Driftwood at Old Mill Beach (Photo/Patricia McMahon)
Houses at Old Mill. View is from Sherwood Mill Pond, looking toward Old Mill Beach. (Drone photo/John Videler, Videler Photography)
The other day, I posted a photo of my choice for Worst Sign in Westport. The message — “When Flashing School Bus Stopped Ahead” — is both grammatically challenged and bizarre. In Westport, a school bus is always stopped ahead.
I asked “06880” readers to send in their least favorite signs. A wide variety get our goats — and for many different reasons. Here are a few:
(Photo/Eric Bosch)
The Little League diamond on North Compo is not exactly Eric Bosch’s field of dreams. He says:
“There are 64 of these large advertising signs (specifically positioned for maximum road traffic visibility) on Westport town property. I guess the town’s rules aren’t enforced when business ads make money. Get ready to see the political banner-size signs to go up in this space soon.”
(Photo/Chip Stephens)
Chip Stephens does not care for this faded, passive-aggressive sign near Whole Foods near the Norwalk border, “welcoming” drivers to Westport.
(Photo/Brian Porter)
Brian Porter admits that the sign above — at the steps to Old Mill Beach, off Hillspoint Road — may not be the worst. However, it is confusing. “If you ignore one sign, please comply with the other and clean up after Fido,” he writes.
An anonymous contributor sent the image above, from the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge. I agree: You should definitely not park that way, ever.
(Photo/Chris Woods)
For over a decade, this sign — and the accompanying traffic light — near the VFW at the Riverside/Saugatuck/Treadwall Avenue intersection has been Chris Woods’ pet peeve. Chris adds, “The 3-lights-for-2-lanes going the other direction are equally confusing.”
(Photo/JP Vellotti)
JP Vellotti offers this innocuous-looking sign, from a recent Levitt Pavilion show. He explains: “The au pairs all sat together. The woman in charge brought the sign. Funny, because I’ve been in big groups there. We figured out how to sit together without something that looked like a free ad. At least it wasn’t a politician running for office meet-up!”
Thanks for all the submissions. But I still think mine is the worst:
Posted in Beach, Downtown, Saugatuck, Transportation, Westport life
Tagged Levitt Pavilion, Old Mill Beach, Westport signs
The house by the Sherwood Mill Pond footbridge leading to Compo Cove is being raised. You can see the work from Old Mill Beach — and far beyond, at Schlaet’s Point on Hillspoint Road.
It’s an iconic Westport site. Originally a grist mill — destroyed at least once by fire — it has been a private residence since the early 1900s. Like its predecessor, the home straddles the water.
Here’s what it looked like in the early 20th century:
Don Willmott found this postcard — with “Compowe” misspelled — in a box belonging to his father, artist Al Willmott. There’s a note on the back, from “Nina” to “Francine.”
It reads: “Father and I went to Compo Beach today. It was lovely. I wish you could have gone with us. I think this is a pretty card. We had some fine ice cream in Westport.”
Another postcard from the same area and era — this one without any misspellings — comes courtesy of Mark Krosse:
You can’t see the “old mill” that gave the beach and neighborhood its name.
But you can sure tell that the scene is timeless.
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)
Posted in Beach, Photo Challenge, Restaurants
Tagged Old Mill Beach, Positano Restaurant
NOTE: The previous version of this story misstated the listing price. My bad!
“06880” is not in the habit of posting real estate listings.*
But this one — on 0.12 acres, with a listing price of $2.45 million — caught my eye.
One of the last residential construction lots available in Compo Beach … (available) for new home construction or home/office combinational use … Ideally suited for an ultra-modern home with ample room for parking. Ideal for someone looking to build in CT who works in area or even commutes (bus/train shuttle service on doorstep) into NYC via Metro North. Ideal for someone looking to build a wonderful home in a great community…
There was this photo too:
Recognize it?
Neither did I.
That’s because it doesn’t exist. The image is actually an artist’s rendering of what could go there.
So where is this magical lot?
The listing also says:
Property is dual-zoned and owner operated a seasonal business for ,over 20 years … Existing structure has some history within the town and is 1,424 sq. ft. with detached two car garage.
That’s putting it mildly. The existing structure does indeed have “some history with the town.”
It’s 222 Hillspoint Road.
Though you probably know it as Elvira’s.
*It’s probably not a bad idea. It could be a great source of income. Especially if I ask for finder’s fees!
Four water views, from Hillspoint Road:
(Photo/Patricia McMahon)
(Photo/Patricia McMahon)
(Photo/Patricia McMahon)
(Photo/Briana Walegir)
Old Mill at low tide (Photos/Betsy P. Kahn)
The famous pink house across from Elvira’s, on Old Mill Beach … (Photo/Katherine Bruan)
… and around the corner on Compo Cove, there’s this house … (Photo/Betsy P. Kahn)
… and this. (Photo/Betsy P. Kahn)
A drone’s-eye view of Old Mill Beach. Hillspoint Road is at the right; Elvira’s is barely visible in the lower right corner, with the former Positano restaurant diagonally across from it.. (Photo/John Videler Photography)
Click here to help support “06880” via PayPal. Any amount is welcome — and appreciated! Reader contributions keep this blog going. You can also use Venmo (“Dan-Woog-1”). (Alternate method: Please send a check to: Dan Woog, 301 Post Road East, Westport, CT 06880. Thanks!)
