Category Archives: Photo Challenge

Photo Challenge #190

Posted on August 19, 2018 | 13 comments

Westport is chock full of kayaks.

They’re stacked at Compo Beach, Longshore Sailing School, Downunder, and docks and driveways all around town.

But the kayaks in last week’s Photo Challenge were some of the most visible. They’re stored at Schlaet’s Point — specifically, in the little private park (supposedly) for Bluewater Hill residents only, next to the house at 259 Hillspoint Road with the massive stone wall and 3-flag pole.

We all pass by them often. But only Matt Murray, Rich Stein, Joelle Harris Malec and Sarah Hock knew exactly where they were. Kayak kudos to you! (Click here to see Amy Schneider’s shot.)

Here is this week’s Photo Challenge:

(Photo/Bob Mitchell)

If the location rings a bell, click “Comments” below. And if you’ve got the back story to it, let us know too.

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Posted in Beach, Photo Challenge

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Photo Challenge #189

Posted on August 12, 2018 | 8 comments

With a primary election coming up this Tuesday, I thought I was pretty clever with last week’s photo challenge.

Grover Fitch’s photos showed a bumper sticker for Lowell Weicker, and one for his A Connecticut Party party.

No, he’s not running for governor. But the bumper stickers are still around from 1990, when he won as an independent candidate. Today, the 1-term governor is best known for instituting a state income tax. (Click here for the photo, and more background info.)

Either everyone was away this week, hardly anyone has ever noticed the bumper stickers, or people just want to forget about Lowell Weicker. Only Alan Puklin knew where they are: on the back of a traffic sign on Cross Highway, on your left just past Roseville Road as you head east to North Avenue.

So it’s a toss-up: Bumper stickers may hang around as long as plastic straws and water bottles. They’re probably even more dangerous to your health.

This week’s photo challenge comes from Amy Schneider.  We’ve all seen these multi-colored kayaks: but where?

(Photos/Amy Schneider)

If you think you know, click “Comments” below.

 

8 Comments

Posted in Photo Challenge, Politics

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Photo Challenge #188

Posted on August 5, 2018 | 18 comments

There were many ways to describe last week’s photo challenge.

Lauren Schiller’s shot showed a few windows, and beige and tan structures.

Some “06880” readers described them as storefronts on the Post Road, across from Bank of America. Some mentioned current tenants, like Arogya. Others placed them “down the street from old Westport Bank & Trust” (now Patagonia), “between Urban Outfitters and Nefaire Spa,” and where B&G Army Navy and Chroma card store used to be.

All are somewhat correct. Congrats to Fred Cantor, Seth Goltzer, Suzanne Raboy and Bobbie Herman.

But the folks who really nailed it — that’s you Matt Murray, Elaine Marino, Jonathan McClure, Joelle Harris Malec and Michael Calise — knew that the image actually shows the backs of those stores (117-131 Post Road East, as Elaine accurately points out).

The view is from Church Lane — in front of Bedford Square.

The buildings are architecturally undistinguished. Sometimes they fade into the landscape.

But you can’t hide anything from alert “06880” readers. (Click here for the photo, and all guesses.)

Meanwhile, with Democratic and Republican primaries coming this month, now is a good time for an election-related photo challenge:

Photo challenge 2 - Grover Fitch

(Photos/Grover Fitch)

Sure, it’s been 28 years since Lowell Weicker ran for governor (and won) as a candidate of the independent A Connecticut Party.

He’s remembered best for implementing a state income tax — a much-criticized measure that nonetheless earned him the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation’s Profiles in Courage award for taking an unpopular stand, then holding firm.

The state tax is still with us. So is this sign. Where in Westport is it?

If you know, click “Comments” below. And if you have any memories of Governor Weicker, send those along too!

 

18 Comments

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Photo Challenge, Politics

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Photo Challenge #187

Posted on July 29, 2018 | 12 comments

George Washington was born in 1732. Two hundred years later, Westport celebrated the bicentennial of his birth.

Nearly 100 years after that, he’s created a mini-controversy.

A couple of months ago, Jeff Manchester and his son were out riding bikes. They stopped at the little grass triangle at the intersection of Kings Highway North and Old Hill — across from the Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church cemetery — and discovered a plaque. Dedicated in 1932, it marked the 200th anniversary of our first president’s birth.

The image Jeff sent was last week’s photo challenge. Tom Ryan, Bob Grant and Jill Turner-Odice quickly got the answer.

But Elaine Marino and Bob Weingarten disagreed. They said the plaque can be found at Christ & Holy Trinity Church itself, on Myrtle Avenue.

Elaine offered proof: a 1959 Westport Town Crier article:

According to tradition, George Washington, while en route from Philadelphia to Boston to take command of the Continental Army, stopped at the old Disbrow Inn, which then stood on the present site of the church; he stood underneath the elm which grew before the door of the Inn as he drank from the water of the well close by. This tradition (which is well substantiated by subsequent historical research) marked the old elm as Westport’s oldest and most historic landmark. When the parish was established in 1860, the old tavern was demolished to make way for the church, but the tree was carefully preserved.

During the Washington Bi-Centennial Celebration in 1932, the Compo Hill Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution placed their bronze plaque at the base of the tree.

The plaque Jeff and his son saw on Kings Highway doesn’t indicate who placed it there.

Nor does the one at Christ & Holy Trinity Church. Elaine headed there on Tuesday, and sent a photo.

The plaque is more weather-beaten than its cemetery counterpart. It says: “George Washington stopped for refreshments at this tavern, June 28, 1775.” It also has the bicentennial dates: “1732-1932.”

Too bad we can’t ask George Washington about the 2 plaques. He’d never tell a lie.

(Click here to see the plaque photo; scroll down for comments.)

Here’s this week’s photo challenge. It has nothing to do with George Washington. And there is no controversy over where it is.

(Photo/Lauren Schiller)

If you know the answer, click “Comments” below.

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Posted in History, Photo Challenge

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Photo Challenge #186

Posted on July 22, 2018 | 11 comments

Last Sunday — when many folks were either at the downtown Fine Arts Festival, Library Book Sale, beach, or otherwise enjoying the delights of a Westport summer — a dozen quickly responded to our “06880” photo challenge.

They knew that Bob Weingarten’s image showed another local gem.

Well, sort of.

His shot of a small white lighthouse-type structure is visible to anyone who looks east over the Saugatuck River, from Riverside Avenue. (Click here for the photo, and all guesses.)

In fact, it was described variously as across from Rive Bistro restaurant, the VFW, a medical office complex and the Saugatuck Rowing Club. Lots of people see it, from lots of different places.

Only Valerie Port, though, described it by where it is, not what it’s across from. She said it’s at “the end of Oak Ridge Park” — a private road off Imperial Avenue.

Kudos to Valerie, plus Jana Moorman, Bobbie Herman, Diane Silfen, Ralph Balducci, Jay Tormey, Sylvia Robinson Corrigan, Mary Ann Batsell, Jonathan McClure, Seth Braunstein, Amy Schneider and Peter Tulupman, for answering correctly.

And thanks for taking time out of such a beautiful day to do so.

Meanwhile, on another gorgeous day, Jeff Manchester and his son were out on a bike ride. They came upon this plaque:

(Photo/Jeff Manchester)

It probably was a momentous occasion, in 1932. In the intervening 86 years though, most Westporters have forgotten it exists.

If you know where you’d find this, click “Comments” below.

 

11 Comments

Posted in Photo Challenge, Saugatuck

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Photo Challenge #185

Posted on July 15, 2018 | 19 comments

Just when you think there’s no more open space in Westport — along comes last week’s Photo Challenge.

Chip Stephens’ shot showed an old-school tree fort, in the woods. (Click here to see.) Guesses included Winslow Park, Earthplace and Camp Mahackeno. 

Good ideas, all. But the scene was actually the Children’s Natural Playground at the Leonard Schine Preserve, off Weston Road near Bridgewater’s complex.

Kristin Schneeman, Stan Skowronski and Jonathan McClure knew the answer. But overall, there were not many guesses.  I guess too many people were outside, enjoying one of the most beautiful days of the year.

Perhaps they were at the Leonard Schine Preserve. It’s one of Westport’s hidden gems — literally and figuratively. Click here for details. But if you go, bring repellent — then check for deer ticks.

They don’t call it the “Natural Playground” for nothing.

Here’s this week’s Photo Challenge. If you know where in Westport you’d find it, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Bob Weingarten)

19 Comments

Posted in Children, Environment, Photo Challenge

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Photo Challenge #184

Posted on July 8, 2018 | 11 comments

“06880” readers circled around last week’s Photo Challenge.

Some thought Patricia McMahon’s image of 3 concrete pillars — framed by ivy — came from Compo Beach. (Click here for the photo.)

Others figured Burying Hill Beach or Cockenoe Island.

In fact, it was the former Positano’s. Before that, the restaurant was Cafe de la Plage (and others).

Always, it’s been on Hillspoint Road between Old Mill and Compo.

Elaine Marino finally got the right answer, at 9 p.m. Sunday. She added: “I presume they were put there to prevent patrons from parking on the grass behind Positano’s.”

I presume plenty of people will look for those pillars on their next beach walk.

This week’s Photo Challenge shows a spot many Westporters know. Others have never heard of it.

It’s well worth a visit. If you know where you’d go to see it, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Chip Stephens)

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Posted in Beach, Photo Challenge

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Photo Challenge #183

Posted on July 1, 2018 | 13 comments

Westport still has a 1-room schoolhouse.

It’s not used anymore — but Marguerite Webb’s photo of a handsome part of the old building was last week’s Photo Challenge.

The school is Adams Academy, on North Morningside Drive. Madison Malin, Jacques Voris and Mary Palmieri Gai were the “06880” readers who identified it.

The town of Westport now owns the Greek Revival structure, which has official historic designation.

As well it should. From 1837 to 1867, the magnificently named Ebenezer Adams ran an eponymous coed prep school there. During his tenure, 637 students graduated. None were refused admission to college.

In 1868, Adams sold his academy and its 1-acre property to the Green’s Farms Association. They operated the school — less successfully — for the next 14 years.

A bank foreclosed the mortgage in 1882. Wealthy Long Lots resident Robert Martin bought it. The West Long Lots school district operated it as a public school until 1898.

It later became the home of grades 1-3, for the consolidated West Long Lots, East Long Lots and Green’s Farms districts.

The academy was abandoned in 1917, shortly before Greens Farms Elementary  School opened on South Morningside.

It’s been used as a town park, a home for the needy, offices for the town guidance department, and headquarters for the Westport Historical Society.

Now restored, it is one of our town’s most hidden — and historic — treasures.

(Click here for last week’s Photo Challenge. Thank you, Woody Klein, for that background information. To learn more about Adams Academy, click here.)

Patricia McMahon provides this week’s Photo Challenge. It’s a gorgeous image, and very intriguing.

(Photo/Patricia McMahon)

If you know where in Westport you’d find this, click “Comments” below.

 

13 Comments

Posted in Education, Looking back, Photo Challenge

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Photo Challenge #182

Posted on June 24, 2018 | 8 comments

Last week’s photo challenge was perfect.

Ken Palumbo’s image showed a quirky bit of Westport. Everyone has passed by it. Almost no one notices it. It’s literally hidden in plain sight.

The photo drew a few quick guesses — close and plausible. But wrong.

Then Lynn Untermeyer Miller, Joelle Harris Malec, Tammy Barry and Kiri Woods all checked in with the right answer.

The shot showed a weird little figure hunched behind the large marble globe at the entrance to Longshore.

You can’t see it from South Compo Road.

Yet it’s visible to every golfer, jogger or walker, though. There’s one on the other side of the entrance too.

How many of us have ever looked?

Here’s a larger — and uncropped — photo:

The view from the Longshore entrance road, looking toward South Compo. (Photo/Ken Palumbo)

The little figures — they’re actually “foo dogs” (aka “Chinese guardian lions” are  true wonders of Westport. If you know the story “behind” them, click “Comments” below.

Click “Comments” too if you know where in Westport you’d see this week’s photo challenge. HINT: This is also a place many of us pass by regularly. Do you recognize it here?

(Photo/Marguerite Webb)

8 Comments

Posted in Longshore, Photo Challenge

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Photo Challenge #180

Posted on June 10, 2018 | 22 comments

When I posted last week’s photo challenge, I thought it was pretty easy. Everyone knows the Mediterranean-style windows on the old Positano — the former restaurant on Old Mill Beach — right?

Wrong!

The 2nd person to comment guessed it was the now-closed Acqua and Boca restaurants, in the back of Parker Harding Plaza. So did another person, a few minutes later.

Hey, they are similar.

But Fred Cantor, Andrew Colabella, Matt Murray, David Sampson, Tom Siebrasse, Christopher Buckley, Seth Braunstein, Ed Gerber, Ken Palumbo, Lois Hines, Jim Hood, Patricia McMahon, Amy Schneider, Karen Como, Vanessa Bradford, Martin Gitlin, Sarah Menninger Kit Lee, Tina Torraco, Beau James, Peter Ritchey and Mary Ann Batsell all posted “Positano” (or “Cafe de la Plage,” its long-lived predecessor). (Click here for the photo.)

Sadly, the building may soon be gone. And then we’ll have only memories of it, and the restaurants before it, that gave that neighborhood a bit of a European feel.

Today’s challenge shows beautiful flower boxes. We have many, all around town. But where are these?

If you know, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Susan Iseman)

 

22 Comments

Posted in Beach, Photo Challenge, Restaurants

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