Recreational and Residential Development in the Village

1910-1920 GROWTH ALONG THE AVENUE 

The automobile helped nudge Fairfield Avenue from a residential street with a few stores to a small shopping district. Numerous commercial buildings went up during World War I. Industrial and commercial development, which had begun slowly in the 19th century, expanded rapidly after 1910, when the new Ash Creek bridge was built. Growing industrial development included The Bullard Co., Model Tool, and Bridgeport Copper and Sulphuric Acid Co. 

  

1915 SUBMARINE INVENTOR SIMON LAKE BUYS GILMAN PROPERTY 

After Gilman died in 1901, his estate changed hands repeatedly before Simon Lake purchased the property in 1915. Lake later converted the main house into the Manor Club, a residential club for wealthy businessmen, with putting greens and tennis courts. Black Rock Shores and Country Club, a teetotalers' social club, opened in 1917 in the former recreation building. By 1925 the estate was renamed Champ's Shore House, a popular restaurant and recreation park that hosted banquets, parties, picnics, and a roller skating rink. By 19937 the estate was subdivided into residential lots on upper Midland and Quinlan streets and the western portions of Lake and Seaside avenues. 

  

1916 -- BOOM IN JOBS AND WORKER HOUSING 

Black Rock Gardens, three-story brick apartments built around park-like courtyards in 1916, housed workers in the industrial boom sparked by the 2014 outbreak of World War I in Europe. By 1917, when the US joined the war, local factories were humming with jobs, and Bridgeport's Remington Arms was producing half the US Army's small arms ammunition. Earlier Irish and Scandinavian immigration had already yielded to news waves of job-seeking Italians, Poles, Greeks, Slovenes, Lithuanians, Serbians, Bulgarians, Hungarians and Ukrainians. When the war curtailed European immigration and caused labor shortages, American blacks began migrating north in search of work. The face of Black Rock had changed from an enclave of descendants of English settlers to a pan-European and African-American mix. 

  

1919 -- YACHT CLUBS PROLIFERATE 

After WWI, yacht clubs meant for area residents rather than for NYC millionaires began sprouting around the harbor, including Fayerweather Yacht Club, Port V Naval Veterans, and the Black Rock Yacht and Lawn Club. Fayerweather eventually moved to the old Customs House, built in 1772 as a dockside storehouse, some of whose original beams are still visible. The bell from the first Black Rock Schoolhouse is still used on opening day in memory of deceased members. Nearby Port V occupies the site of one of the Upper Wharf warehouses, while The Black Rock Yacht and Lawn Club sits on former land of the George Hotel. 

  

1923 -- RITZ BALLROOM OPENS 

The Ritz Ballroom -- which became one of New England's most popular dance halls -- opened in 1993 on The Avenue not far from Ash Creek. The biggest names of the Big Band era appeared here: the Vincent Lopez Band played the Ritz on opening night, followed over the years by stars like Frank SInatra, Glenn Miller, The Dorsey Brothers, Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo and Louis Armstrong. In 1930 Rudy Valley started his career here before an audience of 3,000. In its waning years, local schools put on shows there until it closed in 1962. Fire destroyed the building in 1970.  

  

1924 -- THE NORDEN CLUB OPENS ON SEABRIGHT AVENUE 

"The Swedish Singing Society Norden" -- a choral group that had been performing in major US cities since 1902 -- established a permanent clubhouse on Seabright Avenue in 1924. Over the years, the singing society became inactive, but the organization remains an important and lively social hub of Black Rock life, now known as The S.S. Norden Club. Editor: please check 1924 date. Justinius book cites other date.) 

  

1926 BLACK ROCK BANK & TRUST OPENS 

Black Rock's first(?) bank opens at the corner of Fairfield Avenue and Brewster Street. Two decades later, the Black Rock Bank & Trust commissioned noted Westport artist Robert Lamdin to produce a large mural, Old Black Rock Harbor, c. 1810, that hung in the building for nearly 70 years, when the long-abandoned building was turned into apartments. The Fairfield Museum and Black Rock Community Council worked together to rescue the mural, damaged through years of neglect. After a $30,000 restoration by the WIlliamstown Art Conservation Center in Massachusetts, the mural will be on long-term display at the museum.   

 

1932-35 -- PERMANENT LIBRARY OPENS, ORPHANAGE BECOMES SCHOOL 

A local branch library was launched in 1922 in a portable, temporary building until a new brick building was completed 10 years later. In August 1935, the Protestant Orphan Asylum, located across The Avenue from the Burroughs Home, left Black Rock, and St. Ann Parish bought the property. A month later, the first St. Ann School opened on the premises; the school moved to Brewster Street in 1960. In recent years, local elementary schools underwent major changes: the old Longfellow School was demolished and replaced by the Geraldine Claytor Magnet Academy, Black Rock School expanded to K-8 with a large, modern addition and playground, and St. Ann School constructed a gym. 

  

1937 HARBORVIEW MARKET BUILT 

Harborview Market was built as a neighborhood grocery store when homemakers did their marketing on foot. As two-car families became common decades later, its clientele shrank. One the original market was sold, various businesses tried to make a go of the location but it wasn't until the 1980s that it became  the neighborhoods unofficial café and hang-out, serving breakfast, lunch and baked goods to new generations of Black Rockers. 

  

1937-1940 -- ST. MARY'S SEAWALL AND PROMENADE BUILT 

Using 50 acres acquired from the Pearsall Estate, Bridgeport in 1922 drew up a plan to extend the boulevard at Seaside Park across Fayerweather Island, over Black Rock Harbor, and around Grovers Hill to Ash Creek. Funding problems halted the idea of bridging the harbor, but the plan sparked development of modern Black Rock's finest feature -- the narrow shorefront park of St. Mary's By-the-Sea, whose seawall pedestrian promenade and broad boulevard, lined with grand homes -- all offer a spectacular view across Long Island Sound. 

  

1954 -- BLACK ROCK LITTLE LEAGUE FORMED 

Four all-boy teams played at Black Rock Village Field behind the old Madison Motors, and later at Bullard Field. Games did not move to Ellsworth Field until 1971.   

  

1970s to today -- BLACK ROCK RISES 

Black Rock's decision to hold its own neighborhood celebrations to mark the nation's Bicentennial in 1976 -- which included the first Black Rock Day and publication of the Black Rock Bicentennial Book -- helped foster a new grass roots spirit in the community, aimed at preserving the numerous historic homes along the old harbor, saving Fayerweather Light, and protecting the neighborhood's waters and wildlife.  

This new spirit also arose to brake the condo building craze that developed about the same time. Though the condominiums provided much needed housing, the demolition of several historic buildings to construct them dismayed local residents increasingly interested in preserving and promoting the neighborhood's historic nature. Black Rock Community Council was one of several new community organizations formed to keep the Bicentennial spirit going, and to this day continues to be one of the central pillars of community life. One of the council's key improvements was the raising of funds to renovate and preserve Fayerweather Light. The annual Porchfest music weekend and the Saturday Farmer's Market are two of its many initiatives. 

Important research conducted by architectural historian Charles Brilvitch led to the establishment in 1976 of the Black Rock Historic District, whose goal was to preserve numerous historic harborfront structures. The district comprises 109 buildings, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. 

The Ash Creek Association, organized by Victor and Judith Muniec, and its successor group, Ash Creek Conservation Assocation, work to preserve the creek's tidal marsh, one of Connecticut's few urban estuaries that remains ecologically crucial to migrating shorebirds, and a breeding ground for nesting birds, oysters, hard shell clams, fish and horseshoe crabs. In 2005, the Aspetuck Land Trust purchased Great Salt Marsh Island "to preserve forever this outstanding ecological and historical resource." The group today continues to fight erosion on the spit of beach at St. Mary's Point, and is leading a major upgrade of Capozzi Park, the tiny bird sanctuary opposite the beach.  

Fairfield Avenue received a much-needed makeover in 1981 when Black Rock commercial lobsterman Kaye Williams -- who lived on Fayerweather Island as a child and has never lost his love for Black Rock and its ties to the sea -- bought and renovated the old Duhigg block (between Fox and Bennett?). He renamed the block Quarterboard Row after adorning its new but traditional New England clapboard with signboards of ships that once sailed from Black Rock harbor. Numerous new restaurants opened along The Avenue around this time, including Black Rock Castle, The Acoustic Café, and Taco Loco; two blocks away, Rick and Michelle Torres bought and transformed the Harborview Market into a breakfast and lunch café that over time became the neighborhood's unofficial meeting spot.   

Williams also leased the dilapidated Burr Creek marina from the City of Bridgeport and began the development of Captain's Cove Seaport, a maritime center featuring a marina, ship repair services, gift shops and restaurant. Three historic tall ships -- HMS Rose, the Black Pearl and the John E. Pfriem were reconstructed at the seaport. The Rose represented Black Rock and the United States at numerous international tall ship events, including leading a thousand-vessel fleet at a maritime festival in Brest, France. In 2000 the Rose became the "star" of the Twentieth Century Fox film Master and Commander. A replica of Bridgeport resident Gustave Whitehead's airplane -- recognized as beating by two years the Wright brothers' claim as "first in flight" -- was constructed at the seaport in the 1980s and successfully test flown by Fairfield resident Andy Kosch in 1987. The seaport has served as home for 32 years to "Swim Across the Sound," the annual swimming event that has raised millions for St. Vincent Hospital. 

In recent years, Fairfield and Sacred Heart universities established sailing teams there, and Fairfield Prep operates its crew program from the Cove docks. Local yacht clubs with long histories in the neighborhood -- Black Rock, Fayerweather, SS Norden, and Port 5 Naval Veterans -- not only maintain a large fleet of vessels moored in the harbor, but have active programs to teach sailing to the next generations. In 1992 Bridgeport opened a regional aquaculture school adjacent to the Cove that today offers 500 Fairfield County high school students training in subjects like aquaculture, boat building and vessel operation. A major expansion in 2010 added a lab/aquaculture wing, additional classrooms and a student-operated fish market.  

The natural beauty of the village, with its wealth of sea views, marine wildlife, Sound sunrises and creek sunsets, has long attracted artists and writers. The Black Rock Art Guild was founded in 2014 to bring together visual artists, poets, actors and writers who present or perform their work at various village venues. The neighborhood has been featured in numerous television and movie productions in recent years. Besides Master and Commander, the Rose appeared in Steven Spielberg's film Amistad and several History Channel productions. An episode of "Sesame Street" was filmed at Captain's Cove, and a new state program giving tax incentives to companies shooting in Connecticut spurred the production of several major films in Black Rock, including All Good Things shot on Fayerweather Island with Ryan Gosling; Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, shot on Beacon Street with Blake Lively; and And So It Goes, filmed on Ferris Street with Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton. 

Historic Fayerweather Light, which has been presiding over the entrance to the harbor since its construction in 1823, had fallen into disrepair by the time of the Bicentennial. Recognizing its importance as a symbol of the Black Rock community, a group of lighthouse fans headed by the late David Grimshaw launched a fundraising drive. In 1998, the light's masonry was repointed, its tower and windows renovated, its exterior repainted. The United Illuminating Company stepped in to install solar-powered lights on the upper tower, to give the impression that the beacon was back on duty. Efforts to preserve the lighthouse continue: a 2015 grant from the State of Connecticut allowed Bridgeport to install a stone riprap to shore up the lighthouse base. Last summer, a total exterior restoration of the tower itself began.  

The natural beauty of the village, with its wealth of sea views, marine wildlife, Sound sunrises and creek sunsets, has long attracted artists and writers. The Black Rock Art Guild was founded (date?) to bring together visual artists, poets, actors and writers who present and perform their work at various village venues. 

Historic Fayerweather Light, which has been presiding over the entrance to the harbor since its construction in 1823, had fallen into disrepair by the time of the Bicentennial. Recognizing its importance as an emblem of Black Rock, lighthouse fans headed by the late David Grimshaw launched a fundraising drive. In 1998, the light's masonry was repointed, its tower and windows renovated, its exterior repainted. The United Illuminating Company stepped in to install solar-powered lights on the upper tower, to give the impression that the beacon was back on duty. Efforts to preserve the lighthouse continue: a 2015 grant from the State of Connecticut allowed Bridgeport to install a stone riprap to shore up the lighthouse base. Last summer, a total exterior restoration of the tower itself began.