When I first saw last Friday’s flashback — a shot of an almost-empty Westport road, circa 1930 — I was pretty sure it was taken on State Street (now the Post Road), looking east past what is now Compo Shopping Center, toward where the Humane Society sits today.
But I wasn’t positive. So I asked readers what they thought.
Over 60 comments poured in. Many agreed with my guess. But others ranged up and down the Post Road, and across town to places like Nyala Farm.
Someone even thought I was right, but looking in the wrong direction (the old IHOP would be on the left, with the fire station and then — yes — the Humane Society on the right).
Alert “06880” reader Tom Ryan took out his camera. He offers these 3 images, and some thoughts.
This (above) was his original guess — the same as mine. However, he says, “you can’t see the road bend left (at the top) in the current photo. I think that rules it out.”
Picky, picky.
Here’s his second shot:
It shows Post Road West looking east, with Kings Highway Elementary School just out of the frame on the right.
Tom writes: “This one looks good as well. But notice the angle of the right side of the road. Seems dead straight in the original photo but more angled in today’s photo.”
Finally — looking east on Post Road West, just past Whole Foods — there’s this:
Tom says:
“I think this is a match, mostly because of the angle of the right side of the road in both past and current photos. You can also see the curve left in the distance, and the slope of the road seems to be the same.
“Lastly, the stone wall on the left is still there, and about the same distance from the road as in the original photo (although you can’t see it here because of the trees).”
The mystery continues. There’s only one thing we know for sure.
There was a lot less traffic back in 1930.