Toquet Hall is Westport’s teen center. The entrance is hidden in plain sight: tucked in the alley between Post Road East and Jesup Road.
Toquet Hall was also the site of 2 recent election events: a Westport Youth Commission-sponsored 1st selectman candidates debate (adults were welcome too), and a League of Women Voters “Meet the Board of Education Candidates” session.
But who was Toquet (pronounced “Toe-kay”)?
Benjamin H. Toquet was born in Paris in 1834, and came to America in 1845. He served in the Civil War, then returned to Westport.
His son, Benjamin Louis Toquet, was born in 1864.
Toward the end of the 19th century the younger Toquet — now a respected businessman — built an opera house on Post Road property inherited by his wife, Nellie Bradley. The first town meeting was held there on April 2, 1892.
For the next 17 years, all town meetings and assemblies were held there.
The original Toquet Hall (left). Check out the horse and buggy, watering trough, hoop-skirted woman and trolley. Those were the days! (Photo courtesy of Christopher Maroc)
The older Toquet died in 1913, a successful entrepreneur. He headed the Toquet Motor Company, which developed carburetors for Fords.
B. Lewis Toquet had a daughter, Vivienne. His family — and his father — lived at 10 Avery Place. As of 1946, he was still living there.
In 2025, Toquet Hall plays a different role in town.
Rock bands play there. Hip hop artists, comedians and magicians perform. Teenagers put on plays. Political candidates meet voters.
The only thing missing is opera.
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I have a picture of my father riding a horse in 1936. He was 18 years old.
He wasn’t born in 1918, was he? Or wait, the horse was 18 y.o.?
He was born in 1918. I have no idea how old the horse was. It’s hard to believe, but Westport had trolley cars.
Watch those pronouns Jack👍🇺🇸
Was the horse’s name Trigger? I knew someone with a horse named Trigger. He wasn’t 18 years old though. The horse or the person.