force under the command of the Royal Governor of the Province of New York, Major General William Tryon landed on Compo Beach to destroy the Continental Army's military supplies in Danbury. Minutemen from Westport and the encircling areas crouched hiding whilst Tryon's troops passed and then launched an offensive from their rear.
The Town of Westport was officially incorporated on May 28, 1835, with lands from Fairfield, Weston and Norwalk. Daniel Nash led 130 citizens of Westport in the petitioning of the Town of Fairfield for Westport's incorporation.
The driving force behind the petition was to assist their seaport's economic viability that was being undermined by neighboring towns' seaports. For a several decades after that, Westport was a prosperous agricultural improve distinguishing itself as the dominant onion-growing center in the U.S. Blight caused the collapse of Westport's onion trade dominant to the mills and factories replacing agricultural as the town's economic engine. Agriculture was Westport's first primary industry.
By the 19th century, Westport had turn into a shipping center in part to transport onions to market.
Scott Fitzgerald moved to Westport to be no-charge from the commuting demands experienced by company people. The roots of Westport's reputation as an arts center can be traced back to this reconstructionamid which it was known as a "creative heaven." In the 20th century a combination of industrialization, and popularity among New Yorkers thriving to fashionable Westport which had thriving many artists and writers resulted in farmers selling off their land.
Westport changed from a improve of farmers to a suburban development. In the 1950s through to the 1970s, New Yorkers relocating from the town/city to the suburbs identified Westport's culture of artists, musicians and authors. The populace interval rapidly, assisted by the ease of commuting to New York City and back again to rolling hills and the "natural beauty of the town." By this time Westport had "chic New York-type fashion shopping" and a school fitness with a good reputation, both factors contributing to the growth. By the 21st century, Westport had advanced into a center for finance and insurance (23%), and professional, scientific and technical services (21%). According to the United States Enumeration Bureau, Westport has a total region of 33.3 square miles (86 km2).
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.
Climate data for Westport, Connecticut Average snowy days ( 0.1 in) 3.5 2.9 1.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.1 1.4 9.1 Both the train station and a total of 26 percent of town inhabitants live inside the 100-year floodplain. The floodplain was breached in 1992 and 1996 resulting in damage to private property, the 1992 flooding of the train station parking lot and the implementation of flood mitigation measures that include town regulations that affect renovations and additions to building inside the floodplain zone. Neighborhoods of Westport, CT Saugatuck around the Westport barns station near the southwestern corner of the town a built-up region with some restaurants, stores and bureaus.
Saugatuck Shores A curved peninsula surrounded by the Long Island Sound, this region was once part of the town of Norwalk.
Today a several hundred inhabitants live on the peninsula, which became part of Westport in the 1960s.
Downtown Westport - The region around Post Road and Main Street on and near the Saugatuck River that serves as the center of Westport, with many shops and restaurants.
Greens Farms is Westport's earliest neighborhood starting around Hillspoint road and ending at Westport's boundary on the east side. Cockenoe Island is an uninhabited island that was purchased by Westport for $212,740 from the United Illuminating Company in 1969 so that the business could not use the territory to build a nuclear plant. Coleytown Located at the northern edge of town, near the Weston town line.
A panoramic view from Saugatuck Bridge, Westport, CT, USA Panorama from Saugatuck Bridge, Westport, CT, taken in 2012.
According to the 2010 Census, the populace of Westport was 92.6% White, 4.0% Asian, 1.2% Black or African American, and 0.1% American Indian.
Individuals from other competitions made up 0.6% of Westport's populace while individuals from two or more competitions made up 1.6%. In addition, Hispanics of any race made up 3.5% of Westport's population.
About 29.8% of Westport inhabitants were younger than age 18 as of 2010; higher than the U.S.
Westport was titled the fifth top-earning town/city in the US, with a median family income of $193,540 and median home price of $1,200,000 in July 2008. The town switched to a Representative Town Meeting style governance in 1949.
In 2005, the foundry rate for Westport was 12.97 and is expected to increase to 17.43 for fiscal year 2013. The town of Westport is protected by the paid, full-time firefighters of the Westport Fire Department (WFD).
Established in 1929, the Westport Fire Department presently operates out of 4 Fire Stations, positioned throughout the town, and maintains a fire apparatus fleet of 6 Engines, (4 first line and 2 reserve) 1 Truck, 1 Rescue, 1 Fireboat, 1 High Water Unit, 1 Utility Unit, and a Shift Commander's Unit.
The fire department also has the Fairfield County Hazardous Materials Truck, homed at Westport Fire Headquarters.
The Westport Fire Department responds to, on average, approximately 4,000 emergency calls annually. Below is a complete listing of all fire station locations and apparatus in the town of Westport.
Staples High School is Westport's only enhance high school.
The precinct has two middle schools (Grades 6 to 8) Bedford Middle School and Coleytown Middle School with a total of 1,321 students.
There are a number of preschools in Westport, including Stepping Stones Pre-school, Greens Farms Nursery School, Saugatuck Nursery School, Earthplace Nursery School and the YMCA Childcare. Greens Farms Academy, positioned in the 1920s Vanderbilt estate overlooking Long Island Sound, is a K-12 private preliminary school positioned in the Greens Farms section of town.
The Westport Library taken from the opposite side of the Saugatuck River.
The Westport Library taken from the opposite side of the Saugatuck River.
The Westport Library features changing displays of art from region artists.
The Rolnick Observatory, directed by the Westport Astronomical Society, is open to the enhance for no-charge on clear Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
Westport's first journal dates back to the printing and printed announcement of the first copy of The Saugatuck Journal on December 26, 1828. Westport is served by both English-language newspapers and news websites including Westport News and Westport - Now, as well as the Westport Minuteman.
The town is also home to a monthly periodical Westport.
See also: List of companies based in Westport, Connecticut There are three periods in Westport's economic and industrialized history.
At its peak From 1861 1865 Westport was the biggest onion seller to the U.S.
Industrialization in the 20th century, Westport's manufacturing activities period mills and factories and it became a shipping center.
Service trade the financial services zone employs 7,171 in Westport; half of whom commute daily to Westport. The financial services trade is a primary segment of the small-town economy.
The primary financial services companies in Westport now are Bridgewater Associates, a global investment manager and Westport's biggest employer, Canaan Partners, an early stage venture capital firm focusing on IT and life sciences, and BNY Mellon. Professional, scientific, and technical services companies include Terex, a Fortune 500 business manufacturing industrialized equipment and offering experienced and technical services around those products, and d - Life, a multimedia diabetes education (and marketing) company.
Westport Country Playhouse The Westport Country Playhouse, established in 1930, is a county-wide theater known for its excellent theatrical performances. After Paul Newman moved to Westport in 1960, he became a principal "driving force" behind the playhouse reported as "one the country's most respected summer theaters." The playhouse went through a renovation process that was instead of in 2005 on its seventy-fifth anniversary. Save the Children, the American charity, governed entirely separately from the British charity of the same name, was headquartered in Westport before moving to Fairfield. The Smith Richardson Foundation, a enhance policy think tank, is headquartered in Westport, Connecticut.
Map of National Register of Historic Places in Westport This is a list of structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Westport: 41 06 57 N 73 22 32 W Westport Built in 1958, the home is the only known example in Westport of work by Chicago architect Roy Binkley, Jr.. 41 08 39 N 73 21 41 W Westport Headquarters and exhibition of the Westport Historical Society 41 06 22 N 73 21 18 W Westport 41 08 25 N 73 21 35 W Westport A Stick style home assembled in 1879 , an associated cottage, and a carriage barn. 41 08 13 N 73 19 31 W Westport Tudor Revival style school assembled in 1925, designed by architect Charles Cutler 41 08 26 N 73 22 06 W Westport 41 06 47 N 73 20 32 W Westport Riverside Ave., Wilton and Post Rds.; in downtown Westport, on the west side of (and abutting) the Saugatuck River and north side of Post Road East 41 08 25 N 73 21 54 W Westport 41 07 22 N 73 22 10 W Westport From 1884, a swinging bridge 41 07 10 N 73 22 08 W Westport 41 08 38 N 73 22 12 W Westport 41 08 28 N 73 21 39 W Westport The former Town Hall 13 Westport Bank and Trust Company Westport Bank and Trust Company E., in downtown Westport 41 08 30 N 73 21 40 W Westport The state's 9/11 memorial was put in Sherwood Island State Park in Westport; on a clear day the New York City horizon can be seen. A panoramic view looking over Longshore Club Park, Westport, CT.
Panorama of Westport town park: Longshore Club Park, taken in 2011.
In 1960, Westport purchased Longshore Club Park.
In 2011, Paul Newman's estate gave territory to Westport to be managed by the Aspetuck Land Trust. In 2010, the historic Wakeman Farm was reopened to the enhance as the Wakeman Town Farm and Sustainability Center.
A panoramic view looking over Compo Beach, Westport, CT.
Panorama of Compo Beach, Westport, CT, taken in 2012.
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 title refers to the Westport address where the band stayed amid the recording process.
In the musical Rent, Benny is married to Alison Grey of Westport, who comes from a wealthy family.
Westport is where the Ricardos and the Mertzes moved to when Lucy and Ricky bought a home in the nation on I Love Lucy.
Westport was the locale of the fictional residence (1164 Morning Glory Circle) of Darrin and Samantha Stephens on the tv series Bewitched. In the tv series The Dick Van Dyke Show, Alan Brady, the star of the show that Rob Petrie worked for, lived in Westport.
In the tv series The West Wing, Bradley Whitford plays Josh Lyman, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, who comes from a wealthy family from Westport.
Jonathan Turner, chief character's high school teacher, who comes from Westport.
The tv show American Housewife is set in Westport.
Literature and film Westport has been the subject, inspiration, or locale for written and cinematic works: In the prominent book series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan, the chief antagonist, Luke Castellan, formerly lived in Westport.
The 1956 movie The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, with Gregory Peck, was based on the book of the same name by Sloan Wilson which was itself set partly in Westport.
Portions of the movie were filmed on locale in 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 1968 film The Swimmer starring Burt Lancaster and based on a short story by John Cheever, was partially filmed in Westport backyard pools. The 2004 film The Girl Next Door was vaguely based on Westport director Luke Greenfield interval up in town.
Michael Kulich, a Staples High School graduate, made a pornographic film called The Real Housewives of Westport.
Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" as he lived in Westport at the time of writing.
Main article: List of citizens from Westport, Connecticut Among the many famous actors, singers and other entertainers who have lived in town is Paul Newman who resided in Westport from 1960 until his death in 2008. Fala (1940 1952), President Franklin D.
Kellogg, a town resident. Actress Gene Tierney interval up in Greens Farms. Martha Stewart also lived in Westport at her historic estate of Turkey Hill. Saint Jean Donovan, a lay Roman Catholic missioner martyred in El Salvador in 1980 interval up in Westport and graduated from Staples High School.
Westport presently has three sister cities: Town of Westport, Connecticut.
"Westport, CT Municipal Election Results 2013" (PDF).
"Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and Housing Occupancy: 2010 Enumeration Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File (QT-PL), Westport town, Connecticut".
Woody Klein; Westport Historical Society (Conn.) (May 2000).
Westport, Connecticut: the story of a New England town's rise to prominence.
An American theatre: the story of Westport Country Playhouse, 1931 2005.
A history of New England: including historical and descriptive sketches of the counties, metros/cities and principal suburbs of the six New England states, including, in its list of contributors, more than sixty literary men and women, representing every county in New England.
Connecticut State Library (1909).
Woody Klein; Westport Historical Society (Conn.) (May 2000).
Westport, Connecticut: the story of a New England town's rise to prominence.
Woody Klein; Westport Historical Society (Conn.) (May 2000).
Westport, Connecticut: the story of a New England town's rise to prominence.
Woody Klein; Westport Historical Society (Conn.) (May 2000).
Westport, Connecticut: the story of a New England town's rise to prominence.
"Westport, Conn., Buying Guide".
"Westport, Connecticut (CT) profile".
"Historical Weather Westport, CT Weather".
Woody Klein; Westport Historical Society (Conn.) (May 2000).
Westport, Connecticut: the story of a New England town's rise to prominence.
Woody Klein; Westport Historical Society (Conn.) (May 2000).
Westport, Connecticut: the story of a New England town's rise to prominence.
(February 15, 1933) Westport Mill Rate Increases 2.75 Percent.
The Westport Daily Voice.
Town of Westport, CT : Fire Department.
"Westport School District Tops State Rankings".
The Westport Daily Voice.
Coleytown Elementary School King's Highway Elementary School Green's Farms Elementary School Saugatuck Elementary School Long Lots Elementary School Kent Garland Burtt (November 1984).
Lang, Kirk (November 3, 2011).
Westport News.
Westport - CT.gov Westport 2010 2011 Fiscal Year Budget Westport School District General knowledge about the precinct incl.
Woody Klein; Westport Historical Society (Conn.) (May 2000).
Westport, Connecticut: the story of a New England town's rise to prominence.
"Bridgewater, Town's Largest Employer, Could Be Leaving".
"Westport: The Beverly Hills of the East".
Woody Klein; Westport Historical Society (Conn.) (May 2000).
Westport, Connecticut: the story of a New England town's rise to prominence.
National Park Service (2009-03-13).
Town of Westport website.
"National Register of Historic Places Registration: Greens Farms School" (PDF).
Leslie Dale Feldman (November 30, 2010).
Internet Movie Data - Base Web site's page for Saugatuck, Connecticut.
And Manhattan; the Westport Country Playhouse is passed off as a Vermont summer stock theater; and West - Conn in Danbury fills in for the Rhode Island School of Design." 06880: Where Westport meets the world.
"Town of Westport, CT : Sister Cities Committee".
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Westport, Connecticut.
Westport Public Library
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Westport, Connecticut - Populated coastal places in Connecticut - Towns in Connecticut - Towns in Fairfield County, Connecticut - Towns in the New York urbane area
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