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108-512: The Society operates nature education facilities in Fairfield, Milford , Pomfret , Old Lyme , and Sherman , and manages an additional 22 wildlife sanctuaries around the state, protecting over 3,400 acres of open space . The Society uses science and advocacy to help protect the state's birds and their environment. The organization's Environmental Advocacy program is operated in Hartford ,

216-568: A 19-day strike due to deadlocked contract negotiations. A court order, as well as a state law that made strikes by public workers illegal in Connecticut, resulted in 274 teachers being arrested and jailed. In November 1978, a wave of arson passed through the city's East side , with the fire chief calling it as a microcosm of " the Bronx ". The city suffered from overall mismanagement, for which several city officials were convicted, contributing to

324-602: A National Historic Landmark in 1993. Milford, Connecticut Milford is a coastal city in New Haven County, Connecticut , United States, between New Haven and Bridgeport . The population was 50,558 at the 2020 United States Census . The city includes the village of Devon and the borough of Woodmont . Milford is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region and New York metropolitan area . When

432-552: A band of the Paugussett , an Algonquian-speaking Native American people who occupied this area. One of their sacred sites was Golden Hill, which overlooked the harbor and was the location of natural springs and their planting fields. (It has since been blasted through for construction of an expressway .) The Golden Hill Indians were granted a reservation here by the Colony of Connecticut in 1639; it lasted until 1802. (One of

540-493: A city in 1959, the city reformed its system of government by establishing a mayor–board of aldermen format. It elected its first mayor, Charles Iovino, the incumbent city manager under Milford's previous form of government, on November 3, 1959. Since 1959, 12 people have held the office of mayor in the city. Milford Public Schools currently operates eight elementary schools , three middle schools , two high schools , and one alternative education high school. There are also

648-713: A hot dish at a restaurant named Perry's as early as 1929. This festival takes place in and around the Milford Green , near the center of town, as well as in various locations throughout the downtown area, and features a wide variety of events including canoe and kayak races, musical performances, and classic car shows. The Milford Oyster Festival has drawn large musical acts over the years including Joan Jett , The Marshall Tucker Band , John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band , and Soul Asylum . There are also other features such as carnival rides, food stands, crafts, face painting, and even opening your own oyster for

756-416: A large amount of paperwork for town tax collectors, who frequently couldn't find the property owners and received almost no tax revenue from the lots. In the mid-1970s, when the town wanted to develop the area, town officials put an end to the oatmeal lots in a "general foreclosure" that avoided the enormous expense of individual foreclosures by condemning nearly all of the property in one legal filing. One of

864-522: A local dwarf . He soon became part of Barnum's act and a star under the name " General Tom Thumb ". Barnum moved to Bridgeport and built four houses in the city over the course of his life, the first being Iranistan . In 1852, Barnum began an endeavor with William Noble to develop the land (inherited by Noble) on the other side of the Pequonnock River , across the river from Bridgeport to be known as " East Bridgeport " with Washington Park at

972-667: A major junction, the city began to industrialize. The city's first immigrants were Irish Catholics who settled in the Sterling Hill section of the Hollow . Having come to the US to escape the famine , they arrived in town during the 1830s to build the railroad. They mostly lived in wooden four to six family tenements , often subdivided homes. In 1842, showman P.T. Barnum spent a night in Bridgeport, and there met Charles Stratton ,

1080-470: A municipality while simultaneously remaining part of the city of Milford. Every year on the third Saturday in August, Milford celebrates its annual Oyster Festival, which serves as a combination of a typical town fair with a culinary celebration of the town's location on historically shellfish-rich Long Island Sound . According to the "Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink" the lobster roll originated as

1188-528: A native village that extended past the 1650s. It is also an ancient Paugusett burial ground. The burgeoning farming community grew and became a center of trade, shipbuilding, and whaling. The town was incorporated to subsidize the Housatonic Railroad and rapidly industrialized following the rail line's connection to the New York and New Haven railroad. The town was given its name because of

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1296-661: A number of private schools in the city. Milford High School operated for 141 years at the time of its closing in June 1983. It was the first public high school to operate in Milford, beginning in 1842. The former Milford High School building is now the Parson's Government building. St. Gabriel's School opened in 1965; at the time clergy were the primary teachers. By the 2010s there were fewer clergy teachers, and lay teachers were more expensive; in addition fewer parishioners gave money to

1404-754: A pearl. The Milford Cultural Center, operated by the Milford Council for the Arts, offers various events throughout the year. The Firehouse Art Gallery was recently opened in Devon. The beach resort quality of the town lives on, with several rocky beaches, Silver Sands State Park , the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point , Charles Island , two golf courses , and numerous other recreational facilities available for residents and tourists. Since 2011,

1512-500: A proposal in 1995, Las Vegas developer Steve Wynn was to build a large casino , but that project failed due to traffic concerns. The project was opposed as rival Donald Trump feared a Bridgeport casino would harm his Atlantic City properties and proposed to build a theme park and potential casino on the same site. New waves of migrants from places such as Brazil , Jamaica, Vietnam , Laos , Cambodia, Mexico , and other nations arrived in Bridgeport. Immigrants from Brazil, after

1620-414: A reputation for having an industrial character thanks to the factories located right along both sides of Interstate 95, and the city's lack of urban amities and its reputation as a "blue collar" city simply wasn't the image these companies wanted to identify with in order to attract top executives, Bridgeport was being farther from New York City than Stamford or White Plains with no immediate benefits, and

1728-767: A stop became for performances with around 20 theatres. 1922 was the year the elegantly designed Majestic and Poli Palace theatres , were built downtown, along with the Savoy Hotel. The Poli Palace theatre (built by Sylvester Poli ) was the largest theatre in the state of Connecticut, with gilded hand-carved moldings and vaulted ceilings. The Ritz Ballroom was opened in 1923. In 1928, the city bought an 800-acre (320 ha) racetrack and landing field in Lordship to construct Bridgeport Airport . Spanish immigration in 1920 and 1921 brought hundreds of migrants from Spain, particularly from Pedreguer , Valencia , where "practically

1836-411: Is Douglas Edo. Below is a complete listing of all fire station locations and apparatus in the city of Milford. The Milford Fire Department also operates one reserve engine. Engine 8 (Reserve) is located at Semans Lane. The Canteen Unit is operated out of a garage at 3 Charles Street. In 2021 Milford Fire department Removed Tower 1 from service and put in another full time Medic unit (Medic 3) one of

1944-418: Is Keith L Mello Other minor communities and geographic features are Anchor Beach, Bayview Heights, Burwells Beach, Cedar Beach, Downtown Historic District, Ettadore Park, Far View Beach, Forest Heights, Fort Trumbull, Great River, Gulf Beach, Heatherstone, Lexington Green, Merwin's Beach, Merwin's Point, Milford Lawns, Milford Point , Myrtle Beach, Naugatuck Gardens, Point Lookout, Silver Sands Beach, South of

2052-431: Is a list of towns created from parts of Milford. Starting in 1902, Quaker Oats oatmeal boxes came with a coupon redeemable for the legal deed to a tiny lot in Milford. The lots, sometimes as small as 10 feet (3 m) by 10 feet, were carved out of a 15-acre (6.1 ha) tract in a never-built subdivision called "Liberty Park". A small number of children (or their parents), often residents living near Milford, collected

2160-604: Is home to three museums , the University of Bridgeport , Housatonic Community College , Paier College , and part of Sacred Heart University as well as the state's only zoo . Bridgeport is officially nicknamed "Park City", due to its 35 public parks taking up 1,300 acres, including two large ones. Although none are headquartered within the city itself, more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies are based in its metropolitan area , which it shares with Stamford . Bridgeport by various sites has been consistently ranked as among

2268-501: Is in place. In 2017, MGM had announced plans to build a waterfront casino and shopping center in the city, awaiting approval by the state government. If built, the development would have created 2,000 permanent jobs and about 5,779 temporary jobs. After a legal battle with the Mohegan and Pequot tribes on the right to build a casino in Connecticut, the project "appears to be dead", and tenants such as Bridgeport Boatworks now occupy

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2376-570: Is land and 3.9 square miles (10.2 km ), or 15.11%, is water. Milford's Devon neighborhood is located at the mouth of the Housatonic River near Stratford , and features the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center overlooking the estuary . Milford has over 14 miles (23 km) of shoreline facing Long Island Sound , the most of any town in Connecticut. A large portion of Milford's shoreline forms

2484-418: Is protected 24/7, 365 by the 114 paid, full-time firefighters of the city of Milford Fire Department – ISO Class 1. The department currently operates out of four fire stations located throughout the city, under the command of a Battalion Chief and a Shift Commander. The Milford Fire Department is one of only two fire departments in the state of Connecticut to maintain an ISO Class 1 rating. The current Fire Chief

2592-682: The Boston Post Road . One notable small business located on the Boston Post Road during the 1970s was SCELBI Computer Consulting, credited by many as being the world's first personal-computer manufacturer. Starting in 1975, the city began hosting the Milford Oyster Festival , which has since become firmly established as an annual Milford tradition that is held "rain or shine". The city became host to several headquarters of multinational corporations, including

2700-532: The Civil War , the town held several iron foundries and factories manufacturing firearms , metallic cartridges , horse harnesses , locks , and blinds . Wheeler & Wilson 's sewing machines were exported throughout the world. Bridgeport absorbed the West End and the village of Black Rock and its busy harbor in 1870. In 1875, P. T. Barnum was elected mayor of the town, which afterwards served as

2808-632: The First World War , Bridgeport was also producing steam-fitting and heating apparatuses, brass goods, phonographs , typewriters , milling machines, brassieres , and saddles . Brideport's Italian immigrants settled in the " Central End ", today's Little Italy, and the city was the 3rd most Italian in the state by 1910. Their newspapers were the weekly La Tribuna de Connecticut (1906–1908) and later La Sentinella (1920–1948) The West End along Wordin Avenue, known as "Hunktown", grew into one of

2916-620: The Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority , Norwalk Transit District , and Connecticut Transit New Haven are also available. Movies filmed at least in part in Milford include: * Consolidated borough and town Bridgeport, Connecticut Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the fifth-most populous city in New England , with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Located in eastern Fairfield County at

3024-498: The Housatonic River : Fowler Island , just to the south of the Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Bridge , Duck Island , and Nells Island , both near the mouth of the river. In addition to Silver Sands State Park , Milford has five public beaches with lifeguard services for its residents—Gulf Beach, Anchor Beach, Hawley Avenue Beach, Walnut Beach, and Middle Beach—as well as seven private beaches. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 pass through

3132-537: The Klondike . In the post- World War II period, Milford—like many Connecticut towns—underwent significant suburbanization. Interstate 95 was routed through the city, and the Milford section was completed in 1958. The 1960s and 1970s witnessed the construction of the Connecticut Post Mall , one of the state's largest shopping malls, and the extensive commercial development of the town's stretch of

3240-615: The Locomobile Company of America was a prominent early automobile manufacturer , producing a prototype of the Stanley Steamer and various luxury cars . The town was also the center of America's corset production, responsible for 19.9% of the national total, and became the headquarters of Remington Arms following its 1912 merger with the Union Metallic Cartridge Co. Around the time of

3348-641: The Russian tzar for a million rifles and 100 million rounds of ammunition. The construction site was protected by the National Guard to prevent Bolshevik arson. The factory by 1916 employed 16,000 people and led to the construction of " Remington City " in the Mill Hill neighborhood, and " Remington Village " in the East End, by Remington Arms . In the summer of 1915, a series of strikes imposed

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3456-689: The Schick Shaving company, and Doctor's Associates, Inc., owners of the Subway chain of fast-food restaurants. The US operations of BIC were headquartered in Milford, but in March 2008 moved most of its operations to Shelton . Milford Hospital has also developed into an important health care resource for the area. According to the 2010 US census Demographic Profile Data , there were 51,271 people living in 21,017 housing units of which 13,534 were counted as family households. The population density

3564-494: The Silver Sands State Park . A newly built 3/4 mile boardwalk was opened in 2011 that connects Silver Sands to Walnut Beach in Devon. Charles Island is also a part of the park and is a protected bird nesting ground. There is a sandbar (called a tombolo since it is perpendicular, not parallel to the coast) accessible during low tide that people can walk on from Silver Sands Beach to Charles Island. However,

3672-708: The eight-hour day on the town's factories; rather than moving business elsewhere, the success spread the eight-hour day throughout the Northeast . Due to housing shortages in many US cities during World War I, the federal government created the US Housing Corporation . This resulted in 7 USHC housing developments being built in Bridgeport, notably Seaside Village in the South End and Black Rock Gardens in Black Rock . By this point, Remington Arms

3780-682: The 117-unit Citytrust bank building on Main Street. The recession halted, at least temporarily, two major mixed-use projects including a $ 1-billion waterfront development at Steel Point, but other redevelopment projects have proceeded, such as the condominium conversion project in Bijou Square. In 2009, the City Council under Mayor Finch approved a new master plan for development, designed both to promote redevelopment in selected areas and to protect existing residential neighborhoods. The plan

3888-527: The 12-story 855 Main Street (People's Savings Bank building), and 18-floor Park City Plaza , (State National Bank building) built 1972. The plan for three identical towers never materialized, due to the Oil Crisis and corporate vacancies. Bridgeport was largely bypassed by the New York City companies fleeing Manhattan for suburban Fairfield County locations for various reasons; the city developed

3996-682: The 1760s. The area officially became known as Stratfield in 1695 or 1701, due to its location between the already existing towns of Strat ford and Fair field . During the American Revolution , Newfield Harbor was a center of privateering . By the time of the State of Connecticut 's ratification of the Articles of Confederation in 1781, many of the local farmers held shares in vessels trading at Newfield Harbor or had begun trading in their own name. Newfield initially expanded around

4104-451: The 25 most ethnically and culturally diverse American cities. Bridgeport was inhabited by the Paugussett native American tribe during the start of European colonization . The earliest European communal settlement was in the historical Stratfield district , along US Route 1 , known in colonial times as the King's Highway. Close by, Mount Grove Cemetery was laid out on what was

4212-535: The 52-acre (21 ha) State Street redevelopment project, demolishing 52 acres of State Street, clearing the land for development. Replaced with modern high-rise office buildings, parking, the Route 8/25 expressway towards Waterbury and Newtown , and a shopping mall at its core. Large parts of Main Street were demolished in what was called the Congress Street Renewal project, nothing was built on

4320-589: The Bridgeport Steamship Company (1824) and Bridgeport Whaling Company (1833) had been incorporated and the Housatonic Railroad chartered (1836). The HRRC ran upstate along the Housatonic Valley , connecting with Massachusetts 's Berkshire Railroad at the state line. Bridgeport was chartered as Connecticut's fifth city in 1836 in order to enable the town council to secure funding (ultimately $ 150,000) to provide to

4428-563: The Cuban population continued to decrease. "There has been a big shift in ethnic groups. Just look at the restaurants that have opened in the last few years—Mexican, Brazilian, Chilean and Jamaican." an interviewee, local chamber of council president Paul Timpanelli stated in 2000 according to the Connecticut Post . In 1999, city-owned Sikorsky Memorial Airport ceased its commercial regional flight offerings. In 2003, Mayor Ganim

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4536-510: The English first encountered the territory, the Paugusset (an Algonquian-speaking tribe) predominated. English colonists affiliated with the contemporary New Haven Colony purchased land which today comprises Milford, Orange , and West Haven on February 1, 1639, from Ansantawae, chief of the local Paugusset. They knew the area as Wepawaug, named for the small river which runs through

4644-591: The Green, Wheelers Farms. Some of these communities have access to public and/or private beaches. †: Denotes that the community is chartered by Special Act of the Connecticut General Assembly and have been granted some of the powers normally held only by a municipality including taxing authority. ‡: The Borough of Woodmont is chartered by Special Act of the Connecticut General Assembly as a municipality and has been granted all statutory powers of

4752-588: The HRRC and ensure that it would terminate in Bridgeport. The Naugatuck Railroad —connecting Bridgeport to Waterbury and Winsted along the Naugatuck River —was chartered in 1845 and began operation four years later. The same year, the New York and New Haven Railroad began operation, connecting Bridgeport to New York and the other towns along the north shore of the Long Island Sound . Now

4860-710: The Pequannock River then Newfield. It was assumed before the Revolution that this land would grow into a city. "Bridgeport grew up without a plan, or in spite of one". In 1800, the village became the Borough of Bridgeport, the first so incorporated in the state. It was named for the Newfield or Lottery Bridge across the Pequonnock, connecting the wharves on its east and west banks. Bridgeport Bank

4968-555: The State of Connecticut through science-based education and advocacy. The Society's first sanctuary was created in 1914 in Fairfield through the donation of 10 acres of land by philanthropist Annie Burr Jennings, daughter of Oliver Burr Jennings . This property was the first-of-its-kind songbird refuge in the nation, and the museum at this sanctuary was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and designated

5076-614: The Walnut Beach Concert Series has taken place under the pavilion at Walnut Beach . It features a different band playing every Sunday afternoon during the summer. Top employers in Milford according to the town's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report According to the United States Census Bureau , Milford, including the borough of Woodmont, has a total area of 26.1 square miles (67.7 km ), of which 22.2 square miles (57.4 km )

5184-794: The West End. In 1894, Bridgeport's Slavic immigrants played a major role in the development of the Orthodox Christian faith in America when they met with Fr Alexis Toth (now Saint Alexis) and founded Holy Ghost Russian Orthodox Church in the city's Eastside. This parish became the mother church of all Orthodox Churches in New England. From 1870 to 1910, Bridgeport became the largest industrial center in Connecticut; its population rose from around 25,000 to over 100,000, including thousands of Irish , Slovaks , Hungarians , Germans , English , and Italian immigrants . Jewish migration to

5292-402: The age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04. (In Milford the population was 22.4% under

5400-404: The age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.) As of the 2000 census, the median income for a household was $ 61,183. The per capita income was $ 28,773. About 2.4% of families and 3.8% of

5508-565: The center. The new neighborhood had homes, commerce, and factories, centered around East Main Street . The neighborhood eventually became the East Side of Bridgeport (occasionally spelled "Eastside"). In 1863, during the Civil War , the Bridgeport Standard ran a series of articles encouraging the creation of a public park in the city. This led wealthy residents P.T. Barnum , William Noble and Nathaniel Wheeler to purchase

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5616-405: The church. By 2016 the school's budget was $ 111,709 in deficit. In 2008–2009 it had a peak enrollment of 219. In 2014 there was concern expressed about the school's survival expressed in the community, and in 2016 enrollment was down to 139, with 22 being in special education. The school directors chose to close the school in June 2016; the archdiocese did not order the closure. The city of Milford

5724-638: The city began in the 1881, with an influx of Polish , Russian , and especially Hungarian Jews calling Bridgeport home. Bridgeport Jew Edwin Land grew up to invent the Polaroid . In 1905, Bridgeport was already "the largest industrial center in the state, $ 49,381,348 was invested in manufacturing and the products being valued at $ 44,586,519." The city was a port of entry with its imports being valued at around $ 656,271 in 1908. The Singer factory joined Wheeler & Wilson in producing sewing machines and

5832-535: The city filed for bankruptcy protection but was declared solvent by a federal court. Later that same year, Mayor Mary C. Moran lost the election to Joseph Ganim , at 33 years old, the youngest person to hold that office. and under him the city was able to begin redevelopment with the construction of the Arena at Harbor Yard and the Ballpark at Harbor Yard . Bridgeport made numerous efforts at revitalization. In

5940-559: The city was $ 38,560. Government in the city is set up with the mayor as chief executive and the Board of Aldermen as a legislative body. The mayor is permitted to propose legislation to the Board of Aldermen and introduces the city budget, but possesses no veto power over what the Aldermen chooses to pass. The following is a list of city government positions elected by city residents and the terms thereof: After becoming incorporated as

6048-754: The city was packed, and a crowd formed outside, as well. Lincoln received a standing ovation before taking the 9:07 pm train that night back to Manhattan. A plaque marks the site where Lincoln spoke; later that year, he was elected president. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke three times at the Klein Auditorium during the 1960s, as well as at the University of Bridgeport and the original Central High School (today Bridgeport City Hall )., as well as in Bridgeport City Hall. Additionally, President George W. Bush spoke before

6156-411: The city's population exploded from 102,054 to 143,555, due to the city's role in the First World War. Bridgeport had the largest factory in the world at the time, the new Remington Arms plant on Boston Avenue (on the East Side). Built in 1915, it had 13 separate buildings, each of them 5 stories, connected by a long corridor half a mile long. The purpose of the building was to fulfil a company order from

6264-434: The city's population stabilize at 143,555 after the war. The Roaring Twenties brought more leisure and entertainment. In 1919, the city of Bridgeport bought Pleaseure Beach (also known as Steepchase Island) for $ 220,000. Pleasure Beach was an amusement park and beach on an island in the East End next to Stratford . In 1920, the city parks commissioner began the process of creating a zoo in Beardsley Park . Bridgeport

6372-462: The city's population, or 15,000 people, the largest Puerto Rican population in Connecticut, and they would continue to grow. Groups such as the local Young Lords branch organized themselves on East Main Street , leading to activism to advance the Puerto Rican community with increased access to health care, better housing, food and an end to poverty and police brutality. As cities across the country were renovating their central business district after

6480-460: The city. Laotians refugees settled in the West End opening businesses Bridgeport's Mexican population grew gradually, from 24 people counted in 1970, 599 people in 1990, to 2,687 by the 2000 census, becoming at that point the second largest Latino group in the city behind the city's Puerto Ricans (31,117 people), surpassing the Cuban population. Likewise, the population from other Central and South American nations continued to increase while

6588-425: The coasting trade with Boston , New York , and Baltimore and the international trade with the West Indies . The commercial activity of the village was clustered around the wharves on the west bank of the Pequonnock, while the churches were erected inland on Broad Street. In 1787, the Fairfield County Court ordered the laying out and widening of what is now State Street and Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, along

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6696-410: The company became part of the International Silver Company in 1898. (The H&E brand continued well into the 1950s and was advertised in national magazines such as LIFE and Ladies' Home Journal .) Hungarian immigrants began to arrive, which led to the Ráckόczi Hungarian Aid Association in Bridgeport in 1887 and the American Hungarian Immigrant Aid Society in 1892. They established themselves in

6804-464: The construction of a big box retailer in 2013, along with other stores, shops, and a lighthouse with a marina and oyster bar). The plan for high-end mixed use apartments is in place, although concerns about gentrification have been raised. A hotel is also in the works. A new proposed train station in East Bridgeport , meant to be completed in 2021, was postponed in 2019. By 2013 the city and local business owners agreed that work needed to be done in

6912-415: The deeds and started paying the extremely small property taxes on the "oatmeal lots". The developer of the prospective subdivision hoped the landowners would hire him to build homes on the lots, although several lots would need to be combined before building could start. Since the subdivision into small lots predated Milford's planning and zoning regulations, the deeds were entirely legal, although they created

7020-456: The downtown area north of Fairfield Avenue, nicknamed Downtown North , above. Made up of old empty brick buildings which were neglected for years, the city and developers began their rehabilitation starting in 2015, most of which are now converted apartments or retail. Bridgeport's downtown renovation has resulted in various restaurants, the renovation of the Bishop Arcade Mall , a comedy club , and theatres. A 2022 plan to renovate McLevy Hall

7128-445: The early 20th century saw an economic and population boom, becoming by all measures Connecticut's chief manufacturing city by 1905. Bridgeport was the site of the world's first mutual telephone exchange (1877), the first dental hygiene school (1949), and the first bank telephone bill service in the US (1981). Inventor Harvey Hubbell II invented the electric plug outlet in Bridgeport in 1912. The Frisbie Pie Company

7236-425: The economic and social decline. The once busy Lafayette Shopping Plaza began to lose customers after Gimbel's closed in 1984. Replaced with a Read's store , the mall was later bought by Hi-Ho Industries and renamed "Hi-Ho Mall", until it closed in 1993 and became Housatonic Community College in 1997. Bridgeport remained the state's second city and as Hartford's population continued to shrink, Bridgeport became

7344-508: The entire town migrated" to Bridgeport. During the Great Depression the city elected Socialist party candidate Jasper McLevy as mayor in 1933. McLevy's election made headlines as a New England city had a socialist mayor. Known for cutting costs, he would serve as mayor for 12 terms, finally losing in 1957. The Great Migration led southern African-Americans to Bridgeport around the 1930s (thanks to railroads) along with black foreigners (such as Cape Verdean ), By 1930, Bridgeport had

7452-447: The exodus of manufacturing companies, would result in even higher taxes for residents. The city in 1995 saw a serious reduction in violent crime, notably in its East Side, where crime rate fell by nearly half, homicides dropped, burglaries by 3/4s and stolen car thefts by more than half, among other stats, as the Phoenix Project led to barricading city streets, confusing out of town drug buyers, and preventing sellers to escape. In 1991,

7560-439: The general court in Hartford established the official borders of the Paugussett Reservation. Bridgeport's early years were marked by residents' reliance on fishing and farming . This was similar to the economy of the Paugussett, who had cultivated corn , beans, and squash; and fished and gathered shellfish from both the river and sound. A village called Newfield began to develop around the corner of State and Water streets in

7668-399: The harbor at the mouth of the Pequonnock River , today's Bridgeport Harbor . Ludlow disobeyed orders and instead established a settlement in Unconway (today's Fairfield ), probably due to fears of the large Paugussett settlement at Golden Hill, which was a sacred site of theirs, so it is believed that they perhaps instead settled in sparsely populated land surrounding the village. In 1659,

7776-556: The land on Long Island Sound and donating the land to the city in 1864. The land on the shore became Seaside Park . A second park was built near East Main Street, when in 1878, James Beardsley donated more than 100 acres (40 ha) to the city along the Pequonnock River under the condition that the land be "kept the same forever as a public park". Both parks were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted , known for creating Central Park . These two large public parks gave Bridgeport

7884-675: The land. Constructed with federal funding, on Lafayette Boulevard and Broad Street, the 450,000 acre, 2 story (with basement) Lafayette Shopping Plaza was erected, a downtown shopping mall with a Sears and a Gimbels department store as anchors connected to it.Military contracts during the 1950s and 1960s enabled the Bridgeport-Lycoming division of AVCO , founded 1951, to employ at times more than 12,000 people, building tanks, helicopters, and other military hardware. Decreased demand led to layoffs, and then closure in 1984. Other examples of urban development include two city landmarks,

7992-474: The largest Hungarian communities in the US. It was visited by Hungarian republicans trying to take down the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, in order to garner support. The West Side nearby was home to Slovenians , French-Canadians and Swedish immigrants . By 1910 Bridgeport had grown into second largest city in Connecticut at 102,052, behind New Haven . Between 1910 and 1920, during World War I,

8100-479: The largest city in Connecticut in 1974, with a population of 142,546.A 1981 Times article read; "Bridgeport... for years has suffered an image problem when compared with Hartford because of that city's role as state capital and as the site of a number of large corporations." Mayor Mandanici 's response was "Hartford reported state sales taxes of $ 712.7 million, but Bridgeport yielded state sales taxes of $ 890.4 million. That's economic power, right?" In 1985, Bridgeport

8208-458: The latter 19th century. In 1899, the "Memorial Bridge" (a "stone bridge and tower commemorating the town's history and founders") replaced the last mill over the Wepawaug, which had closed in 1894. The bridge was described as "simple in design, its broad copings surmounted with rough hewn blocks of granite, bearing the names of the first settlers. There are ten blocks on the south and twenty on

8316-479: The mid-20th century caused the loss of thousands of jobs and residents. Like other urban centers in Connecticut, Bridgeport suffered during the deindustrialization of the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. Pleasure Beach was sold 5 years after a rollercoaster caught fire. A year later the park closed for good. The old Bridgeport station caught fire in 1978. In September 1978, Bridgeport teachers went on

8424-678: The mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Island Sound , it is a port city 60 miles (97 km) from Manhattan and 40 miles (64 km) from The Bronx . It borders the towns of Trumbull to the north, Fairfield to the west, and Stratford to the east. Bridgeport and other towns in Fairfield County make up the Greater Bridgeport Planning Region , as well as the Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk–Danbury metropolitan statistical area ,

8532-511: The nation's inflation crisis, established themselves in the city due to the large Portuguese population already present, easing the language barrier. Bridgeport was a common second US destination for Vietnamese refugees "There's already an established community here, so that's why they come," from the New York Times in 1996. Along with them, Thai , Koreans , Chinese , and especially Laotians and Cambodians established themselves in

8640-449: The need for bridges over the Pequonnock River that provided a navigable port at the mouth of the river. Manufacturing was the mainstay of the local economy until the 1970s. The first documented European settlement within the present city limits of Bridgeport took place in 1644, centered at Black Rock Harbor and along North Avenue between Park and Briarwood Avenues. The place was called Pequonnock ( Quiripi for "Cleared Land"), after

8748-414: The new 18-story Bridgeport Center overlooking McLevy Square, and was designed by famous architect Richard Meier and was meant to give the city a new icon Bridgeport in 1989 had more homicides per capita than any Northeastern US city over 100,000 people. Bridgeport had a smaller police force than smaller cities like Hartford or New Haven, yet hiring due to city financial issues, having not recovered from

8856-604: The nickname "The Park City". The county's Catholic seat, St. Augustine Cathedral was finished in 1869, built by the Irish who had arrived 30 year earlier. Saint James Church , predating the Archdiocese of Hartford , was the first Catholic congregation in Fairfield County, starting with 250 members in 1842. The congregation gave rise to St Augustine's in Sterling Hill , the seat of the Diocese of Bridgeport . Following

8964-759: The north coping. At each end of the former is a stone four feet wide by five and a half high." It is located where Broad Street crosses the Wepawaug River. In 1903, the southeastern portion of the town was incorporated as the Borough of Woodmont . In 1959, the Town of Milford, including the Borough of Woodmont, was incorporated as the City of Milford. Milford was one of the early settlements in south central Connecticut and, over time, gave rise to several new towns that broke off and incorporated separately. The following

9072-530: The only towns to operate without a Tower Ladder As of April 4, 2014, the Milford Police Department became one of 28 of Connecticut's 106 police departments accredited by the state of Connecticut. Divisions and units include Detective Division, Special Investigations Unit, Identification Bureau and Narcotics & Vice Squad, Crime Prevention Unit, Training Unit/Recruit Academy and Marine Patrol / Dive Team. The current chief of Milford Police

9180-418: The population were below the poverty line , including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over. The Census Bureau's 2010–2012 American Community Survey showed that (in 2012 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $ 77,925 and the median family income was $ 93,697. Year-round male workers had a median income of $ 67,631 versus $ 59,992 for females. The per capita income for

9288-428: The proposed space. The construction of Honey Locust Square began on the East End, which when complete will house a supermarket (something the neighborhood lacks), a public library, a health center, and a retail building. On March 10, 1860, Abraham Lincoln spoke in the city's Washington Hall, an auditorium at the old Bridgeport City Hall (now McLevy Hall), at the corner of State and Broad Streets. The largest room in

9396-578: The public, today's Discovery Museam and Planetarium . Known for the newly developed approach of hands on-exhibits, the Museam became science oriented later on. Continued development of new suburban housing outside of Bridgeport in the city's adjacent suburbs such as Fairfield and Milford attracted middle and upper-class residents, leaving the city with a higher proportion of poor. By the 1960s, Puerto Ricans had begun to immigrate to settle to Bridgeport in large numbers, and by about 1970 had made up 10% of

9504-748: The sandbar can be dangerous to walk on as the quick change from low tide to high tide has led to several drownings. Visitors to Charles Island include treasure hunters looking for stolen treasure believed to have been buried in 1699 by Captain William Kidd and his pirate crew. The island is a part of the Hamonasset-Ledyard Moraine and was formed as glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age. The Wisconsin glaciation formed drumlins in Milford: Clark, Burwell, Eels, Bryan and Merwin hills. Milford owns three islands in

9612-584: The second largest metropolitan area in Connecticut. The Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk–Danbury metropolis forms part of the New York metropolitan area . Inhabited by the Paugussett Native American tribe until English settlement in the 1600s, Bridgeport was incorporated in 1821 as a town, and as a city in 1836. Showman P. T. Barnum was a resident of the city and served as the town's mayor (1871). Barnum built four houses in Bridgeport and housed his circus in town during winter. The city in

9720-449: The site of the blockade. By 1822, the town had grown large enough that residents in Milford's northern and eastern sections chartered the Town of Orange. During the next century and a half, the remaining section of Milford was known for shipbuilding, farming, and oystering. Industrial facilities were also developed. Because of its location on Long Island Sound, Milford became a beach resort for residents of New Haven and Bridgeport in

9828-640: The southern part of Milford. The Wilbur Cross Parkway cuts across the northern part of the city and is connected to I-95 and Route 1 via the Milford Parkway , also known as the Daniel S. Wasson connector, named for the first police officer to die in the line of duty in the city of Milford. The Metro-North New Haven Line has a station stop in downtown Milford ( Milford station ) with direct service to New York City . The Milford Transit District provides in-town service to major attractions. Connections with

9936-400: The state and the world. The Society's six centers feature education buildings, wildlife sanctuaries and trails on their properties, which are open to the public. Connecticut Audubon Society's other wildlife sanctuaries are open to the public unless noted. The Connecticut Audubon Society was founded in 1898 by Mabel Osgood Wright with a mission of conserving birds and their environments in

10044-568: The state's capitol. The Society's scientists, citizen scientists , and volunteers monitor birds and their habitats around the state. Each year the Society publishes a report, titled Connecticut State of the Birds , that discusses the impact of habitat loss and other issues on local bird populations. The Society also operates an EcoTravel office in Essex, Connecticut for bird watching trips around

10152-753: The streets in the Liberty Park subdivision plans, Shelland Street, was later built in the late 1990s as an access road to the Milford Power Company. The site is currently home to the Bic Corporation 's lighter factory at 565 Bic Drive. In a separate land giveaway in 1955 tied to the Sergeant Preston of the Yukon television show, Quaker Oats offered in its Puffed Wheat and Puffed Rice cereal boxes genuine deeds to land in

10260-464: The third largest percentage of African Americans in New England . The Italian population by 1930 had more than doubled, now the city's largest ethnic group. The build-up to World War II helped the city's recovery in the late 1930s. Suburban development made its expansion into the undeveloped North End neighborhood. On Park Avenue in 1962 the Museam of Art, Science and Industry (MASI) was opened to

10368-487: The town. The English built a grist mill by the Wepawaug River in 1640. Streets in Milford and Orange were later named "Wepawaug". During the Revolutionary War , the Milford section of the Boston Post Road , a vital route connecting Boston , New York , and other major coastal cities, was blockaded by Continental forces . Fort Trumbull was constructed to protect the town. The Liberty Rock monument commemorates

10476-537: The trend of establishing headquarters outside of major cities in suburban campuses all played a factor. As such, most skyscraper construction models for downtown Bridgeport from the 70s were never built, unlike Hartford (a city already home to major insurance companies) or Stamford . Much of north downtown Bridgeport would end up abandoned, neglected and boarded up as department and discount stores closed, leaving only federal and municipal buildings along now empty lots. Restructuring of heavy industry starting after

10584-546: The tribes acquired land for a small reservation in the late 19th century that was recognized by the state. It is retained in the Town of Trumbull .) In 1639, Roger Ludlow , deputy governor of the English Connecticut Colony was ordered by the colony's General Assembly in Hartford to establish two plantations, one at Cupheg the mouth of the Housatonic River (today Stratford), and one at

10692-593: The war, Bridgeport attempted its own urban renewal projects in its old downtown in the early 1960s during the construction of the highways. Hunktown, with a population of 15,000 and the Irish neighborhood in the South End were demolished and replaced with highways and an industrial park. The Trumbull Shopping Park was built just outside Bridgeport city limits in Trumbull in 1965, Connecticut's first fully enclosed shopping mall. Bridgeport under Mayor Tedesco went under

10800-493: The winter headquarters of Barnum and Bailey's Circus and Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show . Barnum also helped establish Fairfield County's first hospital (Conn.'s 3rd) and the Bridgeport-Port Jefferson ferry , connecting the town to Long Island . Harvey Hubbell founded Hubbell Incorporated in Bridgeport in 1888. The Holmes & Edwards Silver Co. was founded in 1882, its wares sold nationally, and

10908-409: The world by 1946, Bridgeport-based ACME Shear closed its Bridgeport plant in 1996 due to mergers and acquisitions. The industrial operations relocated to Fremont, North Carolina . Between 1984 and 1989 the construction of the new $ 75 million headquarters for People's United Bank , the second largest bank in New England . The 10-story Connecticut National Bank building was demolished and replaced with

11016-425: Was 2,341/sq mi (904/km2). The average density of housing units was 1,017.7 per square mile. The racial makeup of Milford was 93.55% White , 1.91% African American , 0.13% Native American , 2.36% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.88% from other races , and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.34% of the population. Of the aforementioned households 29.3% had children under

11124-506: Was established in 1806. In 1821, the township of Bridgeport became independent of Stratford. In 1821, a small community of remaining Golden Hill Pauguasett Natives, along with free blacks and runaway slaves was established in the South End along Main Street known as Little Liberia , with its own churches, schools and hotels, and served as a stop in the underground railroad. Many remaining Paugusset Indians also lived there. The West India trade died down around 1840, but by that time

11232-591: Was founded and operated in Bridgeport. The world's first Subway restaurant opened in the city's North End in 1965. After World War II , industrial restructuring and suburbanization caused the loss of many large companies and affluent residents, leaving Bridgeport struggling with issues of poverty and violent crime. Since the beginning of the 21st century, Bridgeport has begun extensive redevelopment of its downtown and other neighborhoods. Bridgeport's crime rate started going down significantly around 2010; by 2018, it had been reduced by almost 50 percent. Bridgeport

11340-563: Was involved in a corruption scandal after being investigated by the FBI as he received gifts from developers in exchange for being allowed to build in Bridgeport. He was sentenced to federal prison, and was replaced by John Fabrizi . In the early 21st century, Bridgeport has taken steps toward redevelopment of its downtown and other neighborhoods. In 2004, artists' lofts were developed in the former Read's Department Store on Broad Street. Several other rental conversions have been completed, including

11448-510: Was producing 50% of America's cartridges during the war, with 17,000 employees, and homes for new workers were needed. The factory became a General Electric plant after the war. The First World War had continued the city's expansion so that, on the eve of the Great Depression , there were more than 500 factories in Bridgeport, including Columbia Records ' primary pressing plant and a Singer Sewing Machine factory. The 1920s saw

11556-410: Was still Connecticut's chief manufacturing center, its major industries including General Electric , Remington Shaver, Bryant Electric , and Raybestos plants. A New York Times in 1985 stated Bridgeport was the fifth largest banking center in New England, with five of the banks based Bridgeport having assets of more than $ 6 billion. The largest scissors, shear and surgical materials manufacturer in

11664-561: Was updated in April 2019. In 2010, the Bridgeport Housing Authority and a local health center announced plans to build a $ 20 million medical and housing complex at Albion Street, making use of federal stimulus funds and designed to replace some of the housing lost with the demolition of Father Panik Village . The Steel Point (or Steelpointe) project of Bridgeport's on the lower portion of the East Side finally led to

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