Category Archives: History

Roundup: 1% Women, Fencing, Julian Frank …

Posted on January 8, 2026 | 5 comments

Westport resident Emily Riley is the founder and CEO of Riley Strategic, a boutique PR and marketing agency.

She’s also the founder of Women in the 1%. That’s a research group exploring the fact that only 5% of the top 1% of all income earners in the US are female.

Riley developed a research project to change that. Her goal is to “provide insight into all of the women who are beating the odds, and inspire more women to do the same.”

The project includes a survey. It’s open to women only — of all income levels.

Click here to take the survey.

Emily Riley

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Fencing is a great sport. It demands creativity, technique and tempo — along with athleticism, balance, problem-solving, and much more.

On the fence about whether to look into it?

Delphine de Vore — a former world champion with the US junior women’s team, alternate for the 2024 Olympic team, Columbia University All-American and coach of the Staples High School fencing team — is opening a pop-up location: the lower level of VFW Post 399.

She offers youth classes for beginners and intermediates, and adult classes for all skills levels. They begin January 14, and run Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (6 to 9 p.m.). Click here for details.

Delphine de Vore

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February is African American History Month.

It’s also the opening of MoCA\CT’s next exhibition.

“Art, Jazz & the Blues” — presented from February 26 through June 7, in partnership with the Westport Public Art Collections — highlights the connection between visual art and African American Musical traditions.

The exhibit centers on “Giants of the Blues.” Westport artist Eric von Schmidt’s remarkable portraits of blues and folk legends — currently hanging in the Staples High School auditorium lobby — will be hung, alongside over 50 other works from the WestPAC collections, the Brubeck Collection at Wilton Library, Housatonic Museum of Art, private collections and more.

The show includes live performances, artist talks, film screenings and workshops.

Related events include:

For more information, click here.

“Blues Piano Players” — one of 7 works by Eric von Schmidt that make up “Birth of the Blues.”

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Sixty-six years ago this Tuesday, a terrorist blew up a plane over North Carolina.  All 34 on board were killed.

The terrorist was believed to be Julian Frank — a lawyer living in Westport.

The January 6, 1960 National Airlines flight #2511 was bound from Idlewild Airport (now JFK) in New York to Miami.  At 2:38 a.m., it crashed near Wilmington, North Carolina.

The remains of one passenger — Frank — were missing from the accident site.  His body was finally found, 16 miles away.

Frank’s autopsy showed that he had been killed by a dynamite explosion “originating either in his lap or (more likely) immediately under his seat.”

Investigators believed it to be a murder-suicide. Frank was under investigation for fraud and embezzlement — and had taken out large amounts of life insurance just before boarding the plane.

A number of Westporters were questioned by the FBI, regarding what they knew about Julian Frank. Yet authorities never conclusively proved he was the bomber. No charges were ever brought — and the investigation remains officially open.

On Tuesday, a memorial honoring the 34 victims was unveiled at the Bolivia (North Carolina) Fire Department. Click here for that story. (Hat tip: Steve McCoy)

A National Airlines Douglas DC-6B — the type of plane allegedly blown up by Julian Frank.

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Club203 — Westport’s social club for adults with disabilities — kicked off the new year on Tuesday, at the Westport Country Playhouse barn.

Members enjoyed interactive experiences with Sensei Palardy, face painting and mask making with MoCA\CT, and food from Calise’s Catering and Sweet P Bakery.

Click here for more information on Club203.

Club203, at the Westport Country Playhouse barn.

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This month marks the 5th anniversary of the Westport Book Shop’s Short Story Club.

To celebrate for their January 21 (6 p.m.) meeting, they’ll read an assortment of stories about books:

📖 “A General in the Library” by Italo Calvino (1953)
📖 “The Kugelmass Episode” by Woody Allen (1977)
📖 “Exchange” by Ray Bradbury (1996)
📖 “The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species” by Ken Liu (2012)

Registration is required. Call 203-349-5141, or email   RSVP@westportbooksaleventures.org.

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Westport Police made 1 custodial arrest between December 31 and January 6.

A 49-year-old Philadelphia man was charged with conspiracy to commit larceny and conspiracy to commit identity theft, following an investigation into a 2023 complaint that an IRS estate tax refund check of over $13 million had been intercepted from the mail. The man received a subsequent fraudulent check for $4 million. He was released on $50,000 bond. Additional arrests are expected.

Westport Police also issued these citations:

  • Failure to renew registration: 7 citations
  • Texting while driving: 4
  • Speeding: 2
  • Traveling unreasonably fast: 1
  • Failure to  yield right of way: 1
  • Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 2
  • Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 1
  • Improper use of markers: 1

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Longtime Westporter Marjorie Dunham, died peacefully in Norwalk Hospital on Friday after a long illness, with family members at her side. She was 89.

After graduating from Mount Holyoke College, After graduating, she married Christopher Dunham and worked at Equitable Life Assurance Society in New York.

In 1962 she and her husband moved to Westport. She was active in Visiting Homemakers and Friends of Sherwood Island State Park, and served as Saugatuck Elementary School PTA president and vice chair of the Westport Recreation Commission.

Marge enjoyed foreign travel, and played tennis, golf and softball until late in life.

She worked as a computer aide at Bedford Junior High School in the late 1970s, introducing students to BASIC programming.

When her children were in college she enrolled in the graduate program at Fairfield University, earning a master’s in computer science in 1983.

Marge then worked for 18 years as a local area network officer at Peoples Bank in Bridgeport. After retirement, she spent several years as a library assistant at Fairfield County schools.

She was predeceased by older sister Sylvia Corliss King.  Survivors include her husband; children Douglas, William (Melanie Rogers) and Anne; granddaughter Courtney; brother William Corliss, Jr. (Linda Boothe); a niece, 3 nephews and several grand-nieces and grand0nephews.

A memorial service is set for Saugatuck Congregational Church on Saturday (January 10, 11 a.m..  Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Mount Holyoke Fund for general scholarship aid, or to American Cancer Society.

Marge Dunham

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We often see deer in the woods. And crossing roads.

This one — the star of today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature — felt right at home on the front steps of a Saugatuck Island home.

(Photo/Yulee Aronson)

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And finally … about Emily Riley’s research into women and their earnings:

(We work hard for the money too! Please click here, to make a tax-deductible contribution to support our work. Thank you.)

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Posted in Arts, Economy, History, Local business, Police, Sports, Transportation

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Eno Marsh Preserve: Overlooked Green Space, With Historic Past

Posted on December 28, 2025 | 10 comments

Scott Smith has introduced “06880” readers to some of Westport’s most hidden treasures (including, most notably, Haskins Preserve).

Today, he shines a light on another. Scott writes:

There’s an under-the-radar patch of open space in Westport that I suspect few people know about: the Eno Marsh Preserve.

Tucked into the southwest corner of town, it’s a mix of wetlands and woods shoe-horned in behind some homes and condos, the railroad tracks. and more swampland that extends to the Norwalk border.

A short walking trail that winds through the parcel is accessible from the far end of daily-fee parking lot #4, off Saugatuck Avenue, with another entrance at the end of a private road next to the handsome brick building farther down Route 136 that originally housed the offices of William Phelps Eno.

Managed by the Aspetuck Land Trust, the pocket preserve is named for the local man considered the “father of traffic safety.” A New York trust fund baby of the gilded age, Eno devoted his life to bringing order to the newfangled world of automotive transport in the early part of the 20th century.

He’s credited with the invention of the stop sign, pedestrian crosswalk and traffic circle, among other innovations. The transportation institute he founded survives to this day, in Washington. (Click here for his fascinating Wikipedia entry.)

The former Eno Foundation building, on Saugatuck Avenue.

Here in Westport Eno owned a 32-room mansion on the Saugatuck River, across from his offices; I suppose part of his original estate extended to the wetlands out back.  Though the office building survives, the circa-1877, 15,000-square foot mansion known as Judah Rock was demolished in 1997, after a failed preservation effort.

The Preserve’s location is obscure, and some wouldn’t consider it even all that scenic. In fact, its most noticeable view may well be of the big new apartment complex rising across the train tracks on Hiawatha Lane.

View from Eno Marsh Preserve, of the Hiawatha Lane apartments.

But what the short, brambly trail does have are several of the tallest trees in town — including 3 or more magnificent tulip poplars that soar on thick trunks to spread their branches into the sky. You can see these trees on a Google satellite map view of the preserve.

Eno Marsh Preserve tulip poplars. 

The site clearly doesn’t get as much love — or foot traffic — as some of the other Aspetuck Land Trust properties in town, among them the lovely Caryl & Edna Haskins Preserve, the expansive Newman-Poses Preserve, and the Leonard Schine Preserve, with its marked trails and children’s playscape.

Perhaps that’s as it should be; not all open spaces need to be popular. I’m sure the wood ducks and deer in this empty quarter of Westport cherish their privacy.

But I treasure its existence, and trust the preserve can be maintained as a public resource — not just for its natural beauty, but also as a reminder of a time when the privileged among us left real-life legacies to enjoy, and to remember them for long after they are gone.

Eno Marsh Preserve. (All photos/Scott Smith)

(“06880” covers the waterfront — and every other part of town too. If you enjoy stories like these, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Posted in Environment, History, Transportation

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November 22, 1963

Posted on November 22, 2025 | 51 comments

Today is November 22, 2025.

If you were alive on November 22, 1963 — and were over, say, 5 years old — you understand how dramatically, and traumatically, America shifted that day.

If you weren’t, there is no way you can comprehend it.

The murder of President Kennedy was a horrific, galvanizing moment in time. It happened 62 years ago today, but I remember it like it was yesterday.

JFKI was in 5th grade. Since September my friends and I had walked to and from school. We gathered on High Point Road, cut through the Staples High School athletic fields and parking lot, sauntered down North Avenue, walked across open farmland, and arrived at Burr Farms Elementary.

We were like the “Stand By Me” boys: talking about kid stuff, reveling in our independence, figuring out each other and the world, in a world that would soon mightily change.

Minutes before school ended that beautiful Friday, the teacher from next door burst into our room. “Kennedy got killed!” she yelled. A girl broke into spontaneous applause. Her father was a leading Republican in town.

Our teacher slapped her face.

Usually, our teacher wished us a happy weekend. That day the bell rang, and we just left. No one knew how to interpret her reaction. We’d never seen a teacher hit a student before.

Then again, we’d never heard of our president being murdered.

JFK NYT

As my friends and I gathered for our ritual walk home, we suddenly had Something Big to talk about. For the first time in our lives, we discussed news. We had no details, but already we sensed that the world we knew would never be the same.

That vague feeling was confirmed the moment we walked down the exit road, into the Staples parking lot. School had been out for an hour, but clots of students huddled around cars, listening to radios. Girls sobbed — boys, too. Their arms were wrapped around each other, literally clinging together for support. I’d never seen one teenager cry. Now there were dozens.

At home, I turned on the television. Black-and-white images mirrored the scene at Staples a few minutes earlier. Newscasters struggled to contain their emotions; men and women interviewed in the street could not.

The president was dead. Now it was true. I saw it on TV.

Walter Cronkite on CBS, announcing the death of President Kennedy.

My best friend, Glenn, slept over that night. The television was on constantly. The longer I watched, the more devastated I became.

John F. Kennedy was the first president I knew. My father had taken me to a campaign rally in Bridgeport 3 years earlier. I could not articulate it then, but I admired JFK’s energy, was inspired by his youthfulness, and vowed to grow up and (like him) make a difference.

Now he was dead.

Bill Mauldin captured the grief of a nation.

Bill Mauldin captured the grief of a nation.

Saturday was rainy and blustery. I watched more TV. Like most Americans, I was obsessed by this unfolding tragedy. Like them too I had no idea that the impact of that weekend would remain, seared in my brain and heart, more than 6 decades later.

Sunday was the first day I cried. The raw emotions of all the adults around — in the streets of Westport, and on the television screen — finally overwhelmed me. I cried for the dead president, my fallen hero; for his widow and children; for everyone else who looked so sad and vulnerable.

Then — right after noon — Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald. Once again I sat transfixed by the TV. I was stunned, and scared.

Monday was a brilliant fall day. President Kennedy was laid to rest under a crisp, cloudless sky. The unforgettably moving ceremony was watched by virtually everyone in the world with access to a television.

To my everlasting regret, I did not see it live. Glenn said we could not sit inside on a day off from school. Rather than risk being called a nerd (or whatever word we used in 1963), I chose playing touch football at Staples over watching history. I was in 5th grade. What did I know?

The coffin, at Arlington National Cemetery.

The coffin, at Arlington National Cemetery.

The next day we went back to school. The Staples parking lot looked exactly as it had before that fateful Friday. Our teacher never said a word about slapping the girl who cheered President Kennedy’s assassination.

Thanksgiving arrived on schedule 2 days later. At our dinner — like every other table in America — the adults tried to steer the conversation away from the awful events that had consumed us for nearly a week.

Life Magazine coverIn the days and months to come — as the country slowly, painfully, pulled itself out of its collective, overwhelming grief — I devoured everything about President Kennedy I could find. I saved Life, Look, Saturday Evening Post. I ordered the Warren Commission report. Like so many others I still have it all, somewhere.

In the years that followed, my admiration for the young, slain president grew, then ebbed. But it never died. He remained my political hero: the first president I ever knew, cared about, was mesmerized by, and mourned.

When President Kennedy was killed, journalist Mary McGrory said, “We’ll never laugh again.” Daniel Patrick Moynihan — who worked for JFK — replied, “Mary, we will laugh again. But we will never be young again.”

Sixty-two years ago this morning, I was a young 5th grader without a care in the world.

Walking home that afternoon, I could never not care again.

51 Comments

Posted in History, Looking back, Politics

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[OPINION] A Semiquincentennial Flagpole For Westport

Posted on November 15, 2025 | 23 comments

Long-time Westporter Scott Smith sees things the rest of us miss. Today, he sees the need for a flagpole. Scott writes:

This month, we honor our veterans and assess election results.

I hope it is not too early to turn our attention to an upcoming landmark event in our nation’s history. I’m talking about the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, to be celebrated on July 4, 2026.

Even in this divisive political time, I like to think that the one thing all Americans can rally around is the flag of the United States.

So here’s the idea: Let’s celebrate the semiquincentennial by erecting a tall new flagpole at the most prominent, historic spot in Westport — by the cannons at Compo Beach.

An iconic spot for a new flagpole? (Photo/Tim Woodruff)

There are 2 flagpoles at Compo. One is set inland among trees at the entrance, with a smaller flag at the lifeguard station along the boardwalk. Both strike me as underwhelming.

One current Compo Beach flagpole …

Given that it’s hard to see these flags from any distance, wouldn’t it be swell if the town had a great big American flag, and Westport’s too, for all to see?

,,, and another.

A new flagpole off Cedar Point would complement the cannons, while serving as a navigational aid and eye-catching marker for meetups. As an old analog guy, and longtime boater and kayaker, I’ve long sought out fluttering flags to gauge wind and weather.

Flying the town’s “Minute Man” flag in addition to Old Glory would also be a fine way to salute the brave patriots who battled the British after their landing at Compo in April 1777, then fought the Redcoats again after their return from destroying the colonial depot in Danbury.

As it happens, the town may already have a flagpole on standby. On a trip to the yard waste dump on Bayberry Lane this summer, I noticed a sizable metal pole rusting away in a weedy back corner of the lot. Perhaps it can be refurbished and returned to service.

Flagpole at the yard waste station. (Photos/Scott Smith unless otherwise noted)

What say we run this idea up the proverbial — and perhaps literal — flagpole with Westport’s new first selectman Kevin Christie?

Then we can all have something to salute at next year’s Independence Day fireworks at Compo Beach.

(The “06880” Opinion page is open to all readers. Send submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com.) 

(If you enjoy opinions, history — or anything else you read on “06880” — don’t forget: We rely on reader support. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)

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Posted in Beach, History

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Veterans Day Address: Staples Senior Honors Values, Sacrifices — And The Humanity Behind Every Uniform

Posted on November 11, 2025 | 7 comments

Gunnar Eklund is a senior at Staples High School. He is president of the debate team. He is also an executive board member of BridgeBuilders, helping organize discussions with the Y’s Men of Westport that foster civic dialogue. Last year he was on the school’s “We the People” team, which placed 8th in the nation. 

Recently, Gunnar worked on Addison Moore’s successful campaign for the Representative Town Meeting (RTM). He has spent his summers as a Camp Mahackeno counselor, and a legal intern. Passionate about public service, he plans to study political science in college, focusing on medical ethics.

This morning, Gunnar represented Westport’s youth at the town’s annual Veterans Day ceremony in Town Hall. In a powerful, insightful speech, Gunnar said:

Thank you for being here today as we come together to honor the veterans of our community. We are here to commemorate the men and women who have served, and who continue to serve, our country with courage, sacrifice, and heart.

My name is Gunnar Eklund, and I’m a 12th grade student at Staples High School. Today I’m honored to share my perspective, speaking on behalf of my generation as we celebrate the veterans among us.

Gunnar Eklund delivers today’s Veterans Day address. 

As students, we grow up learning about wars and battles. In social studies classes we typically discuss dates, history and outcomes: which nation won, which country lost, and what changed.

The common trend is a focus on the military at the macro level. But Veterans Day asks us to look closer, beyond the maps, timelines and textbooks, in order to recognize the individuals who lived those events.

Every single veteran has a story alongside their service. Before we dive into those stories, however, it’s important to pause and think about what service truly means. For my generation, one that has grown up without the draft, service is something we’re still learning to understand.

Gunnar Eklund (center), with veterans and participants in today’s ceremony. The Westport Community band played the national anthem and “Taps”; 1st selectwoman Jen Tooker spoke, and a memorial wreath was laid by VFW and American Legion auxiliaries. 

Service, at its core, is about commitment and honor. When a person joins the military they take an oath. They commit to live and act beyond themselves for the common good of their country, their community, and their family.

The oath is far more than codified words. It’s a promise to uphold values like honor, integrity and duty, even in the face of danger or death.

Service is also a mindset. It’s the willingness to act for something larger than your own comfort. And while many of us may never wear a uniform, the virtue behind the commitment, and mindset of service is something we can all aspire to in our own lives.

To understand what service truly looks like, it helps to hear the stories of those who have lived it. In my family and community, there exist remarkable examples of courage and sacrifice that help bring the idea of service to life.

In my own family, my great0grandfather served under General Patton’s army, which went into France and Belgium, and participated in the Battle of the Bulge in 1944.

Years later my grandfather, Edward Slavin, joined the military during Vietnam, becoming at one point the youngest American drill sergeant, at age 17.

His leadership and dedication left a lasting mark. Over the years he received letters of gratitude from those he had helped, with people writing to tell him that his guidance and courage had saved their lives.

Howard Munce — a World War II Marine platoon sergeant at Guadalcanal, and noted Westport artist — painted this. David Meth has a signed original.

Of the anecdotes my family has shared with me, my favorite remains the story of Perry Watson, a friend of my great-grandfather.

In World War II he was a part of the flash-and-sound unit, locating enemy artillery by performing advanced calculations with sound and light. On one mission, his commander asked him to swim across a river while carrying wires in his mouth to complete a critical measurement.

It was the middle of winter, and the area was under enemy fire. Watson, an honorable man, volunteered for and accomplished the task. But the sounds of bombs detonating above him deafened him for life.

This magazine cover by Westport artist Stevan Dohanos honors residents serving in World War II. It stood at our original Town Hall (now Massi Co). Those servicemembers are now memorialized on a plaque in Veterans Green, across from the current Town Hall.

Stories like these remind us of the incredible cost of service. Behind every medal and every uniform, there are human lives marked by sacrifice and loss. Millions of men and women have given their lives in defense of this country. Their sacrifices are staggering, but rarely do we pause to appreciate them.

In a time as divisive as today, fewer people seem proud to be American.

Patriotism can feel complicated, even controversial. Veterans Day reminds us that pride in this country does not mean agreement with every policy. It’s about honoring the values, liberty and sacrifices that make this nation possible in the first place.

The generations that came before us, including the so-called Greatest Generation, did not serve for applause or personal gain. They served because it was the right thing to do. They understood that safety is not guaranteed. And above all, they honorably faced unimaginable pain and sacrifice without any expectations of reward.

Veterans at last year’s ceremony. (Photo copyright Ted Horowitz)

Today, as we honor our veterans, let us remember that their courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment reminds us of what it means to live beyond ourselves.

If we can carry even a fraction of that dedication in our daily lives, then their legacy lives on.

We must not forget these individuals, and we should all work to preserve their stories. Let us stand with gratitude and resolve as we honor the humanity behind every uniform.

Thank you.

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Posted in History, Staples HS

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Roundup: Startup Pitch, Farmers’ Market Switch …

Posted on November 11, 2025 | 4 comments

If you like “Shark Tank,” you’ll love Westport Start-up’s first-ever Pitch Competition.

Five finalists — out of 77 applicants — will compete for $25,000 in non-dilutive funding November 20 (6 p.m., Westport Library).

The judges — all Westport-based venture capitalists — will evaluate live pitches from early-stage companies that have spent month refining their businesses, through mentorship and coaching, including Start-up Westport, the local public/private partnership of innovators and entrepreneurs.

Those finalists are:

  • Chroma Shield– Medical device technology
  • Mirabelle Medical– Women’s breast health technology
  • Neuro Puffs– Better-for-you snacks
  • Nexa Tax– Tax technology for athletes
  • Wheel Price– Automotive marketplace platform

May the best team win!

(To register to attend, click here.)

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Sure, the leaves are falling. The air is crisper.

But the biggest indication that the seasons are changing is the move of the Westport Farmers’ Market from outdoors on Imperial, to its winter indoor location at Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center (7 Sylvan Lane).

The first date is November 20. Every Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the greenhouses will be filled with fresh, locally sourced produce and prepared foods.

Also on tap: kids’ activities, music, food trucks, and holiday pop-ups.

New this year: Once-a-month Saturday markets, beginning December 6.

In response to community feedback, WFM is also excited to expand the market with the addition of once-per-month Saturday markets (December 6th, January 3, February 7, March 7).

A pre-Thanksgiving market is set for Tuesday, November 25 (the WFM is closed on that holiday). Featured items include fresh produce, meats, desserts, flowers, pet food and more.

Click here to learn more about the Westport Farmers’ Market. Follow them on social media: @westportfarmersmarket.

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How do young Westporters learn the importance of Veterans Day?

By doing what the Cub Scouts of Pack 39 did on Sunday.

Working with Phil Delgado and Patty Kondub of Westport VFW Post 399, 4th grade Webelos Scouts visited Christ & Holy Trinity Cemetery on Kings Highway North. Very carefully, they placed flags at veterans’ graves.

Those flags provide a vivid, patriotic background today, as we honor all the men and women who served.

(Photos/Carlos Capellán)

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Yesterday’s “recanvass” of 3 Representative Town Meeting (RTM) election results — those decided by 20 votes or less — did not change any results.

It did cut Kristin Schneeman’s winning margin for the 4th and final District 9 seat from 3 votes to 2, over Sal Liccione. Both are incumbents.

When it was over, the loser congratulated and embraced the winner. As John Suggs — who was there at Town Hall — notes, “a real class act on Sal’s part!”

Kristin Schneeman and Sal Liccione. (Photo/John Suggs)

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Sustainable Westport takes their mission seriously.

And means much more than just composting, recycling and electric vehicles.

This weekend, the non-profit teams up with the Senior Center and Westport woman’s Club to collect lightly used durable medical equipment, to support Wheel It Forward.

Crutches, canes, wheelchairs, walkers, knee scooters, shower tub seats, toilet risers, new commodes and unopened disposable items can be dropped off at the Woman’s Club (44 Imperial Avenue), on Saturday, November 15 (8 to 10 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.) and Sunday, November 16 (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

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A new documentary about World War II journalist Sigrid Schultz — a longtime Westport resident — is nearing completion.

“Eyes on Evil” chronicles Schultz’s remarkable career covering the rise and fall of Nazi Germany — from the liberated exuberance of Weimar Berlin to Hitler’s ascent and the devastating aftermath.

It includes the years during the war when Schultz returned to the US and settled in Westport, after being injured in a British bombing raid on Berlin. She launched a nationwide lecture tour to warn Americans about the growing threat of Hitler’s regime.

In 1945 she was among a small group of reporters to cover the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp.

The film is directed by Vanessa Johnston, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and former Reuters producer based in Washington. She made several trips to Westport, including an interview with historian John Suggs.

Johnston has just launched a fundraising campaign. Click here for details.

Sigrid Schultz

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Congratulations to the Westport Police Department, and Officer Dominque Carr.

The WPD recently earned a Gold Traffic Safety Award from AAA Northeast. Only 12 police departments in the state received the honor, presented to communities that have implement programs and projects that have an active safety committee, and for efforts in education, engineering and enforcement, along with other statistical measures of success

Carr — a member of the WPD traffic enforcement division — was recognized for his efforts as a “traffic safety leader.”

From left: Officer Dominque Carr, Captain Eric Woods, Lieutenant Sereniti Dobson.

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“The A Chronicles 10-Minute Play Festival” — “bold, funny and fearless short dramas” by 9 playwrights, selected from over 350 submissions — runs for 2 performances on November 19 (2 and 7 p.m., at MoCA\CT).

The A Chronicles stages live theatrical events around reproductive rights —”amplifying voices, disrupting narratives to fuel real conversations.”

Click here for tickets, and more information.

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Composer/pianist Steve Sandberg plays Ellington, Monk, Mingus and Sandberg, blending classical, world music and jazz with exciting improvisation.

On Thursday, he brings his talents to Jazz at the Post (VFW Post 399; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 7).

Sandberg is joined by bassist Michael O’Brien, drummer Jeff Hirshfield, and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall. Click here for tickets, and more information.

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Squirrels are a dime a dozen around here.

But an albino squirrel — like today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature (spotted across the border in Weston — that’s one in 100,000, says photographer Andy Berliner.

(Photo/Andy Berliner)

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And finally … to all the men and women who have served our country, so bravely and so well, for so long:

 

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Posted in Environment, History, Local business, Police

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Our Doughboy

Posted on November 11, 2025 | 14 comments

Today is Veterans Day.

We celebrate November 11 because — 107 years ago today — World War I ended. The armistice took effect at 11 a.m., on 11/11.

Twelve years later — on November 11, 1930 — we dedicated our doughboy statue.

That was 5 years after the town voted to erect a monument to soldiers in “The Great War.”

The commission was offered to Laura Gardin Fraser. Yet her design — showing a bronze relief figure of Victory — did not meet the committee’s approval.

Three years later the Veterans of Foreign War and American Legion raised $10,000. They commissioned J. Clinton Shepherd, an illustrator, sculptor — and pilot — to memorialize a soldier from “the war to end all wars.”

The doughboy statue. (Photo/Amy Schneider)

Six months after Westport’s first-ever Memorial Day parade, the Doughboy was dedicated. But it was not at Veterans Green, across from what is now Town Hall (and was then Bedford Elementary School).

The original site was the grassy median on on the Post Road 2 miles east — across from what is now Pizza Lyfe and One River art school, near the foot of Long Lots Road.

A crowd of 3,000 turned out for the dedication of the 20-ton statue. Governor John H. Trumbull was there, along with hundreds of veterans, and 7 bands. Children pulled ropes to unveil the statue.

Dedication of the Doughboy statue in 1930. This view is looking east.

The doughboy was moved to its present location — one deemed more fitting and dignified  than a Post Road median — in 1986. A formal re-dedication ceremony was held on Memorial Day 1988.

Think of all that today when you head up the hill to Town Hall, across from Veterans Green.

As happens every year, there will be a short but important ceremony. The Westport Community Band plays, at 10:30 a.m.

At the appropriate hour of 11 a.m., speakers will honor all veterans, of all wars.

Veterans Day ceremony, 2024. (Photo copyright Ted Horowitz)

Most will be veterans themselves. One will be Staples High School senior Gunnar Eklund.

All will honor the past, and look to the future.

As you leave, look at the doughboy statue across the way. Think of all the sacrifices that have been made since doughboys fought over 100 years ago, in “the war to end all wars.”

Then head over to VFW Post 399, on Riverside Avenue. They’re hosting a lunch for veterans — and everyone else in town, who wants to salute them.

VFW Post 399.

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Jennings Trail: The Tar Rock Tale

Posted on November 1, 2025 | 12 comments

The other day, “06880” reported on a new Jennings Trail plaque, installed at Burying Hill Beach. It was the first of 4 additions to Westport’s historic markers.

The second Jennings Trail plaque is now in place. It’s on Narrow Rocks Road, at the base of the nearby hill where Tar Rock is located.

What is Tar Rock? On the eve of Ken Burns’ new “American Revolution” series — it premieres November 16, on PBS — Morley Boyd takes us back nearly 250 years. He writes: 

At around 5 p.m. on Friday, April 25, 1777, a dozen British transport ships suddenly appeared just off Compo Beach, in what is now known as Westport.

Accompanying them were 3 heavily armed warships: Swan, Senegal and Halifax.

Robert Penn Lambdin’s 1955 “The British Landing at Cedar Point, April 25, 1777,” painting is part of the Westport Permanent Art Collections.

The Halifax soon broke away to act as a patrol. Continuing up the coast, it arrived at Black Rock harbor in Fairfield, where it spotted a privateer lying at anchor.

Being careful to remain out of range of Black Rock’s deadly “hot shot” cannons — which fired cannonballs that were heated until they were red hot — it effectively blockaded the privateer.  

Meanwhile, back off Compo, the rest of the British fleet, carrying approximately 1,850 soldiers, dropped anchor. The sight of that many sails, and so much firepower, must have been astonishing for local residents. While they could not be sure of the target, they had been expecting the enemy.  

A number of towns in the area had contingency plans in place to address a possible British incursion. This included appointing volunteers to keep watch.

Meanwhile, General George Washington had recently received intelligence that an attack on the Continental Army’s supply depot in Danbury was likely imminent.

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

Stung by recent humiliating defeats at Trenton and Princeton, and desperate for food, tents and other supplies, British General William Howe tasked Major General William Tryon with the task of capturing the Danbury depot. His larger, strategic objective of taking Philadelphia and dividing New England in half could wait.  

As the British fleet made its way up Long Island Sound from New York City, militias from Greenwich, Stamford, Darien and Norwalk closely monitored its progress. They assumed that the British were heading to Danbury.

However, Howe had simultaneously sent what turned out to be a decoy fleet up the Hudson River, making the picture a bit cloudy.

Given that he had attacked Peekskill the previous month, no one on the patriot side was entirely sure what the British objective was at this point.   

Yet things were not going well on the British side either. The British discovered that Greenwich, Stamford, Darien and Norwalk were all equipped with batteries of varying capabilities. 

The British realized that there was only one undefended landing place within reasonable marching distance of Danbury. That’s why their fleet showed up near the mouth of the Saugatuck River, in what is now known as Westport.   

As the invasion force prepared to disembark, it is said that Benjamin Allen — a private in the 14th Company, and a member of the Greens Farms Coast Guard — lit a barrel of pine tar on fire atop a high, rocky outcropping near his house off Compo Road South.

Tar Rock, 1935. The property then belonged to Karl Anderson.

This was a standard form of communication, undoubtedly intended as a general warning. However, the spot that Allen chose for the signal fire was in direct view of the British fleet that had just arrived. They could not have missed the enormous conflagration on the hill in front of them.

Allen must have calculated that his exposed position could come under heavy fire as soon as it was spotted. Thus he reportedly took cover in a cave elsewhere in the rock formation. 

The British most probably did see Allen’s fire. But the Swan and the Senegal were each outfitted with 14 cannons that could fire 6-pound balls capable of shredding enemy ships and causing horrific casualties – if the target was within about 1500 yards. Allen was out of range.

So just after arriving, but before disembarkation began in earnest, the British sent its 1st division forces over to secure Benjamin’s position. They also occupied nearby Compo Hill.

Around 5:30 p.m., after safely securing the high ground, the British began the hours-long process of bringing the troops to the shore. By 11:30 p.m., they set off for Danbury by way Compo Road.  

As the mile-long column of soldiers and artillery moved north, it would have passed by Allen’s house on Compo Road South, which appears to have been located near the intersection of Ferry Lane East.

Tar Rock, 2024. 

Although the British never discovered his secret cave, fate eventually caught up with him. 

On July 18, 1780, while manning the Compo guard house, he and 6 other men were captured when a British sloop with 60 soldiers returned to the area to plunder the homes of patriots.

Allen was taken to New York City, and thrown in the notorious Sugar House prison. Somehow he survived. After 6 months, he was released in a prisoner exchange.

He lived the rest of his life peacefully. On March 27, 1827, at the age of 83, he quietly passed away in his Westport home. He is interred in Lower Greens Farms Burying Ground.  

For a long as anyone can recall, the place where Benjamin Allen lit the signal fire to warn of the British landing in April of 1777 has been known as Tar Rock. 

  

The newest Jennings Trail plaque. (Photos courtesy of Bob Liftig)

(From time to time, “06880” explores Westport’s near-400-year history. If you enjoy these stories — or anything else on our hyper-local blog — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

            

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Who Is Buried At Burying Hill?

Posted on October 23, 2025 | 9 comments

Descendants of the Jennings and Couch families gathered at Burying Hill Beach on Sunday to dedicate one of 4 new monuments extends the Jennings Trail.

What is now named Burying Hill Beach was referred to over 200 years as “The Couch Family Burial Ground/ Couch Burial Hill.” Purchased by Simon Couch around 1660, what he called “his beautiful hill overlooking the sea” was the only burial ground in Green’s Farms, until the West Parish developed its own in 1725.

Couch Burial Hill most likely holds the remains of many colonial settlers, including members of the Jennings, Couch and other local families. All were neighbors and relatives.

Members of the Jennings and Couch families gathered for Sunday’s celebration. (Photo/Emily Jennings)

Francis Andrews, a founder of Hartford, early settler of Fairfield (and Simon Couch’s father -in-law) is also said to be buried there.

The town of Westport acquired the property in 1893, after claiming that the last headstone had gone missing. The name “Couch Burial Hill” was changed to “Burying Hill Beach.” It was the first shoreline park to be designated and approved as a recreation area by the State Legislature.

The Jennings Trail Committee worked for 2 years to research, organize and fund the 4 additional monuments. Jennings Trail Committee chair Peter Jennings joined local historians Morley Boyd, Wendy Crowther, Robert Liftig and Bob Weingarten to complete this first phase of the project.

Peter Jennings and Inez Liftig install the plaque. (Photo/Bob Liftig)

Jennings Trail is a self-guided tour of 2 dozen historic Westport sites, each marked with a plaque. It was conceived in 1974, as part of Westport’s part of the US bicentennial.

The Trail is named for Bessie Jennings, whose family first settled in this area around 1650. She guided 3rd graders along it for many years.

Now under the stewardship of the Westport Historic District Commission, it is maintained — at his own expense — by Peter Jennings, an 11th-generation Westporter and Bessie Jennings’ cousin.

(For more information on Burying Hill Beach, click here.)

(“06880” reports regularly on today’s Westport news — and occasionally looks back. If you enjoy learning about our history, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Pic Of The Day #3067

Posted on September 11, 2025 | 2 comments

Connecticut’s 9/11 Memorial, at Sherwood Island State Park (Photo/Laurie Crouse)

Prior to September 11, 2001 the twin towers of the World Trade Center were visible from Sherwood Island. On that day and for several afterward, smoke from the towers was visible from this location.

The Governor’s office and Office of Emergency Management mobilized to establish a staging area at the park. to support to New York City after the tragedy. It was never used; there was no one to save.

When you face the inscription on the memorial, you are oriented across Long Island Sound to the site of the former World Trade Center.

The inscription reads: “The citizens of Connecticut dedicate this living memorial to the thousands of innocent lives lost on September 11, 2001 and to the families who loved them.”

The memorial was dedicated in September 2002.

153 memorial names, flanking the main memorial stone, were installed and dedicated during ceremonies in September 2003. They honor Connecticut residents, and those with ties to the state, killed on 9/11.

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