When the Connecticut Department of Transportation clear cut dozens of trees last week along the Sherwood Island Connector, Hillandale Road and West Parish Road — in preparation for next winter’s construction of a new maintenance facility — Westporters realized they had little recourse.
It’s state land. And the state can do what it wants.
Longtime Westporters remember that back in the day, the property that includes what is now Walgreens also belonged to Connecticut.
But it wasn’t DOT property.
It was the State Police.
Troop G barracks. Bonus shot: a Minnybus. (Photo/Clint Vogel)
For decades, Troop G was headquartered there. They occupied a handsome brick building — diagonally across, quite interestingly, from both a gay bar (The Brook) and a strip club (Krazy Vin’s).
Convenient to both I-95 (via the Connector) and the Merritt Parkway (Roseville Road), their sirens sometimes gave local drivers a scare. But — as “staties” — they didn’t care about us. They used our roads to race to more important places.
Today it’s hard to tell a state police car until it’s right behind you, either to pass (phew!) or pull you over (f—!).
But in 1972, this is what we saw headed to the highways, and on them:
(Photo courtesy of Anthony Dohanos)
Troop G moved to Bridgeport in the 1980s. Krazy Vin’s closed later; the Brook followed.
In their places we have a drugstore, pet store and patio store.
And — in a couple of years — a brand new maintenance facility, very visible to everyone who drives by.
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