About Bridgeport's Black Rock

BARTRAM HOUSE - 427 Brewster Street - $475,000

Thomas Bartram, the builder of the house at the corner of Bartram avenue and Brewster street . He followed the West India trade, and he died of yellow fever in the West Indies, in 1803.

Thomas Bartram was married to Sarah Burr in 1797. He kept a careful record of his business transactions commences in 1801, the year he set up his house at Black Rock, and continued through 1835, three years before his death. Three volumeshave been preserved, covering the years between 1801 and 1819, and the period from 1830 to 1835. Two and perhaps three volumes, from the period 1819-1830, are missing, but the surviving volumes provide historic details.

This is one of my listings and is still currently on the market. It is now a two-family home, but could easily be converted back to the grand one-family 12 room home that it once was. It has 5 bedroom, 4.5 baths, 4,139 SF and 7 fireplaces. More photos and details at www.blackrockhomesforsale.com

Hillside Cottage on Thorne Place was one of the summer cottages of the George Hotel at the turn of the century in Black Rock.

Bridgeport, the ‘Park City’, was once the most popular summer vacation resort between New York City and Newport, Rhode Island.  Black Rock Harbor was home to what was perhaps the Sound’s grandest summer resort hotel. The George Hotel, which opened in 1874, was built on Grovers Hill, near what is now St. Mary’s-by-the-Sea.

The French Second Empire style George Hotel was built by George A. Wells, who was the public relations director for Bridgeport’s most famous resident, P.T. Barnum, the hotel’s main financial backer.  Wells apparently learned the art of shameless promotion from Barnum: the George Hotel’s promotional material promised “a bath with every room,” the operative word being “with” - not “in”. Guests wishing to bathe could wade in Long Island Sound! The George Hotel no longer stands, but its “Shore House,” directly on the waterfront, which was once the hotel bar and a dining room, is now the Black Rock Yacht Club.

I listed and sold this 5 bedroom 3.5 bath, 4,735 SF home in 2005 for $1.1 million. 

CLARKSON HOUSE The house was built by John Clarkson, Sr., an Englishman. The house was moved from its original location, Fairfield Avenue, corner of Gilman Street, to make way for the Beverly Theatre Building. It is now located on 36 Livingston Street.

I listed and sold this 2,078 SF Colonial with 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths in 2005 for $341,550 "as is" in need of restoration. A couple who love historic homes purchased it and did meticulous research to restore it to it's full historic period beauty while adding modern conveniences.

I love looking up the history of homes and understanding what makes each one special. The sellers grew up in this home and were glad that the buyers appreciated it and restored it.

I enjoy photography. It's a long time hobby of mine. Of course the best photos occur when you don't have your camera with you. That happened to me tonight, so I pulled out my iPhone 4 and using the ProHDR app, I took a couple of pictures.

The photo below was taken looking at the same horizon, just shifted to the east a bit. It's not as interesting a photo as there is no foreground object and the composition is simpler.

At times like this I wish I had my tripod and my digital camera with me, but the iPhone 4 is always with me and it does capture the moment. I'll bet the 4S takes even better photos as it is supposed to have a better camera.

These photos were taken today at The Anchorage Condominium complex in Black Rock Connecticut. To learn more about the Black Rock coastal lifestyle visit www.blackrockhomesforsale.com or www.blackrockonline.org .