Last week’s photo of Boccanfuso’s gas station next to Mansion Clam House (later Parker Mansion) brought plenty of comments, and many memories.
Plus 3 photos, from Patricia Driscoll.
She writes that before it was a beloved seafood restaurant, the Mansion building was …
… a mattress factory.
Her great-aunt Elizabeth Ball worked there. Other relatives may have too.
Patricia says Elizabeth was born in 1894. She was quite young when she started at the factory. This photo is from around 1910:
Patricia also sent a photo of her great-aunt and grandmother at a Westport school. They were between 6 and 8 years old, she says; she does not know exactly when it was taken, or where.
There appear to be 29 students in one class — and clearly all were not in the same grade.
Patricia’s third photo is of another relative, Thomas Ball, in his Post Road jewelry store:
“06880” readers: If you know anything about the mattress factory, school or jewelry store in these photos, click “Comments” below.
(Every Friday, “06880” offers a look at back at old Westport. Today, we ask for your support — so we can continue our work into the future. Please click here to donate. Thank you!)
Westport’s 2 budgets — $136,287,710 for the Board of Education (plus $7.7 million in debt service), and $81,932,340 for other town operations — were approved unanimously last night by the Board of Finance.
They now head to the Representative Town Meeting for final approval.
For a detailed look at the 2023-24 budget numbers approved by the Board of Finance on Thursday, click here and here.
Where our money goes …
… and the town operations (non-education) portion of it.
One team’s fans will drive 2 miles. The other will drive 80.
But Staples High School’s boys basketball supporters will be out in force Sunday, when the Wreckers take on St. Bernard’s-Uncasville at the Mohegan Sun arena, in the state Division II basketball championship game.
Tipoff is 6:15 p.m. (March 19). The game can be heard on WWPT-FM (90.3) and wwptfm.org. You can watch it on the proprietary Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) website, but must subscribe ($11.99 a month; cancel anytime) — click here for details.
Staples is going for their first Connecticut boys hoops crown since 1937. No wonder plenty of Westporters will make the trip to the casino/arena.
And … if you missed Wednesday night’s astonishing comeback — down by 18 points in the 4th quarter, they beat Fairfield Warde in overtime — no problem. Click below for the entire, did-they-just-do-that?! game.
Last night marked the official launch for Startup Westport.
Tech and other entrepreneurs gathered at the Westport Library, to discuss ways of making Westport a “special, suburban center of an ecosystem of tech people and investors.”
Click here for details of this public/private partnership.
Leading the way at last night’s Startup Westport kickoff (from left): Matt Gorin, Sam Hendel, Jay Norris, 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, Stefano Pacifico, Peter Propp.
Staples High School junior Tucker Peters (right) was at the Startup Westport event, to soak up ideas. He met Jay Norris, a co-founder and Westport Library trustee.
================================================
Also last night:
The actual porch at The Porch at Christie’s rocked, as owners Bill and Andrea Pecoriello hosted over 100 Club 203 members for a St. Patrick’s Day Eve bash.
The event included Irish dancing, bagpiping, green-themed food and desserts, a “lucky rock project” from MoCA Westport, and boundless energy from many volunteers.
Club 203 is the local organization for adults with disabilities. Click here for their website.
Club 203’s St. Patrick’s Day party, at The Porch. (Photo courtesy of Stacie Curran)
And one more from last night. Doris Ghitelman writes:
Yesterday around 6:18 p.m., a SpaceX Falcon 9 streaked across Westport. The mission was Stronger Together, for Capella Space. They sent 2 satellites into low earth orbit (Leo).
She sent this photo …
(Photo/Doris Ghitelman)
… and says: “The white streak is the contrail. If you expand the image you will actually see the black SpaceX rocket.”
Did you miss Wednesday’s State Legislature hearing on HB 6890 — the “Live Work Ride: An Act Concerning Qualifying Transit-Oriented Communities” bill that proposes withholding, withdrawing, and possibly clawing back discretionary state infrastructure funding from communities that fail to adopt regulations permitting greater density, with limited parking and a prescribed affordability component, around transit?
No problem! Just click below.
Be sure to allow some time, though. The hearing was 6 hours long.
Kids love the Grinch, Horton, Cat-in-the-Hat. Dr. Seuss had it right: Let kids be kids.
Which is one reason Bedford Acting Group director Ryan Smith chose “Seussical Jr.” as this spring’s 6th grade production.
He’s created a safe, inclusive environment, helping young performers find and nurture skills.
It’s a BMS community effort. Parents are designing fish, while each ensemble member crafts their own props, to suit their personality.
The set was designed by Joe DeTullio — who does that stuff professionally for “Saturday Night Live.”
“Seussical Jr.” will be performed March 24 (7 p.m.), March 25 (3 and 7 p.m.), and March 26 (3 p.m.).
Families with young kids can purchase an add-on ticket to enjoy a Saturday matinee pre-show soirée (March 25, 2 p.m.), with a character meet-and-greet, crafts, sweets and more.
Yesterday was an important one for caregivers — and the kids they care for.
Cultural Care au pairs visited Westport Fire Department headquarters. The fire marshal’s office taught them how to keep their host children safe — and gave them fire safety takeaways, to bring home and share with their families.
Westport Fire Department officials, with au pairs and their children.
There’s nothing better for a sweet tooth than Rice Krispies treats.
Unless they’re topped with candy.
Westport moms Melissa Rutstein and Rachel Dymond combined their passions for food, entertainment and fun. The result is SugarKrisp: a “sushi-themed candy company.”
SugarKrisp treats
Both women moved to Westport in 2020. A mutual friend got them together. The rest is confectionary history.
SugarKrisp has quickly become a local favorite. They’ve also partnered with a number of non-profits and schools, offering auction items to raise money. Sweet!
Follow them on Instagram @SugarKrispco.
SugarKrisp founders Melissa Rutstein and Rachel Dymond.
Weston EMS celebrates their 60th anniversary on March 25, at Rolling Hills Country Club. The event includes 2 auctions: silent and live.
And the silent auction is already, well, live.
There are items from Don Memo, Earth Animal, NEST, Gabriele’s Italian Steakhouse, Nômade, Bridgewater Chocolate, Bartlett Tree Experts and Karen Callan Jewelry, along with golf at top-ranked clubs and more.
Over 70 prizes Fairfield County artists, rounds of golf at top-ranked golf clubs, local Fairfield County retail favorites and many great lifestyle items.
Click here to bid on silent auction items (and buy raffle tickets). Both are open through March 25.
Click here for tickets to the gala. Questions? Email gala@westonems.com.
Westport Animal Control officer Peter Reid joined Westport Animal Control “guest” Parker in matching green plaid sweatshirts on a day when everyone – including canines– is Irish.
Parker is just one of several dogs available for adoption. Click here to learn more.
Exactly one year ago yesterday, Julian’s closed its Saugatuck location.
Two months from now, the Riverside Avenue spot will reopen — again as a pizza-and-more place.
The new owner is familiar: Parker Mansion, the restaurant next door.
Manager Kevin Conte told “06880” yesterday that the 2 operations will be separate.
At the 2016 Slice of Saugatuck, the line to sample Julian’s pizza ran past Parker Mansion.
The new place — still unnamed – will serve beer and wine, and frozen yogurt and/or Italian ice cream.
While primarily takeout, tables will be set up in front, and possibly on the side.
Conte also plans tables in back, by the dock area. Diners from the pizza restaurant — and Parker Mansion — can eat back there, enjoying the beautiful river view.
Okay, not a living one. This one’s a much larger sculpture.
For some reason, it’s located next to the Parker Mansion (former Mansion Clam House) outdoor dining area.
Diane Silfen, John D. McCarthy, Sue Iseman, Andrew Colabella, Christine Utter, Joelle Malec, Elizabeth Devoll, Peter Barlow, Susan Miller and Richard Santalesa all knew where to find it. (Click here for the photo.)
But no one has yet explained why it’s there. Or for how long. Or who created it. Or any other bit of back story.
If you know anything about this very cool seahorse, click “Comments” below.
Click “Comments” too if you know where in Westport you’d find this week’s Photo Challenge.
(Of course it’s the Rotary International symbol. But which particular local project does this honor? That’s the question!)
In the incessant — but very important — debate over the future of the William F. Cribari Bridge, references are often made to the previous renovation, about 30 years ago.
At that time, a temporary span was constructed just north of the permanent one.
It took out a small gas station next to Mansion Clam House (now Parker Mansion). But it was — surprisingly — graceful, efficient, even loved.
Many Westporters wondered: Why don’t we just keep it?
It was a good question. And alert “06880” reader Ken Bernhard, who remembers it fondly, has another one: Was it made of wood?
If you know — or if you have any other memories of the Brigadoon-like Saugatuck River bridge — click “Comments” below.
Click here to help support “06880” via credit card or PayPal. Any amount is welcome, appreciated — and tax-deductible! Reader contributions keep this blog going. (Alternate methods: Please send a check to “06880”: PO Box 744, Westport, CT 06881. Or use Venmo: @blog06880. Or Zelle: dwoog@optonline.net. Thanks!)
GET THE “06880” APP
The “06880” app (search for it on the Apple or Android store) is the easiest way to get “06880.” Choose notifications: whenever a new post is published, or once or twice a day. Click here for details.
