As expected, last week’s Photo Challenge was tough.
Wendy Crowther’s image of a weather-beaten barn could have been a number of places around town. (Click here to see.)
But it can be seen on a walking path at a place some Westporters visit regularly, and others have never been to: Sherwood Island State Park.
Werner Liepolt explains: “It is an equipment barn on the shore of Sherwood Mill Pond, across the little road from the trailer park set for a Donald Sutherland movie based on a Stephen King short story filmed a couple of years ago.
“I know this portion of the barn because when dogs are allowed into Sherwood Island, Pip walks me by this barn every third walk. (He has 3 chosen routes. Go figure.)
“This is believed to have originated as the stable barn of the Sherwood family farm or estate; a nearby stone building reportedly served as the carriage barn.
“The Sherwoods settled on what was then called Fox Island in 1787. They operated a substantial 19th-century coastal farm, growing onions and potatoes for shipment to New York and running the gristmill at Sherwood Mill Pond. The barn is therefore an important surviving link between Sherwood Island’s agricultural past and its later public use.
“After the state made its first small purchase there in 1914 — the beginning of Connecticut’s state park system — it took a contentious 23-year struggle to secure sufficient land and public access in 1937.
“The old farm buildings were subsequently adapted for park maintenance, equipment storage and staff use. A former employee recalled working around the white barn in the 1960s and ’70s, and even living in it one summer.
“Unfortunately, Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has classified the barn as structurally deficient and unusable for park operations. Its current restoration program lists demolition of the barn as ‘completed,’ and calls for construction of a new, simple metal vehicle-and-equipment storage building, originally estimated at $400,000.
“If the building in this recent photograph remains standing, DEEP’s notation may be premature, or this may be a surviving section of the larger historic service complex.”
Besides Werner, Jeanine Esposito and Joyce Evans correctly identified last week’s Photo Challenge.
This week’s is below. If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
(Photo/Nancy Breakstone)
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The town-owned King Street Cemetery – which it has permitted to fall into ruin.
Cemetery on corner of Kings Highway North and Rt. 33.
Kings Highway N cemetery
The cemetery on the corner of wilton Road and Kings Hwy
In the cemetery at intersection of Rt 33 and Kings Highway North.
cemetery kings highway to canal street
but right onto Wilton road.
it’s on the left as u sit at light to make right onto Wilton.
The cemetery on the corner of Wilton Rd and Kings Hwy
Kings Highway cemetery at the corner of Wilton Road & Kings Highway.
Kings Highway cemetery
I think this was done before….
Kings Hwy Cemetery. Love that marker!
It sure is the cemetery at the corner of Kings Highway North and Wilton Road. It sure has a lot of fans!
Willowbrook cemetery
we all get stuck at the light there forever!
The cemetery across from the medical buildings at the intersection of King’s Highway and Route 33. I believe I’ve sent you a similar image to be used in the past 😀
Morley is Wesport’s very own Eeyore.