Many Westporters — but probably not enough — know and enjoy Sherwood Island.
Some — but definitely not enough — know that it was Connecticut’s first-ever state park.
The beach and surrounding area was some of the first property the 5 “Bankside Farmers” occupied, when they settled in what was then Fairfield in 1639.
The Native Americans called it Machamux (“The Beautiful Land”). The farmers named part of it Fox Island, because it was shaped like a fox.
In the 1700s the area was renamed Green’s Farms, for one of the founding Bankside families.
The Sherwood family settled on Fox Island, and acquired the nearby gristmill. They shipped kiln-dried cornmeal to the West Indies. Oysters were harvested from the Mill Pond.
An early view of the Sherwood Mill Pond gristmill.
Their Fox Island farm, meanwhile, produced onions and potatoes, which were shipped to New York.
In the 1900s, the state tried to acquire land for the park. Wealthy landowners in the area fought against it.
The first parcel of park land was acquired in 1914. But it took 23 years for the entire park to be assembled, and open to the public.
But why did the early settlers call it “Fox Island”?
Because it was shaped like a fox. (Hat tip: Friends of Sherwood Island State Park History)
Here’s how it looked in 1934 — 3 years before the state park opened — in a fascinating aerial view, found and shared by alert “06880” reader Mary Gai:
Fox Island (now Sherwood Island State Park). Burying Hill Beach is at the right, beyond the brook.
But that raises an important — and probably unasnwerable — question: How did farmers in the 1600s know what it looked like from the air?!
Eight-five years later — in 2019 — both Sherwood Island and Burying Hill had changed.
The state park no longer looked like a fox, as this second aerial image (also discovered by Mary Gai) shows:
Meanwhile, here’s one more bit of trivia: What is the official name of the Sherwood Island State Park beach?
If you know, click “Comments” below.
(Friday Flashback is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. If you enjoy this — or anything else on our website — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
Rocky ‼️😎
Look closely at the second (color) image — traces of the two “loops” of Mill Creek which formed the “ears” of the “fox” are still visible, but have apparently been cut off by the straightening of the Creek — this kind of thing can happen naturally (sometimes forming classic “Oxbow” lakes adjacent to meandering rivers and streams), or, of course could have been done deliberately!
It must have looked like a fox on the maps they made.
When I lived in Westport as a kid, between 1955-62, we rarely went to Sherwood Island as it had a 50 cent per car charge.
Alvord Beach
Dont know the answer to this question, but I do love walking my pup there daily from October to April (leashed of course.) It’s a wonderful place- and they even clear the sidewalks all winter.
I remember well going to Sherwood Island with my family as a boy.
The real story behind the state park is that someone, surveying the beach, remarked, “This Sherwood be a great place for a state park!” The name stuck.
How did they know what it looked like from the air? As a realtor one of my absolute favorite things about older homes is how they sited a house on the property. Settlers had no other distractions but a bad winter could mean death, so they took time picking out the angle to the sun and the best spot for wind. Settlers felt differently about the land. They obsessed over it. They loved it. They walked it, felt it, watched it and breathed it. That’s how they knew it looked like a fox from the air.
That area on Sherwood Island State Park may look like a fox from an aerial view, but as for naming it before aerial views… I have seen that fox and coyote make their dens there every year. I think it is likely that the proximity of shellfish, game birds, deer, and rodents are attractive to the predatory canines that have found and stake out their territory near the marsh.
Dan, thanks for this history of our amazing park. The park activities are supported by the Friends of Sherwood Island State Park. Our organization was founded over 25 years ago by Winnie Balboni and Hope Hagemann for the purpose of supplementing the activities of the park. It is through the continued generous donations of the public that we are able to continue our mission. Last year we were able to update the nature center by purchasing mini splits, repair the exhibits and touch tanks, completely revamp a nonfunctioning computer system including web cams where we live stream the ospreys in their nests, plant trees, create and repair the dunes, run internships and many other educational programs during the summer. Join us, volunteer, donate and attend Shorefest this September or just come and explore the park.
https://friendsofsherwoodisland.org/