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Welcome to Westport -- a town in lower Fairfield County on the Saugatuck River and Long Island Sound, with a population of approximately 26,000. Westport enjoys a colorful & celebrated maritime history. By the 1800's working sloops and majestic schooners docked along the waterfront and at the foot of National Hall loading onions and other local harvests bound for New York and beyond.
In the 1900's New York commuters swelled its ranks and summer visitors flocked to Westport's picturesque beaches. In 1919, the wooden bathing pavilion at Compo was opened. Bathhouses rented by the hour. The now famous Westport Playhouse officially opened on June 29, 1931 with "Streets of New York". It was a major hit, an event heralded in show business across the country.
All that is quite accurate and yet it hardly begins to describe the magic that is truly "our town". Joanne Woodward, in her foreword to Woody Klein’s book “Westport Connecticut, The Story of a New England Town’s Rise to Prominence”, captures the spirit of this town:
"The one common characteristic that Westporters from all walks of life share is love of community – a special sense of place. Westport is a place where the rich and the famous live side by side with the descendants of the original Yankee farmers – a real patchwork quilt of people. It is eclectic and cosmopolitan; it has unusual beauty, but it is still a small New England town. Settled by farmers and fishermen, diversified by immigrants from many countries, developed by tradesmen and professionals in all fields, enriched by artists, actors, writers and celebrities from around the nation and the world, Westport has become a mecca for those who are traditionally untraditional.”
Today, downtown Westport features charming Main Street with boutiques, antique shops and art galleries overlooking the picturesque Saugatuck River. A short car-ride away and you are at Compo Beach overlooking Long Island Sound or at Longshore enjoying a round of golf; an hour of tennis; taking a swim in the pool; having a boating lesson or drinking a cool beverage on the patio at the Inn at Longshore.
Westport's cultural, literary and art programs are exceptional and extend through all seasons including the wonderful free programs at the Levitt Pavilion in the summer. The spirit of Westport remains with you if you've lived here for years or just visited for a day.
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