In the first week of August in 1949 — almost exactly 75 years ago — Life magazine put us on its cover.
The most popular publication in America — read by tens of millions — headlined the story “Fairfield County: Country Home of Smart New Yorkers.”
The 10-page spread — nestled among stories on the return of the last World War II prisoners, a feature on circus impresario John Ringling North, and editorials on “schools, steel and statism” — began:
Between the sailboat-dotted waters of Long Island Sound and the woodsy border of New York State, in the corner of Connecticut that juts down toward Manhattan Island, lies Fairfield County.
Its scalloped shore lie gives it hundreds of miles of valuable waterfront property, while the rolling country inland offers countless sites for a home with a view and even room to farm.
For all its rural atmosphere it is swiftly reached from New York City by the electrified New Haven Railroad and the high-speed Merritt Parkway.
Life’s caption reads: “Tea on the lawn replaces cocktails for the family of H.S. Richardson (center), who is chairman of the executive committee of Vick Chemical Co. The Richardsons’ “Mount Vernon type” house is on the so-called “Gold Coast” of Greens Farms … This area along the shore of the Sound is the home of the county’s very conservative ‘Proper New Yorkers.'”
One-tenth of the county’s population, Life said, “is supported by well-paid jobs in Ne York …. Thousands of successful New Yorkers, attracted by the rolling hills, the leisurely life and other New Yorkers, have flocked to towns like Greenwich, Darien, Westport, and Redding.”
They “sail their boats, ride their horses, drive around in their station wagons and lead a luxurious life.”
Of course, Life noted, “their existence is not utopian. The commuter’s day revolves around the 7:43 to New York in the morning and the 5:16 out at night.
“But for the New Yorkers who can, or think they can, afford a country home, Fairfield County is probably the best — and the newly fashionable — place to have it.”
Life said: “The Railroad Club Car is an exclusive, air-conditioned arrangement for wealthy commuters who prefer not to ride in coaches. This one … costs a member $140 a year besides the regular commutation fare.”
Two pages were devoted specifically to Westport.
Titled “Its ‘idea people’ live around Westport,” the story said:
Among the first New York “discoverers” of Fairfield County were artists and authors who moved there shortly after the turn of the century because their commuting schedule was not so rigorous as that of the businessman. They also liked its atmosphere of old New England.
Today Fairfield County as almost as many ‘idea people’ as it has people of wealth. Many of the authors, artists and actors live around the town of Westport, a onetime colonial shipping center just west of the town of Fairfield.
There are probably more professional artists within a 25-mile radius of Westport than in any comparable spot in the U.S.
The Westport Artists Club, which was formed only four years ago, already has 148 members.
Life noted: “Country Playhouse in Westport gives better than average plays, including tryouts of Broadway-bound shows. Here Eddie Dowling (in bow tie) and Meg Mundy (behind Dowling) rehearse a popular old one, ‘The Time of Your Life.'”
The Westport section included these photos:
Westport artist Stevan Dohanos (left), who illustrated many Saturday Evening Post covers, paints an Easton church.
StevThe caption reads: “Eva Le Gallienne takes a nap on the lawn of her Westport home. She lives in a farmhouse, has 15 acres of land where she keeps chicks and cairn terriers. She has lived there 22 years, calls it a ‘retreat from theater people.’ This summer she made a one-week appearance in the Westport Playhouse.”
These photos show (left) Metropolitan Opera conductor Fritz Reiner, and James and Laura Fraser, sculpting outside their studio. “He designed the buffalo nickel,” Life’s caption notes.
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I think Richardson came to Westport around 1936. Eventually his family owned three homes on Beachside Avenue. My grandfather rented land from him in the 1940s to 1953. All Richardson wanted was vegetable deliveries every week. We were friends with chauffeur, James, and when Richardson passed away, he left his chauffeur enough money to buy a small house.
Thanks, Jack, for sharing stories of a kinder, gentler time.
Especially those not likely to be found in the history books.
Keep on keeping on.
Allowing for inflation, the Railroad Club Car membership would now cost more than $2,400.
It looks like Steven Dohanos is painting Teddy Roosevelt fixing the announcement board at the church in Easton.
That club car was built in 1924 as a parlor car. It was originally operated by the Pullman Company. While the railroad bought new coaches in 1929 and 1937, no new parlor (or dining or sleeping cars) were bought until the railroad’s last major purchase of passenger equipment in 1948. The older cars were noted for their paired windows. The sleeping cars of that era had “sections,” where seats facing each other were converted to upper and lower berths at night with velvet curtains providing privacy,
When the state took over commuter service they ceased all club car service, despite protests from members of the “Southport Club,” many who came from Westport and who were willing to pay for a car compatible with the new equipment.
I don’t own a boat, a horse or a station wagon. Does this mean that I have to leave?
Bar Car 1973 Grand Central Station. First trip to Westport. I get there early, grab a beer and sit in one of the odd chairs around the perimeter. Elderly gentleman across from me says “That’s Frank’s chair.” I move two seats. “That’s Bob’s chair.” He smiles and points to the rear of the car. 🚂
Welcome young man 😎🇺🇸
The 6:05 train from Grand Central, with a stop in Westport, was legendary. A parlor car, grill car and a few coaches ran all the way to Springfield under the name “Nathan Hale,”, but it had 21 cars to New Haven, two of which were bar cars. Many commuters took the 6:05 because they stopped off to have a drink even before they got on the train.
Alcohol was the one thing the New Haven RR made money on. Every train out of GCT during evening rush hour had a guy at the entrance selling drinks. If you took a parlor car, as soon as you got settled in your seat, the porter would take your drink order. (Malcolm X was once a New Haven parlor car attendant.) The railroad’s star train, the “Merchant’s Limited,” even boasted a wine steward.
I believe commuter trains in Connecticut are the only commuter trains left with bar cars.
I should not make light of this drinking. I worked in advertising/publishing and knew too many people with lobster red skin in their late 30s and who had strokes in their 50s.
Great story Tom…That’s just about when I met you guys. Best to Sandy…
One last RR comment. Amtrak plans on replacing seating on its Northeast Corridor trains with half the seat facing backwards, citing operational efficiency. I for one, wouldn’t want to ride backwards between Boston and New York. We are people, not hogs, and passenger comfort should take priority over operational efficiency.
Then again, who decided to replace reclining seats on the commuter trains with uncomfortable, hard-back seats. Not even the Penn Central thought of that one. Yes, they are easier to maintain but we are human beings. I would have thought when the state took over things would be more passenger friendly. Do the people running Metro North ever even ride their trains?
I read an article today that said “Starter Houses” now start at $1,000,000.
That’s nationally, with most of them in California, but I’m sure Westport has its share.
The kinder, gentler Willoughby life…
My dad,Frank Pomerantz,commuted daily from Westport train station into Manhattan for 40 + years..(He always,jokingly, ‘ On a Friday night,when the 6:05 from Grand Central stopped at Westport, most of the commuters then ‘poured out from the bar car, into Mario’s’ :-).
Thanks for this post, Dan. I feel closer to the past now. What an amazing history Westport has.