Last March, alert “06880” reader and proud Green’s Farms resident Nico Eisenberger noted that his neighborhood post office — convenient, friendly, with plenty of parking (shhhh!) — bore an unfortunately dilapidated sign:
He wondered what could be done.
It’s taken 11 months. You and I might think that’s 335 days. But in government terms, it’s warp speed.
Today, the Green’s Farms post office sports a spiffy new sign:
(Photo/Nico Eisenberger)
Best of all, it’s punctuated the correct — or, at least, official — way.
Is that the correct spelling? Vs Greens Farms, as we all know it?
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Yes
A big hat’s off and thank you to Bill O’Brien of Green’s Farms Road who was responsible. He actually built the sign. A perfect example of civic minded people taking matters into their own hands when the wheels of government fail to grind at all.
Great looking sign. When did they change the zip code? When we lived on GFR in the 70s the zip was 06436.
Greens Farms should not have an apostrophe! And the old sign had a certain charm.
HOW DID THE NAME ORIGINATE? WAS THERE A GREEN FAMILY THAT HAD A FARM?.. IF SO THE APOSTROPHE IS GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT.. I NOTE HOWEVER THERE ARE OTHER “FARMS” AROUND TOWN WHERE THE APOSTROPHE HAS BEEN OMITTED, IE, ADAMS FARM ROAD.
It was spelled “Greens Farms” on the post office and railroad station signs until a few years ago, when someone at MetroNorth decided to add the apostrophe. They’ve been inserting apostrophes on a number of street signs recently, such as on Merwins Lane in Fairfield, where I presently live. (I formerly lived in Greens Farms.) It just doesn’t look right.
Caryl– On your question– I believe John Green was one of the 5 ‘Bankside farmers’ who petitioned in Hartford to break away from Fairfield. Hartford agreed and the area was named after John Green.
Nice work on everyone’s part! No if only we could get the iconic Longshore sign repaired, which is in dire straights.
The apostrophe could cause a digital age problem, as many sites will not allow an apostrophe (special character). I know this since my last name has an apostrophe.
Words mean things and that goes double for place names: the apostrophe accurately communicates this area’s settlement history.
By the way Dan, the new Green’s Farms sign was made by long-time resident Bill O’Brien in cooperation with the Postmaster and another close friend of the Green’s Farms Post Office.
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Thanks!
It is a lovely sign, but I rather liked the old one. It had a certain rustic charm.
John Green was one of the Bankside Farmers, along with Francis Andrews, Thomas Newton, Henry Grey, and Daniel Frost. Daniel Frost is the namesake of Frost Point. They settled in Machamux in 1648. In 1711 a new church parish was formed called “West Parish” (of Fairfield). It was later renamed to Green’s Farms in honor of John Green.
I was the other “close friend” of the GF Post Office, and I hope to offer the sign to the Westport Historical Society.
John — Does Greens Farms Academy have an apostrophe?
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Thank you John! We didn’t want to put your name in without your permission.
I’m a little late in commenting on the Greens’Farms..?The story I was given by several old timers when I moved to town some 58 years ago was the one about the several farms owned by the Green family on said road…I was taught that a possesive was followed by the apostrophe…thus Greens’Farms…Now I need someone out there to tell me why the natives pronounce Bulkley Road as Buckley,dropping or slurring over the l before the K..”I actually met a member of the Bulckley family and they couldn’t give me an answer…..anyone??
As for “Buckley” verse “Bulkley”. The name was spelled both ways in old records, even sometimes for siblings. The same thing happens with Sturgis/Sturges. Now it just serves to mark old timers from new folk