As plans for a “new” Parker Harding Plaza creep along — even slower than downtown traffic — let’s look at the original lot.
This view, a few years after it opened in 1954, shows the simple plan: circular traffic in one counterclockwise direction; angled parking along the river, in the middle and behind Main Street stores.
(Photo courtesy of Christopher Maroc)
Of particular interest: the old home on Gorham Island (since replaced by an office building), and a telephone booth (the only way to call anyone from there).
The traffic pattern gave way to a more complex plan in the 1980s.
Of course, Parker Harding is a relatively modern addition to downtown. Before it was built (on landfill), the Saugatuck River lapped up against the back doors of Main Street businesses.
Those were different times.
Including, unfortunately, shopkeepers who discharged sewage directly into the river.
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It wasn’t just the Main Street merchants dumping sewage into the Saugatuck back then. Until around 1961 all the sewage from everyone on sewer in Westport discharged directly into the river. Good times.
I’m thinking the beautiful old house on Gorham Island came down around ‘66-‘68. That was when Westport was morphing into Westchester.
Subtle “touches” such as changing Sherwood Square to Sconset Square. A little bit of local heritage sacrificed in the interest of unrestricted commerce.
And the town dump was located where the library and Leavitt Pavillion are now. As kids, we’d stand on the bridge and watch the interesting items in the river flow by.
Notice the telephone booth too. Talk as long as you want for a dime!
Local phone calls were a dime but “toll calls” were expensive!
In September 1962, while working at the Westport Golf Range with my cousin, we decided to see if we could call Cassius Marcellus Clay. We called information, threw in a dime, and called the number. To our amazement, Clay’s mother answered and we talked to her for maybe a minute. 203-259-9108 was the number for the golf range’s pay phone.
Actually the number might have been CL-9-9108.
My phone booth story: While working at Remarkable Bookshop in the late ’70’s, I saw a black VW bug with red interior for sale, parked in front of the shop. Car-less, and forever in love with VW’s, I excused myself from work and ran to the phone booth to call my dad, long distance, to see about a loan. So excited I was when he said ‘Yes’ that I left my wallet behind in the booth. It was returned to me, intact, within the hour, from someone who recognized my brand-new DL picture. I’d say it was a kinder, gentler time -and it was! – but sadly, my bike had been stolen only weeks earlier…
PHP looks pretty good and worked pretty well as I recall. Some folks should take note…