Greenwich, Connecticut

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Greenwich, Connecticut
Official seal of Greenwich, Connecticut
Seal
Location in Connecticut
Location in Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°02′20″N 73°36′49″W / 41.03889, -73.61361
NECTA Bridgeport - Stamford - Norwalk
Region South Western Region
Settled 1640
Joined Connecticut 1656
Government
 - Type Representative town meeting
 - First selectman Peter Tesei
 - Town administrator Edward Gomeau
 - Town meeting moderator Thomas J. Byrne
Area
 - Total 174.0 km² (67.2 sq mi)
 - Land 123.8 km² (47.8 sq mi)
 - Water 50.3 km² (19.4 sq mi)
Elevation 17 m (56 ft)
Population (2005)
 - Total 62,236
 - Density 503/km² (1,302/sq mi)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 06807, 0683x, 06870, 06878
Area code(s) 203
FIPS code 09-33620
GNIS feature ID 0213435
Website: http://www.greenwichct.org/

Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 61,101. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies that have left Manhattan.[citation needed] Greenwich is the southernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 37 minutes by train (express) from Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Greenwich 12th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. The town is the location of Greenwich Hospital, a community hospital with 174 beds and a teaching affiliate of Yale University School of Medicine.[citation needed]

Vienne, Isère, France, is a sister city of Greenwich.[1]

Contents

[edit] Government

Greenwich has one local government but consists of several distinct sections, each of which often has its own mailing addresses and ZIP codes: as Cos Cob 06807, Riverside 06878, Old Greenwich 06870, and Greenwich 06830 and 06831 (sometimes referred to as Greenwich proper, central, or downtown Greenwich).

The town has three Selectmen and a Representative Town Meeting (RTM). The RTM must approve all budgets, and consists of 230 elected representatives, making it the fifth largest legislative body in the United States, after Congress and three state legislatures. RTM members are not paid. The three selectmen are elected on a town-wide basis, although each person can only vote for two members. This assures that there will almost always be one Democrat and two Republicans or two Democrats and one Republican. While voter registration is skewed in the Republican's favor, which is rather uncommon in New England, they do not have a lock on the First Selectman's chair, and Democrats have held the seat recently. Many of the other town committees have equal representation between Democrats and Republicans, regardless of the vote breakdown, since each individual can only vote for half as many seats as are available.

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005[2]
Party Active Voters Inactive Voters Total Voters Percentage
  Republican 14,032 1,038 15,070 41.26%
  Democratic 6,835 664 7,499 20.53%
  Unaffiliated 12,611 1,327 13,938 38.16%
  Minor Parties 13 2 15 0.04%
Total 33,491 3,031 36,522 100%

[edit] History

Low Tide, Riverside Yacht Club (1894) by Theodore Robinson from National Gallery of Art exhibit
Low Tide, Riverside Yacht Club (1894) by Theodore Robinson from National Gallery of Art exhibit

For more information, see History of Greenwich, Connecticut.

The Town of Greenwich, settled in 1640 and incorporated in 1665.

During the American Revolution, General Israel Putnam made a daring escape from the British on February 26, 1779. Although British forces pillaged the town, Putnam was able to warn Stamford.

In 1983, the Mianus River Bridge, which carries traffic on Interstate 95 over an estuary, collapsed, resulting in the death of three people.

Originally, Greenwich Point (locally termed "Tod's Point"), was open only to town residents and their guests. However, a lawyer sued, saying his rights to freedom of assembly were threatened because he was not allowed to go there. The lower courts disagreed, but the Supreme Court of Connecticut agreed, and Greenwich was forced to amend its beach access policy to all four beaches.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Greenwich's location as the first Connecticut town off Interstate 95 and the Merritt Parkway meant that when New York City-area residents wanted to buy Powerball lottery tickets as the jackpot rose above $100 million, they crowded into Greenwich stores to purchase them, creating traffic jams in the business areas. The Connecticut Lottery introduced special rules for such situations. This no longer became a problem after Pennsylvania joined Powerball in 2002; those living west of the Hudson River usually find the Keystone State more convenient for Powerball.

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 67.2 square miles (174.2 km²), of which, 47.8 square miles (123.9 km²) of it is land and 19.4 square miles (50.3 km²) of it (28.88%) is water. In terms of area, Greenwich is twice the size of Manhattan. The town is bordered to the west and north by Westchester County, New York, to the east by the city of Stamford, and to the south by Long Island Sound.

Greenwich is divided into several small sections, among them:

  • Old Greenwich
  • Riverside
  • Cos Cob
  • Glenville
  • Greenwich
  • Byram (formerly East Port Chester)

Each, with the exception of Byram and Glenville, have their own ZIP Code and Metro North train station.

A curious aspect of Greenwich's position in the southwestern "tail" of Connecticut is that by traveling north, south, east or west from any point in town, one will eventually reach the State of New York. Westchester and Putnam Counties lie to the north and west. Nassau County is directly south across Long Island Sound, and a long boat ride due east will land you on the northeast branch of Suffolk County, Long Island.

Round Hill, with an elevation of more than 550 feet (170 m), was a lookout point for the Continental Army during the American Revolution. The Manhattan skyline is visible from the top of the hill.[3]

[edit] Islands

Memorial to Col. Raynal C. Bolling, first high-ranking officer killed in World War I
Memorial to Col. Raynal C. Bolling, first high-ranking officer killed in World War I

Calf Island, a 29 acre island about 3,000 feet (910 m) from the Byram shore in Greenwich, is open for visitors although as of the summer of 2006 it was getting relatively few of them.[4]

More than half of the island (on the west side) is a bird sanctuary off-limits to members of the public without permission to visit. The island is available for overnight stays for those with permits, otherwise the east side is open from dawn till dusk.[4]

Great Captain Island is also off the coast of Greenwich, and is the southernmost point of New England.

Island Beach or "Little Captain Island" once was the venue for the town's annual "Island Beach Day." Ventriloquist Paul Winchell and his dummy, Jerry Mahoney, once came for a show, and on another occasion the National Guard let adults and children fire machine guns into the water, according to an article in the Greenwich Time.[5]

Island Beach has changed over the decades. The bathhouse once on the island's eastern shore is gone, and erosion is slowly eating away at the beaches themselves, a longtime resident told the newspaper.[5]

[edit] Education

See also: Education in Greenwich, Connecticut

[edit] Recreation

The main recreational outlet is West Main

The town has four beaches on the Long Island Sound which are Greenwich Point, Byram Beach, Island Beach (Little Captain's Island), and Great Captain Island.

A single-visit beach pass for non-residents to Greenwich Point (locally termed "Tod's Point" after the previous private owners), which is on a peninsula and so includes picnic areas, a beach and small marina, is $10 per person and $20 per car. Tickets must be purchased at the town hall or the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center. However, anyone can go to the point for free between November and April. The point has one of the most stunning views on the Long Island Sound shoreline, including views of Manhattan, the bridges connecting the Bronx and Queens and newly-built hi-rises in New Rochelle, New York.

There is also a community sailing center and rental area located in the park. Bicycling and rollerblading are popular sports on the trails and paths in the summer.

The town owns the Griffith E. Harris golf course. The 18-link course is named after "Griff" Harris, first selectman from 1952 to 1958. There are also five country clubs in town with golf courses. The Dorothy Hamill Rink is also in town.

[edit] Arts and culture

Winter Harmony (1890s) by John Henry Twachtman
Winter Harmony (1890s) by John Henry Twachtman
  • Greenwich Symphony Orchestra. Begun in 1958 as the Greenwich Philharmonia, it became fully professional by 1967. The orchestra's 90 members perform at the Dickerman Hollister Auditorium at Greenwich High School. It also performs a pops concert in the summer. Emanuel Ax, Barry Douglas, Pamela Frank, John O’Conor, Peter Serkin, and Dawn Upshaw. David Gilbert has been music director and conductor since 1975 and is also the director of the Bergen (NJ) Philharmonic and the Senior Concert Orchestra of New York. He lives in Nutley, N.J.
  • Greenwich Choral Society, founded in 1925, has performed locally and elsewhere, including in New York City (at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Carnegie Hall, St. Thomas Church, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine), and Europe. It has also performed several times with the Greenwich Symphony, New Haven Symphony, New Haven Chorale, and Stamford Symphony, as well as at the Ives Festival in Danbury. The chorus previewed Dave Brubeck's La Fiesta de la Posada, and has commissioned works by James Furman, Stephen Paulus, Rob Mathes, and Michael Schelle. In 2000 the chorus premiered a work by Adolphus Hailstork, Songs of Innocence, commissioned especially for the 75th anniversary season. The current music director and conductor is Paul F. Mueller. Notable past conductors include Lowell Beveridge, Jack Ossewaarde, Vernon de Tar, Louie L. White and Richard Vogt.[6]
  • The Bruce Museum is a town-owned institution with sections devoted to art and natural history.

[edit] Business

  • Antares Investment Partners — headquarters. 333 Ludlow St.
  • AQR Capital — headquarters. 2 Greenwich Plaza.
  • Arch Capital Group, Ltd. — headquarters
  • Blyth, Inc. (BTH) — headquarters, 1 East Weaver St.; the nation's largest candlemaker, the company designs and markets home fragrance products, seasonal decorations, home décor and household convenience items internationally; 5,500 employees companywide, 45 in Connecticut; $1.6 billion in annual revenues (2005); CEO Robert B. Goergen
  • First Reserve Corp. — headquarters, a private equity firm with $12.5 billion under management that buys energy-related companies, founded by CEO William Macaulay.
  • Nestle Waters North America, division of the "world's biggest water bottler" (headquartered in Switzerland; Nestle Waters world division headquartered in Paris) accounting for 48 percent of its water sales and 10 percent of its revenue; with "Poland Spring, Deer Park, Perrier, S. Pellegrino and other brands it has 43 percent of the U.S. single-serve market. (All figures as of August 2006.)[7]
  • Unilever Home & Pesonal Care - USA division — headquarters
  • United Rentals Inc. (URI) — headquarters, 5 Greenwich Office Park; the largest equipment rental company in the world, with more than 750 rental locations in 48 states, Canada and Mexico; 13,400 employees companywide, 400 in Connecticut; $3.6 billion in annual revenues (2005); CEO Wayland R. Hicks
  • Urstadt Biddle Properties, Inc. — headquarters, 1 East Weaver St.
  • UST Inc. (UST) — headquarters, 100 W. Putnam Ave.; makes and markets smokeless tobacco products, including Copenhagen, Skoal and Red Seal brands, and markets wine and sparkling wine; 5,111 employees companywide, including 300 in Connecticut; $1.8 billion in annual revenues (2005); CEO Vincent A. Gierer Jr.
  • Cambridge Solutions, Ltd.[1]; headquarters, 340 Pemberwick Road; is a strategic global outsourcing firm, one of the largest BPO compaines worldwide; 4,400 employees companywide; CEO Christopher A. Sinclair
  • W.R. Berkeley Corp. (BER) — headquarters, 475 Steamboat Road; a holding company for subsidiaries that sell property-casualty insurance; 4,961 employees companywide, 319 in Connecticut; $5 billion in annual revenues; CEO William R. Berkley

[edit] Media based in town

[edit] Transportation

The town is served by the Metro-North Railroad (the four stations, from west to east, are Greenwich, Cos Cob, Riverside and Old Greenwich) and is approximately a 40 minute train ride to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan on the express train and a 50 minute ride on the local. Amtrak stops in the adjacent city of Stamford.

Interstate 95 (one of the busiest highways in the world) goes through the southern end of town, and there are four exits from I-95 in Greenwich, exits 2 through 5. The Boston Post Road (also known as East or West Putnam Avenue or simply Route 1) also goes through town, as does the Merritt Parkway, although the Merritt Parkway is a considerable distance from the downtown area.


Two bridges in Greenwich were among 12 in the state listed in "critical" condition by state safety inspectors as of August 2007. The Riversville Road bridge, built in the 1950s, now has a weight limit of 3 tons, but as of August 5, 2007, the bridge had not been inspected in over two years (in March 2005), according to state records obtained by The Hartford Courant, although a state official said the bridge was inspected in August 2005 and would be inspected again in August 2007. In the March 2005 inspection, the bridge's above-ground structure was deemed to be in critical condition, with other components in poor condition. The Bailiwick Road bridge in town was closed in April 2007 and remained closed as of August 2007 due to storm damage. The ratings for the two bridges were worse than the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis, which collapsed during rush hour on August 1, 2007.[8]

[edit] Demographics

Historical population of
Greenwich[2][3]
1756 2,021
1774 2,776
1782 2,623
1800 3,047
1810 3,533
1820 3,790
1830 3,801
1840 3,921
1850 5,036
1860 6,522
1870 7,644
1880 7,892
1890 10,131
1900 12,172
1910 16,463
1920 22,123
1930 33,112
1940 35,509
1950 40,835
1960 53,793
1970 59,755
1980 59,578
1990 58,441
2000 61,101
2002 61,784 (estimate)

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 61,101 people, 23,230 households, and 16,237 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,277.6 people per square mile (493.2/km²). There were 24,511 housing units at an average density of 512.5/sq mi (197.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.02% White, 1.66% African American, 0.09% Native American, 5.18% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.46% from other races, and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 6.29% of the population.

There were 23,230 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $99,086, and the median income for a family is $122,719. Males have a median income of $95,085 versus $47,806 for females. The per capita income for the town is $74,346. About 2.5% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Wealth

Artist's Home in Autumn, Greenwich, Connecticut (ca. 1895), by John Henry Twachtman
Artist's Home in Autumn, Greenwich, Connecticut (ca. 1895), by John Henry Twachtman

Both the Official AENGLC Wealth Value and the CPR AENGLC Wealth Value show Greenwich as having the highest wealth value in Connecticut at over $430,000 per person. Greenwich was the highest income place with a population of 50,000 or more in 2000. However, using the list of the 100 richest places in the United States with at least 1,000 households yields a different result. This is the most common list used for referring to the richest communities in the country, as it eliminates any places with insignificant populations. On this list Greenwich ranks 56th after New Canaan at 32nd, Darien at 44th, and Weston at 55th. See Highest income places in the United States.

The town's 2006 Grand List (tax rolls) includes more than $1 billion in assessed values for automobiles, which raised $5.5 million in revenue for the town. Overall, there were 2,337 cars worth more than $50,000 on the list, and there were 3,769 BMWs, 3,474 Mercedes-Benzes, 931 Porsches, 94 Ferraris, 90 Bentleys, 65 Aston Martins, 40 Maseratis, 39 Rolls-Royces, four registered Maybachs (a brand that can retail for up to $385,000), and one Lamborghini. Greenwich has the only authorized Aston Martin dealership in the state.[10]

The median price for a single-family home in town was $1.7 million in 2006, when about 140 properties sold for $5 million or more, according to Prudential Connecticut Realty. In 2007, the highest asking prices for residential property in town were $39.5 million for the 76 acre estate of actor Mel Gibson on Old Mill Road, $19.7 million for a 13,000-square-foot (1,200 m²) mansion on 8.7 acres with a private lake, and $38 million for an estate with formal gardens and a greenhouse the size of a cottage.[11]

[edit] Wealthiest art collectors in town

These four Greenwich art collectors were listed in the 2006 Art News magazine list of 200 top collectors:[12]

  • Steven A. Cohen, who was also on the magazine's "Top 10" list every year starting in 2002. According to the magazine, he collects "Impressionism; modern and contemporary art."
  • Kathleen and Richard S. Fuld Jr., who were also on the list in 2005 but not in 2004. Richard Fuld is the CEO of Lehman Brothers Inc. The magazine says they like "works on paper, especially postwar art and contemporary."
  • Danielle and David Ganek, who were also on the 2005 and 2004 lists. They are said to like "contemporary art and photography." Ganek is a "protégé" of Cohen and now runs hedge fund Level Global.[12] The Ganeks also made Forbes magazine's "Top Billionaire Art Collectors" list in 2005.[13]
  • Reba and Dave Williams, who joined the list in 2005 and whose primary residence is listed as New York City, like "American prints."
  • Peter Brant (the well-known art publisher, art movie producer, polo player and husband of Stephanie Seymour) had his leading collection of contemporary works on paper exhibited at the Bruce Museum of Arts and Science.

[edit] Notable people, past and present

Further information: People of Greenwich, Connecticut

Due to its affluence and convenient location near New York City, Greenwich has long been associated with or has been home or birthplace to well-known people in various fields.

[edit] Films shot in Greenwich (reverse chronological order)

Spring by John Henry Twachtman, 1890s, a painting of his Greenwich farm
Spring by John Henry Twachtman, 1890s, a painting of his Greenwich farm
 This section needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2008)
  • Old Dogs (2007) with John Travolta and Robin Williams, both of whom have been seen around town. Travolta is staying in a private home in Greenwich while in town.[14]
  • The Accidental Husband (2006)[15]
  • The Life Before Her Eyes (2006)[16]
  • The Path of Most Resistance (2006)
  • The Good Shepherd (2006) included scenes from the Byram section of town.[17]
  • After Roberto (2005)[16]
  • The Family Stone (2005)
  • Domino One (2005)
  • The Stepford Wives (2004)
  • Stateside (2004)
  • Chubby Kid, A (2002)
  • Fabled (2002)
  • The Ice Storm (1997)
  • Ransom (1996)
  • Deadtime Stories (1986)
  • Danny (1977)
  • The April Fools (1969)
  • Time Piece (1965)
  • Open the Door and See All the People (1964)
  • The Magic Hat (1935)
  • Via Wireless (1915)
  • Two Little Waifs (1910)
  • The Golden Supper (1910)
  • The Cardinal's Conspiracy (1909)
  • A Change of Heart (1909)
  • The Country Doctor (1909)
  • Sweet and Twenty (1909)
  • Tender Hearts (1909)
  • The Message (1909)
  • The Little Teacher (1909)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Greenspon, Zack, "Greenwich, Vienne Share Joie de Vivre", article in The Greenwich Citizen, March 23, 2007
  2. ^ Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 25, 2005 (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2006-10-02.
  3. ^ Nova, Susan, "Many rooms, skyline views: Chateau atop Round Hill is for sale", article, Real Estate section, The Advocate of Stamford, March 2, 2007, page R1
  4. ^ a b "Upgrades make Calf Island more attractive to visitors", by Michael Dinan, "Greenwich Time", and "The Advocate" of Stamford, August 15, 2006, page 4, "The Advocate"
  5. ^ a b "Crew member passes on stories about island", by Michael Dinan, an article in the Greenwich Time August 7, 2006
  6. ^ Society history Greenwich Choral Society website, accessed on July 19, 2006
  7. ^ "Water, water everywhere -- but activists don't want Nestle to have it", article by Hugo Miller for Bloomberg News as appeared in The Advocate of Stamford, Business section, August 6, 2006, pp. F1, F6
  8. ^ Kaplan, Thomas, Martineau, Kim, and Kauffman, Matthew, "12 state bridges are judged to be in critical condition" article in The Advocate of Stamford, Connecticut, article reprinted from The Hartford Courant, August 5, 2007, pp1, A6
  9. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  10. ^ Keating, Christopher, "A taxing debate on fancy cars: Proposal from Rell spotlights Greenwich", news article in The Advocate of Stamford, reprinted from The Hartford Courant, March 19, 2007, page A1, Stamford edition
  11. ^ Crenson, Sharon L., "Gibson selling Greenwich estate for $39.5M", Bloomberg News, article appeared in The Advocate of Stamford, Connecticut, July 12, 2007, pA2
  12. ^ a b "Top 10" article, Art News magazine, Summer 2006 issue; accessed July 25, 2006
  13. ^ "Top Billionaire Art Collectors", Haden-Guest, Anthony article "slideshow" Web page, Forbes magazine, March 8, 2005, accessed July 25, 2006
  14. ^ Costaregni, Susie, "The Dish with Susie" column, "Good morning, Greenwich: Williams sighted", article in The Advocate of Stamford, Connecticut, Sunday, July 15, 2007, page A2
  15. ^ Gosier, Chris, "Hollywood stars shine on Stamford and Norwalk", news article in The Advocate of Stamford, December 31, 2006, pp A3, A7
  16. ^ a b Greenwich, Connecticut location at IMDb.com
  17. ^ "Thurman film first to receive state tax credits", article by Donna Porstner, The Advocate of Stamford, August 19, 2006, accessed August 20, 2006

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