Out of the Woods: Long live Longshore!

When I decided to move here in 1968 with my family, one of the outstanding attractions of Westport was the town-owned Longshore Club Park, which included a golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts, marina, restaurant and clubhouse overlooking beautiful Long Island Sound.

In addition to the superior public schools system, it was Longshore that convinced us to move.

The purchase of the 191-acre facility in 1960 was so extraordinary for a small town in America that it made front page news in The NewYork Times when it was purchased in 1960 for $1,925,000. The headline reporting the news of its opening in the Times on July 25, 1960, read: "Westport Residents Enjoy Community's Own Luxurious Country Club." The story -- most unusual for any newspaper let alone The New York Times -- began this way: "Imagine a luxurious country club overlooking Long Island Sound with dues of $10 a year for a family. Well, this community has one." There were kudos from all quarters, including the local press. But one of the least likely -- and most flattering -- comments came from the newspaper industry's trade magazine, Editor & Publisher [no longer in business], which closely reported on unusual developments and stories in the industry across America.

An editorial published on Sept. 10, 1960, praised Westport: "It took daring and courage. ... It took leadership and confident fellowship. It took understanding of the trends, conditions and needs. It took a quality of thinking that is satisfied only by follow-up in action. Westport is proving that the town and its citizens have these qualifies."

This dramatic aspect of Westport history will soon be celebrated by Westporters. Plans are being formulated by a committee under the leadership of Scott Smith, which met earlier this month when some 20 people showed up for the initial planning session. There is still time for everyone who wants to get involved -- the next meeting takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 7:30 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation building at Longshore.

Smith, a veteran golf writer and editor, is the logical choice to head up the celebration.

He served on the Longshore Golf Advisory Committee for 10 years. And, of course, key to the success of the events will be Allen A. Raymond Jr., the 87-year-old "pillar of our community," who not only serves as municipal historian, but who played a key role in the acquisition of Longshore during the administration of the late First Selectman Herbert Baldwin.

This "happening" is serendipitous for Westport, coming as it is at a time when the country is struggling with a deep recession and most people are uncertain of what will happen to all of us in the future. Our town is no exception. Many residents are hurting. This is, indeed, a time to do something to uplift our spirits.

Said Smith in an interview in the Westport News: "What we've done with Longshore just shows people what is possible. Just think what the alternative was: Longshore Estates, a subdivision with 50 homes on it." He added: "Already we've had an overwhelming response. In this day and age, with gridlock in Congress, gridlock and NIMBY-ism [Not In My Back Yard] in Westport, this is a project that everyone is enthusiastic about. This is a unifying topic and it's fun to be a part of it."

And First Selectman Gordon Joseloff, who is a lifelong resident of the town, and a history buff in his own right, has lent the full support of Town Hall. Joseloff, in his own low-key way, has steered our town through the current rough path with finesse and steady leadership that give all of us confidence in our future. The former CBS newsman is always on the lookout for something that will sustain the townspeople's positive attitude.

The plan to host what will probably be a year's worth of events will kick off on Memorial Day week end, when the committee plans to have a parade. Smith said the committee also plans to tie in the Westport Historical Society's 10th anniversary of the tiled mural that is seen on the backside of the swimming pool at Longshore. In addition, there will be other groups who are already planning to host various events, including the Westport Library, the Rotary Club the Chamber of Commerce, the Y's Men and the Longshore Sailing School, to mention only a few.

My friend and fellow columnist, Dan Woog, who is a member of the committee, was quoted in this paper last week as saying: "People don't realize that this [Longshore] didn't just happen, that Longhsore almost became a housing development." Woog has long been a history buff , writing numerous columns about various people and aspects of Westport's past.

The era of the 1960s was a special time in our history. As Raymond recalled: "The most exciting event during Herb Baldwin's reign was a when a friend, Gay Land, told me that Longshore Country Club might be for sale. I told our `Kitchen Cabinet' [of which he was a member] that it might be a property the town should buy, and Herb said we should go for it. It was a great deal."

It became a bipartisan project and Julian Brodie, a Democrat, was appointed by Herb to negotiate the deal with Julius Ballard, the owner. He got very close to a price, but Ballard, with a stroke of genius said, `I'll tell you what we'll do, Julius. We'll give you a lifetime gold pass to Longshore.' And Julius said: `Sold.'"

Subsequently, the Representative Town Meeting in a 34--0 vote on Feb. 14, 1960, approved the proposed purchase of the facility as some 700 spectators gave the RTM a hearty ovation. And the rest of us have been applauding that vote and the town's decision ever since. I can think of no better way of celebrating the spirit of Westport this year than this project.

Anyone who wants to get involved with the Longshore Project should send an e-mail to longshore50@gmail.com.

Woody Klein's "Out of the Woods" column appears regularly the Westport News. He is author of Westport, Connecticut, the Story of a New England Town's Rise to Prominence, which can be purchased at the Westport Historical Society.