For over a century, the Minute Man has stood as Westport’s most beloved symbol. Harry Daniel Webster’s statue was dedicated in June 1910.
But this will make you feel really old: The skirmish it commemorates — the Battle of Compo Hill — took place 133 years before that.
The Minute Man monument in 1912 — 2 years after its dedication.
If you’ve lived in Westport a while, you know at least some of the story behind the monument.
But many new residents may pass by, on the way to the beach, and not give it a second thought.
Or they may think it’s a typical New England nod to some generic Revolutionary War soldier.
There’s much more to our Minute Man than that. On the 248th anniversary of Westport’s most famous battle, here’s the back story.
Twenty-six 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 on April 25, 1777. 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, 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.
Document from the past.
The next time you pass the Minute Man, think about the Battle of Compo Hill. That’s the reason our Minuteman stands guard, facing Compo Road.
Like his fellow patriots 248 years ago, he’s ready to give the Brits his best shot.
The Minuteman statue today.
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There are a number of good historical sources about the Battle of Compo Hill.
One of the most fun, colorful — and detailed — was unearthed by alert reader Deborah Johnson.
She discovered “The Battle of Compo Beach,” a 9-page booklet, written and illustrated by C.M. Owens.
Hand-written, with meticulous lettering, it was published by the Hillspoint PTA. Built as an elementary school in 1960 to educate Westport’s booming school-age population, and open for just over 2 decades, today it’s the Hillspoint Road childcare facility with the domed roof.
The booklet shows the British coming ashore …
The booklet has lasted longer than the school.
Now it’s up to all of us — old-timers and newcomers alike — to keep the memory of the Battle of Compo Hill alive.
… and a description of the march to Danbury. (Courtesy of Deborah Johnson)
(“06880” covers Westport’s present, and past. Please support our work. Click here to contribute — and thank you!)
Todd Suchotliff says: “I flew into Westchester, and the flight path took me right over Westport. I got a great view of Compo — but I was on the wrong side of the plane to see my house in Old Hill.”
It’s a yearly ritual: the Board of Finance cuts funds for the Westport Transit District. And every year, the WTD appeals to the Representative Town Meeting for restoration.
This year, there’s a new twist.
Despite the possible loss of funding for Wheels2U, the WTD is adding new hours and destinations to the curb-to-train station, on-demand commuter shuttle.
In addition to its normal operating hours (5:45 to 10:30 a.m., 4 to 9:30 p.m.), riders will now be able to go from anywhere in Westport to the Senior Center, Farmers’ Market and Jesup Green.
Rides begin at 9 a.m. and last through 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The fare is $2 per ride.
Users should book a ride 20 minutes before they would normally leave for their destination. Once the ride is booked, they will receive an estimated time of arrival, and can track the minivan (like Uber) on the Wheels2U app. Riders must be able to meet the minivan at the curb.
Wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available by request in the app. Riders requiring door-to-door assistance should continue using Westport’s services for the elderly and people with disabilities. Click here for details.
Though excited about the expansion, WTD co-director Peter Gold cautions that
funding for Wheels2U may end June 30. If the RTM does not restore funding, the one-year pilot program will end too.
After the scooter accident off Sylvan Road North this week that sent a teen to the hospital in serious condition, several readers contacted “06880.”
Each described seeing — in some cases almost hitting, or watching someone else hit — scooter drivers.
Scooters are everywhere these days, including the very dangerous Post Road.
What are the laws?
Lieutenant Anthony Prezioso, of the Westport Police Department’s Patrol Division, tells “06880”:
“First, to be considered a scooter the device must not be able to exceed 20 miles per hour.
“Riders must be at least 15 years old. Those under 18 must wear a helmet.
“The law prohibits scooters being ridden on sidewalks, highways and expressways, as well as on streets with speed limits exceeding 20 miles an hour.
“A local ordinance could further dictate how and where these scooters are able to be ridden. We do not currently have such an ordinance on the books in Westport, and therefore are solely regulated by the state law.”
Enforcement is not always easy. In an “06880” story last fall about e-bikes, Prezioso noted that police do not want to make a dangerous situation worse.
Teenagers can panic, and try to flee. Officers must use their best judgment. Sometimes, they’ll simply follow the rider to his destination.
Prezioso adds: “As electric vehicle technology quickly evolves, it will continue to pose challenges to enforcement. It will likely also prompt legislators to better define the classifications of various types of electric bikes, scooters, motorcycle, etc.
“I believe the evolution of these laws will likely be a more city/town ordinance-based approach. We’ve seen the increased presence of electric scooters for rent in major metropolitan areas. In almost every case, the rules for their use are dictated by city ordinance.”
Meanwhile, Prezioso urges residents to attend an e-bike community forum (planned before the most recent accident).
The May 13 event (6:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium) will cover rules and regulations (for riders and motorists), street awareness, and tips and resources for all ages. A Q-and-A session will follow.
Regrettably, one that we can’t do is recreate the aroma of Pepperidge Farm.
For decades the company that created and produced Goldfish and Milanos was headquartered a few yards over the Norwalk border, on US 1 (Westport Avenue).
Norwalk entrance, on Westport Avenue.
Founded on a Fairfield farm (named for a pepperidge tree that grew there) in the 1930s by Margaret Rudkin, who learned how to bake nutritious bread for her severely allergic son, it moved into its modern Norwalk facility in 1947.
Six years later, Pepperidge Farm baked and sold 77,000 loaves a week.
The cookies and other snacks came with time. But it was the bread — freshly baked, delicious, insanely aromatic — that made driving past so memorable, for generations of Westporters.
Also memorable: school field trips to the site. Decades of classes toured the factory, learned all about the business — and went home with free loaves and snacks.
Like so many other things — including the aroma of fresh-baked bread — it did not last forever.
New technology sealed the scent inside. Baking eventually moved elsewhere. Campbell Soup — which bought Pepperidge Farm in 1961 — contracted its Norwalk division.
A modern office now occupies part of the old Pepperidge Farm site. A large apartment complex — 597 Westport Avenue — sits next door.
Today’s Friday Flashback tells a bit of history about a once-ubiquitous presence. A number of Pepperidge Farm executives lived in Westport; so did factory employees. Staples High School students worked there after school or during the summer too.
If only a blog post could go beyond words, and recreate the glorious smells, inside the plant and out on the road beyond …
Pepperidge Farm founder Margaret Rudkin.
(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!)
The Parks & Recreation Department oversees 4 beaches*, 21 parks, and 14 athletic fields.
Each one — from the big boys like Winslow and Baron’s South, to teeny Machamux Park and the often-forgotten Burr Farms fields — has its passionate admirers.
And each one could use a bit (or a lot) of improvement.
Westport’s beaches, parks and athletic fields, displayed on an easel at Town Hall.
Parks & Rec director Erik Barbieri took a first step toward understanding what Westporters want last night. He hosted the first Westport Parks Master Plan Community Workshop, at Town Hall.
Fifty residents heard two 2 consultants — BL Companies and Sports Facilities Advisors — discuss their work. They divided attendees into 2 groups, to provide initial input on what works well, what doesn’t, and what they’d like to see.
Westporters offered a wide range of comments. The consultants listened, asked questions, and took plenty of notes.
Still ahead: stakeholder interviews, an online survey, and workshops.
Nothing was decided last night. It won’t be, for a while.
But Barbieri wants Westporters to have their say. He wants to listen.
*Canal Beach on Saugatuck Shores is the one you may never have heard of.
Parks & Rec Erik Barbieri introduces last night’s Master Plan Community Workshop. (Photos/Dan Woog)
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The Hamlet at Saugatuck has spawned nearly as many meetings as it has opinions.
Monday’s Planning & Zoning Commission meeting (April 28, 6 p.m., Town Hall auditorium) will include a discussion on developer ROAN Ventures’ amended presentation. Public comment will follow.
Also ahead: the Conservation Commission on Wednesday (April 30, 7 p.m., Town Hall auditorium) and Flood & Erosion Control Board (May 6, 7 p.m., Zoom).
To view documents, drawings and other material related to The Hamlet, click here, then scroll down.
Speaking of Saugatuck: VFW Post 399 — located just up Riverside Avenue from the proposed Hamlet project — dedicates its new marina this Sunday (April 27).
The 1:05 p.m. start is a nod to the Westport VFW’s 105th anniversary.
Speaking of which: With dredging of the new dock behind VFW Post 399 completed, those boats have made their last trip on the river.
But a new vessel is on the water. The Army Corps of Engineers has begun gathering data, to help with permits for the upcoming (larger, and government-funded) Saugatuck River dredging project.
So — for a while at least — the temporary Cribari Bridge openings will continue.
Army Corps vessel, passing through the Cribari Bridge. (Hat tip and photo/Robbie Guimond)
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As the Compo Beach playground rebuild nears the finish line, organizers want to make sure that everyone who wants to help, can.
Volunteers can now drop in for as much (or as little) time as they can give, today (Friday) or tomorrow. One hour, 2 — or an entire morning or afternoon — if it works for you, it works for them.
And you don’t have to sign up online (though if you want to, click here). You can just stop by the registration desk at the playground. They’ll put you to work.
“Every set of hands makes a huge difference,” they say. “We’re grateful for any time you can give.”
The new Compo Beach playground nears completion. (Drone photo/RB Benson)
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What do high school students think about their unique identity — shaped by race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and more — and how that identity contributes to Westport’s character?
And how well do they express those fraught, yet important, ideas?
On Monday (6 p.m., Westport Library), the public gets a chance to hear from students themselves. The winners of TEAM Westport’s Teen Diversity Essay Contest will be announced.
They’ll accept their prize checks — and read their essays.
For over a dozen years, the ceremony has offered an inspiring window into the way today’s young people think, and view the world.
And how well they express those views.
If Monday is like many previous years, the answer will be: Very, very well.
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It’s not the biggest issue the Planning & Zoning Commission deals with (see Hamlet story above), but at a recent meeting they voted in favor of extending — for 2 more years — a special permit to allow the continued parking of First Student school buses at Coleytown and Bedford schools.
There seem to be no issues with using those spaces — and more, at the Greens Farms train station. And moving the parking away from Post Road East, behind the Mobil gas station opposite Playhouse Square, used by the previous vendor Dattco, has done wonders for afternoon traffic in that area.
(Photo/Amy Schneider)
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Just added to the Levitt Pavilion summer lineup:
Dark Star Orchestra (July 19). For over 20 years and 3,000 shows, they’ve continued the Grateful Dead’s live concert experience. Each set list is different; each reproduced the legendary band’s style and soundm while offering their own interpretations. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band, with Bhi Bhiman (August 20). Ritter is one of today’s most thought and prolific voices. The New York Times calls him “a linger of serious ideas and high-flown imagery.” Bhiman is also an acclaimed singer/ songwriter. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Westport’s Department of Human Services makes sure that all local families can. Each year at this time, they launch season fundraising efforts.
“In today’s economic climate, affordable childcare — especially in summer — is more than a convenience. It’s a necessity,” says director Elaine Daignault.
“Camp programs ensure children have access to safe, enriching experiencesl while allowing parents to maintain employment and financial stability.”
“Camps offer so much more than supervision,” adds youth and family specialist Annette D’Augelli. “It gives kids the chance to form friendships, build confidence, and create cherished memories in a supportive, structured environment. For parents — especially single-parent households — reliable, affordable care during summer break makes it possible to keep their jobs and put food on the table.”
A second program — the Ceremonies & Celebrations Fund — provides gift cards to income-eligible 8th and 12th grade graduates, so that families can mark important achievements with pride. Donations help purchase a graduation outfit, cover the cost of a celebratory meal, or simply allow families to honor their children’s hard work and milestones with dignity.
Click here to donate online, or mail a check to: Department of Human Services, 110 Myrtle Avenue, Westport, CT 06880. Questions? Call 203-341-1050, or email adaugelli@westportct.gov.
Summer camp is important for youngsters — and their working parents. (Photo/Jaime Bairaktaris)
One of Westport’s most popular traditions, the Minute Man Race — actually, a 10K run, 5K run, 5K walk and kids’ fun run, plus a Kids’ Zone with games and entertainment — returns this Sunday (April 27, Compo Beach, 8 a.m.).
There are prizes for top finishers in each age category, plus food trucks, beer, a DJ, bounce house and more. Beach stickers are not required.
All net proceeds benefit the Westport Young Woman’s League Grants program. Last year, they awarded $65,000 to 9 non-profits doing vital work across Fairfield County.
Speaking of outdoor fun: Westport Softball has drafted a big name to throw out the first pitch, at tomorrow’s opening day (Saturday, 9 a.m., Meyer Field, Compo Road North).
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker will do the honors, inaugurating the season for more than 130 playrs from pre-K through 8th grade.
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Content Studio has become one of Westport’s premier event spaces.
The Westport Downtown Association gathered there yesterday, for a combination social and informational meeting.
A few dozen businesses heard WDA president Maxx Crowley and his staff describe annual events like the Fine Arts Festival, Westoberfest and Holiday Stroll, and learned how — whatever their products or services — they can be part of the downtown community.
Westport Downtown Association president Maxx Crowley, onstage at Content Studio.
The important Australia and New Zealand holiday — honoring military members from those countries who served and died in wars around the world — grew out of the brutal Gallipoli battle, waged in Turkey during World War I.
That campaign is memorialized in one of Australia’s most famous songs. The message is anti-war — but the sacrifice of those soldiers comes through loud and clear.
(From Saugatuck to Australia, “06880” is where Westport meets the world. If you like our hyper-local coverage — and the way we tie it together globally — please click here to supporto us. Thank you!)
Both women moved to Westport in the summer of 2016. They met at a newcomers’ coffee at their kids’ Kings Highway Elementary School.
Megan Lott and Karen Hossain
Driving around their new hometown, they noticed the historical plaque at the Compo Road South/Post Road East traffic island.
It commemorates the April 25, 1777 landing of British troops at Compo Beach. They marched to Danbury, and burned an arsenal there. Three days later, on their way back, they fought a fierce battle with local patriots, on Compo Hill.
The cannons at the beach — installed and dedicated in 1910 — are an iconic reminder of that historic encounter.
(Photo/Wendy Crowther)
The date resonated with the women.
Megan is from New Zealand. Karen (who returned home last August) is Australian. Down Under, April 25 is ANZAC Day.
The acronym stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The holiday — celebrated annually there, honoring the men and women who served and died for their countries — is similar in spirit to Memorial Day and Veterans Day here.
Megan says “it is a deeply emotional and reflective occasion, ingrained in the cultures of both nations.”
ANZAC Day dates back to the bloody World War I Gallipoli campaign in Turkey, when over 8,000 Australians and 2,700 New Zealanders lost their lives. It became a symbol of the bravery, endurance and sacrifice of ANZAC forces.
Battle of Gallipoli
The first ANZAC Day was April 25, 1916, one year after the landing. It has since evolved to a broader remembrance of all military personnel, in all wars.
Dawn services include a minute of silence, the playing of “The Last Post” (a military funeral bugle call, and wreath-laying. Parades feature veterans, current military personnel, and scouting and school groups. Poppies symbolize all who have died.
But ANZAC Day is about much more than remembering soldiers, Megan says. “It’s about national identity and values such as mateship, resilience, and sacrifice. The spirit of the ANZACs — their camaraderie, endurance, and willingness to fight for each other and their countries — has become an essential part of the culture in both nations.”
Living in Westport, Karen and Megan had no dawn services. So early each ANZAC Day they met to remember, together, all those who died, and all those who serve now: Australians, New Zealanders and Americans.
They chose a very appropriate spot: the Compo Beach cannons.
That’s where — on that same April 25, 138 years before Gallipoli — the British landed. And where 4 days later they fled back to their ships, after meeting patriots’ muskets of resistance at nearby Compo Hill.
For Karen, ANZAC Day is particularly poignant. She lost her brother, after 7 tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. An Australian commando, he worked alongside US Special Forces and DEA contingents.
As the sun rose on ANZAC Day in Westport, Karen placed his replica medals on the cannons.
Carefully, next to them, she laid other replica medals: her father’s, from Vietnam.
With little heat — but plenty of enthusiasm — the Board of Selectwomen voted unanimously yesterday to accept the Parks & Recreation Department’s proposal to add 2 portable fire pits to Compo’s South Beach this summer.
The pits — available for use byWestport residents only, for $150 from 4 to 10 p.m. every day except the fireworks and July 4 — are an added amenity, says Parks & Rec director Erik Barbieri. Several area towns already offer them.
Westport’s Police and Fire Departments fully back the proposal. The fire pits will be monitored by Parks & Rec employees, who will be trained in their use. When the beach closes they’ll be extinguished, and moved to a locked site.
For more details on the Compo fire pits, click here.
First run in 2014 to raise money — over $200 million! — for ALS research, it’s resurfaced in 2025 as a fundraiser for Active Minds, a national youth mental health nonprofit.
Since the first bucket was poured on March 31, it’s collected over $300,000.
It swept through Staples High School. Then I got swept up in it.
Dave Briggs — the TV journalist who contributes great video reels to “06880” — nominated me.
On Tuesday (yeah, I waited a day until it got warm), I took the challenge.
And then I passed on the challenge to 3 other Westporters: 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, 2nd Selectwoman Andrea Moore, and Police Chief Foti Koskinas.
I don’t mess around. Check out the video below (or click here):
Representative Town Meeting (RTM) member Andrew Colabella offers a list of spots around town that could use a bit (or a bit more) of tidying up.
They include:
Elaine Road
Greens Farms train station embankment
Greens Farms corridor
Sherwood Island Connector corridor
Merritt Parkway exit 42 Park & Ride
Longshore parking lot F (coastline)
Saugatuck train station parking lot 4
Sipperly Hill Road
Ford Road
Bottom of Clapboard Hill at Greens Farms
Riverside Avenue
Andrew adds: “In addition to these places, anywhere else that needs clean-up is great.
“If you see an area that is unsafe and unreachable due to lack of buffer from the road, or on a blind curve, call the Public Works Department: 203-341-1120.”
Cleaning up Elaine Road (near the Saugatuck River boat launch, animal control headquarters and sewage treatment plant), 2024.
The auction for A Better Chance of Westport’s Dream Event gala (Saturday, April 26, 6:30 p.m.) is live. All funds support the non-profit’s work, offering educational opportunities and more in Westport to teenage boys from underserved communities. Click here.
A few tickets to the event — which includes excellent food and drinks, inspiring speeches from the scholars, and a chance to meet some very cool present and past ABC folks — are still available. Click here to purchase.
The 2021 Staples High School graduate — and within-a-month University of Michigan alum — made his Broadway debut last night in “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.”
Reviews were mixed, for the “prequel” to the hit Netflix series. Among the critics who raved: Emlyn Travis, of Entertainment Weekly: “Immersive, heartfelt, and exhilarating, ‘First Shadow’ is a must-see spectacle for the Stranger Things obsessive as much as it is for the theater aficionado who wants to see the medium pushed to new heights.”
Jamie Mann with his parents, Jill Johnson Mann and Ben Mann, at Tavern on the Green Tuesday night.
Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between April 16 and 23.
A 38-year-old Westport man was charged with voyeurism, after a complaint about a hidden camera placed in a shared bathroom of an apartment. He was released after posting a $50,000 bond.
A 35-year-old Stamford man was charged with failure to respond to a payable violation, after a traffic stop.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Driving while texting: 21 citations
Distracted driving: 4
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 4
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 4
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 4
Failure to renew registration: 4
Speeding: 2
Improper use of markers: 2
Driving while texting (2nd offense): 1
Traveling unreasonably fast: 1
Failure to obey stop sign: 1
Failure to obey traffic control signal: 1
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 1
Yale University Law School professor Paul Kahn’s recent book, “Democracy in Our America,” focuses on what happens when national politics enters a small Connecticut town.
It’s not about Westport — but it could be.
On Tuesday night, the Democratic Women of Westport hosted Kahn at the Westport Woman’s Club.
A full crowd listened intently to his insights. The event included Jeff Wieser and Velma Heller — present and former RTM moderators — and was led by Board of Finance member Allyson Stollenwerck.
Saving democracy, at the Westport Woman’s Club. (Photo/Andrew Colebella)
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The Westport Rotary Club learned all about the Norwalk Art Space on Tuesday.
Duvian Montoya and AnnaDea Chavez spokek about the non-profit, located in a former West Avenue church, which provides free art education to underserved youth.
It also offers free studio space to adult artists, in exchange for teaching classes to youngsters. Last year, there were over 70 classes.
A gourmet café is run by Bill Taibe, of Whelk, Don Memo and Kawa Ni fame.
And finally … in honor of both the new Compo Beach fire pits, and the new/old ice bucket challenge (stories above):
(Compo, cops, Broadway — just another day in Westport. But there’s always something different in our “06880” Roundup. If you like this daily dose of town news, please click here to support us. Thanks!)
To prove it, on May 1 (7 p.m., Town Hall Auditorium), the Historic District Commission and 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker will present 8 Preservation Awards.
The honors go to 7 homeowners, in 2 categories: Rehabilitation, and Ongoing Care & Maintenance.
Most are longtime Westporters, who have spent years preserving their properties all around town. One couple is new to town, but preserved a historic Compo Beach home.
The 8th honoree is the developers and architects who transformed the old Richmondville mill into luxury condos, while preserving the look and feel of the 1800s riverfront building.
The public is invited to the ceremony. And, of course, you can drive past any of the properties, and admire the care (and expense) that’s been lavished on these handsome properties.
2 Weston Road Sarah and Patrick Kennedy Excellence in Ongoing Care and Maintenance
2 Weston Road is a Regency Revival brick structure built in 1938 by Leendert Verkuil, a jeweler and diamond cutter who emigrated from the Netherlands in the 1920s. Sarah and Patrick Kennedy have lovingly cared for their home for 40 years.
The main block is 2 stories, square with a hip roof. The 3-bay façade has an asymmetrically located entry portico, with delicate iron verticals and a metal pagoda hood. Fenestration consists of 8-over-12 and 8-over-8 double-hung sash windows, with operable shutters and shutter dogs.
To the right of the main volume is a 1 1/2-section with a chimney, and a covered patio. To the left, the garage steps down, to read from the front as a single story element, with concealed lower level garage bays entered from the side. The upper level of the garage volume contains an apartment, with 2 front-facing oculus windows.
10 Prospect Road Ronald Mele & Noele Jordan Mele Excellence in Ongoing Care and Maintenance
10 Prospect Roady is a large, asymmetrical, 2-story Colonial Revival. It incorporates an earlier structure that is estimated to have built at the end of the 19th century.
The property — the western part of the former Charles Wakeman parcel — was acquired in 1906 by New York State Supreme Court Judge Josiah T. Maren.
The grounds were developed, in partnership with John Harding, into a gracious and formally landscaped estate that they named Daybreak. Marean and Harding were famous for the dahlias they developed.
Ronald and Noele Mele have been stewards of this property for over 3 decades.
35 Clinton Avenue Adam Federman & Maria Luvera Excellent in Ongoing Care and Maintenance
The circa 1850 Fillow-Sniffen House at 35 Clinton Avenue is both architecturally and historically significant, due to its association with the Fillow Flower Company — a florist that flourished on the property through the mid-20th century.
The house may have been built by Samuel Morehouse when he acquired the 11-acre parcel from the estate of Edson Morehouse. It passed through to Mary Banks, who married James Fillow (founder of Fillow Flower). The Fillows patented the Fillow large blossom pansy.
The well proportioned 5-bay Greek Revival house is one of the best examples of its type in Westport.
The basic mass with central chimney is indicative of the late-Georgian period. The central entrance is sheltered by a boldly proportioned fluted column portico. with full entablature.
The rear 1 ½-story ell appears to be original, but the southern additions were built in the 20th century. The house is very well preserved.
41 Richmondville Avenue Sam Gault/Gault Family Companies & Joe Feinleib/Coastal Luxury Homes Adaptive Reuse
This is The Mill — the new amenity-filled condo complex, in a famed former (yes) mill.
The Richmondville Manufacturing Company was incorporated by Lewis Raymond and David Richmond in 1817.
They manufactured cotton and wool at the factory on the east bank of the Saugatuck River until 1844, when John Dryden leased the building. He started Lees Manufacturing, which produced cotton batting, twine and carpet warp.
Successive generations of Leeses managed the company until it closed in 1954. In the late 1950’s Nat Greenberg and Leo Nevas purchased the property. It was used as studios by many local artists.
Several years ago the building was acquired by Sam Gault and Joe Feinleib, to convert it into luxury residences. The adaptive reuse project was shepherded by a team that included architects Bruce Beinfield, MaryBeth Woods, Phil Cerrone and Philip Hazan, landscape architect Bill Kenny, and Rick Redniss.
The main building consists of multiple blocks, each with different build dates and a variety of materials. Its distinctive features are the segmental arched windows trimmed with double rows of brick headers and finished with faceted stone sills, and first floor windows with massive stone lintels. The large, squared openings on the east side — former loading bays -– have been retrofitted with multi-pane window sash.
48-50 Treadwell Avenue Sharon and Samuel Carpenter Rehabilitation Award
48-50 Treadwell Avenue (the Fannie Brundage House) is named after the woman who acquired part of the Treadwell Farm property at the corner of Kings Highway South in 1904.
The foursquare structure was built in 1912. It is distinguished by its exceedingly deep roof overhang, and a dormer with a roofline and cornice treatment that echoes the detailing of the main roof.
It was remodeled in 2023, adding a covered porch, garage and new stone patio. The barn was rebuilt, maintaining much of its original aesthetic. It is now an accessory dwelling unit.
Sam Carpenter and Sharon O’Shea, who are honored for the renovation of this house and barn, earlier restored their home at 42 Myrtle Avenue.
78 Clinton Avenue Mark Jacobs Excellence in Ongoing Care and Maintenance
The John and Adelaide Nichols Baker House was designed by Minerva Parker Nichols — the first woman in the US to practice architecture independently — for her daughter Adelaide.
Built around 1927, it incorporates elements of the Tudor Revival style that was popular in affluent American suburbs in the early 20th century.
The 1 1/2 -story residence with an ell-shaped floor plan includes a front gable rectangular main block; an ell extending to the west with a gabled roof ridge that runs perpendicular to that on the main block, and several small porches.
Notable features include a gabled entry porch supported by hewn timer posts, beams, and braces. Other decorative elements include wood shingles in the gable peaks and dormers, which contrast with the predominant wall material of fieldstone.
Mark Jacobs has spent over 20 years caring for this home.
112 Easton Road Matthew Rush, Jr. Preservation Award
Built in 1853, the Aaron Adams/Ralphy Boyer House was built for Aaron Burr Adams, who managed a cotton mill for his father.
It is a modestly detailed but well-proportioned 4-bay, 1 1/2-story shingled house with an entrance door with a 20th century, Colonial Revival pilastered surround.
In 1923, artist Ralph Boyer and his wife Rebecca moved from New York to Westport. They purchased 112 Easton Road from Clive Weed. Their neighbors included well-known artists such as Kerr Ebys, Oscar and Lila Howard, and James and Laura Frazer.
Ralph Boyer is best known for his engravings of fish and outdoor subjects and murals, including the series that hangs in the central Westport fire station. His studio is set on the hill south of the main house.
208 Compo Road South Juan Sanchez & Rebecca Fadden Rehabilitation
208 Compo Road South was built for Platt Bennett, a member of one of the early families to settle in the area. It is one of several Bennett houses on Compo Road South.
The well-preserved Federal style building was beautifully restored and expanded in 2024 by Elayne and Rachel Landau of Further Afield. It now combines crisp, new interiors with the unique character of a vintage home, and features original wide-plank floors, fireplace mantels and beams.
Owners Juan Sanchez and Rebecca Fadden are new to Westport. They chose an iconic building, and rehabilitated it thoughtfully.
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