The house by the Sherwood Mill Pond footbridge leading to Compo Cove is being raised. You can see the work from Old Mill Beach — and far beyond, at Schlaet’s Point on Hillspoint Road.
It’s an iconic Westport site. Originally a grist mill — destroyed at least once by fire — it has been a private residence since the early 1900s. Like its predecessor, the home straddles the water.
Here’s what it looked like in the early 20th century:
Don Willmott found this postcard — with “Compowe” misspelled — in a box belonging to his father, artist Al Willmott. There’s a note on the back, from “Nina” to “Francine.”
It reads: “Father and I went to Compo Beach today. It was lovely. I wish you could have gone with us. I think this is a pretty card. We had some fine ice cream in Westport.”
Another postcard from the same area and era — this one without any misspellings — comes courtesy of Mark Krosse:
You can’t see the “old mill” that gave the beach and neighborhood its name.
But you can sure tell that the scene is timeless.