The Faces of Greenwich

opposite page, clockwise from top left: At Tod’s point, bikers take advantage of the loop trail. Byram Park features a playground, beach, pool and more. above: Participants launch boats in Binney Pond at The Annual Model Sailboat Regatta.

Next to the ferry dock on Arch Street is ROGER SHERMAN BALDWIN PARK, home to the town’s only skatepark—a popular place for skaters to safely practice their moves. The peninsula-shaped park has water on three sides, and a stage area that hosts musical performances at the annual Greenwich Town Party. The park also provides its waterfront backdrop for the Concours d’Elegance vintage car show, and the always popular Puttin’on the Dog Festival, held to benefit Greenwich’s Adopt-a-Dog organization.

Farther west along the shore is BYRAM PARK, a 30-acre facility with a beach and playground, as well as a large pool area with a 1,000-square-foot splash pad and kiddie pool, plus a concession stand. Back east, COS COB PARK runs along the Mianus River and was repurposed from the site of an old power plant. It boasts beautiful panoramic views of Long Island Sound, a mile-long walking path, a playground and a dramatic site for the town’s 9/11 memorial. South of the Post Road in Old Greenwich, BINNEY PARK is a beautiful piece of greenspace centered by a picturesque pond. It was given to the town in 1927 by Edward Binney, a founder of Binney & Smith, the maker of Crayola crayons. It’s a location for Little League sports, Independence Day fireworks and the terminus of the annual Memorial Day Parade.

Greenwich has multiple locations for quieter interactions with the natural world. Located off North Street near the Merritt Parkway is the 300-acre BABCOCK PRESERVE, a densely wooded park with riding and hiking trails and a picnic area. It is home to many woodland animals, birds, flowers and trees. As trails can be wet or rocky in places, hiking boots are advisable. Another preserve for nature lovers is MIANUS RIVER PARK, with more than 350 acres straddling the border between Stamford and Greenwich—about a third of the acreage within Greenwich. This park attracts birdwatchers and hikers, as well as fishermen, who cast for trout in the fast-flowing river. In Cos Cob, the MONTGOMERY PINETUM PARK has over 100 acres of trails, with collections of unusual plants and wildflowers. It is home to the GREENWICH BOTANICAL CENTER, which includes a large greenhouse and other facilities. The GREENWICH AUDUBON CENTER’s 285-acre main sanctuary and the KIMBERLIN NATURE EDUCATION CENTER are deep in the Backcountry on Riversville Road; in addition to this main hub, the organization manages other sanctuaries. They include the FAIRCHILD WILDFLOWER AUDUBON SANCTUARY, with eight miles of trails and wetland habitats; nature lovers can follow the trails here through a beautiful hemlock forest and other woodlands.

Annual passes for beach, parking and tennis are available to buy online. Visit greenwichct. gov for details.

RESOURCES

Audubon Center

203-869-5272 greenwich.audubon.org

Department of Parks and Recreation

203-622-7814 greenwichct.gov

Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink

203-531-8560 greenwichct.gov

DPR Tennis Office

203-618-7613 (May-August) 203-618-7649 greenwichct.gov

Greenwich Point Park

203-622-7814 greenwichct.gov

Greenwich Polo Club

203-531-1639 greenwichpoloclub.com

Greenwich Riding & Trails Associaton

203-661-3062 thegrta.org

Greenwich Botanical Center

203-869-9242 greenwichbotanical center.org

Griffith E. Harris Golf Course

203-531-7200 thegriffgolf.org

Mianus River Park

203-622-7814 greenwichct.gov

Old Greenwich Yacht Club

203-637-3074 ogyc.org

Tod’s Point Sailing School

203-637-2022 todspointsailingschool.org

BC

Backcountry

RS

RIVERSIDE

PAGES 60-61

GV

Glenville

CG

Downtown

B

Byram Shore Belle Haven

MC

Mid-Country

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Cos Cob

Cos Cob Harbor

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Riverside

OG

Old Greenwich

Greenwich Cove

Tod’s Point

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OLD GREENWICH

PAGES 62-63

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COS COB

PAGES 64-65

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CENTRAL GREENWICH

PAGES 66-67

BC MC

BACKCOUNTRY AND MID-COUNTRY

PAGES 68-69

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BYRAM

PAGES 70-71

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GLENVILLE

PAGES 72-73

THE FACES OF GREENWICH

With so many appealing options and neighborhoods, there’s something for everyone

When you’re looking for a home, location is as important as the house itself. Happily, Greenwich has diverse topography, from the wooded backcountry to the coves and harbors along Long Island Sound and Mianus River. Whether you’re seeking walkable blocks with a vibrant downtown, a cozy cottage on a winding road, or a statement property with generous acreage and incredible scenery, Greenwich offers a neighborhood to fulfill your vision of a great place to live. Every part of town is enriched with lovely park land, lanes and trails to walk, run or explore by bicycle, and every neighborhood boasts a retail center to grab a cup of coffee or to meet up and chat with a friend. With all its appealing options, Greenwich is a town with something for everyone.

clockwise from left: Tod’s Point is a short boat ride away; Riverside’s leafy streets are highlighted by Ada’s Kitchen + Coffee; a landmark bridge offers a path for the district’s plentiful pedestrian traffic.

RIVERSIDE

AREA: EXIT 5 OFF I-95 • HIGHLIGHTS: WATERFRONT VIEWS; PLAYGROUNDS; COLORFUL HISTORY THE FACES OF GREENWICH

MAKING HISTORY

GEORGE I. TYSON, head of American News, became the first commodore of Riverside Yacht Club, which he and ten friends founded in 1888.

AMASA MARKS bought 100 acres of farmland for a willow plantation around 1889 to supply his factory in New York City making artificial limbs for Civil War veterans.

RIVERSIDE BRIDGE, Connecticut’s only cast-iron truss bridge, was part of a railroad bridge over the Housatonic. It moved here in 1871. Covering only two square miles, Riverside is a district of treelined streets and comfortable homes on lovely and meticulously maintained lots. Many properties border or have views of the inlets and secluded coves along Long Island Sound and the tidal estuary of the Mianus River, and the quiet lanes in this part of town provide lovely paths for walkers and cyclists. In fact, its proximity to water has played an important role in local history. While Riverside is its current name, as far back as the seventeenth century it was the domain of local farmers, fisherman and oystermen, and known as Mianus Neck until 1870. And, although its appearance is that of a small and peaceful country town, Riverside offers easy access to Metro-North and I-95.

Riverside’s main artery is Riverside Avenue, which runs from Route 1 (East Putnam Avenue) into Old Greenwich. The district’s only business center is clustered around Route One, with a gourmet grocery, BALDUCCI’S, a branch of catering and carryout company AUX DELICES, COBS BREAD bakery, GREENWICH FISH, PORCELANOSA, kitchen and bath showroom and VALBELLA, a formal and classic Italian restaurant. Riverside Avenue runs in a roughly semicircular pattern, with shaded side streets that meander around the district. Many of these quiet lanes end at or near the shore of the Mianus, the Sound or the estuarial waterway running inland from Greenwich Cove, which forms a border with Old Greenwich. You’ll find tidal ponds, marshy inlets and sea birds, and hear the sounds of seagulls and, in summer, the hum of motorboats and the occasional clang of a buoy. Along the water are some enclaves for boldface names and prominent titans of business, clustered in gated areas along the coast. Some of the shoreline Riverside neighborhoods have a colorful past; at least one was a former great estate, divided into smaller lots by local investors after World War II; another, Willowmere, was named for the shallow-rooted willow trees that grew there, and were harvested during the Civil War to make prosthetics for wounded soldiers. Its long coastline is also a bonus for Riverside residents who own boats and have shorefront access to a dock or mooring; on weekends, they can motor over to GREENWICH POINT PARK and TOD’S POINT, bypassing the car traffic on Sound Beach Avenue. Families here also appreciate the proximity of RIVERSIDE YACHT CLUB (members only) with its programs for young sailors as well as adults.

Both Riverside Elementary School and Eastern Middle School, with their wonderful playgrounds and playing fields, are centrally located for easy pick-up and drop-off. And after school, it’s a quick ride to grab a snack or a cold drink at ADA’S KITCHEN + COFFEE SHOP—the one prized exception on Riverside Avenue to the essentially commerce-free residential character of the district away from Route 1. Originally the local post office, the charming eatery is a great stop for commuters on their way to the train, for parents on their way home from school drop-off and, of course, for kids wanting an afternoon snack.

Speaking of local landmarks and the train station, one of Riverside’s historical features is the cast-iron bridge on Riverside Avenue that crosses the train tracks above the Metro-North stop. On the National Register of Historic Places and built in 1871, it was a portion of a larger span over the Housatonic River in Stratford, Connecticut. Moved here in the late 1800s, it’s now the only cast-iron bridge in the state. The other landmark is the Samuel Ferris House on Cary Road, dating to 1760.

Practically surrounded by water and crisscrossed with streets for walking and cycling, Riverside can also boast of four town-owned tennis courts on Lockwood Avenue that get dawn-to-dusk playing time each summer. For the little ones, ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH at the corner of Riverside Avenue and Indian Head Road, has a wonderful play area for toddlers and a well-regarded daycare program.

THE FACES OF GREENWICH OLD GREENWICH

AREA: EXITS 5 AND 6 OFF I-95 • HIGHLIGHTS: CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY; BINNEY PARK

MAKING HISTORY

J. KENNEDY TOD’S 147-acre estate called “Innis Arden” in 1884 would be sold to the town for $550,000 in 1944 and become Greenwich Point Park.

EDWIN BINNEY, who invented Crayola crayons in 1903, provided the funds to turn a swampy area across from the church into a picturesque park.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

founded in 1665—“here before we were even a country,” noted one minister—is the oldest house of worship in Greenwich. O ld Greenwich has a beachy smalltown charm that attracts a diverse mix of residents, from young families to empty nesters. Two of Greenwich’s largest parks within the hamlet’s limits and a lively shopping and dining scene enhance its appeal. Between the early morning commute and after-work social scene, there’s a bounty of options on Sound Beach Avenue, the main shopping street. From breakfast and brunch at SWEET PEA’S to dinner and watching the game at OLD GREENWICH SOCIAL CLUB and everything in between—how about some takeout nuggets and fries from GARDEN CATERING? — variety is the spice of dining life here.

This was the first district in town to be settled, in 1640. Its founders were mainly farmers who came to Connecticut after first arriving in Massachusetts from England. These early settlers also established the FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF OLD GREENWICH in 1665. Its current church and parish buildings are located on Sound Beach Avenue across from Binney Park. In the three centuries-plus since the town’s founding, Old Greenwich has had several name changes, from Greenwich to Old Town to Sound Beach. In 1930, the name was changed to Old Greenwich, and so it remains today.

After the Civil War, when the New Haven Railroad began offering service to southern Connecticut and recreational travel became more popular, Old Greenwich (or Sound Beach, as it was called), began to draw city residents to its beaches. With a coastline less residential than it is today, entrepreneurs put up large, full-service hotels that attracted crowds in summer. Travelers would arrive at the little Old Greenwich station (now listed on the National Register of Historic Places). Beachgoing, swimming and sailing were as popular then as they remain today. As the twentieth century progressed, the large resort hotels closed and full-time residents filled out the coastline with their homes, but it was the town’s good fortune to acquire the 147-acre estate of J. Kennedy Tod and reclaim his beautiful shore property as GREENWICH POINT PARK, purchased in 1945. Known to locals as TOD’S POINT, this park is probably the most popular in town, with a glorious beach, placid surf, a science education center and the OLD GREENWICH YACHT CLUB, which opens its membership to all town residents who hold a park pass. Tod had also constructed INNIS ARDEN GOLF CLUB in 1899, for himself and his friends. Named for his estate, it remains a private club, with the original cast iron gate still on the club grounds.

Old Greenwich stretches north and south spanning I-95, with businesses along Route One. But the heart of Old Greenwich lies in the small district on Sound Beach Avenue, clustered around the railroad station. Many independent businesses, including a craft butcher, several bakeries, French and Italian restaurants and casual bistros, as well as a clutch of clothing shops, and a store featuring photo services and the work of local artists, called IMAGES, enhance the district’s smalltown feel. There’s also a spot to promote the practice of sustainability; the RUMMAGE ROOM, run by the Women’s Fellowship of the First Congregational Church, offers gently used goods, from clothing and furniture to sporting equipment and holiday decorations.

Typically, home lots here cover less than a half-acre, contributing to the neighborly ambience. It’s common to see groups of children walking with their parents and family dogs to and from the OLD GREENWICH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL on Sound Beach Avenue. Another local institution is the privately-run PERROT MEMORIAL LIBRARY, with programs for all ages. It’s located just across the street from 32-acre BINNEY PARK— another gem of the town’s park system.

clockwise from left: The Barn at Greenwich Historical Society is just one local landmark— there are many; good food at venues such as Greenwich Cheese Company; Cos Cob Park; and surroundings dotted with lovely homes in the village’s historic district.

COS COB

AREA: EXIT 4 OFF I-95 • HIGHLIGHTS: BUSH-HOLLEY HOUSE; MONTGOMERY PARK THE FACES OF GREENWICH

MAKING HISTORY

BUSH-HOLLEY HOUSE, c. 1728, known as the home of American Impressionism, taking in Twachtman, MacRae and Hassam as boarders, is the centerpiece of our Historical Society’s campus.

BARBARA TUCHMAN, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian who wrote The Guns of August, was among many famous residents like playwright Eugene O’Neill and novelists Willa Cather and Anya Seton.

VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY

has been a landmark on the Post Road since 1922, coming a long way from the Mianus Ladder and Hose company pictured in 1900. Another snug hamlet of just two square miles, Cos Cob’s history centers around its water access at the mouth of the Mianus River. Before railroad freight service, Cos Cob’s harbor was central to marine traffic, shipping produce and other farm products from the town’s mainly agrarian economy. The shipping industry declined, but as the fortunes of Greenwich improved with the arrival of successful business leaders who built summer cottages, and then made permanent homes here, Cos Cob’s location near the water provided it with a benefit for the newcomers. Today, water access is a big plus for sailors, as well as rowers and kayakers. Cos Cob has several marinas, a full-service outfitter for fishing of all kinds, both professional and recreational, and two family-friendly clubs dedicated to water sports. The members-only GREENWICH WATER CLUB offers extensive water facilities and year-round clubhouse dining. The GREENWICH ROWING CLUB has state-of-the-art facilities catering to student athletes and recreational scullers.

The GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY, a crown jewel of the town’s many cultural and educational institutions, makes its home on Strickland Road, overlooking the harbor. Its beautiful, recently renovated campus offers two museum galleries; exhibits structured around the town’s citizenry and its artistic and architectural bright lights change frequently. The BUSH-HOLLEY HOUSE, next door to the new building, is a National Historic Landmark and at the turn of the twentieth century, was the onetime home of the Cos Cob School of American Impressionism. Here, renowned artists such as Childe Hassam, Elmer MacRae and John Twachtman painted en plein air, preserving for posterity the bucolic local surroundings and inhabitants.

Cos Cob stretches north along the Mianus River and Mianus Pond toward the Stamford border. Running through the commercial hub is East Putnam Avenue (Route 1), a busy thoroughfare lined with a generous variety of retail stores. In the past several years, a number of quality food retailers have moved in. There’s a juice bar, fish store, gelateria and a bagel baker. In addition, there are several home furnishings businesses that have found a welcoming spot. Residents need not travel far for good dining venues, either. Choices range from pizza, burgers and chicken to Asian fusion and rustic Italian.

Cos Cob has numerous recreational, cultural and educational assets. In addition to the Historical Society headquarters, there is an excellent local library, part of the town’s public system. Its parks also offer many opportunities to this family-centered community. Meandering along the river’s edge is the nine-acre COS COB PARK, which has two play areas and soccer fields, as well as a 9/11 memorial. Off Strickland Road, residents take advantage of the LOUGHLIN PLAYGROUND, with its basketball and tennis courts, as well as paddle tennis courts that are lighted for nighttime play.

For nature lovers, MONTGOMERY PINETUM PARK, a 30-acre preserve located off Valley Road not far from Eastern Middle School, offers beautiful walks that feature remnants of the conifer collection of the property’s original owner, the late Colonel Robert H. Montgomery. The park is also home to the volunteer-run GREENWICH BOTANICAL CENTER. Another natural wonder is MIANUS RIVER PARK, a real magnet for fishermen in the spring. Joggers, walkers and mountain bikers also flock to this unspoiled piece of land. Some of the main trails are flat and wide enough for strollers, so family walks are a common sight at this natural resource.

THE FACES OF GREENWICH CENTRAL GREENWICH

AREA: EXIT 3 OFF I-95 • HIGHLIGHTS: WORLD-CLASS SHOPPING AND DINING; THE BRUCE MUSEUM; GREENWICH LIBRARY

MAKING HISTORY

ROBERT MOFFAT BRUCE, textile merchant, gave his land and mansion to our town for a museum in 1908.

LOUISE BENEDICT and her husband Clifford Harmon, the first to fly across the Sound from Long Island, crashlanded at Mead Point pre-1910.

HARRY HAVEMEYER, art collector/sugar baron, and his wife, funded Havemeyer School in 1892, now home of the Board of Ed. With its diversity of natural and manmade assets, Central Greenwich offers the best of all worlds. With many of the town’s cultural and recreational activities nearby, as well as proximity retail shops and restaurants, it’s easy to take advantage of local offerings. This part of town also possesses a diverse landscape, with large wooded tracts and parkland, grand waterfront properties, and a range of welldeveloped neighborhoods with single family residences and condominiums. Because it is easily walkable, the downtown business district attracts many day trippers, giving it a small-town feel with some big-city energy.

Like the rest of Greenwich, this part of town evolved from its roots as a farming community. In 1686 local settlers traded 30 acres of planting grounds for the tract of land between the Byram and Mianus Rivers. This particular spit of land, which juts into Long Island Sound off Field Point Road, served as pasture for horses and thus became known as Horseneck. For nearly a century it was the town’s principal farming area, providing produce for New York City. Train service, which started in the late 1800s, brought a name change and a new source of revenue: tourism. Hotels along the beautiful Greenwich shoreline were replaced by subdivisions with substantial houses for the businessmen and captains of industry who began to settle permanently here. Among them are distinct neighborhoods that survive today: MILBROOK, an enclave of Tudor-style homes and a golf course, tucked away just south of Route One; BELLE HAVEN, a gated shore community of stately homes with its own yacht club; and FIELD POINT PARK, another gated neighborhood that once had its own racetrack for summer entertainment.

After World War II, Greenwich became a bedroom community for executives from Wall Street and Madison Avenue, and many of the town’s support workers lived in modest houses that lined Mason Street and Milbank Avenue. Times change, however, and in-town living has become popular, so many of these older houses have been transformed into properties with modern amenities. Other sought-after areas near downtown are MEAD POINT, MAHER AVENUE and ROCK RIDGE.

One would not be mistaken to locate the axis of Greenwich’s lively retail and dining district just north of the intersection of Greenwich Avenue (known locally as “The Avenue”) and Elm Street, anchored by the long presence of retail icon SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. Now with three stores, it is known as The Saks Shops at Greenwich. Radiating up and down the Avenue and spilling onto its side streets are an amazing range of retailers. A fine selection of design and home furnishings stores is clustered at the top of the Avenue. This cluster has become so influential that it is now referred to as the GREENWICH DESIGN DISTRICT, complemented by several new art galleries nearby.

Central Greenwich is also dotted with cultural landmarks, including the BRUCE MUSEUM, which will open a state-of-the-art addition after two years of construction. This part of town is also home to the main branch of GREENWICH LIBRARY, as well as the GREENWICH ARTS COUNCIL, located in the former town hall. Close by are JULIAN CURTISS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, the current TOWN HALL, HAVEMEYER PARK and the BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREENWICH. Also in the neighborhood are both the YMCA and YWCA, plus an always-humming WHOLE FOODS market.

At the southern tip of town is Greenwich Harbor, with a luxury hotel—THE DELAMAR— and its restaurant, a mecca for the afterwork crowd. Nearby is the ferry for ISLAND BEACH and GREAT CAPTAIN’S ISLAND, which operates during the summer. Also on the harbor is ROGER SHERMAN BALDWIN PARK, site of Greenwich Town Party and many other outdoor annual events.

clockwise from left: Art and commerce are anchors of the town’s hub, which includes many historical landmarks. A stroll on the Avenue reveals a variety of retail and restaurant offerings.

clockwise from left: Greenwich Audubon is a centerpiece for this area’s bucolic beauty. Winding roads reveal a wealth of greenery, beekeeping and other agricultural pursuits, and vast, horse-friendly acreage.

BACKCOUNTRY & MID-COUNTRY

AREA: EXIT 28–31 OFF MERRITT PARKWAY • HIGHLIGHTS: GREENWICH AUDUBON; RIDING TRAILS; SAM BRIDGE NURSERY THE FACES OF GREENWICH

MAKING HISTORY

HORSE LOVERS like Alva Gimbel, shown jumping sidesaddle in the ’30s, have enjoyed some 105 miles of bridle paths preserved by volunteers from Greenwich Riding & Trails for over 100 years.

U.S. SENATOR PRESCOTT BUSH, father and grandfather of two presidents and a champion golfer at the Round Hill Club, once said: “Politics brightened my life but ruined my golf.”

THE MERRITT PARKWAY with its handsome art deco bridges and bypasses—and free of commercial vehicles—has wended its way through pastoral Fairfield Country for 82 years. A part from its proximity to New York City, Greenwich offers a diversity of beautiful terrain unmatched in other, similarly situated suburban towns. Just minutes from downtown, the surroundings change to a bucolic wonderland: large properties and winding tree-lined roads, punctuated by lakes, streams and dramatic rock formations. There is wide-open, fenced pasture land for horses, and ribbons of centuries-old stone walls everywhere. The most dramatic countryside, situated north of the Merritt Parkway and bounded on the north and west by Westchester County, and on the east by Stamford, has come to be known as backcountry Greenwich. Here, you will find some exquisitely designed golf clubs, as well as dramatic parkland, including GREENWICH AUDUBON, with its much-lauded KIMBERLIN NATURE CENTER and magnificent 300-acre BABCOCK NATURE PRESERVE, which features both bridle paths and hiking trails. Of course, some newcomers would rather be closer to downtown and the local schools. Mid-country is the term used for the section of town that is south of the Parkway; it includes some beautiful residential neighborhoods such as Deer Park and Khakum Wood, and has large properties and green space, comparable to the backcountry. Mid-country is also home to SAM BRIDGE NURSERY & GREENHOUSES, a family business and supplier of landscaping materials and services that dates to 1930.

Like other parts of town, this area became popular with the advent of the railroad, and large parcels of land were acquired and transformed into great estates. While early in the twentieth century many of these houses endured, the requirements for upkeep led to their eventual demolition. Much of midcountry and the backcountry is dotted with newer homes, on large lots but not on the scale of the 100-plus acre estates that once comprised this section of Greenwich. A few mansions remain: Dunnellen Hall, once owned by Leona and Harry Helmsley; Old Mill Farm, owned by Mel Gibson, and an exact replica of the Petit Trianon on North Street, built in 1913 by an heiress of the Goodrich tire fortune, and since owned by the family whose patriarch founded Univision.

Mid-country and the backcountry comprise about two-thirds of the town’s geography; four-acre zoning is standard in most of the backcountry, while one- or two-acre zoning is more common in mid-country. There is still plenty of open space, thanks to the preservation efforts of GREENWICH LAND TRUST. And despite the increase in subdivisions of the old great estates, the century-old GREENWICH RIDING & TRAILS ASSOCIATION has preserved more than 100 miles of riding trails. Children still learn to ride at KELSEY FARM, as they have for a couple of generations. And the backcountry remains home to GREENWICH POLO CLUB, where professionals entertain a Sunday audience every year between June and October. On the polo grounds is the BRANT FOUNDATION ART STUDY CENTER, with its airy gallery space dedicated to contemporary artists and their work.

In the short strip of North Street that straddles the state line into Westchester County in New York sits the tiny village of Banksville, founded in 1700 as a small farming community. Nearby, in 1904 Edmund Converse, the founder of U.S. Steel, acquired more than 1,000 acres and created the greatest estate in all of Greenwich, with 40 buildings and a staff of 200.

In the1980s, this extraordinary parcel was sold to the CONYERS FARM PARTNERSHIP and subdivided into 60 lots, each with at least 10 acres. This beautiful property offers luxurious custom homes and a sense of privacy.

While there are no retail centers in the backcountry, there are several nurseries, a general store and firehouse. And Banksville has a fitness center, small market, café and a wine shop. Just over the state line in New York, there’s a delightful French restaurant called La Cremaillere.

THE FACES OF GREENWICH BYRAM

AREA: EXIT 3 OFF I-95 • HIGHLIGHTS: WORLD-CLASS SHOPPING AND DINING; THE BRUCE MUSEUM; GREENWICH LIBRARY

MAKING HISTORY

STONEMASONS once flocked to the area to be near Byram quarries, which supplied bluestone for the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty and St. Roch Church.

SHELL ISLAND TOWER off Byram Shore, now part of the Land Trust, was built by chemist Otto Elmer in 1925 as a family museum, with one floor dedicated to Thomas Edison memorabilia.

THOMAS LYON HOUSE, built in the 1690s and one of our two oldest houses, was moved across the road to the corner of West Putnam and Byram Road. T he tiny hamlet of Byram has enjoyed a renaissance in the past decade. Set on a small peninsula wedged between the Byram River to the west and Long Island Sound to the south, this pocket-sized village appeals to Manhattan transplants and work-from-home families who appreciate its diverse housing options. Newcomers also like its easily accessible and walkable shopping and dining district on both sides of the bridge that connects it to Port Chester, New York.

Byram’s history began when it was settled in 1660 by Thomas Lyons; his home, built a couple of decades later, still stands and is one of the oldest in Greenwich. The hamlet has had many names over the years: Lyon’s Point, New Lebanon, Meadville, and even East Port Chester for its proximity to the village over the bridge. Just a square mile in area, before World War II many Byram residents found jobs making stoves and pots for its biggest employer, the Abendroth Brothers Foundry. When the factory closed after the war, the area suffered an economic downturn. But its natural attributes—the local waterways and its small-village charm—has helped it flourish.

Another part of Byram’s turnaround is a generation of homeowners who appreciate its accessibility to New York; while it has no stop of its own in town, most residents can easily walk to the Metro North station in Port Chester. Those who commute by car are also conveniently located near Exit 2 off I-95; the highway ramp is just opposite Byram Shore Road, with its waterfront estates, gated entry and wide-open views toward the Sound. Homebuyers will also find more modest homes built along the edges of the Byram River and the streets near the village center.

The appeal of Byram’s location has also caught on with restaurateurs. BURGERS, SHAKES & FRIES has been open for a decade and continues to attract a loyal eager crowd; and FAMOUS GREEK KITCHEN on Water Street has been serving its traditional Mediterranean fare for more than 30 years. Locals and denizens from all over Greenwich and beyond also cross the river for some favorite foodie stops and the much-loved KNEADED DOUGH bakery. A bit further on Willett Avenue is the chic taqueria BAR TACO, with its attractive riverfront setting. For entertainment value, THE CAPITOL THEATRE has drawn crowds for decades with big name acts and hot local bands.

The BYRAM SHUBERT LIBRARY on Mead Avenue, part of the Greenwich town library system, is now housed in a modern curvilinear building. Like the other town libraries, it offers a wide variety of programs for patrons of all ages. And to enhance local amenities, NEW LEBANON SCHOOL, also on Mead Avenue, is an elementary school with International Baccalaureate curriculum and a sustainably built and state-of-the-art building. It opened three years ago as one of Greenwich public schools’ magnet programs.

Despite its small geographic footprint, open space is not lacking in Byram. Built over the site of an old bluestone quarry, the 30-acre BYRAM SHORE AND ROSENWALD PARK has beautifully manicured grounds and carefully tended flower beds. Residents will find tennis courts, an exercise area, playgrounds and a snack bar. For water activity, there is a small beach, as well as boat slips, a community pool with dedicated lap lanes, a pool for young children and a large splash pad.

Fishing is a popular pastime on the Byram River, and a nearby landmark—RUDY’S TACKLE BARN—has been selling rods and lures for nearly a century. Between September and mid-March, ice skating and figure skating programs are available at the DOROTHY HAMILL SKATING RINK, named for the Greenwich native and Olympic gold medalist.

clockwise from left: Its small size belies a wealth of amenities, and Byram has its own fire station, town beach and park; artisan food retailers such as The Kneaded Bread find a home here, as do many boating enthusiasts.

clockwise from left: Vintage buildings comprise much of Glenville’s small downtown, full of charm and green space; the Mill’s landmarked industrial center is now a residential and retail hub with great walking paths nearby.

GLENVILLE

AREA: EXIT 27 OFF MERRITT PARKWAY • HIGHLIGHTS: THE LOW-KEY COMMUNAL VIBE ATTRACTS FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS THE FACES OF GREENWICH

MAKING HISTORY

In 1899 a mill became the AMERICAN FELT COMPANY, where Polish immigrants turned out felt for most hats made in America until the mid-70s. It now houses apartments et al.

GLENVILLE SCHOOL, one-room c. 1756, served the grist mill community, was enlarged in 1882 for children of Irish textile workers, redesigned in the 1920s and became the Western Civic Center.

BYRAM RIVER BEAGLE CLUB,

once a mecca for fox hunters, then a speakeasy, then a dining club, drew the likes of Lucy and Desi for their quickie wedding in 1940. T his hamlet in the northwest corner of Greenwich is bounded on two sides by Westchester County; these days, its character is residential, though it had a long industrial past. This area gets its name from some distinctive topography, with a central winding valley running east to west, and the steepsided banks of the Byram River running north to south. This glen and the wooded hills provide a natural foundation as well as the name for Glenville Road, the area’s primary through street, leading to downtown Greenwich, two miles away.

The Byram River has powerful falls here; they were first harnessed in 1718 when a Westchester man opened a gristmill and then a sawmill. Glenville earned its reputation as a mill town when a wool mill, the Byram Manufacturing Company, opened in 1814. The company changed hands several times and eventually became the AMERICAN FELT COMPANY as the twentieth century began. A very productive industrial facility, it produced most of the felt for hats made in the United States and operated until demand waned; it was acquired by the GAF corporation and closed in the mid-1970s. Distinctive for the old mill buildings and the attractive mix of nineteenth century houses in Italianate, Georgian Revival, Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival styles, the hamlet was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

While its downtown is diminutive by comparison to other neighborhoods in Greenwich, the topography of this part of town and its distinctive and large landmarked buildings provide a central, open space which serves as a setting for the larger buildings and provides wide vistas around these structures, set against a picturesque backdrop of the Byram River valley and the surrounding hills. The sheer volume of open space gives a dimension to the district which is generally not in evidence in more conventionally developed village centers that become spatially constricted as their populations grow.

In 1978 the historic brick felt company buildings were acquired by Greenwich Associates, then restored and converted to condominiums, office space and retail space that included a restaurant and exercise studio. Today, the mill buildings are undergoing another renovation, with new condominiums geared toward empty-nesters and Millennials. A new restaurant, THE LION, has opened, with a safari theme and plenty of outdoor dining space. With its scenic waterfall and millpond, this area is a lovely place for a stroll or impromptu picnic.

Glenville happens to be strategically located: off King Street and close to the Merritt Parkway, it is also minutes away from Westchester County Airport, making it a good choice for commuters and frequent flyers. With its tree-lined streets and vintage landmark homes, it also has a low-key, neighborhood vibe, with a supermarket, gas station and dry cleaner all neatly and conveniently tucked away off Glenville Street. Its small commercial block houses one of the town’s most beloved restaurants, REBECCA’S, which was recently renovated and is open for dining six nights a week, by reservation only.

Also in Glenville is the WESTERN GREENWICH CIVIC CENTER, with 10 acres of parkland that include two ball fields, a playground and the white-columned, Georgian Revival brick center. This former elementary school is now a center for community activity. The current Glenville elementary school, still called the “new” school, moved to its location on Riversville Road in 1975. It underwent a complete transformation 15 years ago and reopened with updated amenities in 2009. For recreation, close to the Civic Center the 44acre PEMBERWICK PARK has basketball and tennis courts, plus baseball and soccer fields.