Category Archives: History

History Lives! 10 Homes Earn Preservation Awards

Posted on May 8, 2026 | 9 comments

All across Westport, new construction is replacing old.

Almost everywhere, that is.

Last night at Town Hall — a repurposed building itself — the Historic District Commission’s Preservation Awards reminded residents that buyers of older properties have options other than demolition.

The ceremony celebrated “homeowners, builders and businesses (who) are dedicated to preserving our shared history for the future.”

2026 Preservation Award winners include:

4 Old Hill Road
Owner: Ann Sisto
Excellence in Ongoing Care and Maintenance

Purchased in 2021 by Ann Sisto, this is a refined Colonial Revival home, built circa 1932 and sensitively renovated in 2022.

Early owner Emil Dennert — a painter involved in the building trades — adds an element of artistic heritage to the property.

The house sits on a level lot on the north side of Old Hill Road, opposite the King’s Highway North Drill Ground. Its main block features a roof ridge parallel to the street, wood shingles, and a tall central brick chimney. A prominent, asymmetrically placed gabled bay defines the south façade, while a 2-story addition extends from the north elevation.

The entrance is sheltered by an integral shed-roof portico incorporating a projecting bay window. The paneled door, framed by sidelights and topped with a pronounced cornice, reflects the elegant characteristic of Colonial Revival architecture.

For her commitment to the preservation and careful stewardship of this historic home, Ann Sisto and her team — Bill Achilles of Achilles Architects; Jill O’Shea of Jill O’Shea Home Design, and Keith Manca of Keith J. Manca Building Company — earned a 2026 Preservation Award for Excellence in Ongoing Care and Maintenance.

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6 Oak Street
Owner: Eva Kornreich
Excellence in Ongoing Care and Maintenance

(Home not pictured)

This is a 1-½ story Colonial Revival Cape. It features a gabled roof set parallel to the street, an exterior end chimney, and a narrow eave overhang. The 5-bay façade includes a central entrance with a modern paneled door and full-height storm door, sheltered by a gabled portico supported by square posts. A small 2-step stoop provides access. Windows are paired with 6-over-1 double-hung sash with molded trim.

Owner Eva Kornreich worked with architect Kevin Huelster on this project.

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14 Treadwell Avenue
Owners: Nate Collins and Lili Bordan
Restoration Preservation Award

Built in 1890, this is a well-preserved example of a popular type of vernacular Victorian dwelling, typically erected from stock builders’ plans and sold through mail order plan books in the late 19th century.

The house is a simply massed rectangular building, oriented with its gables to the north and south and crowned with a pitched roof with deep overhanging eaves. The south gable serves as the façade, where the front entry is offset to the west of 2 parlor windows.

Its dominant architectural feature is a 1-story hip-roofed wraparound porch, mounted on seven turned posts fitted with jig-sawn brackets designed to support the porch cornice. Also notable is the double-arched window lighting the attic gable.

Owners Nate Collins and Lili Bordan have preserved its architectural integrity and Victorian charm.

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24 Morningside Drive South
Owners: George Tsahirides and Lillian Fortino
Restoration Preservation Award

The c.1852 Charles B. Sherwood House is a well-preserved example of the Italianate villa, a hallmark of the Victorian-era picturesque movement.

This residential style was valued for offering practical, comfortable, and visually appealing homes that could be built economically. Designs for small villas like this one were widely circulated in the period’s architectural pattern books.

Notable Italianate features of the house include its machine-cut roof brackets, tulip-capped colonnettes supporting the porch roof, and tall 6-pane ground-floor casement windows — elements that retain the character of the home’s original design.

George Tsahirdes and Lillian Fortino meticulously restored and stewarded this historic property.

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26 Treadwell Avenue
Owners:26 Treadwell LLC
Rehabilitation Preservation Award

The Henry Patchen House stands on a lot he acquired in 1912. Despite later porch alterations, the property remains a strong example of a Queen Anne–period residence, a style commonly built from builders’ plans sold through mail-order catalogues.

Notable features include its cross-gabled form, designed to maximize natural light; incised brackets made possible by advances in assembly-line production during the Industrial Revolution, and characteristic mix of siding materials that provide visual texture.

The Victorian-era cross-gable house is fronted by a 1-story, 3-sided wraparound porch supported by simple rectangular posts, with the east side now screened. Deep overhanging eaves define the roofline. The intersecting east and west wings feature 3-sided angled window bays with distinctive corner overhangs trimmed with incised console brackets. The main structure is clad in clapboard, while the gables are finished with novelty-pattern shingles.

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35 Wright Street
Owners: Carl and Cynthia Muller
Helen Muller Preservation Award

The Zalman Sanford House was built in 1845. By 1955 the property was occupied by Theodore Muller, and it has remained in the Muller family ever since.

The 2-story, 3-by-2-bay structure was built in the Greek Revival style. A 2-story ell and 1-story attached garage were added in the 1960s. The most recent renovations were completed in 2025.

Owners Carl and Cynthia Muller worked with Jack Franzen and David Woitowitz of J.P. Franzen Associates; Mike Kaesmann of Kaesmann Builders LLC; Gloria Gouveia of Land Use Consultants; Diane Devore of Devore Associates; and Mike Ceci of Ceci Bros, Inc. The Helen Muller Preservation Award honors a property within a local historic district that exemplifies excellence in restoration or preservation.

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44 Compo Mill Cove
Owners: Lance and Anne Lonergan
Rehabilitation Preservation Award

The much-photographed Gallagher Cottage is one of the oldest remaining homes in the Mill Cove Historic District. The district is composed of cottages and bungalows designed in Colonial Revival and Bungalow-style architecture, all built between 1908 and 1940.

The Gallagher Cottage was constructed circa 1917 as a bungalow, and is noted as one of the best preserved structures in the district. The modest home also had a smaller cottage built circa 1905.

The home exhibits typical Bungalow-style architectural characters, with some details commonly seen in Craftsman architecture dating from 1905 to 1930. It is a 1-1/2 story simple floor plan featuring a large central fireplace with a stone exterior, a deep covered porch tucked beneath the main side-gabled roof, and a large, shed dormer looking out to Long Island Sound. Distinctive roof details typical of the style include exposed rafter ends at the exterior walls, and a subtle break in the roof slope.

The home has changed hands less frequently than usual. Anne and Lance Lonergan purchased the home in 2022. They undertook a significant restoration project to raise the home to meet modern standards for coastal resilience, while preserving its historic character.

Preserved details include the deep porch, shed dormer and described roof, which was further enhanced with the installation of the more historically appropriate cedar roof in place of the asphalt shingles.

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64 Wright Street
Owners: Kathy Bergsteinsson & David Grimes
Restoration Preservation Award

This historic home is named after its original owner, Frederick Morehouse, who earned his living as a shoemaker. Constructed circa 1840, the residence has undergone several additions over time. It was most recently restored in 2024.

This well-preserved vernacular Greek Revival-style home, accented with Colonial Revival details, is distinguished by its gable end facing the street, wide roof overhangs at the eaves and rake, and returns at the gable ends.

The façade is arranged in a 3/3 bay configuration with an offset entrance sheltered by a gabled portico supported by slender columns. The entrance features an arched transom and 3/4 sidelights, with the arch echoed in the portico’s gabled roof.

The house occupies a level lot on the north side of Wright Street, within the King’s Highway North Local and National Historic Districts.

The owners are new to Westport, but have chosen an iconic building as their home. In recognition of their commitment to preservation, they are honored along with Alfred Demarco, owner; Steven Folb, developer and owner’s agent; Deirdre O’Farrelly, architect; Peter Stofa & Company and team, builder; Cuoco Structural Engineers, engineer; Andy Ramage, ARD Builders, restoration contractor, and Maggi Baumbusch & Family, inspiration.

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70 Turkey Hill Road South
Owners: Rahul Ghai and Priyanka Singh
Restoration Preservation Award

The John F. Dingee House stands on a lot purchased in 1892. The owner later assisted in constructing the nearby trotting track (c. 1915) used by E.T. Bedford at his horse and breeding farm on West Parish Road. The two men shared use of the track for many years.

This late-19th-century Queen Anne residence has been extensively restored by current owners Rahul Ghai and Priyanka Singh. Although a previously issued demolition permit would have allowed them to raze the structure, they elected to preserve it, utilizing zoning regulation 32-18, which also permitted construction of an additional building. Their project included rebuilding the front and rear porches, replacing vinyl siding with wood, and installing a new wood roof in place of asphalt shingles.

The house is a distinguished wood-framed structure characterized by its asymmetrical massing and distinctive roofline of hipped and peaked forms. The primary gable-front block faces east toward Turkey Hill Road, while a secondary hip-roofed wing containing the main entrance extends north. A 1-story shed roof porch supported by 3 posts unites the 2 volumes, and frames the northern entry bay. All 2-over-2 window sash are reproductions.

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107 Wilton Road
Owner: Janet Liston-Reynolds
Rehabilitation Preservation Award

The Hurlbutt-Haslam House, constructed circa 1740, is an early Federal-style residence that has undergone substantial alteration through multiple additions over the past two centuries.

The main block is oriented with its gable end facing the street. A 1-1/2 story ell extends from the north elevation, followed by a set-back single-story garage. The ell aligns flush with the main block.

The house features wide eave and rake overhangs, and a modern brick chimney is centrally located along the main-block ridge near its junction with the ell.

The property, referred to as the “Old Mansion House” at Old Hill in an April 5, 1790, deed, was likely built by Captain Phineas Hanford sometime after 1737.

(“06880” regularly covers Westport history and real estate — and, often, their intersection. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Roundup: Revolutionary Re-enactors, RTM Budget Vote, Rotarians Clean Up …

Posted on April 26, 2026 | 3 comments

This weekend marks the 249th anniversary of the Battle of Compo Hill.

On Friday, “06880” flashed back to that historic 4-day event. It began when 26 ships carrying 1,850 British soldiers anchored off Compo Beach.

The troops marched to Danbury, burned an arsenal there, then — on their way back — were attacked by patriots, not far from where the Minute Man monument now memorializes the fight.

That caused Ed Davis to flash back 49 years. He writes:

“During the 1970s and ’80s I did Revolutionary War reenactments.

“We recreated De Lancey’s Brigade, a loyalist group based in the New York area.  We would team up with other re-enacting groups (British, loyalist, American “rebels,” French, Native American). We were proud of our authenticity.

“To tell the truth, it was fun to play the ‘bad guy’ (we got to ‘die’ more). During the Bicentennial in 1976 we had a lot of events, some with over 4,000 participants.

“We had a lot of adventures, and I have a lot of stories (I met the woman who became my wife after an event in South Carolina).

“But the most fun were the small, local events like Compo, the Norwalk Oyster Festival, the Battle of Ridgefield, the various firefighter parades in Westchester and Putnum Counties, etc.

“Compo was one of the battles we got to ‘win’ (the Minute Men did chase the British back to the sea, but they were leaving anyhow).

“Since this battle was in Westport, I rode my motorcycle to the event in full uniform, my musket strapped to the back of the bike.  It was a little unreal storming the same beach in full uniform that I grew up on in swim trunks.”

British troops return to Compo Beach, in 1976 … 

… and show their firepower. (Photos courtesy of Ed Davis)

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The final step in the 2026-27 budget process — approval by the Representative Town Meeting — takes place May 4 and 5 (7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium).

The first night, the RTM considers the town budget. On the second, they’ll vote on the Board of Education request.

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Dozens of Westporters celebrated Arbor Day on Friday, with free seedlings.

The Tree Board gave away ninebark, black gum and witch hazel varieties, in the back of Town Hall.

We won’t see the full results for years.

But the wait — along with the generosity of the Tree Board, and the work of our neighbors — will be worth it.

Tree Board seedling giveaway. (Photo/Eric Bosch)

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More civic pride: As part of yesterday’s Parks & Recreation Department Clean Up Westport Day, the Westport Rotary Club and Sunrise Rotary worked together yesterday, cleaning up all around I-95 Exit 17 — the entrance and exit ramps, and nearby parking lot.

There was plenty to do. But — like Rotarians everywhere — they were all smiles doing it.

Rotarians clean up, by the highway. (Photo/Anil Nair)

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Part of the Parks & Recreation Department’s great Kickoff to Summer event — featuring food, touch-a-truck, bouncy houses, a climbing wall, face painting, helicopter rides and more (May 23, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) — is an unveiling of the new mural next to the concession stand.

Right now, they’re looking for help with the installation. It begins the first weekend in May.

Anyone 12 and over is welcome. It’s another family-friendly activity. If interested, email pkoskinas@westportct.gov.

Luke Bernier’s mural will soon be hung at Compo Beach.

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The public’s fascination with artificial intelligence continues.

So does the Westport Library’s exploration of it.

On Tuesday (April 28, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.), national broadcaster (and Westport resident) Dave Briggs returns for another deep dive into that rapidly revolving world.

He’s joined by Daron Acemoglu, a well-known economist who specializes in  technology’s impact on the labor market. Their topic is a hot one: job displacement.

Anthropic founder Dario Amodei said recently that 50% of entry-level white collar jobs will be eliminated, and unemployment could spike as high as 20%, in the next years.

What does Acemoglu think? Briggs will make sure to ask.

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Sure, it’s a rainy weekend.

But Greens Farms Garden Club members are busily (and happily!) digging in the dirt.

They’re getting ready for their annual plant sale. This year’s event is Saturday, May 16 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.), at Sherman Green on the Post Road in Fairfield.

They’re selling perennials, annuals — and “some surprises”!

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After decades of getting ready for the 7:30 a.m. bell, retired teachers have the luxury of sleeping in.

But former Staples High School educators find a variety of ways to stay active and engaged. They lead full, interesting lives.

Every so often they get together (though a bit later than 7:30) to compare notes, and talk about their lives then and now.

They call themselves ROMEOs: Retired Old Men Eating Out.

How many of these legendary teachers do you recognize?

Clockwise from lower left: Stan Rhodes, Toby Watson, Al Jolley, Bruce McFadden, Dave Deitch, John Pepe, Jim Honeycutt, Bob Selverstone, Ed Bludnicki, Brian Kelley, Jeff Lea, Werner Liepolt, Pete Van Hagen.

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The Westport chapter of Business Network International — the largest in Connecticut — invites local business professionals to experience “the power of referral-based growth.” Visitor’s Day is Thursday, May 7 (7 to 9 a.m., United Methodist Church of Westport & Weston).

Along with coffee and baked goods, guests get an inside look at how a structured referral system can generate consistent, high-quality business.

The chapter currently offers a limited number of seats for professionals in select categories: estate planning/elder law, home health/senior care, business attorney, HVAC, roofer, event/wedding planner and travel advisor.

To register, or for questions, call 203-314-5091 or email 21belenski@gmail.com. For the full membership list, click here.

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“Food is one of the last areas where real bipartisan work gets done.”

That was message Thursday, at the Y’s Men’s weekly meeting.

Consumer Reports food policy chief Brian Ronholm told the group that CR’s independent funding lets him fire off “snippy emails” to the Food & Drug Administration, without worrying about angering industry or government funders.

Regulators now often come to CR first, sometimes even timing enforcement pushes like “Operation Stork Speed,” on heavy metals in infant formula, to CR’s investigations, using their data as a catalyst for action.

The discussion was led by Jen Shecter, CR’s vice president and chief content officer, who lives in Weston.

From left: Brian Ronholm, Consumer Reports reporter Paris Martineau, senior manager Sana Mujahid, Jen Shecter. (Photo/Ted Horowitz)

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It’s fern time!

As life emerges this (and every) spring, ferns are part of the parade.

Lou Weinberg captured today’s “Westport … Naturally” vernal image.

(Photo/Lou Weinberg)

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And finally … in honor of the ROMEOs (former Westport teachers who call themselves Retired Old Men Eating Out — story above), here’s an appropriate song.

So where are all the retired women?

Probably having a great time at home, with their husbands out of the house.

(Romeo and Juliet came to a tragic end. If you want “06880” to stay alive, please make a tax-deductible contribution by clicking here. Thank you all!)

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Posted in Beach, Environment, History, Staples HS

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Friday Flashback #500

Posted on April 24, 2026 | 10 comments

As Westport prepares to celebrate the 249th anniversary of the Battle of Compo Hill — well, at least Sunday’s Minute Man road race gives a nod to our heroic effort during the Revolutionary War — let’s remember a time when our town remembered (and honored) that historic event.

The other day, Morley Boyd sent along photos of a commemorative coin. He believes it was struck in 1935, to honor the centennial of Westport’s incorporation as a town.

One side shows the Minute Man monument, with the date “Apr. 25, 1777.”

That’s the day 26 ships carrying 1,850 British troops under the direction of General William Tryon — a force larger than at Lexington or Concord — landed at Compo Beach at dusk.

Tory loyalists planned to guide them up Compo Road to Cross Highway, across to Redding Road, then north through Redding and Bethel to Danbury, where they would burn a major supply depot. It contained much-needed tents, clothing, bedding — things necessary for a long military campaign.

Patriots fired a few shots at the corner of the Post Road and Compo, but the British marched on. In Danbury they destroyed the Continental Army’s munitions, then headed back toward their waiting ships at Compo.

Hastily assembled patriot forces fought them in the fierce Battle of Ridgefield. Led by Brigadier General Benedict Arnold — not yet a traitor — and outnumbered 3 to 1, the patriots deployed a strategy of selective engagement.

British forces landed at Compo Beach, marched to Danbury, marched back south and -- after the Battle of Compo Hill -- retreated to Long Island.

British forces landed at Compo Beach, marched to Danbury, returned south and — after the Battle of Compo Hill — retreated to Long Island.

The next day — April 28, 1777 — patriots tried to capture the Redcoats at a bridge across the Saugatuck River. That forced the soldiers to march 2 miles north, and swim across.

Meanwhile, marksmen waited on Compo Hill (the current site of Minuteman Hill road).

Twenty colonials were killed, and between 40 and 80 wounded when the British made a shoulder to shoulder charge with fixed bayonets — but, wearing everyday work clothes and using hunting guns or pistols, they gave them a fight.

It was reported that resistance here was more severe than at Lexington and Concord.

Graves of some of the patriots who fell that day lie along Compo Beach Road, just past the Minuteman statue. British soldiers are buried across Gray’s Creek, by the Longshore golf course.

Though Tryon returned to burn Norwalk and Fairfield, never again during the American Revolution did British troops venture inland in Connecticut.

The other side of the coin shows a stylized view of the Saugatuck bridge, and nearby homes.

The scene was similar to that of Westport’s original town seal.

Morley says, “I don’t think I have ever seen one of these centennial coins.”

And if one of Westport’s leading amateur historians is surprised, that’s impressive.

Do any “06880” readers know anything about that commemorative coin? If so — or if you just want to commemorate the Battle of Compo Hill — click “Comments” below.

PS: Next year is the 250th anniversary. We should not let that date pass without an, um, bang.

(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!)

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Westport Tech Museum: Way More Than Toys In The Attic

Posted on April 20, 2026 | 13 comments

Westport is filled with hidden gems. Haskins Preserve, the pedestrian path on Compo Cove, the miracle auto repair workers at Vautrin and J&J, any dish at Jeera Thai … not everyone knows about those jewels. But everyone should.

Yet perhaps the coolest — and most secret — of all is inaccessible to nearly everyone.

There — in the attic of a private home — Jay Babina runs the Westport Tech Museum.

You can tour it online. And on Facebook.

Because it’s in his parents’ house (Jay is finishing up his first year at Manhattanville College), it’s not open to the public.

But one of the great perks about publishing “06880” is the chance to go where almost no one else can.

I’ve posted twice about Jay’s Westport Tech Museum (click here and here).

I’ve described his astonishing collection of over 500 computers, video games, calculators, cameras, radios and more.

Just a portion of the Westport Tech Museum. (Photo/Jay Babina)

From a Commodore Amiga 1000, Osborne 1, Apple IIe and original Macintosh, to a 1910 Edison light bulb that still shines, and a 1905 crank telephone that still rings, Jay has scoured the world (and eBay) to find rare, important, classic, quirky and historic products.

The other day, I paid my third visit to what may be the most astonishing private museum in America.

Jay — who haunts the internet with the tenacity and instincts of Kojak, Columbo and Jessica Fletcher combined — proudly showed off a host of new acquisitions.

He began with the most beautiful object in his collection: a hand-painted horn from an early Thomas Edison phonograph.

That was impressive enough. But then Jay picked up a wax cylinder — the precursor to “records.”

I was astonished.

But I was even more gobsmacked seconds later, when Jay placed the cylinder on the phonograph — and played it.

Music recorded well over a century ago filled the attic. I could have ended the tour right then, and been thrilled.

But Jay had much more to show.

Decades after the phonograph — as LP records were being replaced by 45s (kids: ask your grandparents) — the transistor revolutionized radio.

Of course, Jay had a transistor radio.

Of course, it was one of the first ever produced.

Of course, he also had a very early transistor. That’s how Jay rolls.

Transistor radio (right); transistor in a plastic cube (left).

Soon, we got into the “modern” era. (Still: Kids, ask your parents.)

Jay recently added the first commercial beeper pager (a 1964 Motorola Pageboy) to his collection.

The first two-way messaging pager was the 1995 Motorola Tango. But — because Jay does not do things half-heartedly — he has it in a pre-release version, when it was called SkyTel. He searched for 5 years, and finally found it on eBay.

Who remembers answering machines? A better question: Who remembers the very first ones — with little tape reels inside?

Jay does. (Even though he was not born for another 3-plus decades.)

His museum now includes the first consumer residential answering machine: the 1971 Phone-Mate 400.

It was complicated. Callers had to be instructed what to do.

It still works. Unfortunately, Jay’s Tech Museum lacks one thing: a landline to plug it into.

The first answering machine included separate tape reels for the outgoing message, and incoming calls. 

Then came an early cellphone with camera …

… and one of the first VHS recorders …

… plus another item Jay searched for for years: a Sony Walkman. This 1980 model was the first in the US; it came a year after the device took Japan by storm.

Jay showed me — and explained, in historical detail — an HP35 (the world’s first scientific pocket calculator, the “slide rule killer” that some feared would lead to the decline of math skills across America); a Rocket e-book reader, which retailed for $499 and debuted 9 years before the Kindle, and a PalmPilot, with a whopping 128K of memory.

Of course, Jay also found an original box.

There are plenty of original iPhones floating around.

But who has an original bag (rear in photo below), issued by Apple only to customers ordering on the very first launch date (June 29, 2007)?

Jay Babina, of course.

Every item has a back story. And Jay tells them all well.

Of the Commodore home computer, he describes the company’s price war with Texas Instruments.

Commodore slashed the price from $525 to $49. They lost $300 million in one quarter, and went bankrupt in 1994.

Jay has a Commodore (below) and a TI99. Both have dial-up modems. Both still work.

Jay is fascinated by failure.

In 1995, Nintendo’s Virtual Boy — a 32-bit tabletop console, marketed as the first to display stereoscopic 3D graphics — caused headaches and eye strain. It was a spectacular flop.

His Westport Tech Museum celebrates it all: failures and successes. Innovation and improvement. Products that look silly, and those that are beautiful.

Which brings us to one of the newest items on display in Jay’s attic: David Pogue’s just-published sweeping and mammoth (608 pages) book, “Apple: The First 50 Years.”

(All photos/Dan Woog, unless otherwise noted)

Like Jay, he is obsessed with both the broad arc of technological history, and the countless unique, often overlooked stories that contribute to it.

Pogue spent 2 decades in Westport.

Somehow, he never found his way up to Jay’s attic.

Now — as a regular contributor to “CBS Sunday Morning” — would be a great time for him to check it out.

But if he does, both he and Jay may never come down.

(“06880” often shines a light on remarkable young Westporters. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Roundup: Shoah Memorial, Quiet Library, Easter Service …

Posted on April 6, 2026 | Leave a comment

The Shoah Memorial — an inspiring sculpture honoring the bravery of 4 women in the face of Nazi horrors — comes to Fairfield University in July.

The Westport Library offers a companion program. They say:

“In an era of rising division, how do we transform the lessons of the past into a shield for the future? Join us for an exclusive first look at the Shoah Memorial, a landmark project coming to Fairfield that seeks to honor history while actively stemming the tide of hate. Discover how this local initiative aims to make a global impact.”

A special event — postponed from January by snow — is set for this Sunday (April 12, 2 p.m., Trefz Forum

It includes a conversation between Dr. Mindy Hersh and her mother, Judy Hersh, a Holocaust survivor, followed by a panel discussion featuring Shoah Memorial artist Victoria Milstein; Shelly Krieger, the founding educator of the Holocaust Research Center; Holocaust survivor Michell Schell, and Marla Felton of Common Circles.

The Shoah Memorial Fairfield University project began when Paul Burger attended the unveiling of the original “She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots” sculpture in Greensboro, North Carolina. Moved by its powerful message, he decided to bring the memorial to his community, to ensure its broader impact.

Fairfield University is already home to the Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies, and offers a Judaic Studies program.

Click here for more information on Sunday’s free Westport Library program.

Shoah Memorial

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Meanwhile, in other Westport Library news:

Anyone who was at VersoFest — or any other Trefz Forum concert — knows how loud the place gets.

But every once in a while, the volume is turned down.

This Saturday (April 11) is one of those days.

From 1 to 5 p.m., a traditional, tranquil atmosphere will be encouraged library-wide.

Residents can bring their current read, or borrow something new. Find a cozy corner, enjoy some wordless picture books in the Children’s Library, or participate in quiet, all-ages crafting at a build-your-own bookmark station.

The event is part of the Library’s We Read initiative.

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Back to the noisy Library: Supper & Soul returns May 2.

Vanessa Collier — an international touring blues artist — returns also. She played the second Supper & Soul, in in 2018.

The Supper & Soul series, presented by The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce and Library, returns this spring with Vanessa Collier, an international touring and multi-nominee for Best Blues Artist. Vanessa returns to Westport for an encore Supper & Soul show having played the second one back in 2018.

A $90 ticket to the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce event includes a 3-course dinner at one of 11 downtown restaurants, plus the concert.

Participating restaurants are Arezzo, Blondinit, Capuli, Emmy Squared, Finalmente, Il Pastaficio, Massi Co, Nômade, Spotted Horse, Walrus Alley and Yuzo Sushi.

Concert-only tickets are available for $35.

Dinner is at 6 p.m. The show starts at 8. After the concert, a ticket is good for happy hour pricing on drinks at any participating restaurant.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

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Yesterday’s Easter sunrise service included 3 pastors.

All are new to town. It was the first sunrise service here for all 3.

Pastor Jinho Choi (United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston), Rev. Sophie Beal (Greens Farms Congregational Church) and Rev. Dr. Steven Savides, (Saugatuck Congregational Church) led worship together.

Rick Benson carefully tended the fire. It was definitely not his first sunrise beach service.

From left: Rev. Sophie Beal, Rev. Dr. Stephen Savides, Pastor Jinho Choi.

 

Sunrise service (without the sun) …

… and the clergy, with the fire.

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Former Westporters Kent and Pegi Bernard died, following an automobile accident last May at their second home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Pegi died on impact. She was 73. Kent fought for 10 months before succumbing to his injuries on March 20. He was 75. They were married for 49 years.

Kent moved with his parents to Westport from New York when he was 9. A few years later he was accepted by Juilliard for opera. But allergies sent him on a different path: to Colgate University, and a career in law.

Pegi’s military family moved often. In Virginia, she pursued her equestrian dreams. She was jumping at near Olympic levels, but suffered an ankle injry.

She graduated from the Morven Park International Equestrian Institute in 1973, while also a student at LeMoyne College in New York.

It was less than 40 miles from (then all-male) Colgate. On a trip to LeMoyne, Kent met Pegi.

Kent graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1975. Pegi joined him after she graduated. They were married that August.

In 1980 they, and their young son Adam, moved to Kent’s hometown of Westport.

Kent joined the legal division of Pfizer Inc., and spent his career there. He retired as vice president and assistant general counsel in 2007.

The family was diehard New York Mets fans. Kent and Adam traveled to half the Major League Baseball stadiums.

When Adam began taking martial arts classes, Kent and Pegi joined. They became 3 of the highest ranking black belts in Connecticut.

After Kent retired from Pfizer he joined Fordham University School of Law as an adjunct professor. He spent a decade teaching and mentoring future leaders.

Kent and Pegi supported many charitable organizations. A scholarship at Fairfield College Preparatory School is in the family name, and Pegi was on the advisory board at Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding.

They are survived by their son Adam, and a Norwegian forest cat named Bragi.

Kent and Pegi Bernard, with their son Adam.

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No, it’s was not lit up by a bright sun.

But the forsythia that bloomed over the weekend is a welcome sight.

Today’s “Westport … Naturally” image, from Compo Road South, is replicated all over town.

And there might be hope for that sunshine. The weather is expected to be good all week long, though temperatures will struggle to get out of the 40s.

(Photo/Matt Murray)

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And finally … a toast to our Westport Library, which can be both quiet (item above) and loud (VersoFest): Shhhh … boom!

(It’s the start of another week … and that means plenty of “06880” stories, features, photos and more. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

 

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Pic Of The Day #3257

Posted on March 20, 2026 | Leave a comment

Minute Man close-up (Photo/John Maloney)

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Social Media Is Not Healthy For …

Posted on March 10, 2026 | 4 comments

It was the most iconic anti-war image of the Vietnam era: A flower, set against a yellow background, with the words — suggesting a child’s handwriting — “War is not healthy for children and other living things.”

Designed in 1965 by activist/artist/mother Lorraine Schneider, it became the logo for an organization called Another Mother for Peace.

It was incorporated into posters, flyers, newsletters, datebooks, buttons, cards and jewelry, and became an internationally recognized plea for peace.

More than half a century later, it’s back.

Westporter Cathy Utz and Fairfield resident Grayson Craddock have resurrected, redesigned and redeployed it, to fight another war: the one against social media.

Cathy Utz

A 1979 graduate of Staples High School, Utz was too young to participate in anti-Vietnam marches or rallies.

But she knew the poster well. It hung for years in the home of Estelle Margolis, the mother of a family friend and a longtime Westport peace advocate.

Today, Utz is a therapist. Her 3 sons are adults. But in her work she sees the negative impacts of social media on young people, and their families.

Craddock’s children are 15, 13 and 7. He too knows the pressures and problems caused by social media.

Craddock — a graphic designer — works with Utz’s husband, Tom Greenwald, in Broadway advertising.

Grayson Craddock

He was unfamiliar with the “War is not healthy …” design. But when Utz came to him with the idea of recreating it for the modern era, he understood the need.

And what was needed.

He had to transfer the feel of the poster, without infringing on creative rights. And it had to feel as if a young person made it.

Craddock worked with paper. He spent a day cutting out pieces, and arranging them with a glue stick. Then he took photos.

When Craddock showed his work to friends, they understood immediately. Even more tellingly, they noticed it evoked child’s play, like crafts, which have fallen out of favor lately.

Because of the pull of social media.

In the 1960s, Schneider’s art raised money for Another Mother for Peace.

Utz and Craddock — who donated all his time and talent — searched for a modern-day non-profit that could benefit from this one.

They found the Organization for Social Media Safety. Called “the first consumer protection organization exclusively focused on social media, they help protect against social media dangers like cyberbullying, sextortion, sexual harassment, anxiety, depression, suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, substance abuse and trafficking.

They work with schools, youth groups and corporations, and have developed both a K-12 curriculum and free program for parents.

Craddock also designed a website: SocialMediaIsNotHealthy.com. Through it, he and Utz offer merchandise with the updated design, including posters, mugs, t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, bumper stickers, decals — and smartphone cases.

“We are well aware of the irony that our message has to go out via social media,” Utz says.

“Social media by itself is not bad. But we have to be aware of its bad effects.”

The website, she and Craddock hope, will “remind us to be more mindful, and dial our use back.”

(“06880” encourages limited social media use. But before you shut off your device today, please click here to contribute to “06880.” Our blog IS healthy, for children and other living things. Thanks!)

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Roundup: Daylight Saving Time Tonight! Also: History Day, Jeff White, Max Orland …

Posted on March 7, 2026 | 3 comments

Tonight, we take a big step on our long slog toward spring.

Daylight Savings Time returns! Remember to turn your clocks ahead 1 hour.

The bad news is: We lose an hour of sleep.

The good news: It won’t be dark at 6 p.m. anymore.

At least, not for another 8 months.

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The judges have ruled, on the Connecticut History Day regional contest.

We’re not sure if these results are historic. But Westport students did very, very well.

Students are encouraged to explore any aspect of history, from local to international. They can work individually or in groups, on topics of their choice. This year’s theme was “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.”

They present projects in one of 5 categories: exhibits, documentaries, websites, papers or performances.

Winners (below) advance to the state competition in May. First and second place finishers there move on to represent Connecticut at the national contest in Maryland.

Staples High School winners include:

1st Place

Noah Bruno (“NASA: How a Space Agency Drove Civil Rights Reforms” — individual documentary)

2nd Place

Alexandra Ben (“Marian Anderson: A Voice That Challenged a Nation” — paper)

Ruby Boroujerdi, Carol Berger, Madeleine Stiber (“Technicolor in ‘The Wizard of Oz’: Revolutionizing the Standards of Cinema” — group exhibit)

Luca Ghedini, Pranav Tamilselvan (“Igniting History: How Gunpowder Triggered a Global Transformation — group documentary)

Cameryn Brink (“We Are Columbine: How Normalized Deviance in Gun Violence has Undermined Effective Gun Reform in School Shootings” — individual website)

3rd Place

Charlotte Hoke, Cali Kingsley (“Progression Toward Gender Equality: Violence Against Women’s Act” — group exhibit)

Serena Goldfarb (“Equality Over Injustice: How Title IX Shaped Female Athletics” — individual documentary)

Honorable Mention

Madelynn Flom, Lilly Ford, Brooklynn Crawford (“The Degree that Sparked Revolution an the Woman Behind It: Elizabeth Blackwell” — group exhibit)

Alexandra Gottlieb (“Southbury vs. Fascism: When a Small Town Took a Stand” — individual documentary)

Graham Lewis, Akshay Rao, Ryan Asiel (“Revolution on the Fairway” — group documentary)

Middle school winners include:

1st Place

Mia Amin, Coleytown (“A Revolution in Medicine: How the Spanish Flu Led to Reform in American Public Health” — paper)

Henry Bach (“The Race to Discover DNA an the Dark Side of Winning” — individual exhibit)

Emily Bernier, Emmeline Cutler, Coleytown (“Lewis Hine and Adding Awareness to Child Labor” — group documentary)

Brandon Sheefel, Olivia Duran, Coleytown (“1810 May Revolution, Voice of the Cabildo” — group performance)

2nd Place

Matilda Jones, Nora Lipschutz, Coleytown (“The Legacy of Lewis Hine” — group exhibit)

Madyan Hemdan, Bedford (“The Radium Girls: Shining a Light on Injustice” — individual documentary

Leanne Wong, Bedford (“The Needle That Saved Millions: The Eradication of Smallpox” — individual website)

Brooklynn Flom, Johanna Lawton, Bedford (“Angel of the Battlefield” — group website)

3rd Place

Sofia Farquhar, Bedford (“The Radium Girls” — individual exhibit)

Honorable Mention

James Ben, Bedford (“Truman vs. McArthur: The Firing That Changed History” — individual exhibit)

Gemma Porrino, Charlotte Carr, Bedford (“A Day to Remember: The Attacks on 9/11” — group exhibit)

Dexter Abrams, Rhys Livingston, Coleytown (“The Reform on Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy” — group documentary)

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Every Thursday, the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston host an interesting speaker.

Thursday’s was particularly insightful. Jeff White — a longtime Westporter, former CFO of Major League Baseball, executive vice president of the New York Mets and CFO of CBS News — offered a frank assessment of MLB”s future.

His topics ranged from gambling risks and a looming labor war, to international expansion.

White called legalized sports betting “an accident waiting to happen,” despite the advertising revenue flowing in. He noted that the people most affected by a work stoppage would be the the 500 to 1,000 game day workers, and 400 to 600 full-time staffers at each club.

And he spoke about his vision to bring the professional leagues of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea into an expanded MLB postseason (a true “World Series”).

Jeff White, at the Y’s Men meeting.

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Staples High School 2006 graduate Max Orland has a speech and language disability.

That has not stopped him from achieving many of his dreams.

His career includes positions with the New York Mets, US Open (center court, for Federer and Serena Williams), Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Northeastern University, and Winged Foot and Tiburon golf clubs, plus retail experience (with many awards) at Legends @ Yankee Stadium, J. Crew, Under Armour, Vineyard Vines and Nike.

Most recently, the University of Delaware sport management graduate has been involved with the Miami Heat, and Special Olympics Florida

He writes: “No one can truly embody how I feel living with my personal challenges in speech and language, but moments like this remind me why it’s so important to keep getting involved, whether through work or in the community.

“Being featured on Heat TV wasn’t just about me. It was about the voice I share and what I represent as part of the Miami HEAT organization, and as an advocate for others. I will keep putting myself out there to speak on the importance of inclusive education and inclusion in the workplace, and to be a face for those who may need one when opportunities arise.

“My first year with the Heat has been about more than just a job. It’s about impact and the drive to help make the world a better place. I never take these opportunities for granted, and will continue striving to create meaningful change.”

Click here or below for a video, including words from Max.

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After more than 25, Jane Ross,  founder and executive director of Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities — retired yesterday.

Since launching the non-profit — which serves many Westport families — in 2000, Ross has helped transform the landscape for families raising children with learning and attention challenges.

At a time when parents often felt isolated and unsure where to turn, she helped provide information, guidance, and a community of supportive families.

Click here for more information on Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities.

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We mentioned the advent of spring in the first item (Daylight Saving Time).

Here’s another sign: today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature photo.

(Photo/Liza Emilio)

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And finally … one more reminder to turn those clocks ahead tonight!

(Speaking of which: This is as good a “time” as any to show your support for “06880.” Please click here — and thank you!)

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MLK

Posted on January 19, 2026 | 31 comments

This story has become a Martin Luther King Day tradition on “06880.” At this point in our nation’s history, today — more than ever — we should think about the history of our nation before Dr. King was born.

And where we are, nearly 6 decades after his death.

Today is Martin Luther King Day. Westporters will celebrate with a day off from school or work. Some will sleep in; others will shop, or go for a walk. Few will give any thought to Martin Luther King.

Twice, though, his life intersected this town in important ways.

The first was Friday night, May 22, 1964. King had been invited to speak at Temple Israel by synagogue member Jerry Kaiser.

King arrived in the afternoon. Kaiser and his wife Roslyn sat on their porch that afternoon, and talked with King and 2 of his aides. She was impressed with his “sincerity, warmth, intelligence and genuine concern for those about him — our children, for instance. He seemed very young to bear such a burden of leadership.”

Martin Luther King, with Sarah and Tema Kaiser at their home on Brooklawn Drive, before his Temple Israel appearance. Their brother Michael had a cold, and was not allowed near Dr. King.

King’s sermon — to a packed audience — was titled “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.” He analogized his America to the time of Rip Van Winkle — who also “slept through a revolution. The greatest liability of history is that people fail to see a revolution taking place in our world today.  We must support the social movement of the Negro.”

Westport artist Roe Halper presented King with 3 woodcarvings, representing the civil rights struggle. He hung them proudly in the front hallway of his Atlanta home.

Artist Roe Halper (left) presents Coretta Scott King with civil rights-themed wood carvings.

Within a month Temple Israel’s rabbi, Byron Rubenstein, traveled south to take place in a nonviolent march. He was arrested — along with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King.

In jail, the rabbi said, “I came to know the greatness of Dr. King. I never heard a word of hate or bitterness from that man, only worship of faith, joy and determination.”

King touched Westport again less than 4 years later. On April 5, 1968 — the day after the civil rights leader’s assassination in Memphis — 600 Staples students gathered for a lunchtime vigil in the courtyard. Nearby, the flag flew at half-staff.

A small portion of the large crowd listens intently to Fermino Spencer, in the Staples courtyard.

A small portion of the large crowd listens to Fermino Spencer.

Vice principal Fermino Spencer addressed the crowd. Movingly, he spoke about  his own experience as an African American. Hearing the words “my people” made a deep impression on the almost all-white audience. For many, it was the 1st time they had heard a black perspective on white America.

No one knew what lay ahead for their country. But student Jim Sadler spoke for many when he said: “I’m really frightened. Something is going to happen.”

Dr. Martin Luther King

Something did — and it was good. A few hundred students soon met in the cafeteria. Urged by a minister and several anti-poverty workers to help bridge the chasm between Westport and nearby cities, Staples teachers and students vowed to create a camp.

Within 2 months, it was a reality. That summer 120 elementary and junior high youngsters from Westport, Weston, Norwalk and Bridgeport participated in the Intercommunity Camp. Led by over 100 Staples students and many teachers, they enjoyed swimming, gymnastics, dance, sports, field trips, overnight camping, creative writing, filmmaking, photography, art and reading.

It wasn’t easy — some in Westport opposed bringing underprivileged children to their town — but for over a decade the Intercommunity Camp flourished.

Eventually, enthusiasm for and interest in the camp waned. Fewer Staples students and staff members wanted to devote their summer to such a project.  The number of Westporters willing to donate their pools dwindled. Today the Intercommunity Camp is a long-forgotten memory.

Sort of like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Even on his birthday.

MLK speech

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Martin Luther King Day bonus feature: In the late 1950s, Westporter Tracy Sugarman took his son Dickie, and Dickie’s friend Miggs Burroughs, to a picnic in Stamford.

Rev. Martin Luther King was there, at the invitation of the host: Jackie Robinson.

Sugarman — a noted illustrator – was also a civil rights activist.

Miggs — a junior high student — took the Minox “spy” camera he’d bought earlier that summer.

He still has those photos. Here are the 2 pioneering Black Americans: Martin Luther King and Jackie Robinson.

(Photos/Miggs Burroughs)

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Roundup: Jelani Cobb & Trey Ellis, Rupert & Lachlan Murdoch, ABC & Big Y …

Posted on January 18, 2026 | 2 comments

“If you’re a homeowner, the first termite you see is not the first termite that showed up.”

With that analogy, Jelani Cobb wove together 2 strands of his talk — America’s history of slavery and civil rights, and today’s threats to our democracy — yesterday.

The 20th annual Westport Weston Martin Luther King Day celebration at the Westport Library drew a full crowd. Cobb — a noted New Yorker writer, scholar, and dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism — was joined in conversation by novelist, playwright, filmmaker (and Westport resident) Trey Ellis.

Jelani Cobb (left) and Trey Ellis.

Asked by Ellis what King would think of the United States today, Cobb said, “It would be very familiar to him.”

Anti-democratic forces, he added, are “congenital problems that don’t go away by ignoring them.”

“My father had a 3rd grade education. I have a Ph.D.,” Cobb said. He vowed never to forget the democratic rights that enabled his achievement — and to “not tolerate intrusions on them.”

Recalling King’s famous quote — “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice” — Cobb noted the “fine print”: “We have to get out and bend it.”

Senator Richard Blumenthal spoke briefly. Referring to recent events, he said, “the totalitarian tactics used to silence non-violent protests are not America. It’s the America Martin Luther King protested against.”

The conversation was bookended by Varrick Nelson Jr. The young Stratford singer wowed the audience with stirring gospel-inflected renditions of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “A Change is Gonna Come.”

The audience included over 40 students from the Walter Luckett Foundation. The Bridgeport non-profit provides educational and recreational opportunities for young people. The Westport Library is a longtime partner.

The annual MLK celebration is a collaboration between the Library, TEAM Westport, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport Museum for History & Culture, and the Westport/Weston Clergy Association.

Varrick Nelson Jr.

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There was one serious automobile accident yesterday, in the snow that lasted much longer — and was a lot more slippery — than predicted.

Westport firefighters extricated the only occupant in a rollover crash at Bayberry Lane and Easton Road.

(Photo courtesy of Westport Fire Department)

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Gabriel Sherman has built a career writing about some of the most powerful people in the world.

His first book, “The Loudest Voice in the Room,” told the story of how Roger Ailes built Fox News.

Sherman wrote the screenplay for “The Apprentice,” the biopic about Donald Trump’s relationship with Roy Cohn.

His latest project:  “Bonfire of the Murdochs: How the Epic Fight to Control the Last Great Media Dynasty Broke a Family — and the World.”

Sherman was educated through grade 10 in Westport schools. He’s written for New York and Vanity Fair, and been a regular contributor to NBC News and MSNBC.

Sherman will be interviewed by Tina Brown at the 92nd Street Y in New York on February 5 (8 p.m.). Click here for tickets. 

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Looking for a way to help both A Better Chance of Westport, and the environment?

And to do so inexpensively, and easily?

This month, Big Y supermarket is donating $1 to ABC — the non-profit that provides educational opportunities to academically gifted and highly motivated young men of color — for every reusable bag purchased for $2.50.

It’s a no-brainer. Buy more than one. You can never have enough bags!

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There’s nothing like learning from pros.

On Wednesday David Guggenheim — screenwriter, producer and showrunner of Netflix’s “Designated Survivor” (and creator and writer of “Safe House,” “The Union” and “The Christmas Chronicles”) — visited Theater Camp 4 Kids Broadway Academy‘s students and interns.

He provided the young actors and writers with a “behind the camera” look at the reality of the film and TV industry, and inspired them to pursue their dreams.

Guggenheim shared insights about the creative process, including how to turn an idea into a script, and the reality of getting it produced. He also described the complex moving parts of a successful film or TV show, from how to make rainy scenes look real, to shooting on back lots and locations, and which actors he would love to work with in the future.

Youngsters came prepared with plenty of questions, which Guggenheim answered with warmth and charm.

Theater Camp 4 Kids is registering now for the winter/spring semester, and June Summer Day Camp. For information, email curleylaura@hotmail.com.

David Guggenheim (rear, center) with Theater Camp 4 Kids students. (Photo/Emily Jennings)

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Westporters using the Delta Sky Lounge at La Guardia Airport can see a bit of home.

Artist Nina Bentley’s work “He Looked Good on Paper” is on display, in Terminal C.

(Hat tip and photo/Kelle Ruden)

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As snow started to fall yesterday at Sherwood Mill Pond, Pam Docters captured this serene “Westport … Naturally” scene:

(Photo/Pam Docters)

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And finally … English author A.A. Milne was born on this date, in 1882. He died in 1956.

(“06880” is your 24/7/365 hyper-local blog. How do we do it? With support from readers like you. To make a tax-deductible contribution, please click here. Thank you!)

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