Many Westporters — but probably not enough — know and enjoy Sherwood Island.
Some — but definitely not enough — know that it was Connecticut’s first-ever state park.
The beach and surrounding area was some of the first property the 5 “Bankside Farmers” occupied, when they settled in what was then Fairfield in 1639.
The Native Americans called it Machamux (“The Beautiful Land”). The farmers named part of it Fox Island, because it was shaped like a fox.
In the 1700s the area was renamed Green’s Farms, for one of the founding Bankside families.
The Sherwood family settled on Fox Island, and acquired the nearby gristmill. They shipped kiln-dried cornmeal to the West Indies. Oysters were harvested from the Mill Pond.
An early view of the Sherwood Mill Pond gristmill.
Their Fox Island farm, meanwhile, produced onions and potatoes, which were shipped to New York.
In the 1900s, the state tried to acquire land for the park. Wealthy landowners in the area fought against it.
The first parcel of park land was acquired in 1914. But it took 23 years for the entire park to be assembled, and open to the public.
But why did the early settlers call it “Fox Island”?
Here’s how it looked in 1934 — 3 years before the state park opened — in a fascinating aerial view, found and shared by alert “06880” reader Mary Gai:
Fox Island (now Sherwood Island State Park). Burying Hill Beach is at the right, beyond the brook.
But that raises an important — and probably unasnwerable — question: How did farmers in the 1600s know what it looked like from the air?!
Eight-five years later — in 2019 — both Sherwood Island and Burying Hill had changed.
The state park no longer looked like a fox, as this second aerial image (also discovered by Mary Gai) shows:
Meanwhile, here’s one more bit of trivia: What is the official name of the Sherwood Island State Park beach?
If you know, click “Comments” below.
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The Westport Library has plenty of both. And right now, viny is on display on the main floor, near the reference desk.
The collection ranges from classics like Bob Dylan’s “Blonde on Blonde” and Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon,” to newer releases like Hozier’s “Unreal Unearth” and and Beyonce’s “Renaissance.”
There are over 100 records across 9 genres: rock, pop, R&B, hip hop, jazz, folk, blue:s, country, and local artists (including the Library’s home-grown “Verso Records: Volume 1.”
Patrons can check out up to 3 records at a time, for up to 10 days. For more information on viny collectng, click here.
Also in the Library of Things: 2 Nintendo Switch consoles, plus 50 games like Mario Party, Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pikmin 4, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and more.
Westport Library vinyl and video game collections.
Speaking of music: Jeff Franzel — the Westport native and current Saugatuck Shores resident who played piano for the Hues Corporation (“Rock the Boat”), Les Brown, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Mel Torme and Bob Hope, then wrote hits for Taylor Dayne, the Temptations, NSYNC, Shawn Colvin, Josh Groban, Placido Domingo and Clay Aiken — recently received his first Grammy Award nomination.
It’s for his song “Big Mama-Latto,” in the Best Melodic Rap Song category. (The multi-talented Franzel is a rapper too.)
Earlier this fall he won the Netherlands’ Edison Award — that country’s Grammy equivalent.
Jeff and his wife Joanne went to Amsterdam for the ceremony. (Hat tip: Prill Boyle)
Remarkably, they’re not the only field hockey champs in town.
Yesterday, Greens Farms Academy won captured its first-ever New England prep title. The Dragons edged New Hampton 1-0, in the Class C final at the Ethel Walker School.
Almost as thrilling was the reception home. After getting off I-95, the team received an escort back to GFA by the Westport Police.
Greens Farms Academy: New England field hockey champs!
PS: Congratulations too to senior Grace Almeida. GFA’s all-time leading scorer will play field hockey next year at Brown University.
As audiences laughed, applauded for and loved Staples Players’ production of “Elf,” they had one question: Where was the peppy, great-sounding pit orchestra?
Conductor Lauren Pine and her 16 musicians were nowhere to be seen.
With no room on stage, they played from the band room, down a hallway behind the stage.
Staples High School’s “Elf” pit orchestra, in the band room.
They were hardly out of sight, out of mind. Despite the distance — and thanks to a TV monitor — they did not, um, miss a beat.
The show was particularly meaningful for bassist Larry Perlstein.
Exactly 50 years ago — in 1974 — he was a Staples junior, playing in his first pit for Players’ production of “Oklahoma!”
His daughter Avery is now a junior herself. She runs lights for “Elf,” carrying on the family tradition.
There are still 4 chances to see the show that has the entire town buzzing. performances are set for this Thursday and Friday (November 21 and 22, 7 p.m.), and Saturday (Nofember 23, 2 and 7 p.m.).Click here for tickets. Though some shows may be sold out, tickets are often available at the door.
Robert Haydon Jones, Jr. died peacefully on November 10 in Fairfield. Alice, his wife of 50 years, was at his side. He was 86.
Born in New York City and raised in Westport, he was a graduate of Staples High School, Portsmouth Priory (now Abbey) in Rhode Island.
He left Miami University in Ohio before graduation, when he married Carol Lindblom.
Moving back to Westport, Bob was hired by advertising firm Ogilvy, Benson & Mather. He spent his career on Madison Avenue agencies alongside giants in marketing, advertising, public relations and literary publishing. Malachy McCourt was a good friend, until his death earlier this year.
Bob founded his own shop, Robert Haydon Jones & Associates, in Westport in 1972. He helped create a new genre of customizable, direct-to-customer, targeted-outreach marketing tools.
He crafted “some of the greatest direct marketing strategies ever conceived,” said Denny Hatch, editor of DM News.
A fundraising letter aimed at holding President Nixon to account in 1972 started “Dear Fool.” It broke response records, and became a major fundraising package.
He was passionate about baseball. Generations of young players around Fairfield County still talk about his coaching of their Babe Ruth, travel and Collegiate Summer League teams.
In the 1980s and ’90s he helped revive the Over-18 Westport Advertisers club, which barnstormed throughout New England.
After stepping back from coaching, Bob became a youth and school umpire. He called his last game well past his 80th birthday, finally retiring in 2020.
His family says, “One of Bob’s greatest journeys was forging and maintaining the path to sobriety, a journey for which he was often armed with vats of coffee for his regular meetings. He found great solace in his community, and was always willing to talk to and guide others navigating their own rock bottoms.”
In addition to Alice, Bob is survived by brother Christopher “Kit” of New York and Westport; sisters Jeremy of Philadelphia, Jude Anne of Norwalk, and Pam of Fairfield. He was predeceased by his youngest brother, Jeffrey.
He is also survived by sons Andrew (Francesca Gori-Montanelli), Evan (Margaret Mitchell-Jones), Charles and (Meg), and Robert H. III (Sylvia); stepdaughter Catherine (Sean Beaudoin), and stepsons James Lewis (Noel Casiano) and Tom (Kim), along with 8 grandchildren, 3 step-grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren, spread across 4 continents, along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
His decades-long companion and trusted aide, Henry Glasford of St. Kitts and Bridgeport, who stood by Bob’s side throughout his decline and into his final days, also survives.
A funeral service for Robert Haydon Jones Jr. will be held this Friday (November 22, 10 a.m.), at Assumption Church.
After the service, his wife Alice will host a celebration of life gathering at her Fairfield home.
The family asks that any memorial donations inspired by Bob’s memory be directed to the study and treatment of Prader-Willi Syndrome, a cause to which he and Alice have dedicated decades to supporting themselves on behalf of their son Beau.
Bob Jones
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A dog, low tide, sunset … what could be more natural for our “Westport … Naturally” feature?!
The high school troupe punched way above their weight, thrilling last night’s audience with a Broadway-quality presentation of “Elf: The Musical.”
It’s fresh, funny and festive — a perfect, high-energy and wholesome respite from reality, and a great way to begin the holiday season a couple of weeks early.
The show continues today (Saturday, November 16, 2 and 7 p.m.) and tomorrow (Sunday, November 17, 2 p.m.). There are performances next weekend too, on November 21 and 22 (7 p.m.) and 23 (2 and 7 p.m.).Click here for tickets. Though some shows may be sold out, tickets are often available at the door.
“Elf” cast members take their bows last night. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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The Westport Board of Education hosts a “community conversation” for all residents this Wednesday (November 20, noon to 1:30 p.m., Westport Library).
Any school-related topic can be raised.
Velma Heller — former RTM moderator, and longtime Westport Public School admistrator, will facilitate the event.
31 men and women have just graduated from Westport’s Citizens’ Police Academy.
They spent 8 weeks learning all about the Westport Police Department’s many functions, including criminal investigations, specialty units, forensic science, financial scams, motor vehicle stops, and post-arrest procedures.
They also participated in firearms familiarization, rode with patrol officers, and received “stop the bleed training.”
A buck jumped in, then became trapped for a day inside a half-finished cement foundation. Two members of the Fairfield County Hunt Club horse barn team provided hay bales.
Public Works Department employees and Westport Animal Control officer Peter Reid began assembling a ramp from the bales.
Suddenly, the buck ran at the wall, and jumped out cleanly. “He just needed the right motivation,” Julie Loparo reports on social media.
Deer trapped in foundation. (Photo courtesy of Westport Front Porch, via Facebook)
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Longtime Westporter — and elected (Representative Town Meeting) official — Dick Lowenstein reminds all candidates for office earlier this month: It’s (past) time to remove your lawn signs!
This photo is from yesterday afternoon:
(Photo/Dick Lowenstein)
Today’s weather is perfect to get out, get ’em — and sotre them for the next campaign.
Westoberfest had all the elements of an early fall (okay, last day of summer) celebration on Saturday.
Beer (from 22 breweries) and pumpkin crafts drew perhaps the largest crowd in the 7-year history of the Westport Downtown Association event, to Elm Street and environs.
But plenty else kept them there, including 2 dozen vendors, 6 food trucks, music, and kids’ activities.
Westoberfest has quickly become one of the highlights of the WDA — and entire Westport — calendar.
When Kyle Martino was growing up in Westport, he played pickup soccer with and against much older players — including college stars who had graduated from Staples.
The training worked. Martino went on to become 1999 National High School Player of the Year; MLS Rookie of the Year; a teammate of David Beckham’s on the Los Angeles Galaxy, and an 8-time US men’s national team player.
Martino’s passion for the game continues unabated. He has developed a unique retractable goal that turns any basketball court or blacktop into a small-sided field, and a non profit (Over Under Initiative) to bring soccer to underserved communities.
On Friday Martino was in Westport, discussing his ideas, seeking input and help, and encouraging his home town to be a national leader in the movement back to small-sided soccer, and encouraging informal play by all ages.
He brought some heavy hitters to the meeting at a private home: Cobi Jones, his former Galaxy teammate and the all-time leader in US men’s national team appearances (164), plus Edson Buddle, his longtime friend from New Rochelle who scored over 100 MLS goals.
Dave Briggs was at the meeting. He asked Martino to explain his mission. Click below to listen:
According to Reproductive Equity Now, anti-abortion centers — also called “crisis pregnancy centers” — are “facilities that pretend to be reproductive health clinics, but in reality, exist to dissuade people from accessing abortion care using deceptive advertising, abortion stigma, and medical disinformation.” REN says that in Connecticut, they outnumber “legitimate abortion clinics’ nearly 2 to 1.
On October 16 at MoCA CT, the organization will screen “Preconceived.” The new documentary “exposes anti-abortion centers’ deceptive and dangerous practices.”
There are 2 showings: 10 a.m. (click here for tickets) and 7 p.m. (click here for tickets). The evening event includes light refreshments at 6:30, and a brief post-screening panel with elected officials and providers.
Adam Vengrow gives a shout-out to Billi at the Post Road East Mobil station, across from Playhouse Square.
Adam writes: “I popped a tire yesterday, and couldn’t find where.
I went right tot he best. It was Sunday morning, but Billi stopped what he was doing and fixed us right up. Love them!”
(Photo/Adam Vengrow)
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Visitors can relive the golden age of Weston at The Peter Thorp House on Sunday (September 29, 4 to 7 p.m.).
The Weston History & Culture is hosting a fundraiser, with guided tours of the historic property, a cocktail party in the rose garden, a musical performance, and raffles.
Early bird tickets ($125) include 5 raffle tickets; click here.
The Pantry — the Fairfield market very popular with Westporters — has reopened, following a recent fire.
Owners were buoyed by support from local merchants. Westport’s Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center sent parsley, basil and edible flowers. Harry’s Wine & Liquor offered beer and wine for the clean-up crew. Other businesses helped too, Mary Condon reports.
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The only downside to Saturday’s LobsterFest were the spotted lanternflies covering trees at nearby Compo Beach South Beach.
They landed on a few attendees, who brushed them off, then squished them.
“You hate to do it, because they’re really so pretty,” one festival-goer said.
“But they really are gross.”
And invasive.
Here’s a “Westport … Naturally” photo of a dead lanternfly. It is indeed both pretty and gross.
And finally … songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler died this past week in North Carolina. He was 91. Click here for a full obituary, and click below for his most famous song.
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