Bridgeport, Connecticut

"Bridgeport" redirects here. For other uses, see Bridgeport (disambiguation).

Bridgeport, Connecticut
Flag Seal
Nickname:  The Park City.
Location in Connecticut
NECTA	Bridgeport-Stamford
Region	Greater Bridgeport
Incorporated (town)	1821
Incorporated (city)	1836
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
• Mayor	John M. Fabrizi
Area
• City	19.4 sq mi (50.2 km2)
• Land	16.0 sq mi (41.4 km2)
• Water	3.4 sq mi (8.8 km2)
• Urban	465 sq mi (1,205 km2)
Population  (2005)
• City	139,008
• Density	8,690/sq mi (3,354/km2)
• Metro	902,775
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code	066xx
Website	http://www.ci.bridgeport.ct.us

Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and the fifth-largest city in New England. Located in Fairfield County, the city's estimated population of 139,008 is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area, which itself considered part of the labor market area for New York City. The towns located in the Greater Bridgeport area are Ansonia, Derby, Easton, Fairfield, Milford, Monroe, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, Stratford, and Trumbull.

The city has two hospitals, Bridgeport Hospital and St. Vincent's Medical Center.

Bridgeport was originally a part of the township of Stratford. The first settlement here was made in 1659. It was called Pequonnock until 1695, when its name was changed to Stratfield, due to its location between the already existing towns of Stratford and Fairfield. During the American Revolution it was a center of privateering. In 1800 the borough of Bridgeport was chartered, and in 1821 the township was incorporated. The city was not chartered until 1836.

History

Main article: History of Bridgeport, Connecticut

Early years

Bridgeport's early years were marked by a reliance on fishing and farming, much like other towns in New England. The city's location on the deep Black Rock Harbor fostered a boom in shipbuilding and whaling in the mid-19th century, especially after the opening of a railroad to the city in 1840. The city rapidly industrialized in the late-19th century, and became a manufacturing center producing such goods as the famous Bridgeport milling machine, brass fittings, carriages, sewing machines,saddles, and ammunition.

Eastern View of Bridgeport, Con. by John Warner Barber (1836)

Abraham Lincoln's visit

On Saturday, March 10, 1860, Abraham Lincoln spoke in the city's Washington Hall, an auditorium at what was then Bridgeport City Hall (now McLevy Hall), at the corner of State and Broad streets. Not only was the largest room in the city packed, but a crowd formed outside made up of people who couldn't get in. He received a standing ovation before taking the 9:07 p.m. train that night back to Manhattan. A plaque now stands at the site in Bridgeport where he gave the speech. (In 2006, just across the street, in the Polka Dot Playhouse, President George W. Bush spoke before a small, selected group of Connecticut business people and officials about health care reform.)

Later history

By 1930 Bridgeport was a thriving industrial center with more than 500 factories and a booming immigrant population.

Like other urban centers in Connecticut, Bridgeport fared less well during the deindustrialization of the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. Unemployment rose, crime soared, and the city became known for a large drug problem. Many former-industrial sites within the city were discovered to be heavily-polluted, leaving Bridgeport with extensive environmental costs and damage. Other sites were simply abandoned and left to burn down, leaving some areas of the city resembling ghost towns.

In the early 21st century, Bridgeport is rebounding after a loss of jobs and population, and is transitioning into a role as a center of service industries and as an outlying region of the New York metropolitan area (for example, the city itself is an oasis of relatively low-cost housing in an otherwise extremely expensive region).

In 1987, the L'Ambiance Plaza residential project, which was under construction at the time, collapsed, killing 28 construction workers.

Urban Renewal

A portion of the harbor in Bridgeport.

Like other northeastern cities suffering from the effects of Post World War II industrial decline, Bridgeport is often identified as a suitable candidate for urban renewal. Most talk of urban renewal centers on a fifty-acre peninsula in Bridgeport Harbor, known as Steel Point. One proposal called for Las Vegas developer Steve Wynn to build a large casino on the property, but for a variety of reasons, that project failed to materialize. More recently, the City of Bridgeport has taken steps to acquire the last remaining parcels in private hands. Present plans call for the investment of approximately $1 billion to create a mixed-use development with several thousand apartments and condominiums and approximately 1 million square feet (90,000 m²) of retail space. The designated developer is Midtown Equities LLC of New York City.

In addition, more than 20 historic buildings in the downtown core, including the Art Deco Citytrust Building and the late 19th century Arcade Mall & Hotel, are in the process of being renovated to include residential units and retail spaces by Urban Green Builders of New York City.

One obstacle to urban renewal is Bridgeport's property tax regime. Tax rates in the city are among the highest in the country .

Housing Complexes (Projects)

1. P.T. Barnum Apts. (located in the West Side)

2. Trumbull Gardens (aka the Terrace) (located in the North End)

3. Father Panik Village (torn down) (located in the East End)

4. Marina Village (located in the South End)

5. The Greens (located in the Hollow)

6. Pequonnock Apts. (torn down) (located in the South End)

Geography and Climate

Bridgeport is located along Long Island Sound, at the mouth of the Pequonnock River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 50.2 km² (19.4 mi²). 41.4 km² (16.0 mi²) of it is land and 8.8 km² (3.4 mi²) of it (17.53%) is water.

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rec High °F	68	67	84	91	97	96	103	100	99	86	78	76
Norm High °F	36.9	38.8	46.9	57	67.4	76.4	81.9	80.7	73.6	63.1	52.6	42.1
Norm Low °F	22.9	24.9	32	40.7	50.6	59.6	66	65.4	57.7	46.3	37.5	28
Rec Low °F	-7	-5	4	18	31	41	49	44	36	26	16	-4
Precip (in)	3.73	2.92	4.15	3.99	4.03	3.57	3.77	3.75	3.58	3.54	3.65	3.47
Source: USTravelWeather.com [3]

Cityscape

The harbor, formed by the estuary of the Pequonnock River and Yellow Mill Pond, an inlet, is excellent. Between the estuary and the pond is a peninsula, East Bridgeport, in which are some of the largest manufacturing establishments, and west of the harbor and the river is the main portion of the city, the wholesale section extending along the bank, the retail section farther back, and numerous factories along the line of the railway far to the westward. There are two large parks, Beardsley, in the extreme north part of the city, and Seaside, west of the harbor entrance and along the Sound; in the latter are statues of Elias Howe, who built a large sewing-machine factory here in 1863, and of P.T. Barnum, the showman, who lived in Bridgeport after 1846 and did much for the city, especially for East Bridgeport. In Seaside Park there is also a soldiers' and sailors' monument, and in the vicinity are many fine residences. The principal buildings are the St Vincent's and Bridgeport hospitals, the Protestant orphan asylum, the Barnum Institute, occupied by the Bridgeport Scientific and Historical Society and the Bridgeport Medical Society; and the United States government building, which contains the post-office and the customs house.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 139,529 people, 50,307 households, and 32,749 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,367.0/km² (8,720.9/mi²). There were 54,367 housing units at an average density of 1,312.0/km² (3,398.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 45.02% White, 30.76% African American, 0.48% Native American, 3.25% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 14.81% from other races, and 5.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.88% of the population.

A typical Street scene in Bridgeport

There were 50,307 households out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 24.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the city the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,658, and the median income for a family was $39,571. Males had a median income of $32,430 versus $26,966 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,306. About 16.2% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.8% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005
Party		Active Voters	Inactive Voters	Total Voters	Percentage	Democratic	33,374	2,855	36,229	58.23%	Republican	5,069	468	5,537	8.90%	Unaffiliated	18,538	1,887	20,425	32.83%	Minor Parties	27	3	30	0.05%
Total		57,008	5,213	62,221	100%

Education

Main article: Education in Bridgeport, Connecticut

Bridgeport is home to the University of Bridgeport and Housatonic Community College.

The city's public school system has 30 elementary schools, three comprehensive high schools, two alternative programs and an interdistrict vocational aquaculture school. The system has about 23,000 students, making the Bridgeport Public Schools the second largest school system in Connecticut. The school system employs a professional staff of more than 1,700.

The city has started a large school renovation and construction program, with plans for new schools and modernization of existing buildings.

High Schools

• Bassick High School, home to the Business Magnet
• Central High School established in 1876, home to Central Magnet, largest of the high schools
• Warren Harding High School which is home to the International Baccalaureate Program (IBO) as well as the Health Magnet Program in association with nearby Bridgeport Hospital plus St. Vincent’s Medical Center on the north side of Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Manor.

• Bridgeport Regional Vocational Aquaculture School (BRVAS) is located near historic Captain's Cove and is open to students from surrounding towns. It is one of the first schools in the country specializing in marine and aquaculture curriculum.
• Bullard Havens Technical High School is a vocational high school. (State School)
• Kolbe Cathedral High School: Bridegport's sole Catholic high school
• The Bridge Academy: Bridgeport's sole Charter High School--Laterrius Johnson 06:49, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

Bridgeport is also home to several Catholic schools. They are St. Ambrose, the largest of all the Catholic schools, St. Raphaels, St. Augustine, and St. Peters.

Government and politics

Bridgeport is notable for having had a Socialist mayor for 24 years; Jasper McLevy served as mayor from 1933 to 1957. Its more recent mayors, including Joseph Ganim, have been plagued with corruption scandals, reflecting a similar pattern found in other urban centers in Connecticut. In June 2006, Mayor John M. Fabrizi admitted that he had used cocaine since taking office, but had not used cocaine for over a year.

Its status as a struggling post-industrial city marked by poverty is well-known within Connecticut, and stands out markedly from its Gold Coast neighbors.

Culture

Popular culture

Barnum Museum

Bridgeport is quite marked by its attachment to famed resident, circus-promoter and once-mayor P.T. Barnum. Barnum built three houses in the city, and housed his circus in-town during winters.

Bridgeport was home to the Frisbie Pie Company. Because of this connection, it has been argued that Bridgeport is the birthplace of the frisbee[4].

The city was mentioned at the beginning of Mark Twain's novel, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court:

‘At the end of an hour we saw a far-away town sleeping in a valley by a winding river; and beyond it on a hill, a vast gray fortress, with towers and turrets, the first I had ever seen out of a picture.

‘“Bridgeport?” said I, pointing.

‘“Camelot,” said he.’

Bridgeport is mentioned occasionally on shows focusing on guns and ammunitions from the late 19 to the mid 20th centuries.

Performing Arts

Theater

• Klein Memorial Auditorium
• Arena at Harbor Yard
• Downtown Cabaret Theatre
• Playhouse on the Green theater with plays and varied musical events

Museums, Zoos & Parks

As befits his in-town legend, the Barnum Museum is headquartered in Bridgeport. The city is also home to the Discovery Museum and Planetarium, which emphasizes exhibits on science, as well as the Housatonic Museum of Art, located at Housatonic Community College, which has the largest collection of art of any two-year college in the country, thanks to a sizable grant from Burt Chernow.

The Beardsley Zoo is also located in Bridgeport, and is the only zoological center in the entire state of Connecticut.

The Park City also has these parks:

• Alice Street Lot located on Alice Street
• Baldwin Plaza on Broad Street known for trailing mostly
• Beardsley Park located on Noble Avenue where Harding High School plays Baseball and Softball games just like other recreational baseball leagues such as North End Babe Ruth & Park City Babe Ruth, picnic areas are also visible
• Beechwood Park on Madison Avenue incorporating Kennedy Stadium as well
• Ellsworth Park on Ellsworth Street
• Fairchild Memorial Park located on Trumbull Road
• Glenwood Park where tennis courts are abundant
• Wonderland of Ice which is a recreational center for ice skating also on Glenwood Avenue
• James Brown Park (Waterview Park) locaated on Waterview Avenue
• Johnson Oak Park on Logan Street
• Lafayette Park located on Oak Street
• Longfellow Park on St. Stephens Road
• Longfellow Playground on Wordin Avenue
• Manila Street Playground on Manila Street
• Newfield/Jessup Park located on Newfield Avenue has a playground,
• Pleasure Beach, located within the proximity of Seaview Avenue
• Puglio Park on Madison Avenue consecutive to the North End Library
• Rogers Elton Park on Frenchtown Road
• Seaside Park, probably the largest park within the city of Bridgeport with abundance of baseball/softball fields, fishing areas, picnic areas, playgrounds, soccer fields and swimming stretching from Park Avenue all the way to the Bridgeport Port Jefferson Ferry
• Saint Mary's-By-the-Sea located on Grovers Avenue
• Success Park on Granfield Street
• Svihra Park on Ezra Street
• Upchurch Park on Hallett Street
• Veterans Memorial Park on Park Avenue
• Washington Park located on East Washington Avenue
• Waterfront Park located on Water Street primarily for baseball usage
• Went Field Park on Wordin Avenue
• West Side 2 Park located on Bostwick Avenue

Sports

Team	Sport	League	Championships	Venue
Bridgeport Bluefish	Baseball	Atlantic League of Professional Baseball; North Division	1 (1999)	The Ballpark at Harbor Yard
Bridgeport Sound Tigers	Ice hockey	American Hockey League; Eastern Conference	0	Arena at Harbor Yard
Bridgeport	Basketball	Premier Basketball League	0	TBD

The recently-built Arena at Harbor Yard serves as the city's sports and hospitality center. Seating 10,000, the Arena serves as the home rink of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL hockey team, as well as the home court of the Fairfield University's basketball team.

The Ballpark at Harbor Yard serves as a minor-league baseball stadium, and was built in 1998 to serve as the homefield of the Bridgeport Bluefish. It is located downtown on a former brownfield site. It is visually prominent to commuters on I-95 or on passing trains.

Kennedy Stadium serves as a community sports facility.

Fairfield University is located in the neighboring town of Fairfield, and many of the athletic teams play on campus. Only the men's and women's basketball teams play in Bridgeport.

Broadcast stations in the city

Radio

• WCUM-AM 1450; 1,000 watts(formerly WDGS-AM) Spanish Format station better known as Radio Cumbre.

• WDJZ-AM 1530; 5,000 watts Gospel Radio that serve the African American and Caribbean communities in the Bridgeport Metro area.

• WICC-AM 600; 1,000 watts (daytime), 500 watts (nighttime) -- WICC began broadcasting on November 21 1926, when a previous radio station, WCWS, was given a new name, WICC. The last three letters standing for Industrial Capitol of Connecticut. The Bridgeport Broadcasting Company Inc. was the new station's owner. Back then, the station was powered at 500 watts. From 1951 to 1956 one of the station's radio hosts was Bob Crane, who later went on to play Col. Robert Hogan on the Hogan's Heroes television comedy series.

• WEBE-FM 107.9; 50,000 watts. WEBE 108 is "Connecticut's Best Music Variety" owned and operated by Cumulus Media.

• WEZN-FM 99.9; 27,500 watts. From the station's web site: "Your local guide to southern Connecticut information and family fun." owned by Cox Radio, Inc.

• WPKN-FM 89.5; 10,000 watts; From the station's web site: "WPKN is somewhat inscrutable. We break all of the rules, and we observe few, if any, of the conventions. We have no format whatsoever, we permit our programmers to do whatever they will, and we don't accept funding from the sources which might restrict our freedoms. We are totally accountable to our listeners in that we publish our budget to everyone on our mailing list, and we also invite you to our monthly staff meetings and, in particular, the June meeting at which we discuss the budget. (...) WPKN's programming can be heard on two frequencies: 89.5 from our transmitter at Trumbull, CT and 88.7 (formally known as WPKM) at Montauk on Long Island. If you're driving eastward and you start to lose the 89.5 signal, you can tune over to 88.7 and continue to hear us until about Exit 6 on I-95 in Rhode Island."

Television

• WEDW channel 49; one of the Connecticut Public Television stations, broadcasts from Bridgeport and can be seen in Hartford.

Transportation

Airports

Nearby Sikorsky Memorial Airport once provided regional flights to major hub cities such as Logan International Airport in Boston and Baltimore-Washington International Airport; however, service to the airport declined in the 1990s, and US Airways Express became the last airline to suspend operations at the airport in November 1999. Tweed New Haven Regional Airport is the closest facility providing scheduled air service. The closest international airports are La Guardia and John F. Kennedy in New York City, Newark in Newark, New Jersey, Stewart in Newburgh, New York and Bradley in Windsor Locks, CT.

Major highways

Bridgeport is at the intersection of many major highways which have contributed greatly to its industrial past. Interstate 95, the Merritt Parkway, Route 8 and Route 25, and U.S. Route 1 (The Boston Post Road) all run through the city, with the intersection of Route 8/Route 25 and Interstate 95 located downtown.

Railroad and ferries

The Modern-Looking Bridgeport Station is served a part of intermodal transit hub

The city is connected to nearby New York City by both Amtrak and Metro-North commuter trains. Many residents commute to New York jobs on these trains, and the city to some extent is developing as an outpost of New York-based workers seeking cheaper rents and larger living spaces. Connecting service is also available to Waterbury via Metro-North, and New Haven via Amtrak and Metro-North.

A ferry service runs from Bridgeport across Long Island Sound to Port Jefferson, New York; the ferry transports both automobiles and passengers.

Buses

The Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority (GBTA) provides bus service to Bridgeport and its immediate suburbs. Route 2 the Costal Link goes south to Norwalk and north to Westfield's Connecticut Post Mall where CT Transit from there can bring passengers to the New Haven Green. Greyhound and Peter Pan Bus Lines both offer intercity bus service to points throughout the Northeast and points beyond.

On the National Register of Historic Places

• BERKSHIRE NO. 7 — Bridgeport Harbor (added 1978)
• Barnum Museum — 805 Main St. (added December 7, 1972)
• Barnum/Palliser Historic District — Roughly bounded by Myrtle and Park Aves., Atlantic and Austin Sts. (both sides) (added 1982)
• Bassickville Historic District — 20-122 Bassick, 667-777 Howard, and 1521-1523 Fairview Aves., and 50-1380 State St. (added October 8, 1987)
• Beardsley Park — 1875 Noble Ave. (added April 18, 1999)
• Bikur Cholim Synagogue — 1545 Iranistan Ave. (added December 27, 1995)
• Black Rock Gardens Historic District — Bounded by Fairfield St., Brewster St. and Nash Ln., including Rowsley and Haddon Sts. (added October 26, 1990)
• Black Rock Historic District — Roughly bounded by Black Rock Harbor, Grovers Ave., Beacon and Prescott Sts. (added April 15, 1979)
• Bridgeport City Hall — 202 State St. (added October 19, 1977)
• Bridgeport Downtown North Historic District — Roughly bounded by Congress, Water, Fairfield Ave., Elm, Golden Hill & Chapel Sts. (added December 2, 1987)
• Bridgeport Downtown South Historic District — Roughly bounded by Elm, Cannon, Main, Gilbert, and Broad Sts. (added October 3, 1987)
• Connecticut Railway and Lighting Company Car Barn — 55 Congress St. (added 1987)
• David Perry House — 531 Lafayette St. (added April 22, 1984)
• Deacon's Point Historic District — Roughly bounded by Seaview Ave. and Williston, Bunnell and Deacon Sts. (added September 21, 1992)
• Division Street Historic District — Roughly bounded by State St., Iranistan, Black Rock and West Aves. (added July 3, 1982)
• ELMER S. DAILEY — Bridgeport Harbor (added 1978)
• Eagle's Nest — 282-284 Logan St. (added April 5, 1979)
• East Bridgeport Historic District — Roughly bounded by RR tracks, Beach, Arctic, and Knowlton Sts. (added May 25, 1979)
• East Main Street Historic District — Bounded by Walters and Nichols Sts. from 371-377, 741-747, 388-394 and to 744 East Main Sts. (added March 21, 1985)
• Ein Jacob (Ayn Yacob) Synagogue — 746 (aka 748) Connecticut Ave. (added December 27, 1995)
• Fairfield County Courthouse — 172 Golden Hill St. (added February 21, 1982)
• Fairfield County Jail — 1106 North Ave. (added May 18, 1985)
• First Baptist Church — 126 Washington Ave. (added March 22, 1990)
• Gateway Village Historic District — Roughly bounded by Waterman St., Connecticut Ave. and Alanson Ave. (added October 26, 1990)
• Golden Hill Historic District — Roughly bounded by Congress St., Lyon Terr., Elm, and Harrison Sts. (added October 3, 1987)
• Hotel Beach — 140 Fairfield Ave. (added 1978)
• Lakeview Village Historic District — Roughly bounded by Essex St., Boston Ave., Colony St., Plymouth St. and Asylum St. (added October 26, 1990)
• Maplewood School — 434 Maplewood Ave. (added March 21, 1990)
• Marina Park Historic District — Marína Park, Park and Waldemere Aves. (added May 27, 1982)
• Mary and Eliza Freeman Houses — 352-4 and 358-60 Main St. (added March 22, 1999)
• Nathaniel Wheeler Memorial Fountain — Park and Fairfield Aves. (added May 4, 1985)
• PRICILLA DAILEY — Bridgeport Harbor (added 1978)
• Palace and Majestic Theaters — 1315-1357 Main St. (added 1979)
• Park Apartments — 59 Rennell St. (added October 26, 1990)
• Penfield Reef Lighthouse — Long Island Sound off Shoal Point (added October 27, 1990)
• Pequonnock River Railroad Bridge — AMTRAK Right-of-way at Pequonnock River (added July 12, 1987)
• Peyton Randolph Bishop House — 135 Washington Ave. (added September 25, 1987)
• Railroad Avenue Industrial District — Roughly bounded by State and Cherry Sts., Fairfield and Wordin Aves. (added October 30, 1985)
• Remington City Historic District — Roughly, Bond, Dover, and Remington Sts. and Palisade Ave., between Stewart and Tudor Sts. (added October 26, 1990)
• Remington Village Historic District — Roughly, Willow and East Aves. between Boston and Barnum Aves. (added October 26, 1990)
• Seaside Institute — 299 Lafayette Ave. (added July 14, 1982)
• Seaside Park — Long Island Sound (added August 1, 1982)
• Seaside Village Historic District — E. side of Iranistan Ave. between South St. and Burnham St. (added October 26, 1990)
• St. John's Episcapal Church — 768 Fairfield Ave. (added September 2, 1984)
• Sterling Block-Bishop Arcade — 993-1005 Main St. (added 1978)
• Sterling Hill Historic District — Roughly bounded by Pequonnock St., Harral Ave., James St. and Washington Ave. (added May 2, 1992)
• Stratfield Historic District — CT 59 and U.S. 1 (added July 23, 1980)
• Tongue Point Lighthouse — W side of Bridgeport Harbor at Tongue Point (added June 29, 1990)
• US Post Office-Bridgeport Main — 120 Middle St. (added April 17, 1986)
• United Congregational Church — 877 Park Ave. (added August 19, 1984)
• United Illuminating Company Building — 1115-1119 Broad St. (added March 21, 1985)
• West End Congregation-Achavath Achim Synagogue — 725 Hancock Ave. (added June 11, 1995)
• William D. Bishop Cottage Development Historic District — Cottage Pl. and Atlantic, Broad, Main and Whiting Sts. (added July 28, 1982)
• Wilmot Apartments Historic District — Jct. of Connecticut and Wilmot Aves. (added October 26, 1990)

For an extensive list of places elsehwere in Connecticut on the register, see List of Registered Historic Places in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Notable people, past and present

For further information, see People of Bridgeport, Connecticut

Perhaps Bridgeport's most famous resident from the past is P.T. Barnum, the circus promoter who also served as mayor of the city. A brief summary, mentioning some of the Bridgeporters who achieved fame far outside the city would include actors Robert Mitchum, Brian Dennehy, and John Ratzenberger, actor/comedian Kevin Nealon and the actor and comedian Richard Belzer who once worked as a reporter for The Connecticut Post. Other notable Bridgeporters include Henry A. Mucci, who led the raid that rescued survivors of the Bataan Death March in World War II. NBA players Charles Smith, John Bagley and Chris Smith and baseball players George "Kiddo" Davis, who had 7 hits in the 1933 World Series, helping the New York Giants win the championship, and Jim O'Rourke, the first player to be credited with a hit and single in a professional baseball game.

Cartoonists Al Capp, who created Lil Abner, and Walt Kelly, who created Pogo, attended Bridgeport High Schools in the 1920s.

External links

• Offical City of Bridgeport Website*
• Bridgeport Public Schools
• Bridgeport History Links
• Bridgeport History in Postcards
• Bridgeport Trivia Test
• Coastal Fairfield County Convention & Visitor Bureau
• Bridgeport CT Area Business Directory
• Bridgeport Ferry Bridgeport to Port Jefferson (Long Island) NY