Well, I guess I didn’t crop last week’s Photo Challenge challengingly enough.
More than 2 dozen readers instantly the scene: the Sherwood Island Connector, at the Nyala Farm Road intersection. (Click here to see.)
The reason it was posted was because, as photographer Mark Mathias noted, there is a button there for pedestrians to push, turning all the traffic lights red — even though there is no crosswalk or sidewalk.
No pedestrians, either.
Chris Swan pointed out that it’s a route some people take, walking to Sherwood Island State Park from the I-95 commuter parking lot. (There is no fee for vehicles with Connecticut plates — so maybe it’s a New York thing?)
At any rate: congratulations to Dave Eason, Tom Feeley, Janice Strizever, Brian Taylor, Seth Braunstein, Seth Schachter, Diane Silfen, Fred Rubin, John McKinney, Sal Liccione, Wendy Sellers, Dan Vener, Leslie Aronson, Karen Amaru, Edward Bloch, Kenneth Gilbertie, Michelle Scher Saunders, L. Zlatkin, Ann Bacharach, Scott Brodie, Bonnie Scott Connolly, D. Ergan, Matt McGrath, Jeff Van Gelder, Peter Hirst and Holly Miller Watts.
Some of those readers haven’t lived in Westport for years. Still, they recognized the location.
I’ll try to do a better job cropping in the future. Starting with this one:
(Photo/Rowene Weems)
(Every Sunday, “06880” hosts this Photo Challenge. We challenge you too to support your hyper-local blog. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
Concerned that the new Cribari Bridge Advisory Committee may be missing perspectives from younger families and residents directly affected by the traffic, she sent this email to the Board of Selectpersons:
Following last night’s Connecticut Department of Transportation meeting, I want to reach out with concerns about the recently formed Cribari Bridge committee, particularly its timing and composition.
I was surprised that the committee was established so late in this process, and that it does not appear to include younger residents, women (apart from Melissa Levy in her role representing the RTM, as a non-voting ex officio member), or residents who live directly along Bridge Street and Greens Farms Road.
Cribari Bridge (Photo/Dan Woog)
Many of the members also seem to be familiar voices from earlier discussions. While I deeply appreciate their years of involvement and advocacy, I believe we’re missing an opportunity to bring new perspectives to the table — particularly from families whose children wait at these bus stops, and residents who navigate the bridge daily during rush hour, whether commuting to the train, school or activities.
I grew up in the Twin Cities, and vividly remember the I-35 bridge collapse. I fully appreciate the importance of structural safety, and I recognize that CTDOT is working hard to deliver a safe bridge. That must remain the absolute priority, and I believe the CTDOT team is right to prioritize it.
At the same time, the traffic and safety concerns affecting Bridge Street, Greens Farms Road and the surrounding neighborhoods deserve attention alongside the bridge rehabilitation.
These are separate but closely related issues. Broadening the committee’s representation could help us move beyond repeated debates over bridge height, and toward practical solutions for the traffic problems residents are experiencing today.
Bridge Street traffic, near Imperial Avenue. (Photo/Susan Garment)
Would you consider adding residents like myself, or others who spoke last night, to the committee, particularly younger families and those living directly along the affected roads?
I believe a broader group could help the town take a more comprehensive approach to traffic safety, including gathering meaningful data on I-95 cut-through traffic, pursuing and implementing enforceable restrictions, and engaging with navigation companies about routing through residential neighborhoods.
I would appreciate a response regarding how the committee members were selected, whether additional residents can be appointed, and how the town intends to address these broader traffic concerns alongside the bridge project. Even an acknowledgment of receipt would be appreciated.
I genuinely want to be part of a constructive solution, and I hope you’ll consider including residents who are ready and willing to help move this work forward.
let there be lights! cribari bridge celebration set for november 29
Sure, it gets dark pretty early. You’re ready for bed, then realize it’s only 6:15 p.m.
But on Sunday, November 29 (5 p.m.), Saugatuck will shine brightly.
The Westport Police Athletic League’s 3rd annual “Let There Be Light” Cribari Bridge lighting takes place, in and around Bridge Square.
This great new tradition brings neighbors, families and friends together, to usher in the holiday season and celebrate one of our town’s most recognizable landmarks.
This year’s event features carols by the Staples High School Orphenians and Chorus.
The Bridge at Saugatuck — the restaurant, not the span — will offer hot chocolate, and extend its happy hour food and beverage menu throughout the evening.
Adding to the sparkle, Daisy Mae Designs will hand out free glitter tattoos.
PAL encourages attendees to bring a new, unwrapped toy, for the drive they’re organizing with the Westport Police Department and Westport Police Benevolent Association.
The bridge lighting is also a fundraiser. Sponsors support the installation and maintenance of the lights. Remaining proceeds benefit the Westport PAL Scholarship Fund.
PAL, town and other officials smile, after the 2025 Cribari Bridge lighting. (Photo/Dan Woog)
RTM CRIBARI, TRANSIT COMMITTEES MEET TOMORROW
Speaking of the bridge: The RTM Transit Committee and Cribari Bridge Subcommittee’s first joint meeting is tomorrow (Monday, 6 p.m., Zoom).
There is 1 agenda item: “To review the CTDOT [Connecticut Department of Transportation] meeting [held last Thursday], and discuss next steps.”
The “on-line alignment” renovation of the Cribari Bridge, proposed by the Connecticut Department of Transportation on Thursday.
TEMPLE ISRAEL OFFERS “THE WHOLE SCHMEAR”
What’s new at Temple Israel? You want the whole schmear?
Read on!
They’ve just launched “The Whole Schmear: A 3-Part Series on Jewish Food, Stories & Community.”
The 3 “delicious conversations about the food we eat, the stories we tell, and the traditions that connect us” are the real deal.
They feature Jake Cohen, best-selling cookbook author and social media star (December 9), Josh Russ Tupper, co-owner of Russ & Daughters (February 10), and Alon Shaya, James Beard Award-winning chef and co-founder of Pomegranate Hospitality, with June Hersh, Jewish food archivist (May 11).
Each event includes a conversation with the chef, and their latest cookbook.
All 3 are $234; a “partial schmear” (a la carte) is $90 each.
Want an extra schmear? A private meet-and greet with Jake Cohen (limited to 50 people) is a $90 tip.
Jewish food is a lot more than bagels. But you get the picture.
WESTPORT Y OFFERS “Mini mack” PRESCHOOL
The new year will bring a new early childhood education opportunity to area families.
On January 4, the Westport Weston Family YMCA opens its Mini Mack Discovery Preschool.
Its Reggio Emilia-inspired approach “emphasizes child-led discovery, nature-based learning, and sensory exploration,” the Y says.
The preschool features classroom learning centers, outdoor adventures and creative activities.
Children can take nature walks and garden on the Y’s property, enjoy swim lessons, and use the gymnastics and dance center.
Enrollment will be capped at 13.There are 2 full-day options: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ($1,950 per month), and 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ($2,300 per month). Children must be at least 2 years and 8 months by January 1.
“06880” photographers among y’s men contest winners
From young to old(er): Winners in the Y’s Men of Westport & Weston’s annual photo exposition contest include several familiar names.
First place winners June Whittaker and Susan Garment, and honorable mention honoree Ed Simek are all (very excellent) “06880” photographers.
Jeff Pivor’s “Baby Baboon” was named Best in Show.
Other winners include:
First place:Lee Davis, Clark Lindberg (2), Warren Jahn, Larry Ackerman, John Warren, Harold Sauer, Karen Harmon.
Second place:Linda Woodruff, Larry Ackerman, Michael Hehenberger, Alan Jones.
Honorable mention: Linda Woodruff, Patrick Goldschmidt Julio Fontan, Jay Dirnberger, Jeff Rothman, Warren Jahn, Holly Betts, Bob Pravder, Karen Harman.
Nearly 100 images were entered, in 7 categories: portrait, waterscape, critters, landscape, architecture, nature and general.
The photos will be displayed at the Senior Center for the next year — until the 2027 contest.
PS: The winning photo from 2025 will be sold at the Senior Center Craft Fair, on December 4.
Susan Garment’s “Madagascar Rice Paddy Angler” took 1st place in the Landscape category.
y’s men get ukraine war update
Speaking of the Y’s Men: Nearly 5 years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 175 members got a first-hand account of the humanitarian crisis Thursday at Hoskins Hall.
Ukraine Aid International co-founder (and Westport native) Brian Mayer urged the audience to remember, as other events eclipse the war in the headlines, not to forget Ukrainians’ need for support.
Marshall Mayer, at the Y’s Men meeting. (Photo copyright/Ted Horowitz)
Over 250 Deadheads enjoyed an encore performance by the Spadtastics last night.
The Grateful Dead tribute band returned to the Westport Library for another 2-set gem. The show was produced by the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce, as part their long running Supper & Soul series.
Playing in the band: the Spadtastics. (Photo copyright DinkinESH Fotografix)
“westport … naturally” & song of the day
Oh, deer!
This poor guy is trying to eat a pumpkin, while his antlers are entangled in what looks like sports netting.
It may be the saddest “Westport … Naturally” photo we’ve ever posted.
(Photo/Bruce Geller)
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And finally … in honor of the Y’s Men Photo Contest winners — “06880” contributors and others:
(“06880” is covering every angle of the Cribari Bridge — from lights to [perhaps] litigation. But we report on a lot more, too. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support us. Thank you!)
George Barrett has led quite a life, since graduating from Staples High School in 1973. After performing as a folk and opera singer, teaching and coaching, he spent over 3 decades in business, including CEO of a Fortune 25 company.
Now he’s returned to his roots, as a singer/songwriter.
And next Saturday — November 21 (7 p.m.) — he returns to Westport. George will be on the Westport Country Playhouse stage. He and his band — including 1971 Staples grad/Emmy and Peabody Award-winning composer/Grammy-winning producer Brian Keane, plus rising indie/folk/country star Sarah Gross — are donating their time to support the Playhouse.
George Barrett (center) and Brian Keane (left).
“I’d been thinking about opportunities to perform here,” says George. He grew up in a home filled with classical, folk, rock, blues and jazz, then cut his teeth in Greenwich Village clubs, and now plays in venues like New York’s City Vineyard.
Playhouse Board member Ben Frimmer suggested a Playhouse show. “It’s a great chance to give back to an iconic institution — and come back to a place I love,” Barrett says. (He loves it so much, he filmed parts of his music videos here.)
“This is a rough stretch for the arts, in uncertain times. Any chance to show support is valuable.”
George’s Columbus, Ohio-based band is eager to see — and play in — his hometown.
Brian Keane, of course, knows Westport well. He too grew up here.
In addition to his composing and producing credits (many Ric Burns films, the Chieftains, Linda Ronstadt), he played and toured for years with musicians like Larry Coryell and Bobby McFerrin.
He reunited with George — who he knew through Little League baseball, back in the day — and has produced his recent works.
“Brian is incredibly talented, highly decorated, and a Westporter through and through,” George says.
Brian Keane and Ric Burns.
Sarah Gross grew up in Long Island, not here. But she’s a quickly rising Nashville-based star, as a singer/songwriter.
George’s brother Dan — a professional cellist — will join him for 2 songs.
The Playhouse stage is exciting for George — and not just for its history.
“I’ve played a lot of intimate rooms. This is larger, and wider. We’ll have more instrumentation, without crowing.”
George describes his style as “genre-bending.” Influenced by R&B, blues, folk and jazz, he’ll mix original songs with familiar favorites.
“Anyone who likes music” will enjoy the show, he says.
And — after a circuitous route from Westport to performing, teaching, then the CEO suite, and now back to music — George Barrett is ready to enjoy next Sunday’s show too.
(“06880” regularly covers Westport’s entertainment scene, Staples grads — and, like today, their intersection. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
CANDLELIGHT CONCERT SET; TICKETS ON SALE DECEMBER 1
We’re a month away from the 86th Candlelight Concert — the Staples High School Music Department’s wonderful, beloved gift to the town.
Mark both the dates (Friday, December 11, 8 p.m.; Saturday, December 12, 3 adn 8 p.m.), and the date and time tickets go on sale at www.wpsarts.org (Tuesday, December 1, 9 a.m.).
More than 200 musicians will offer an inspiring range of choral, orchestral and band works.
They include the processional “Sing We Noel,” “La Morisque,” a Hanukkah overture, Rimsky-Korsakov’s majestic “Procession of the Nobles,” Mozart’s serene “Ave Verum Corpus,” the exuberant Nigerian carol “Betelehemu,” “Jubilate Deo,” self-led ensembles, “The Bells of Christmas,” and the traditional, powerful “Hallelujah Chorus.”
There is no charge for tickets, though donations in support of the music program are welcome.
The Staples Tri-M Music Honor Society runs “CanDelight,” a canned food donation drive to benefit the Homes for Hope food pantry. Collection bins will be in the lobby before each concert.
Candlelight Concert 2025.
NEWEST HOLIDAY SHOPPING STOP: THE LIBRARY
The Westport Library has everything: books, periodicals, reference materials, a Makerspace, state-of-the-art recording studio, art galleries, a stage with a concert piano, and an enormous video screen.
Now, it’s got a Holiday Shop too.
The expanded gift area is on the main level, in the space normally used by the Writing Center.
Items include scarves, hats, gloves, jewelry, candles, wind chimes and artisan-crafted home décor. Writers and list-makers can find journals, notebooks, notepads, sticky notes, sketchbooks, coloring books, pens, markers and watercolors.
Puzzles, games, toys and novelties are available for babies to teens.
The Library Store sources its merchandise from vendors around the world.
Shopping at the Library Store is tax-free — and every purchase supports Library services and programs. To learn more, click here.
A small selection from the Library Holiday Shop.
TAIWAN: WHERE WESTPORT ARTISTS MEET THE WORLD
America could not ask for better international ambassadors than Miggs Burroughs, Eric Chiang and Mark Yurkiw.
The Westport artists are midway through a visit to Taiwan.
Miggs’ “Sings of Compassion” — 30 lenticular photos showing local residents using sign language to recite Emily Dickinson’s poem of the same name — and Mark’s accompanying Braille “prayer wheel” mantra are on display at the Hsinchu City Art Museum. Chiang’s work is also in the exhibit.
“We’ve been covered by the national media, and treated like royalty. A once-in-a-lifetime experience,” reports Miggs.
They met Mayor Ann Kao of Hsinchu City — a metropolis of 476,000 people — and delivered a letter to her from 1st Selectman Kevin Christie of Westport (population 28,000).
From left: Mark Yurkiw, Miggs Burroughs, Mayor Ann Kao, Hsinchu City Art Museum curator Su-Min Yang, Eric Chiang.
it’s no mysterY: “sherlock carol” returns to playhouse stage
One of the Westport Country Playhouse’s newest — but well-loved — traditions returns next month.
“A Sherlock Carol” — playwright/director Mark Shanahan’s holiday mashup of when a grown-up Tiny Tim calls on Sherlock Holmes to investigate the mysterious death of Ebenezer Scrooge, blending mystery and humor — takes the stage for 8 performances. The cast includes members of the original off-Broadway production.
The dates are Saturday, December 12 (6 p.m.), Sunday, December 13 (1 and 6 p.m.), Friday, December 18 (7 p.m.), and Saturday and Sunday, December 19 and 20 (1 and 6 p.m.).
An “06880” reader writes: “My 86-year-old husband with Alzheimer’s fell at the beach a couple of days ago, and broke his nose. He was in pain, and there was blood.
“A lovely young woman came over to help. She put her jacket under his head and called 911. He was surrounded by other caring people too.
“I owe the woman many thanks — and a new jacket. She is a Jets fan, and her jacket was olive green. I failed to get her name in the excitement. Can you find out who she is?”
I can sure try! If anyone knows who the good Samaritan Jets fan is, please email 06880blog@gmail.com. I’ll pass your contact info on to the grateful woman.
ONE RIVER ART STUDENTS NOW IN COLLECTION
OneRiver Art School’s students are taking their show on the road.
Several dozen Westport youngsters and teenagers’ work is on display in the “Nature in Art” exhibit at SoNo Collection’s Magnificent Room.
Prints are for sale online — meaning they are now professional artists.
One of the after-effects of our September 13 rain bomb was mold.
Westport homeowners are now hiring for that work themselves. According to Cadence de Noto runs Verified Remediation, a Westport company that helps homeowners check mold remediation companies before hiring.
She says that with a new state law that took effect October 1, mold remediation now falls under Connecticut’s home improvement contractor registration.
A company must be certified by IICRC or NORMI, the 2 programs listed by the Department of Consumer Protection.
Any contractor doing mold remediation in Connecticut must follow the industry standard, ANSI/IICRC S520.
Cadence says that before hiring, ask for the company’s home improvement registration number, look it up at elicense.ct.gov, and ask which mold certification it holds. For more information, click here.
Jacques Voris — descended from a long line of Westporters, on the Mills side of his family — fills in some details. He says: “In 1884 the master workman who built the original Staples was Charles Mills. One of his work crew was his son, Charles E. Mills
“When the lintel was reinstalled at Staples it was done by Homer B. Mills, son of Charles E Mills. Furthermore, William Mills, son of Homer, recycled some of the bricks from the original Staples to build his chimney.”
Here is photo of Homer installing the lintel on North Avenue, more than a decade after the school moved there in 1958. The lintel was later moved again, and now sits near the tennis courts at the school’s main entrance.
(Photo courtesy of Jacques Voris)
OBITUARY: BILLY WAKEMAN
William died November 7 in Norwalk Hospital, surrounded by his family and friends.
The longtime Westporter was a hot rodder and gifted craftsman.
Billy was happiest in his shop, surrounded by tools, projects and good friends, with 1970s music playing in the background.
His obituary says, “He could fix just about anything, and was always willing to lend a hand. Whether it was a stubborn engine, a complicated project or a friend in need, Billy was there with a smile, a solution, and his unforgettable laugh.”
Billy and his wife Michelle shared a passion for anything that went fast or walked on four legs. Together, they found joy in hot rods, animals, the open road,
and spending time together.
His obituary adds, “More than the cars he built or the things he fixed, Billy will be remembered for his friendships, generosity, and kindness. His shop was more than a workspace; it was a gathering place for stories, laughter, music, and the people he loved. Billy lived life with his hands, his heart, and his foot occasionally a little heavy on the gas.
Billy was predeceased by his father, Irving Wakeman of Westport, and his mother, Joan Beaudry. He is survived by his wife Michelle Wakeman of Westport; his daughter Adrienne of Middletown; sons Billy Jr. of Bethel and Christopher of Florida, and brother Kevin of Bethel.
The family will receive friends in the Harding Funeral Home on November 19 (4 to 7 p.m.). Condolences may be left online at http://www.hardingfuneral.com.
She quickly grew to love her new hometown. And she has a photographer’s eye for its beauty. She sends along this collage of recent fall scenes, for our daily “Westport … Naturally” feature.
(Photos/Marina Drasnin)
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And finally … in honor of the good Samaritan wearing a New York Jets jacket (story above):
(Something’s coming! And we hope it’s a donation to “06880.” We rely on reader support — so thank you for clicking here, and helping us keep these Roundups, and everything else, coming.)
Colors abound — in the crisp air outdoors, and on the screen of our online art gallery.
Of course, there’s much more here too. There always is. Our “06880” artists always deliver.
This is your gallery. No matter your age; the style or subject you choose — and whether you’re a first-timer or old-timer — we want your submissions. Watercolors, oils, charcoal, pen-and-ink, acrylics, mixed media, digital, lithographs, collages, macramé, jewelry, sculpture, decoupage, needlepoint — we want whatever you’ve got.
Just email a JPG to 06880blog@gmail.com. And please include the medium you’re working in.
“The Original Staples High School on Riverside Avenue” — watercolor (Eric Bosch)
“Koi Pond” (Michael Chait — Available for purchase; click here)
“Reflections” (Karen Weingarten)
“West Cornwall Rays” (Patricia McMahon — Available for purchase; click here)
Untitled (Judith Katz)
Untitled (June Rose Whittaker — Available for purchase; click here)
“Tangled Current” — acrylic pour (Amy Schneider — Available for purchase; click here)
“It Goes So Fast!” — watercolor and graphite (Steve Stein)
“Water Falls. Lava Rock Rises.” Jerry Kuyper took this photo of a sculpture he built for a friend on a private estate in the Nuʻuanu Valley.
“Ump Storks, Wearing Ball Caps, Determining Whether the Ball is Fair or Fowl?” (Mike Hibbard)
“Girl With a Cat” (Lawrence Weisman)
Untitled (Martin Ripchick)
“Self-Portrait — The Early Stages” — pencil on paper (Bill Fellah)
(Entrance is free to our online art gallery –as it has been for 6 years. But please consider an anniversary donation! Just click here — and thank you!)
Sustainable Westport is our town’s non-profit environmental advocacy and educational organization. As 2026 nears an end, they write to residents:
This has been a full year. You showed up to events in the rain (and the heat) to enjoy camaraderie among neighbors, familiar and new. You introduced us to your friends, shared notes and ideas, and asked the questions that keep us all engaged and connected.
Many of you made small changes at home that you may think nobody noticed. We noticed, and they add up to more than you know.
Sustainable Westport offered tips to “Unplastic,” all around the home.
So thank you. Truly. Sustainable Westport was started knowing the abundance of care and connection that people are capable of, and you’ve cared more generously than we could have imagined. It is so humbling to see.
Sustainability can sound like a big, heavy word, but here in Westport it looks a lot like neighbors looking out for each other and for the beautiful place we share.
We’ll be honest: the world feels heavy right now. On the national stage, sustainability keeps getting pushed to the back of the line, and some days it’s hard not to wonder whether we’re making a dent at all.
And then we look around Westport. These ideas around sustainability come up at soccer games, in line for coffee, at school functions and over backyard fences.
Staples High boys lacrosse saved dozens of plastic water bottles, by using stainless steel cups and large dispensers at a team dinner.
It doesn’t feel like a project anymore. It feels like who we are as a town. That’s where our hope lives right now, close to home, and we’re carrying it into the holidays with a lot of gratitude.
Many of you also took the time to learn about the candidates this fall, show up, listen and vote. Thank you for that too.
Whoever is representing us, our job now is the same: Stay in touch with them. Share what matters to this town, invite them to see the good work happening here, and keep the conversation kind and open. Our leaders do their best work when they know the people they serve, so let’s make sure they know us well.
Water filling stations also save plastic bottles, at Winslow Park (above) and Compo Beach.
As the days get shorter and the tables get fuller, we hope you find time to slow down and enjoy the people around you. We’ll keep sharing stories and ideas along the way, in the newsletter, on Instagram, in your inbox, and on our website, so stop by whenever you like. It’s always nice to hear from you.
You may notice a new look to our communications and social media presence soon. That is intentional.
As we reflect on this year and think about where we want to take Sustainable Westport in 2027, we want to make sustainability feel more relevant, accessible and engaging for everyone in our community.
That means freshening up how we share our stories, celebrating the people and partnerships making a difference, and offering more practical ideas that make it easier to take action because the problems we are all trying to solve are urgent.
Our mission hasn’t changed, but we’re evolving how we connect with you, and we hope you’ll find more opportunities to learn, participate, and be inspired along the way.
With so much gratitude, and wishing you a warm and happy Thanksgiving,
Johanna Martell and Gately Ross
Co-directors, Sustainable Westport
(“06880” often covers the environmental, from many Westport angles. If you appreciate stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
During the first month of the 1967-68 school year – as Staples entered a tumultuous era that would earn it a reputation as one of the most progressive high schools in the country – the town turned its attention to the school’s past.
Staples Hall – the original brick building built on Riverside Avenue in 1884 (now the site of the Saugatuck Elementary School auditorium), overshadowed by construction of the “new” unit in 1938, abandoned when the high school decamped to North Avenue in 1958 but then put back in use by Bedford Junior High for homeroom, English, social studies, music and shop (though without bathroom facilities for boys) — met its end.
The occasion drew a small crowd. Frank Osborne, a graduate of Staples’ Class of 1894 and still a Westport resident, was present. Just before the building was razed, he posed on the front steps for a photograph (below) with 3 former Staples teachers: Caroline Beers, Walter Stevenson and Gladys Mansir.
“It seems a shame that they have to destroy all of it – that they couldn’t leave something,” Mr. Osborne said. “The building is still so sound.”
The building was far from sound, however, and in fact the lintel was saved. It was placed in the courtyard on North Avenue; later it was moved to a grassy spot at the entrance, by the tennis courts.
Demolition — and the lintel that still lives, at the North Avenue entrance. (Photo courtesy of Eric Bosch)
During the wrecking operation, the cornerstone that had been laid 83 years earlier was recovered. The old copper box and its contents of 30 items were given to 1st Selectman Herbert Baldwin.
Plans were to eventually hand the box to Einar Anderson, Charles Lunny and Joel Adams, trustees of the Horace Staples estate. “There is hope that it can be opened publicly with some trace of the ceremony with which it was laid in the corner almost 100 years ago,” the Town Crier reported.
That did not happen. Instead, the cornerstone was stuffed into the back of the main office safe on North Avenue. In 1976 the Alternatives class used it during their study of the American bicentennial. The Westport Historical Society gained possession of the box (minus a few items) in the late ‘70s.
That cornerstone – along with the lintel, some souvenir bricks, and fading memories of longtime Westporters – are all that remain of the building that, for over 8 decades, was Staples High School.
(Friday Flashback is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. If you enjoy this — or anything else on our website — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
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