For generations, Westport has been synonymous with the arts. At different times, luminaries of stage and screen, as well as artists and writers have called Westport home. The town retains a strong link with the theatre and continues to enjoy its reputation as one of the brightest stars on Connecticut’s Gold Coast.
Today, more than 28,000 people live within Westport’s 22.4 square miles. With two railroad stations carrying commuters directly into New York’s Grand Central Station, plus the convenience of I-95 and the Merritt Parkway, Westport has long been a favorite with people who work in Manhattan, Stamford and White Plains.
Westport residential zoning varies from 1/2 acre to two acre parcels, with some preexisting older homes on smaller lots. There is a vibrant downtown, which is a draw to many of the country’s most successful retail chains and elegant boutiques, plus numerous corporate headquarters and a plethora of world class restaurants. It all adds up to a wonderful place to live.
From its one-of-a-kind, seven-sided stone barn with octagonal roof dating back to the eighteenth century to its breathtaking waterfront estates and gleaming corporate headquarters, Westport stands alone. It has managed to preserve its historic roots while making room for all that is important today.
Westport Real Estate Reports
Schools
Westport has four elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school serving more than 4,000 students. The average class size ranges from 21.5 children in kindergarten to 21.2 in high school. Special education programs are available at all levels and there is a wide range of services for those with disabilities.
Coleytown, Greens Farms, King’s Highway and Long Lots Elementary Schools serve grades kindergarten through five. Kindergartners enjoy an extended day program, and the schools stress both skill development and use of real literature in their teaching of reading and writing. Additionally, students in grades K-5 are taught art, music, P.E. and computer by specialists. Every elementary school has a full-time, certified librarian and a school psychologist.
Coleytown and Bedford Middle Schools use a team-teaching approach, allowing specific groups of teachers work with a specific group of students. Each middle school has a student advocacy program and extracurricular activities include intramural sports, clubs, and co-curricular music, drama and literary events. Both schools have a full-time, certified librarian and school psychologist.
Staples High School offers students in grades 9 through 12 a wide range of academic and extracurricular opportunities. Students may study French, German, Latin and Spanish, and advanced placement classes are offered in English, Languages, History, Biology, Chemistry, Calculus and Physics Additionally, there are fifteen sports teams and a renowned arts program. The physical plant includes an Olympic sized swimming pool, large field house, a Library Media Center, student-operated FM radio station, TV studio, student center, a greenhouse and modern science laboratories. The town is currently planning an extensive modernization and expansion of academic facilities to serve a 9-12 population that will nearly double in the next ten years.
Recreation
Situated along 5.5 miles of the scenic Long Island Sound, the recreational opportunities in Westport are unparalleled. Residents can enjoy themselves at three town beaches, Compo, Old Mill and Burying Hill, or the beach at the 300 acre Sherwood Island State Park. There are two marinas with a total of 610 boat slips and a very long waiting list.
Longshore is another Westport treasure. This town-owned country club boasts a beautiful 18-hole golf course, two swimming pools and tennis and paddleball courts, all open exclusively to Westport residents for a nominal yearly fee. There is also a public restaurant and ice skating rink.
Winslow Park is 29 acres of rolling lawn and trees adjacent to the bustling Post Road. Smaller parks dot the shoreline of the Saugautuck River, which flows through town into the Sound. In the summer, this is the site of the well-attended Great Race Festival, featuring an eclectic collection of water-worthy, and not-so-water-worthy, vessels that rival any float you’ve seen on dry land. The Westport/Weston YMCA, located in a historic mansion in the heart of downtown, has several swimming pools and full gym facilities. It also administers Camp Mahackano, a wonderful day camp that draws children from all of the surrounding towns.
Culture
Original posters decorating the lobby of the Westport Playhouse are testament to the extraordinary caliber of talent that has been associated with this most valued institution. Liza Minnelli, Henry Fonda, Helen Hayes, Paul Newman, Joann Woodward and countless others have performed on the stage of the Playhouse. For music lovers, the place to be on warm summer evenings is the Levitt Pavilion. Set alongside the Saugatuck River, the Levitt presents free outdoor concerts ranging from big band and classical to zydeco, rock, and pop. Then there is the Westport Arts Center, which exhibits the work of local artists year-round.
