Monday’s post about Vespa and Neat restaurants included some interesting back stories about their respective locations: National Hall and the Vigilant Firehouse. It included this photo of the intersection of the Post Road and Wilton Road.
Alert “06880” reader Jack Harder wondered: “Whatever happened to the fountain/horse trough in the middle of Wilton Road?”
That got another alert reader — Elaine Marino — thinking. A Google search led her to this photo:
It was taken on the boardwalk behind — yes — National Hall and the old fire station.
But a caption from October, 2013 on the website she found it on — Panoramio — reads: “This fountain is gone! I am missing this piece and it should be placed back where it was originally!”
That’s right. The fountain has vanished. Which raises 3 questions:
- Was the fountain on the boardwalk the same trough in the early 1900s photo?
- When and why was it removed?
- Where is it now?
Alert readers who know — or who have memories of the fountain — should click “Comments” below.
Gorab’s backyard?
While you’re at it (chasing down the whereabouts of Westport’s equestrian water fountains) – where did the fountain that was once located in Hotel Square end up?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Main_Street_Westport_1913_Postcard.jpg
And, I have to point out that the fountain shown in Dan’s street scene (c. 1900?) seems to have been replaced with a larger one by 1913, so the original seems to have been kept nearby from then until it was [last] spotted behind National Hall as shown in that photo. I never noticed it when I was in that area, parking behind the Bridge Grille:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PostcardWestportCTStateStreetLookingEast1913.jpg
Mr. Miller, is there any particular reason you would make an implication like that with no understanding of the facts?
The fountain had been removed from the site prior to our ownership of the property, just to clarify.
To elaborate you have done a wonderful job to redevelop an area which has never truly succeeded prior to your involvement.
Humble apologies, Mr. Gorab, poor attempt at humor
No worries. In any case, I will make some inquiries and see if we might be able to track it down. Have a good day.
Nothing to add/contribute re: the AWOL fountain only to say how lovely it is.
I was told that the fountain at issue was last seen alive in the shadows of Longshore. From there it vanished without a trace.
The good news is that we might be able to save the very last town owned fountain that we own – which can be found on the lawn behind – wait for it – Golden Shadows, the elegant, town owned residence on Barons South. Of course the fate the vandalized (though restorable) fountain, like the mansion behind it, remains entombed in a creepy clown car of ugly politics, conflicts of interest, gross mismanagement, aggressive ignorance and astonishing rudderlessness.