All year long, we’re celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
America250 is a national project. It encompasses events big (collecting personal stories, oral histories and videos for the Library of Congress; a contest inviting students to share what this country means to them; passports featuring a portrait of President Trump on the inside cover. a UFC fight on the White House South Lawn) and small ( community block parties, parades and historical reenactments).
Our town is joining in too.
It hasn’t gotten much publicity. But we’ve got a website — Westport250 — which serves as a central hub.
Town operations director Tom Kiely is helping coordinate the project. Right now, just a few events are listed: a Tavern Cooking Class at Wakeman Town Farm, a Vintage Flag Day, ribbon-cutting at a new home for the Earthplace birds.
But there’s much more.
“06880” emailed Kiely. He sent a preliminary list of events — some confirmed, others possible.
The list includes:
Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Matters — Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward J. Larson (past event)
Team Westport Essay Contest — Theme: “The Declaration of Independence Challenge” (past event)
Westport 250 Poem
Memorial Day Parade: “250 Years of Honor & Service”
Westport Garden Club Summer 2026 Campaign: Red, white and blue pop-up flowers at sites throughout the community
Most Patriotic Dog
Celebrate America Window Display Contest
Fourth of July Community Décor Contest
Westport Fireworks
1976 Time Capsule Reveal: 50 years later
American Spirit 250 Flower Show
Westport Permanent Art Collections Art Exhibit: Home in America
A Day in the Life Photography Exhibit
Field of Flags
Also in the works: a time capsule burial, to be opened in 2076.
The Westport Garden Club’s red, white and blue flowers on Main Street include the Westport250 logo.
Kiely adds, “Many local organizations are planning programs and activities tied to the 250th anniversary themes. I expect the events calendar to begin filling up quickly as we get closer.”
Organizations and individuals can submit ideas for Westport250 by email: tkiely@westportct.gov.
For good reason. He’s spent 36 years as a New York radio personality — first during a decade on legendary WNEW-FM, and for the past quarter-century at Q104.3.
He’s still going strong.
Ian also was a VJ at VH1, and had a stint on the CBS reality show “Big Brother.” He’s done voiceovers for national campaigns like Burger King and Saab, and appeared on “Law and Order” (“SVU” and “Criminal Intent”), and “School of Rock.”
Ian lives in Westport, where he donates tons of time to charities. He also “dabbles” (his words) in real estate.
The other day, Ian sat behind the mic on the Westport Library stage. We chatted about the past, present and future of radio, about music, and much, much more.
Click here or below to listen to — and watch — the multi-talented Ian O’Malley.
Mark Mathias reports this potentially life-saving development: “Yesterday morning in Winslow Park, I saw a pleasant surprise. An AED is in its weatherproof container, which has been empty for what I think is a couple of years.”
(An Automated External Defibrillator is a portable device used to treat cardiac arrests. It analyzes the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, delivers an electrical shock to restore a normal heartbeat. Voice prompts make it easy for anyone to use. There are multiple devices in schools and public buildings in Westport, as well as outdoors.)
Mark adds, “I hope the other AEDs around town have been serviced, charged up, and hopefully never needed too.”
If you know of other working AEDs around in outdoor spaces, click “Comments” below.
But it’s very visible from Compo Beach. You know: the smokestack.
Now it’s undergoing a radical — and exciting — transformation.
Philanthropists Austin and Allison McChord are spending $410 million to remake the abandoned coal-fired power plant into a stunning 125-acre public park.
It will include 28 acres of walking trails, 1 3/4 miles of Long Island Sound waterfront access, classrooms, a pool, indoor climbing, bird watching, and much more.
Though the first phase will not open until next spring, last week the dramatic event space hosted the co-founder of YouTube, for a special meeting.
Manresa Island is ecologically important. Undeveloped portons include a coastal forest and intertidal estuaries — some of the last remaining undisturbed marine habitats on the Fairfield County coast.
Wetlands serve as breeding grounds for migratory birds, and are home to 200 or so bird species. Waters around the island are essential habitats for many fish.
The model for the adaptive reuse of industrial sites and resilient waterfronts globally — with climbing walls, an indoor water park, food vendors and an environment educational center, will be completed by 2030.
The other day, Westport journalist Dave Briggs headed to Manresa Island. Click here or below for his report.
Triple Threat Academy’s 2 weekend performances of “Peace, Love, and Cupcakes” at Saugatuck Congregational Church raised over $1,000 for charity.
The 11-member cast of 3rd through 9th graders — all from Westport — was directed by Jill Jaysen.
The two oldest actors, Ellie Rockwell (seen recently as Little Sally in Staples Players’ “Urinetown”) and Jordan Minnich, spearheaded an initiative to donate ticket sales and proceeds from a bake sale after each performance. They researched and chose Rachel’s Challenge, an organization founded in honor of Rachel Joy Scott, who, in her short life before the Columbine shooting, embodied the kindness and compassion that is at the heart of the PLC musical. Rachel’s life was tragically lost in the Columbine shooting. Rachel’s Challenge addresses the root causes of school violence, bullying, prejudice and self-harm through student wellness programs.
The lead, 4th grader Sophie Goldberg, is already represented by a New York youth agent. Other Triple Threat actors are also repped.
Other cast members were Olive Boehm, Adanna Bolu, Ariana Goldman, Johanna Lawton, Siena McLoughlin, Lola Rockwell, Maddy Shemesh and Zia Stokvis.
The audience included Triple Threat Academy founder and Staples graduate Cynthia Gibb; Triple Threat and Players alum Jamie Mann, and his mother, Triple Threat co-director Jill Mann. Staples Player Griffin Delmhorst ran lights.
Jamie Mann (Broadway’s “Stranger Things,” Netflix’s “Country Comfort”) will assist with Triple Threat’s summer acting camp and musical theater intensive program. They also offer an independent film project. Click here for details.
The Triple Threat “Peace, Love and Cupcakes” cast.
Sixty years ago, he and his band, the Animals, performed at Staples High School. I was in junior high — and I was there.
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Our image of the town — what it is, and should be — is formed by our first experiences here.
Mine dates back to the 1960s, when I was in elementary and junior high school.
Those who arrived later — by birth, as kids or teenagers, or adults — have a different idea of “Westport.”
A woman recently lamented how much has changed. She misses the mom-and-pop shops on Main Street, and the small-town vibe.
She moved here in 2010.
That was a dozen years after the New York Times published a story headlined “Is Heart and Soul Gone From Main Street?”
In 1998, the New York Times had a stand-alone Connecticut section. This Page 1 photo shows Main Street, with Oscar’s Deli (center) and then-closed Remarkable Book Shop (right). The inset is Klein’s.
Nearly 3 decades ago — on December 27, 1998 — Leslie Chess Feller explored the changing nature of our town. She began:
Little shops, once the backbone of Main Street in Westport, have almost disappeared. One of the last is Klein’s, founded by a Hungarian-born entrepreneur named Henry Klein who took pride in greeting every customer by name, which has for 61 years sold books, stationery and office supplies. Mr. Klein worked until the day before his death in 1990, at the age of 90.
But in January the store will be subletting ground-floor retail space to the Banana Republic chain, one of many that have displaced family-owned Mom-and-Pop stores by being willing to pay higher rents.
Spoiler alert: Banana Republic is gone now too. So is Oka, the furniture store that took its place. The upper part of Klein’s — where you could buy office supplies and typewriters (kids: ask your parents what those were) — has been repurposed as Sushi Jin.
Banana Republic replaced Klein’s.
Robert Hertzel — vice president of Klein’s, and president of what was then called the Downtown Merchants Association — said, ‘We have turned into a regional shopping center. But that’s not a bad thing.”
Klein’s, in the 1962 Staples High School yearbook.
The piece continues:
Another holdover is Jack Swezey’s jewelry store, currently run by his son David. ”We opened here in 1956 when everybody knew everybody and each store was one of a kind,” said Mr. Swezey. ”Business is good, but sometimes I feel like a loner,” he added, looking out his shop’s window, now facing Williams-Sonoma, Brooks Brothers and Crabtree & Evelyn. ‘
‘Today’s Main Street has become an outdoor mall,” he said. ”I’m one of the few individual merchants left and that’s because we own the building.”
Swezey — where an enormous model train set entertained passersby every Christmas — is today the site of Brochu Walker.
Swezey Jewelers
Williams-Sonoma is still here, but in a location (Bedford Square) that did not exist in 1998. Brooks Brothers is still here — though next year, Sephora takes over. Crabtree & Evelyn sold its last loofah in 2009.
Plumed Serpent owner Fred Tow talked about his move to Playhouse Square, after 25 years on Main Street. (The bridal gown boutique has since moved again, across the Post Road.)
”When I opened in 1971, Ann Taylor was the only corporate store,” Mr. Tow said, ”and my monthly rent was $325.” By 1996, the chain stores had moved in and his rent jumped to $5,700 a month. Mr. Tow said that customers now have to go to Kent and New Preston for the look of old-fashioned Connecticut.
”In terms of both merchandise and decor,” he said, ”unless they see the sign, shoppers can’t tell whether they’re in J. Crew or the Gap. It all seems the same. There’s this corporate coldness, a lack of personal connection. People don’t realize what’s been lost.”
The 3-story Gap replaced a failed vertical mall — which was built on the site of a furniture store that burned down in the mid-1970s.
The piece continued with reminiscences from Howard Munce. The artist — then 83 years old, who first came to town in 1935 (and died 10 years ago, at 100), remembered Greenberg’s (“where you could buy anything from buttons and thread to underwear and Girl Scout uniforms,”) Charles Market, and the Ben Franklin 5-and-10 (kids: ask your grandparents).
In Howard Munce’s day, Welch’s was one of 3 hardware stores on Main Street. Traffic was 2-way all the way to the Post Road, too.
Feller continue:
In the last three decades, however, Main Street has morphed into a sort of Rodeo Drive East. Dubbed the ”Golden Half Mile” by the newspaper columnist John Capsis, who died in 1997, Main Street’s chain stores and boutiques are staffed by people who commute from other towns. As they talk on cell phones, the drivers of S.U.V.’s, BMW’s, Jeeps and Jaguars fight for parking spots. Tourists clutch shopping bags sporting logos while undercover police officers pursue what they say are organized gangs of shoplifters.
The story continues, bopping down Main Street’s favorite side road, Memory Lane.
Feller writes about the Remarkable Book Shop, which closed in 1994. Remarkably, after Talbots it was replaced by Westport Local Market, now Eleish Van Breems — both local, one of which even had the word in its name.
The Remarkable Book Shop. Too bad this does not show its vibrant pink color.
Leann Enos, an actress and theatrical director who moved to Main Street when she was a child, and whose father owned Walker’s Frame Shop, said, ”To me, it feels as if Main Street has lost its heart and soul. Now everything is about spending money.”
Anne Rowlands — a Westport native, and vice president of the Westport Chamber of Commerce — said she could no longer afford to shop on Main Street.
”It’s gotten so expensive and, to be honest, it feels kind of faceless to me,” she explained — not exactly a Chamber of Commerce-type comment. “It’s rare to find someone you know.”
Downtown shopper Linda Stern said, ”At first, I missed the mom-and-pop stores. But now it’s very exciting; there’s an energy to the street.”
Meanwhile, Predrag Vicvara, a Fairfield resident who had lived in Croatia, said, ”You find different nationalities here. It seems a little bit European to me. I like it. It’s nicer than the mall.”
Main Street: a bit of Europe?
Sharon Rosen — who moved to Westport 5 years earlier, and “considers Main Street an asset despite the chain stores” — had the last word.
”It’s convenient,” she said. ”I understand it was very quaint and lovely here once.”
That was the view 28 years ago — near the end of the 20th century.
Folks rued the demise of mom-and-pop stores then. They still do, 30 years later — even if they arrived after 1998, and believe there were plenty of quaint mom-and-pops when they came.
Downtown Westport was evolving 3 decades ago. It was when my parents moved here in 1956. It continues to evolve today.
What’s “your” Westport? When did you come to town? What’s changed? What hasn’t?
And how will your comment look when we look back on it 28 years from now, in 2054?
(“06880” often explores the changing face of Westport. If you enjoy stories like this — or anything else on our hyper-local blog — please click here to support our work. Thanks! PS: See you on Main Street!)
In 1923, Edward T. Bedford built the YMCA, in downtown Westport.
As a boy decades earlier, he’d watched from outside as men played pool in the Westport Hotel — the social (and, in a way, geographic) center of town, at the intersection of State Street and Main Street.
The Y served anchored that spot — and provided healthy, community activities for boys and men (and later, girls and women) — for the next 90 years.
It expanded north, on Church Lane. It weathered all the changes that 9 decades bring (including the renaming of State Street to the Post Road). Through it all, a large concrete logo announced what it was, to all.
In 2013, the Y — now called the Westport Weston Family YMCA — moved to land it owned off Wilton Road, next to its Mahackeno Outdoor Center.
Anthropologie — the new tenant of the original Bedford building — kept the old logo.
It’s not very prominent. It’s propped up against a wall, inside.
But it’s still there. It was the subject of last week’s Photo Challenge (click here to see).
And Cat Malkin, Andrew Colabella, S. Jonas, Jonathan McClure, Seth Schachter, Lynn Untermeyer Miller, Tom Feeley, Sal Liccione, Katie Carmody, Richard Hyman and Matthew McGrath all knew exactly where it sits.
We’d give you a prize — like a free membership to the Y. Except:
We don’t give anything to Photo Challenge winners (beyond recognition), and
The Y is so popular, they’ve had to cap membership and start a wait list.
So instead, our winners — and everyone else — can turn their attention to this week’s Photo Challenge. (It’s more difficult.)
If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/Ed Simek)
(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!)
An update on the AWARE event May 30: The acronym stands for Assisting Women Through Action, Resources and Education. Each year the organization selects a women’s cause, then partners with a charity to benefit it. Through a fundraiser, hands-on activity and educational event, AWARE shines a light on a different meaningful women’s issue.
This year, they’re working with Susie’s House.
The 124 Compo Road North residence is run by Homes with Hope. Named for former director Susie Basler, it provides stable, affordable living for 6 young women ages 18 to 24 who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness.
Susie’s House helps resident get back on their feet through education and employment, eventually moving on to independent living. Each woman has a mentor, community support and case management.
The goal for this event is to raise $12,000 in educational scholarships — $2,000 for each of the 6 women. Grants go toward educational expenses such as 4-year or community college, driving classes or professional training.
Pop-Up Bagels and Granola Bar will provide brunch. Local experts will offer gardening tips. And 2 women graduating from college will be celebrated too.
And area residents can get ready, at a special event with Wakeman Town Farm, Blau House & Garden, and the Connecticut chapter of the American Rhododendron Society.
On Sunday, May 17 (10 a.m., Wakeman Town Farm)Melissa Finley, senior curator at the New York Botanical Garden, will speak on “Rhododendrons: From Wild Roots to Modern Blooms.”
Guests then head to Blau House — the spectacular garden off Bayberry Lane — for a private tour.
For nearly 20 years, the Staples High School boys lacrosse team has sponsored a “Sticks for Soldiers” game. 100% of funds raised go to a military veteran who was injured in combat.
This year’s honoree is Master Sergeant (ret.) Joseph Deslauriers. The Massachusetts native and Silver Star recipient lost one arm and both legs, and suffered a traumatic brain injury and PTSD after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan.
The game is May 19 (5 p.m., Paul Lane Field) against Wilton — an important one.
A custom store is open, for special shirts and hats that youth players and families can wear to the game. $8 from each sale will also be donated to Sgt. Deslauriers. Sales close tonight!
Speaking of Staples: Congratulations to Elijah Falkenstein and Zander Bauer!
The 2 seniors are winners of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Ralph J. Monaco Memorial Award for excellence in civics education and civic engagement.
They were recognized at the annual Law Day Ceremony last week, at the Connecticut Appellate Court in Hartford. Each student received a $1,000 grant.
The honor is presented to one or more Connecticut high school students who demonstrate a significant commitment to advancing civic engagement, civics education, and/or the rule of law. .
The pair co-founded the first Connecticut chapter of the national non-profit Make Our Schools Safe. It empowers students and staff to help create a culture of safety and vigilance, while advocating for laws that promote safer schools.
Last year, Zander and Elijah testified before the state legislature, for a bill calling for installation of silent panic alarms directly linked to law enforcement, which dramatically reduces response time. The legislation passed.
This year they traveled to Washington. They advocated for passage of Alyssa’s Act, which would set national standards for emergency response systems.
Elijah Falkenstein and Zander Bauer with “Stop the Bleed” kits — another project of the Make Our Schools Safe club.
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The Clubhouse has everything: golf and other sports simulators. A bar and restaurant. Karaoke. A rooftop lounge.
Plus speed dating.
A special event is set for May 13, 7 to 9 p.m.). It includes a casual mixer kickoff, guided conversational ice-breakers, and a “simple matching system.” Mutual matches receive contact information the next day.
It’s advertised for singles ages 35-49. But, organizers — the private Sips & Sparks group — say, “it’s not a strict rule. If you feel like you’d vibe with this crowd, you’re welcome to join. Our goal is to create a well-balanced group where connections actually make sense.”
For its first 9 years, the Dog Festival has advertised itself with yard signs, a banner at the Winslow Park site, emails, and (of course) mentions on “06880.”
This year, the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce — the hard-working sponsors — add YouTube (and AI) into the mix.
The host Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce has produced a short, cute video starring “Wrex” (a play on Staples Wreckers, and a typical dog’s name).
Click here or below to view. But if you need another reminder: It’s next Sunday (May 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Winslow Park).
We are seeing a return to more warmth emerging over the last 1 1/2 to 2 years. People want peace and quality, in a place that invites them to settle in and get comfortable.
Real estate staging can often look the same over time. Something more personal or unique stands out.
Now, in a sea of sameness — at almost every price point – more interesting interiors and exteriors have emerged. People want homes and furnishings with a story or personality.
New construction, with old-fashioned front porch and shutters. (Photo/Michael Mombello)
There is a new leaning toward collecting over time with an eye toward enduring quality, not a price tag.
People seek out homes that do not feel similar or mass marketed. They want their residences to be more curated, like their travel and vacations.
New net-zero construction on Westport Avenue. It just came on the market.
There is always a mix. If we had to summarize, it feels a bit like Modern Farmhouse is giving way to a warmer, more earthy Modern Cottage vibe.
Things are moving away from stark minimalism. More natural materials and textures are being employed: natural stone, plaster, mixed woods and linen.
Natural look, with plenty of light.
Defined rooms are coming back in favor. There is a preference for fewer, better things, collected over time. Enduring quality and design integrity stand the test of time.
Exterior
Shutters are back, and can offer “from the curb” distinction
Dormers and shed dormers add roofline interest, and provide additional light on upper floors
Patios and crushed stone areas are favored over decks
Patio on Katydid Lane, Weston (Photo/Estative Media)
Outbuildings: for both work and play, they add “compound cool” to a parcel of property
Porches: front, back or side, they are appreciated. Covered and open, they grant shade and protection from the sun or a summer storm.
Ceiling fans keep the air moving, and the bugs away
Raised, protected garden and vegetable beds
Raised bed and organic garden. (Photo/Borgatta Photography)
Flower choices and gardens that respect the natural landscape
Garden antiques: Well-worn pieces that appear to have been there forever give the yard a sense of history and timelessness
Interior
Natural materials and textures
Beams
Wooden, unpainted casement openings in walnut and oak
Mid-tone flooring, not too white or bleached, or too dark and lifeless
Butcher block-topped islands and counters
More color, but strategically used
Family room; darker shade on walls, planked wood ceiling. (Photo/Christian Vinan for 360 Virtual Photography)
Vintage, tribal type oriental carpets and rugs
Warm and earthy palettes, and more lived-in interiors.
Softer whites — restaurant tones like butter yellow or light cream
Small, behind-the-scenes service kitchens or butler’s pantries
Dining rooms
Antique finishes on contemporary forms, and the return of silver accents
Free-standing showers that feel spa-like
Natural wood kitchens, and wood in general
New kitchen. (Photo/Estative Media)
Additional tile details in kitchens, bathrooms, mudrooms and entry halls
Cast iron enameled sinks and tubs
One other trend to note: The first-time home-buying age has steadily increased over the last few years — dramatically. Depending upon what you read, the median age is now 40.
(“06880” covers Westport real estate — and much more. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
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