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118-744: The Housatonic Railroad was also a company chartered in 1836 and leased by the New Haven in 1892. It followed much the same route as the current company, but did not run west into New York. The Housatonic Railroad, originally (mis)spelled as 'Ousatonic Railroad', was chartered in May 1836 to build a line from Bridgeport, Connecticut , north to the Massachusetts state line, along the Housatonic River valley. On February 19, 1840, regular service began from Bridgeport to New Milford , and on December 1, 1842, it opened to

236-558: 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

354-542: 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

472-514: 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

590-647: 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 ,

708-553: A manufacturing village started in the 1860s named for the Shelton Company founded by Edward N. Shelton—also founder of Ousatonic Water Power Company. The rapidly growing borough of Shelton incorporated as a city in 1915 and was consolidated with the town of Huntington in 1919 establishing the present city of Shelton. Shelton was the site of one of the largest arson fires in the United States history. It happened in 1975 when

826-514: 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

944-593: A plant off Bridgeport Avenue that manufactured electrical components for helicopters. With the completion of Route 8 , new office spaces and businesses were attracted to the town, due to its Fairfield County location coupled with low costs of doing business as opposed to places such as Stamford or Greenwich. Major firms such as Tetley Tea, TIE Communication, I.T.T., Black and Decker, Sikorsky Aircraft, Gama Aviation , Chesebrough-Pond's, Tetra-Pak, General Electric, and Bunker Ramo. Over 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m ) of corporate office space spread across 12 buildings

1062-801: A portion of the Paugussett "Blue Blazed" trail, part of an 800-mile (1,300 km) network of hiking trails throughout the state. There is opportunity for fishing, boating, geocaching and letterboxing , hiking, walking and biking. Dogs are welcomed when on leash. There is no hunting on city-owned open space, by ordinance. Shelton Public Schools include Shelton High School for grades 9 through 12, Shelton Intermediate School for grades 7 and 8. Perry Hill School for grades 5 and 6, and five primary schools for pre-kindergarten through fourth grade, including Elizabeth Shelton Elementary, Mohegan Elementary School, Long Hill Elementary School, Booth Hill Elementary School, and Sunnyside Elementary School. The City of Shelton

1180-500: 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

1298-414: 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

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1416-659: A small group of Connecticut business people and officials at the Playhouse on the Green in 2006. President Barack Obama also spoke at the Harbor Yard arena in 2010 to gain support for the campaign of Democratic Governor Dan Malloy . Bridgeport lies along Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Pequonnock River . Shelton, Connecticut Shelton is a city in Fairfield County , Connecticut , United States . The population

1534-756: 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

1652-582: Is an annual competition between the clubs for the "Mayor's Trophy", alternating the venue each year. The 2009 Champion and holder of the Trophy is Highland. The Valley Independent Sentinel , an online-only, non-profit news site, launched in June 2009, thanks to the efforts of The Valley Community Foundation and The Knight Foundation. Shelton also has a weekly newspaper, the Shelton Herald . The Connecticut Post and

1770-496: 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

1888-589: Is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km ), or 4.26%, is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 38,101 people, 14,190 households, and 10,543 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.4 inhabitants per square mile (481.2/km ). There were 14,707 housing units at an average density of 481.1 per square mile (185.8/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 94.44% White , 1.12% Black or African American , 0.15% Native American , 2.08% Asian , 0.89% from other races , and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.48% of

2006-489: Is located in the downtown Shelton area where it was founded in 1900. It is a 9-hole course (with 10 greens to allow alternating #2 and #11 where the tee shot goes over Perry Hill Road) in which an unknown original designer created difficult greens. The clubhouse's 1920s era structure still remains as the core to the current structure. Brownson Country Club is an 18-hole venue located in the Huntington section of Shelton. There

2124-452: Is not a law enforcement agency. Members are political appointees and receive no salary and derive income from fees charged to serve legal papers. As of 2022 the head of the department is Sheriff Carl Sylvester. The City of Shelton's goal is to preserve at least 15% of the land as permanently protected, locally controlled open space in the following three forms: City of Shelton Public Open Space properties, Privately owned farmland protected by

2242-549: Is one of the few municipalities in Connecticut with its own sheriff's department , the Shelton Sheriff's Department. The sheriff's department, which is distinct from the police department, is responsible for serving legal process within the city of Shelton. The Fairfield County Sheriff's Department had a similar role before it and all other county sheriffs in Connecticut were abolished in 2000. The Shelton Sheriff's Department

2360-423: Is protected by the 246-member all-volunteer Shelton Fire Department, which consists of four fire companies (Echo Hose Hook & Ladder Co. 1, Huntington Co. 3, Pine Rock Co. 4, White Hills Co. 5) operating out of four fire stations located throughout the city. There is also a board of fire commissioners with a representative from each company. There are two private golf courses in town Highland Golf Club of Shelton

2478-476: 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 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

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2596-522: 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

2714-621: 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

2832-644: The Housatonic River and the Fairfield town line. In 1662, Stratford selectmen Lt. Joseph Judson, Captain Joseph Hawley and John Minor had secured all the written deeds of transfer from the Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation for this vast territory that comprises the present-day towns of Trumbull , Shelton and Monroe . Shelton was split off from Stratford in 1789, as Huntington (named for Samuel Huntington ). The current name originated in

2950-589: 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

3068-544: The Metro-North Commuter Railroad 's Harlem Line from White Plains (MP 22.0) to Dover Plains (MP 76.6), and north to Wassaic (MP 81.6) over trackage still owned by the New York and Harlem Railroad and leased to Conrail, crossing the east–west line at Dykemans . Finally, it obtained overhead trackage rights over Metro-North's Waterbury Branch from the east end of this line at Derby (MP 8.9) south to Devon, Connecticut (MP 0.0), (operated for freight by

3186-513: The Providence and Worcester Railroad ). The Housatonic also acquired the final part of the main line, from New Milford south to the east–west line at Berkshire Junction near Danbury . With this acquisition, the Housatonic gained a much expanded system and several new customers. These new acquisitions were first operated January 2, 1993. While freight customers remained on Metro-North's Harlem Line,

3304-621: The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. On May 30, 2008, producers and staff for the upcoming movie All Good Things shot one scene on Canal St. in downtown Shelton. The scene was underneath the train trestle and involved one of the characters dragging a body and dumping it into the Housatonic River. On July 31, 2009, a line of heavy thunderstorms with weak rotation spawned an EF1 tornado , which touched down with wind speeds between 95 and 105 miles per hour. According to WTNH,

3422-619: 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

3540-668: The Stockbridge and Pittsfield Railroad . This line split from the original main line at Van Deusenville in Great Barrington and ran east and north to Pittsfield . The full line opened on January 1, 1850, under operation of the Housatonic, and was formally leased January 25. For a time the Housatonic operated the Pittsfield and North Adams Railroad , running north from the Western Railroad east of Pittsfield to North Adams , but it

3658-569: 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

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3776-682: 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

3894-666: 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

4012-514: 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

4130-420: 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 the early 20th century saw an economic and population boom, becoming by all measures Connecticut's chief manufacturing city by 1905. Bridgeport

4248-664: 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

4366-447: 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

4484-521: 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

4602-677: The Berkshire Railroad on January 1, 1843. The West Stockbridge Railroad was chartered in 1831 and incorporated April 5, 1836 to run from West Stockbridge west to State Line , where it would continue to the Hudson River in New York State as the Hudson and Berkshire Railroad . The line opened on August 10, 1838. On February 6, 1844, the Berkshire Railroad (then leased to the Housatonic) leased

4720-569: 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

4838-551: 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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4956-814: The Danbury Terminal Railroad acquired trackage and rights belonging to Conrail in southwestern Connecticut and southeastern New York. Maybrook Properties bought the former New Haven line (then the Danbury Secondary Track ) from Beacon, New York (MP 0.0), east to Hopewell Junction (MP 12.8) (former Newburgh, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad ), Hopewell Junction (MP 42.9) east to Derby, Connecticut (MP 104.8), (former Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad , Housatonic Railroad and branch to Derby). The Danbury Terminal operated this Maybrook Properties-owned trackage. The Danbury Terminal also obtained Conrail's former trackage rights to serve freight on

5074-569: 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

5192-596: The HRRC was not allowed to serve them directly. A few freight shipments were forwarded from Danbury by Metro-North crews, but this arrangement was only temporary until the remaining customers converted to truck transportation. On December 31, 1996, the Danbury Terminal Railroad was merged into the Housatonic Railroad. In 1984, the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum began operating passenger excursions between Lee and Great Barrington, over tracks owned by

5310-461: The Housatonic Railroad. Due to deteriorating track conditions, passenger operations were suspended in 1989. The museum successfully campaigned for state assistance funds to upgrade the tracks. The excursion trains returned in 2003, based out of the restored station in Lenox, with regular schedules to Lee and Stockbridge. In 2008 HRRC considering the possibility of resuming commercial passenger service along

5428-578: The Housatonic leased and opened it. On May 6, 1881, the Housatonic outright bought it, and on July 27, 1887, the Housatonic leased the Danbury and Norwalk, by then including branches to Ridgefield and Hawleyville (the latter on the Housatonic's main line) and a southern extension to Wilson Point . In the meantime, the New Haven and Derby Railroad was chartered in 1864 to run from New Haven west to Derby, Connecticut , and north to Ansonia , planned as part of

5546-499: The New Haven and Derby. On July 1, 1892, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad leased the Housatonic, forming the Berkshire Division ; it was merged on March 29, 1898. By the end of the New Haven's life, the Housatonic's original main line had been abandoned south of Botsford , where the old New Haven branch ran only east to Derby . The main line was also gone between Brookfield and Hawleyville , with traffic using

5664-680: 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

5782-477: The Sponge Rubber Products plant (formerly owned by B.F. Goodrich) was set on fire. Charles Moeller, president of parent company Grand Sheet Metal Products, was acquitted of criminal charges , but in a suit under civil law (where preponderance of evidence suffices to establish a factual claim), a jury found in 1988 the insurer was entitled to disallow claims on the fire losses, based on the finding that

5900-410: The U.S. Congress. There are two State Assembly districts that cover Shelton. In 2007, Republican State Representative Jason Perillo of the 113th District took office. He won in a special election following the death of Richard O. Belden, who had represented the town for 32 years. Republican State Representative Ben McGorty of the 122nd District took office after winning a special election in 2014 following

6018-775: 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

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6136-422: The West Stockbridge and Hudson and Berkshire Railroads . On November 21, 1854, the Western Railroad bought the Hudson and Berkshire, which became a branch from the Western's line (later the Boston and Albany Railroad ) from Chatham to Hudson , and was abandoned east of Hudson. The West Stockbridge Railroad stayed part of the Housatonic system. The final section of main line was incorporated March 20, 1847, as

6254-425: The appearance of Shelton's central business district . In March 2008, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell announced that after negotiations with State Senator Dan Debicella and State Representative Jason Perillo, state bond funds in the amount of $ 2 million would be directed toward additional infrastructure improvements. In November 2007, a tree growing on Soundview Avenue in Shelton was selected and felled to be

6372-405: The average family size was 3.11. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males. The median income for a household in the city

6490-454: The branch to Danbury and old New York and New England Railroad . The Danbury and Norwalk was still in use, but most branches, including the original main line to State Line, Massachusetts , were gone. On January 1, 1969 the New Haven was merged into Penn Central , which named the lines as follows: The last passenger train ran over the route on April 30, 1971, the day before Amtrak took over Penn Central's passenger operations. At that time,

6608-438: 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

6726-532: 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

6844-429: 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

6962-533: The city government since the 1980s. Before the 2007 Elections, the Board of Aldermen consisted of five Republican members, two Citizens' United members, and one Democratic member. Mayor Lauretti was re-elected for a fourteenth term on November 7, 2017. The current Board of Aldermen consists entirely of eight Republicans. Political representation at the state level has been Republican since the 1960s. Republican State Senator Kevin Kelly of Stratford replaced Senator Dan Debicella in 2010 after Debicella sought election to

7080-551: 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

7198-411: The city's main thoroughfares, have been restored, while developers have renovated two 19th-century factory buildings on Bridge Street, converting them into luxury condominiums . Several downtown streets have been reconstructed as part of a streetscape improvement project: sidewalks were reconstructed with brick and cobblestone, trees were planted, and some power lines were rerouted underground to improve

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7316-411: 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

7434-434: 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

7552-462: 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

7670-460: 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

7788-425: 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

7906-410: 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

8024-510: The company's top officials arranged the fire to claim insurance money. Eight others were convicted or pleaded guilty. The explosion that destroyed the Sponge Rubber Plant on Canal Street in 1975 marked the start of the decline of Shelton's industries. During the remainder of the 1970s and 1980s several firms that operated factories along the banks of the Housatonic River either went out of business or relocated to areas where labor and operating costs were cheaper. In 1995, Sikorsky Aircraft closed

8142-464: 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

8260-455: The continued operation of the Berkshire Scenic Railway on Housatonic-owned tracks is no longer possible." In July 2014, Massachusetts Department of Transportation 's Board of Directors authorized the purchase of 37 miles of the railroad's Berkshire Line. MassDOT's purchase is intended to extend rail services to New York City , following track improvements for passenger and freight service between Massachusetts and Connecticut . MassDOT finalized

8378-489: The death of previous State Representative Larry Miller. At the federal level, Shelton is represented by Democratic U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy in the United States Senate , along with the rest of the state. Representation of Shelton in the U.S. House of Representatives is split between the 3rd and 4th congressional districts, which are represented by Democratic U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Jim Himes , respectively. The boundary between

8496-516: 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

8614-425: 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

8732-561: The entire line from Danbury to Pittsfield, and in May 2010 began a formal study of the same. The estimated cost of upgrading the railroad to support passenger trains was estimated to be between $ 100 million and $ 150 million, not including the cost of the required equipment. In 2011, the Housatonic Railroad decided it would not renew its agreement with BSRM to continue operating passenger excursions over their railroad. Colin Pease, spokesperson for HRRC, said, "The Housatonic Railroad has determined that

8850-567: 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

8968-505: 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,

9086-555: 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

9204-450: 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,

9322-548: 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

9440-667: 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,

9558-466: 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,

9676-479: 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

9794-635: The line south of New Milford, and the old Danbury and Norwalk Railroad was conveyed to the Metro-North Commuter Railroad on January 1, 1983, becoming their Danbury Branch . A new Housatonic Railroad was chartered in 1983 by John Hanlon Jr. to lease 34 miles of the former line, from Boardman Bridge in New Milford north to Canaan, Connecticut , from the State of Connecticut . Excursion trains began operating between Canaan and just south of Cornwall Bridge (at Belsprings Siding) in November 1984. The rest of

9912-606: The line, south into New Milford, was made serviceable in 1989, giving the company two connections - the Boston and Maine Railroad ( Guilford Rail System ) in Canaan and Conrail in New Milford. In April the Housatonic began to serve Becton, Dickinson and Company , a plastics plant in Canaan, but almost immediately the line was severed at Falls Village by a washout , not repaired until 14 months later. The Housatonic Transportation Company

10030-421: 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 is home to three museums ,

10148-416: 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

10266-537: The most concentrated damage was along the Oronoque Trail, where many trees were blown down. There were no injuries or fatalities. In November 2013, a tree located on Kazo Drive was picked to be the second Rockefeller Center Christmas tree from Shelton. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 31.9 square miles (83 km ), of which 30.6 square miles (79 km )

10384-504: 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

10502-449: 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

10620-414: 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

10738-648: 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

10856-409: The population. There were 14,190 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and

10974-428: 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

11092-574: 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

11210-661: The purchase of development rights, and properties held by the non-profit Shelton Land Conservation Trust. As of 2009, these forms of open space amount to 13% of the City and more than 2,700 acres (11 km ). The City of Shelton owns close to 2,000 acres (8.1 km ) of Public Open Space, Protected Farmland is 411 acres (1.66 km ), and the Shelton Land Trust organization has preserved 364 acres (1.47 km ). There are over 15 miles (24 km) of hiking trails in Shelton, including

11328-700: The purchase on February 5, 2015. On October 14, 2020, a HRRC employee was fatally struck by a maintenance of way vehicle while working in North Canaan, CT, prompting an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. In June 2021, Metro-North attempted to end HRRC's trackage rights over the Beacon Line in New York and abandon the line, prompting the Housatonic Railroad to file an objection. Bridgeport, Connecticut Bridgeport

11446-460: The route over the never-built Hudson Highland Suspension Bridge . It opened in 1871. On November 14, 1888, a 3.79-mile (6.10 km) extension from Derby Junction to a point in Shelton was opened. The rest of the extension, 9.79 mi (15.76 km) from that point to the Housatonic Railroad at Botsford , was built by the Housatonic and opened on November 28. On July 9, 1889, the Housatonic leased

11564-605: The state line. On the other side of the line, the Berkshire Railroad was incorporated April 13, 1837, to continue the line north to West Stockbridge , where it would connect to the West Stockbridge Railroad (see below) and the never-built Lee and Hudson Railroad . Construction began in February 1841, and it was completed on December 1, 1842, the same day the line in Connecticut opened. The Housatonic Railroad leased

11682-460: 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

11800-498: The travel time from Danbury to Pittsfield required two hours and 45 minutes. By 1974 the middle section was abandoned, between Boardman Bridge in New Milford and Canaan, Connecticut , and was not made part of Conrail on April 1, 1976, instead being bought by the State of Connecticut . In 1982 the Boston and Maine Railroad bought the line north of Canaan, renaming it the Canaan Running Track . Conrail continued to operate

11918-537: 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

12036-565: 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

12154-484: The two congressional districts lies roughly along Route 8 ; Himes represents the portion of the city to the north and west of Route 8 while DeLauro represents sections of Shelton to the south and east. Shelton is a Republican stronghold in presidential elections, as the city has voted for the GOP presidential nominee in every election since 1964 when Lyndon B. Johnson carried the municipality in his landslide election. Shelton

12272-584: 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

12390-676: 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 , 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

12508-482: 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

12626-409: 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

12744-510: Was incorporated in Delaware on January 2, 1991 as a holding company for the railroad's properties, including the newly formed Danbury Terminal Railroad ( reporting mark DTRR ) (an operating company) and Maybrook Properties (a land-owning company). That month the Housatonic bought the connecting Guilford trackage (Canaan Running Track) north to Pittsfield, Massachusetts , where it obtained another interchange with Conrail . In December 1992,

12862-527: Was $ 67,292, and the median income for a family was $ 75,523 (these figures had risen to $ 80,694 and $ 94,485 respectively as of a 2007 estimate ). Males had a median income of $ 50,210 versus $ 36,815 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 29,893. About 2.5% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over. Republican Mark Lauretti has served as mayor since taking office in 1991. The Republican Party has controlled

12980-573: Was 40,869 at the 2020 United States Census . The city is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region . Shelton was settled by the English as part of the town of Stratford, Connecticut , in 1639. On May 15, 1656, the Court of the Colony of Connecticut in Hartford affirmed that the town of Stratford included all of the territory 12 miles (19 km) inland from Long Island Sound , between

13098-581: Was constructed by the R.D. Scinto corporation alone. Efforts are underway to restore nineteenth-century industrial buildings in the downtown area; those that were beyond repair were demolished in the late 1990s and early 2000s and replaced with the Veteran's Memorial and a farmer's market. The 10-acre (40,000 m ) Riverwalk Park next to the Veterans Memorial was created on the site of the former Sponge Rubber Plant. Other buildings along Howe Avenue, one of

13216-506: 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

13334-560: 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

13452-502: 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

13570-472: Was returned to the Boston and Albany Railroad , the successor to the Western, in the early 1870s. The Danbury and Norwalk Railroad opened in 1852 from Danbury south to Norwalk . The New York, Housatonic and Northern Railroad was chartered in 1863 to run from White Plains, New York , northeast via Danbury to Brookfield, Connecticut , on the Housatonic. It was only built north of Danbury, and on May 1, 1874,

13688-410: 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

13806-493: 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 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

13924-597: 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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