Westport is not really a gun town.
And the last place you’d expect to see thousands of spent shells is by Main Street.
But there on Avery Place — just a few yards from the Westport Museum for History & Culture — sits a colorful work of art.
Look closely, and you’ll see it’s made from thousands of shotgun shells. (Click here for the photo.)
I have no idea why. Nor did any readers who recognized it as last week’s Photo Challenge.
Fred Cantor, Jane Daily, Andrew Colabella and Lynn Untermeyer Miller all knew where to find it.
Now, if you’ve got the back story on this shotgun shell mystery: Fire away.
And then, if you know where you’d find this week’s Photo Challenge, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/Patricia McMahon)
The underside of I-95 looking south towards bridge square
I believe that is correct. And what appears to be charred concrete is actually left over from when the British came through town many years ago, burning everything in sight. Or maybe not
Under the I-95 Saugatuck River overpass – probably by the state boat launch.
I 95 over the lobster traps in the summer and looking out at the bar at the Duck
Artist Margaret Roleke’s installation at CAMP Gallery in town!
underneath the I95 bridge in Saugatuck
Over the river Under I 95 by the Black Duck
Dave Stalling’s diving board
Certainly looks like view from under the i95 bridge over Saugatuck. When kayaking/paddling underneath it — pretty neat perspective of this gigantic people-made structure
The underside of I95 on the concrete platform across from the Duck
Yep. Under I-95 looking from the State boat ramp towards The Duck/Riverside Ave. Right next to the ramp that the elderly couple drove down and into the river following their GPS.
Another win for observant Westporters (and ex-Westporters — hi, Chip!). The photo shows the underside of the I-95 bridge over the Saugatuck River, near the state boat launch. Well done!
Westport was many things it is not today. When I attended SHS, my buddies and I practiced responsible gun ownership under the laws in effect at the time. In the wintertime there was duck hunting at Compo Beach (below mean high water) and in the summertime we would keep predator woodchucks from destroying Nyala Farm. We had a teacher, Mr. Johnson, who used to like to talk guns and hunting. On one occasion I actually brought my 20 gauge Fox Model B side by side to class and earned some easy brownie points toward my semester grade. Today, we live in fear.
Hendrick’s Point and the channel at Burying Hill were my duck hunting spots!
Yes. In fear of students bringing guns to school.
Back in the day (when paranoia was confined to the mentally ill) we were fully compliant with the laws of the time, Frank. Nyala Farm was private property so varmints were dispatched under the full permission of the property owner or Westport’s Finest would have swiftly intervened. Duck hunting was conducted below mean high water which is federal jurisdiction.
Interesting. In fact Westport is unique in that since 1933 it has banned all hunting. The General Assembly has granted this right to no other town.
Correction: while Westport has had the unique power to ban hunting since 1933, the current ban started in 1971…so you’d have to be a pretty old duck to have legally participated in the hunting mentioned by my fellow commentators.
Hunting allowed below the high water mark (300 ft.?) I believe..And x number of feet from dwellings. Jack Harder would know better than I.This time of year I hear the shotguns every morning.
Below the high water mark and 250 feet from a dwelling. There is actually a court case from the 1960s where the town was told you can’t enforce the ban below the high water mark. The guy who was hunting was named Bud Brennan. I think he was a pretty well known local guy.
Under 95 by the Black Duck!
The underside of I95 overpass over the Saugatuck just to the east of exit 17
Under I95 looking west (boat ramp side)
underside of I95 saugatuck river bridge.