Checks too are going the way of the landline and printed newspaper. (And soon, the penny.)
It’s so easy to just tap (or click), and pay.
Bills are grubby. Checks are messy.
But that was not always the case. Look at this handsome relic, from 1853:
(Courtesy of Axl Aparicio)
There’s some great detail here. The paper was sturdy.
And $2 — well, that was real money back then.
Meanwhile, about that Saugatuck Bank: In 1852, Horace Staples — owner of a lumber and hardware business, silk and axe factories, shipping vessels and a thriving pier — founded it.
Two years later he moved it to National Hall — his new building a couple of miles upriver, just across the bridge from a small downtown area overshadowed by the far more dynamic Saugatuck section of Westport.
Eventually, Saugatuck Bank became Westport Bank & Trust (“A hometown bank, in a town of homes”).
It outgrew National Hall — which turned into Fairfield Furniture — and relocated to a pie-slice-shaped building nearby, where Church Lane feeds into the Post Road.
Most recently, that was Patagonia. Soon, it becomes an office for Compass, the real estate firm.
Which sells homes for a lot more than $2.
(Friday Flashback is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. If you enjoy this — or anything else on our website — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
Years ago, the tenant in one of Westport’s most prominent buildings – most recently leased by Patagonia – was Westport Bank & Trust Company. Their motto was “A hometown bank, in a town of homes.”
The next tenant will sell those homes.
Next spring, Compass Westport will move into the red brick space with 20-foot ceilings (87 Post Road East, at the junction of Church Lane). The real estate firm is currently across the Saugatuck River, at 54 Wilton Road.
Their “new” building was built in 1924 — a year after the Westport YMCA (now Anthropologie), a few yards away. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The bank vault downstairs has been repurposed as space for Pink Sumo restaurant, which will remain.
Two large murals by noted artist Robert Lambdin — a handsome backdrop in the bank, and retained by Patagonia — will continue to be displayed.
The Patagonia building has been vacant since Christmas Eve, 2023. The Westport location opened in 2005.
87 Post Road East recently …
… and as Westport Bank & Trust on Christmas Day, 1975. (Photo/Fred Cantor)
Hollywood — and the world — is mourning the death of Robert Redford.
Westport and Weston residents are remembering him as a neighbor. He lived in this area for a while, and visited frequently with his great friend and frequent co-star, Paul Newman.
Twenty years ago, they settled into the Westport Country Playhouse’s red velvet seats, and were filmed for a Sundance Channel documentary, “Iconoclasts.”
Paul Newman and Robert Redford. (Photo courtesy of Westport Country Playhouse)
If you have a local memory of Redford, click “Comments” below.
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They’re all over the place. You can’t ignore them. And there will be more to come.
No, not spotted lanternflies.
Political signs.
What — if any — are the regulations regarding those ubiquitous placards?
Free speech (including political signs) is protected. It is not regulated by zoning — unlike signs advertising businesses and special events (which are regulated).
These general guidelines apply to all temporary signs (including political ones):
No sign may be placed on any public school property without permission from the superintendent’s office.
No sign may be placed within the interior of Compo Beach or Longshore Club Park.
No sign may be placed on Town Hall property.
No sign may be placed on trees or utility poles.
No sign may interfere with traffic visibility.
PS: Do not steal political signs! You may not agree with another candidate, but that’s not cool.
Political — and non-profit — signs from a past election.
“Hot Sauce Hangout” (September 24, 6:30 p.m.; $40): Learn to make your own from farm fresh produce, with music and a nosh.
“Friday Fun for Kids” (September 26, 5 to 6:30 p.m.; $65): Grill and chill cooking class; ages 7-12. After gathering herbs and veggies from the garden: marinated grilled chicken, corn skewers, baked potato bar, and apple fritters.
“Family Fall Beer Garden (October 12, noon to 4 p.m.; $15 adults, kids free; food beverage, crafts available to purchase; proceeds benefit WTF educational programs). Music, lawn games, bubbles, animal encounters, pumpkin crafts and more. Pizza by Tony Napolitano; Food Truck Refinery; gelato from Fatto a Mano; adult beverages from Greens Farms Spirit Shop.
Rach’s Hope — the non-profit honoring the memory of 2015 Staples High School graduate Rachel Doran, which provides nutritious food, lodging, transportation and encouragement to family members when a child is in intensive care — is as active as Rachel herself was.
On Sunday, October 5 (3 p.m., Ned Dimes Marina at Compo Beach), everyone is invited to join the 5th annual “Walk the Extra Mile … For Rach’s Hope” event.
It’s a fun, community-wide beach walk, with live music, a pizza truck, beer and wine, dessert, and special Rach’s Hope swag.
Need more incentive? In celebration of his 84th birthday, Rachel’s grandfather Michael Isenberg completed his pledge to walk 1,000 miles for Rach’s Hope.
He’ll be there. He invites everyone to “walk the extra mile” with him — or come cheer others on.
And finally … on this date in 1630, the city of Boston was founded.
(Whether Westport’s your home — or Boston, or anywhere else — you’re here because you enjoy “06880.” But publishing this blog every day takes work! Please click here to support us. Thank you!)
News anchors smoked on TV. Doctors recommended their favorite brands, in ads.
There were “smoking sections” on planes.
And everywhere, there were matches. After all, those cigarettes didn’t light themselves.
You picked them up at restaurants, stores and banks. They were free — and free marketing for businesses.
Some people collected matchbook covers. Most are long gone.
But not Peggy Lehn’s.
She kept them, all these years. They’re from all over the world.
Recently, she shared them with me. The matchbooks from Daytona, San Francisco and Hong Kong were interesting.
The ones from Westport were much more intriguing.
Some advertised memorable restaurants. There’s a hometown bank, a drugstore — and 3 places that are still around.
Do these memories “light up” your day? Click “Comments” below.
(Friday Flashback is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. If you enjoy this — or anything else on our website — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
Two weeks ago, our Photo Challenge bamboozled nearly every reader. Most thought it showed an American flag flying atop the former Patagonia (and even more former Westport Bank & Trust) building, where the Post Road and Church Lane converge.
But this past Sunday, those erroneous answers were correct. Our most recent Photo Challenge featured the alarm box from the old bank. It’s still there, on the back side, near what is now Pink Sumo restaurant. (Click here to see.)
Fred Cantor, Morley Boyd, Lynn Untermeyer Miller, Andrew Colabella and Jack Backiel all answered correctly.
Here is this week’s Photo Challenge. Click “Comments” below if you know where in Westport you would see Fran Decker’s memorial plaque.
(Photo/Jay Dirnberger)
HINT: It’s not Patagonia/Westport Bank & Trust.
(If you enjoy this regular Sunday feature — or anything else on “06880” — please support our work, with a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
Here’s how tough last week’s Photo Challenge was: Even Andrew Colabella was wrong.
The RTM member and native Westporter — who is almost always the first reader to respond to even the most obscure weekly image — was one of the 11 folks who very quickly and quite assuredly said that the flag flying high above a building with concrete molding was the site (until a couple of weeks ago) of Patagonia.
Many of those 11 also referred to it by its original business: Westport Bank & Trust.
Close — geographically — but nope.
Ed Simek’s photo showed the flag atop the original Westport Library, on the corner of the Post Road and Main Street (now part vacant, part Bond Vet, part Starbucks). Click here to see.
Those first readers were so sure of themselves, I had to call Ed to confirm that it really was the old Library, and not the (now old) Patagonia.
Eventually, Mary Ann Batsell and Seth Braunstein checked in with the right answer.
Phew!
Today, we’ll give you a break. This week’s Photo Challenge should be much easier. If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
And if you don’t know, just ask Andrew Colabella.
(Photo/Seth Schachter)
(Thanks for playing our weekly game. If you enjoy this feature — or anything else on this hyper-local blog — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
When Fred Cantor graduated from Yale University in May of 1975, his parents gave him a 35mm Nikkormat camera. He’d always enjoyed taking photos, with an inexpensive Kodak.
In December he returned to Westport for break, from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
There was a beautiful snowfall. On Christmas Day, Fred knew that downtown would be empty. He’d always enjoyed the “Norman Rockwell-esque” feeling there. He hoped to capture it, without interference.
After 45 years — to the day — parts of downtown look very different. Parts look much the same.
After 45 years too, the photos have faded.
But the memories have not.
Gorham Island. The Victorian house has been replaced by a large office building.
Main Street, without any holiday decorations. Gene Hallowell’s Mobil station is now the site of Vineyard Vines.
The Remarkable Book Shop. For over a decade, it’s been the “vacant Talbots store.”
Westport Bank & Trust is now Patagonia.
Ice on the Saugatuck River still looks the same.
Fairfield Furniture has been transformed into National Hall — the original name for the 1800s building.
The Corner Spirit Shop at the Post Road West/Wilton Road intersection is now the rebuilt home to an architectural firm.
Olivia de Havilland — who died Saturday at 104 — is best known for her many film roles (including “Gone With the Wind”).
But in 1946 — 5 years before her Broadway debut in “Romeo and Juliet” — the already legendary actress appeared in the Westport Country Playhouse production of “What Every Woman Knows.”
As noted on “06880” last year, on the same day she was set to open the show, she married novelist and journalist Marcus Goodrich. The 12:30 p.m. wedding ceremony took place at the Weston home of Armina and Lawrence Langner, Playhouse founders.
For some reason, the poster that week clarified that the star of the show would appear “in person.” (Hat tip: Joey Kaempfer)
Every year, the state chapter of the American Institute of Architects runs a “Connecticut Treasures” contest. Each county is represented by one building; the public votes on its favorite.
This year’s theme is banks — either still functioning or repurposed.
The Fairfield County representative is the former Westport Bank & Trust, smack (and handsome) in the middle of downtown. Today we know it as Patagonia.
The flatiron-type Charles Cutler building dates to 1924. In 2005 it was restored as mixed-use retail space. David Adam Realty saved and refurbished the original exterior, terrazzo flooring, murals, and 4 of the 5 bank vaults.
To see this and the other 7 county entrants (and vote for your favorite), click here. (Hat tip: Jack Franzen)
Patagonia — formerly Westport Bank & Trust.
And finally … we missed Mick Jagger’s 77th birthday yesterday. So here’s belated best wishes. Fun fact: Olivia de Havilland was old enough to be his mother.
Two weeks ago, our Friday Flashback showed the unchanging nature of an important downtown crossroads.
A time traveler from decades ago would have no difficulty today recognizing the Westport Bank & Trust building (though some of the fashions at the present tenant, Patagonia, might surprise her).
Across Church Lane, the transformation of the Westport Weston YMCA into Bedford Square has altered — but not radically changed — the streetscape.
Of course, it did not always look that way.
Here’s a view of Main Street, at what was then called “The Square” (note the horse watering trough in the middle). The building on the right was replaced by the Westport Hotel — which itself was replaced in 1923 by E.T. Bedford’s gift to the town, the YMCA.
(Photo courtesy of Westport Historical Society)
Another view — looking west up the Post Road, toward the Saugatuck River — shows the building on the Main Street corner (on the right) from another angle.
(Photo courtesy of Westport Historical Society)
Check out the trolley. It provided great local transportation, with branches running from downtown to Saugatuck and Compo Beach.
And where was the trolley barn?
Somewhere on Church Lane. So — despite its current unchanging look — that area was indeed different, back in the day.
Last weekend, this section of the Post Road was the site of a large rally protesting gun violence.
In years past, big crowds have gathered here for other events: A 1936 campaign speech by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. An anti-war demonstration in 1969. Welcoming home the Little League World Series heroes of 2013.
Most days though, it’s just the Post Road near Main Street.
(Photo courtesy of Paul Ehrismann)
Besides the cars, traffic light, lampposts on the far right — and the fact that Westport Bank & Trust is now Patagonia — little has changed in the 70 or so years since this photo was taken.
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