The recent kerfuffle over the town’s $5.58 million repair of the Sherwood Mill Pond — and the related issue of whether, in return, taxpayers (and others) should have access to adjacent Compo Mill Cove, through now-locked gates — has shined a light on one of the most intriguing spots in Westport.
Which raises another related question: How did that patch of land, between Old Mill Beach and Sherwood Island State Park, come to be inhabited?
John Coleburn knew.
The son of one of 2 brothers who built the first homes on the property, he put his recollections on paper in 1982. Recently, Jim Gallagher — Coleburn’s son-in-law — sent them to “06880.”
More than 40 years ago, Coleburn prefaced his remembrances by sayng they came from family stories he heard during summers on the Cove.
“This narrative is certainly far from factual,” he wrote.
But it is fascinating.
Compo Mill Cove (right) is accessible via 2 pedestrian bridges; underneath them are Sherwood Mill Pond (top) tidal gates. Old Mill Beach and Old Mill houses are at left. (Drone photo/Brandon Malin)
Around 1900, Coleburn said, the Old Mill itself — today a private home on the water, closest to the 2 tidal gates and pedestrian bridges leading to Compo Cove — was occupied by an artist named Neil Mitchell.
A relative named Borden, who lived on Old Mill Beach, disputed the town of Westport’s claim that it owned that beach.
Lengthy litigation — along with fights among Old Mill residents, torn-down fences and burning of property, Coleburn said — eventually wound up at the Connecticut Supreme Court.
The lawsuits found that the Old Mill dated back to 1731, when a Westchester man asked the town of Fairfield (of which Westport was then part) for land, to establish a grist mill. He promised to grind corn and grain in perpetuity — and at no cost — for nearby farmers.
The original Sherwood Mill Pond grist mill.
Ida Coley — John Coleburn’s father — spent part of her childhood at her family’s homestead at the crest of Route 57 in Weston. (The Coley house is now part of the Weston History & Culture Center.)
She was a member of Norfield Congregational Church. The mill had closed by then. Each summer, the church rented it, for a youth camp.
Ida married jeweler Henry Coleburn in 1899. She told him stories about the area where she camped as a child. Henry and his brother Arthur, a doctor, looked at the land. They thought it would be ideal for vacation cottages.
Ownership of the Cove was difficult to trace. A man from as far away as St. Louis may once have had a deed to it.
The Coleburn brothers finally purchased the entire area. Old Mill residents were not pleased. They called them “damn squatters.”
One of the original Coleburn homes is being extensively renovated.
The Coleburns built a summer house around 1903. It was located on Long Island Sound, close to where #46 (the second house on the right) is now.
Another home was soon built next door. The original was moved to its present location: the only one on the left side of the Cove, just over the bridge. (It has since been enlarged.)
John Coleburn remembered it being relocated on skids, by a team of horses.
43 Compo Mill Cove was originally located across the pedestrian path.
There were no bridges. People walked to Compo Cove on the timbers on which the tidal gates were hinged.
Rowboats brought in heavy items like ice for preservation, and kerosene for cooking and lighting.
A Mr. Perry of Hillspoint Road used his horse and wagon to haul even heavier goods like furniture and trunks, crossing the sandbar at low tide.
The Coleburn brothers sold lots on the Cove to their friends “so a congenial group would result,” John Coleburn wrote. The price was $250 per lot.
Dr. Coleburn did not like trespassers. He confronted them with a .45 pistol. Once, he smashed dozens of glass bottles at a spot where “outsiders” sunbathed.
For decades, youngsters have swum near the pedestrian bridges leading to Compo Cove. “Outsiders” were not welcome further.
A psychiatrist named Dr. Diefendorf brought patients to live at his cottage. Believing in “work therapy for the disturbed,” he had them build “the most meticulously groomed tennis court in Westport.”
They also constructed beautiful flower and vegetable gardens, plus stone walks and terraces with rocks they collected on Cockenoe Island, and rowed back — with great difficulty — to the Cove.
John Coleburn’s history of Compo Cove includes information about many other original owners. One was the Raymond family, which came from Buffalo for summers in the early 1920s.
Allen Raymond’s family home has been torn down. (Photo courtesy of Westport Journal)
Their son Allen Raymond became the greatest contributor to Westport in every facet of life — educational, recreational, spiritual — than anyone since the Bedford family.
The most famous resident of Compo Mill Cove contributed unfathomable amounts of time, energy (and money) to the Green’s Farms Congregational Church, and the YMCA. He led the Westport Historical Society into the modern era, and Earthplace to sustainability.
Perhaps his greatest gift was his leadership in the town’s purchase of Longshore — a failing private country club a mile away from his boyhood summer home. He loved that house on the Cove immensely, and lived there with joy for 91 years.
Like generations of residents, he could thank John and Arthur Coleburn for their vision and persistence.
And, perhaps, “squatting” on land whose original ownership may never be known.
(“06880” is where Westport meets the world — and our town’s history meets today’s life. If you enjoy our hyper-local coverage, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Optimum’s outage last night — affecting thousands of customers in the tri-state area — had many Westporters fuming.
And not just at the lack of internet and TV service.
Calls to the company went unanswered.
Some users heard a recording that they were experiencing a “higher than average” volume “due to the COVID pandemic.”
One caller — okay, I — heard the spectacularly unhelpful suggestion to go online, at Optimum.net.
Service has now been restored. Let’s hope their call volume is down too.
Even with everyone stuck at home, because of the pandemic.
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Westporters love our US Postal Service clerks.
From time to time, we give shout-outs to extra-special efforts. Here’s one more, from Karen Como:
“On Friday, Ruben went above and beyond for me.
“I had to return a skirt to a fly-by-night company. He found the smallest (least expensive) envelope. He folded the skirt for me, put it in the envelope, helped me attach the address with his tape, and found me the cheapest way to send it.
“Then he advised me to call my credit card company to report what I feel is a scam.
Hot on the heels of the rescue of 5 kittens from a Post Road East storm drain, comes another animal-saving story.
Once again, the Westport Fire Department and Animal Control played big roles.
Larry Hoy reports: “Yesterday morning, my son Colin Hoy and his girlfriend Zoe spotted 4 little feet hanging from the storm drain grate on Quentin Road, next to Gray’s Creek.
Trapped raccoon …
“They realized the tide would soon rise, and drown the little feller.
“Quick action by Westport’s Bravest freed the little varmint. Then Animal Control came to insure its safety.”
Well done, Colin, Zoe, the WFD and Animal Control!
… and the “grate” rescue. (Photos courtesy of Larry Hoy)
Gabriella S. Izzo died peacefully at her Westport home on Sunday. She was 87.
The native of Ielsi, Campobasso, Italy came to the US with her family in 1947. She was educated in Norwalk, and graduated from cosmetology school. She was a hairdresser in Darien for over 50 years, until her retirement in 2020.
Gabriella was a talented chef, and gave home-grown grape jelly, fresh tomato sauce, homemade sausage, Christmas cookies and Easter pies to family, friends, co-workers and cherished clients.
She honored Ielsi by cooking and baking traditional recipes for special holidays. As a longtime member of Assumption Church, she volunteered for many years. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters until it disbanded.
Gabriella was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, Joseph, and brother Nicholas Testa. She is survived by her daughter Lisa (George) Stanton of Westport, son Joseph (Jennifer) of Wilmington, North Carolina, and daughter Felicia (David) Smith, of Westport; grandchildren Melissa (Edward) Carter, Jeffrey Stanton, and Timothy and Kevin Izzo, and many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours are tomorrow (Wednesday, September 4, 5 to 8 p.m., Harding Funeral Home). A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at Assumption Church at 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 5. Interment will follow at Willowbrook Cemetery.
Condolences may be left online at www.hardingfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Gabriella’s name to Assumption Church.
Gabriella Izzo
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Don’t call them “birdbrains.”
Every spring, for years, birds know to return to the same spot at the Playhouse Condominiums.
There — atop a fire alarm, underneath the protected parking garage — they build their nest.
The mother sits on the eggs. Eventually, they hatch.
They hang out for a couple of months, doing whatever birds do all day.
At night, they sleep.
And next spring, the baby will return to do it all over again.
And finally … as soon as you saw the raccoon rescue story (above), you knew this was coming:
(Some Levitt Pavilion shows are free. Well, ALL “06880” content is. But we couldn’t do this without contributions from readers like you. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
The 17-year-old charged in connection with last September’s carjacking of an Aston Martin from the garage of a Bayberry Lane home would not face a home invasion charge — if he agrees to serve 8 1/2 years in prison.
Assistant State’s Attorney Elizabeth Moran made the offer on Tuesday, at State Superior Court in Stamford. It came “in light of the defendant’s age, behavior while being out on release and lack of adult record.”
The teenager has until October 9 to make a decision. Click here for the full story, on CT Insider.
Footage from a security camera of last September’s carjacking.
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Spotted lanternflies are (ugh!) back.
But we don’t have to just sit back and look at their fascinating and ugly selves.
Joe Schnierlein, Aspetuck Land Trust offers these tips, via the Pennsylvania Department of Forestry:
SQUISH THEM
And when you do so, do it well. One adult can lay about 80 eggs.
REMOVE ALL TREE OF HEAVEN
The Tree of Heaven is also invasive, so you are doing double duty. Click here for information.
WRAP TREES AND BUSHES WITH STICKY TAPE
Wrap tape around a tree or shrub. Lanternflies get stuck as they climb up the plant. Tape made by Catch Master (4 30-foot rolls for about $24 is so sticky that you also need to put screening or mesh about 1/2 to 1 inch over the sticky tape, to keep birds from getting stuck in it.
SPRAY WITH VINEGAR & SOAP, OR VINEGAR ALONE
Reports are that this is effective. however, plants may react to the acidity.
REMOVE THE EGG MASSES
Click here to see the lanternfly’s life cycle. Spotted lanternfly egg masses can be laid on any surface (outdoor furniture, fence posts, etc.).
Spotted lanternflies last year, at Winslow Park. (Photo/Michael Mossman)
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A reader writes:
“The Old Mill neighborhood is fed up with the blue crab industry that has arisen on our pristine beach.
“Participants arrive from New York State around low tide anytime after 5 p.m., when they can park legally on Hillspoint Road adjacent to the two concrete stairways down to the beach.
“They often come in groups of 15 at all hours of darkness, each with a bright LED flashlight fastened to their head. The lights disturb the precious marine ecosystem, and the surrounding neighbors’ sleep.
Old Mill crabbers, with LED lights.
“The crabbers harvested crabs the night the town closed the beaches to swimming as a result of the recent huge rainstorm. This could cause serious illness to unsuspecting consumers at the end of the commercial supply chain.
“Perhaps most disconcerting is the trash left behind each night, next to where they park: beer bottles and cans, plastic bottles, food packaging, wet socks, used rubber gloves, cigarette butts, plastic buckets and more.
Old Mill garbage.
“This is just what we see. Who knows what they are discarding in the water that is hidden.
“The town needs to prohibit overnight parking in this area starting at 5 p.m. to any vehicle without a Westport beach permit, and needs to patrol the Old Mill parking lot after 10 p.m.
“This abuse must stop. Our beaches are not intended to support a commercial industry, especially one unsupervised and unchecked by health officials.”
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Registration for Westport Parks & Recreation Department programs begin online this coming Wednesday (September 4, 9 a.m.).
To prepare: Sign in to your online account. Under “Account Options,” you’ll see your name with a pencil next to the edit button. Select the edit button; then choose the “Contact Info” tab.
Verify that your email address is current; select the save button at the bottom. You will be directed back to the “account options” page.
Under your family name, you will see your family members. Follow the steps below for each family member.
select “manage family members”
choose a name from the list
Under “Family Member Information,” make any necessary changes. Make sure that the grade (if applicable) is correct; hit “Save.”
Go to “Contact Information” to verify your cell/home phone, and provide carrier if interested in receiving text messages. Make sure your email is current. Click “Save.”
If you are not able to log into your online account, do not create another profile. Email recreation@westportct.gov or call 203-341-5152.
Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities — the non-profit that helps children with learning and attention differences reach their full potential — has a new short video.
It tells the story of who the group is, and what they do, while inspiring and comforting parents of kids with LD and ADHD.
The film — which features honorary chair Henry Winkler – was created by Westporter Robert Steven Williams.
All interviews wee conducted at the Southport School. Click below to watch:
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Storyfest — the Westport Library’s 7th annual genre-spanning literary festival (and the largest in Connecticut), celebrating all forms of storytelling — is just 3 weeks away.
Earthplace calls this a “wonder-‘fall'” time of year.
The environmental and educational center welcomes September with live performances, foraging and wildlife programs, a community volunteer clean-up day, a “Harvest Homecoming” including a nature walk, canoe paddle, family campfire, after-school activities and more.
Yesterday, “06880” reported that the longtime resident/TEAM Westport chair/Westport Country Playhouse board member will be honored — with his wife Bernicestine McLeod Bailey — at the WCP gala with Kristin Chenoweth and Mary-Mitchell Campbell on Saturday, September 14.
The previous week — on September 6 ( 2 p.m.) — Bailey will be featured at the Senior Center, through their “This is Your Life” project.
A collaboration with The Legacy Project USA, it’s an up-close-and-personal look at the lives of friends and neighbors, both well known and quiet — before and during their time here.
Rozanne Gates, co-owner of The Legacy Project, will moderate the event. The public is invited.
Harold Bailey Jr.
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Hummingbirds don’t usually fly too quickly to be photographed.
But this one hung around in Marvin Frimmer’s yard long enough to be captured — photographically, of course — for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
And finally … today is National College Colors Day. We’ll celebrate with 3 of the greatest college fight songs in the history of athletics.
Feel free to disagree.
(Here’s one thing no one has to fight over: support for “06880.” We all agree: This is where Westport meets the world. To support our work, please click here. Thank you!)
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