First it was National Hall. The handsome brick building on the west side of the Saugatuck River housed — among other things — a bank, newspaper, meeting hall, and (in 1884) the first few months of Horace Staples’ new school.
In the 1900s it became Fairfield Furniture. Painted white, its 3 floors were filled with — you guessed it — sofas, tables and the like.
The roof was filled with something else: a century of bird droppings.
When the Tauck family considered buying it in the late 1980s, that almost became a structural-defect deal-breaker.
But the Taucks persevered. Their painstaking renovation returned it to its original splendor, this time as a boutique hotel and high-end restaurant.
In the years since, the rechristened National Hall has been the site of other restaurants, offices and a real estate firm.
Last week it — well, the top floor window and adjacent molding — was the subject of our Photo Challenge. (Click here to see.)
Fred Cantor, Rick Leonard, Diane Silfen, Andrew Colabella, Molly Alger, Jonathan McClure, Jim Dickenson, Seth Braunstein, Kenny Gilbertie, Jodie Aujla and Clark Thiemann quickly knew the answer.
Most of them are longtime Westporters. All have, I am sure, sat in traffic often, gazing up at that sight: one of our town’s most historic structures.
Speaking of history: Who remembers Ross Perot’s run for president in 1996? (I didn’t; I thought his only attempt was in ’92.)
It lives on in Westport. But where?
(Photo/James R. Morgan)
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