A stroll down Main Street, 50 years ago

In 1960, motion picture fans flocked to Westport's own movie theater, located on the Post Road across from Main Street, to see actress Janet Leigh's infamous shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's horror film, Psycho.

Cruising Compo Beach and The Crest, one of Fairfield County's most popular drive-in restaurants, and doing "The Twist" at parties were a few more activities enjoyed by local young people during this decade.

The heart of Westport for residents of all ages, though, was the downtown Main Street area. This was where the community gathered to shop for clothes, groceries, hardware, books and stationery. It was also where people socialized and simply "hung out" at pizza parlors and soda fountains.

Today Main Street is comprised of upscale stores and trendy restaurants. Fifty years ago, though, "mom-and-pop" operations lined both sides of the street. Shopkeepers and their employees knew their customers by name. "Going downtown" to Main Street was as much about browsing and purchasing an item or two as it was about chatting with friends who you saw in and out of the stores.

The retail stores and restaurants were undoubtedly profitable, though, because some of these family-owned businesses thrived for decades.

Susan Molloy, a resident of Westport for more than 40 years, fondly recalls this time. Inspired by a walking tour she took a few years ago, Molloy decided to create a map outlining what Main Street, Westport, looked like in 1960.

"Main Street Memories, Circa 1960," a guide to all of the businesses that were once located on this strip of roadway, beginning at the Boston Post Road, is available for purchase at the Westport Historical Society for $1.75.

At a launch party, held Saturday afternoon at the Westport Historical Society, longtime Westport residents reminisced about what their town used to look like.

Some spoke about shopping for children's clothing at "Trudy Gary," which used to be located in the vicinity of where the Gap store now resides. One woman pointed out that another favorite clothing store for children was located nearby on the Post Road; it was called Paul Zabin's.

"I loved Country Gal," said Mary Ann (Saponare) Stirling. She refers to a women's clothing store that was housed for several decades on Main Street. "We bought all of our clothes there. I even bought my prom dress there."

Mary Krehbiel agreed. Although she grew up in Norwalk, Krehbiel frequently shopped at Country Gal -- as well as other Main Street stores -- as a teenager during the 1960s.

Loretta (Santella) Hallock recalled spending time at Bill's Smoke Shop. Whether you sat on stools at the counter, or in cozy booths, Bill's Smoke Shop was the place to go to purchase a great milkshake, burger, newspaper and pack of cigarettes.

"Everyone knew about Bill's Smoke Shop," Hallock said.

During her welcoming remarks, Molloy looked around at all of those gathered in the room where "Westport Modern: When Cool Was Hot" was exhibited and said that she was pleased to see so many people reconnecting with longtime Westport residents. Those interested in the newly published map also had the opportunity to write about their own personal memories of Main Street in the 1960s in a scrapbook provided.

She said, "The point was to update a map of all of the old street stores. However, my intention was also to get people together to talk."

Molloy expressed appreciation to local artist Miggs Burroughs. He was responsible for the map's artwork and design.

Growing up in New York City, Molloy spent her summers in the 1940s in Westport. She moved to town in 1967 and raised her children in the Old Hill section of Westport.

Lucia White, 87, a resident for more than 60 years, lived for awhile on Main Street in a building that later became Remarkable Bookstore.

"The George Mitchell School was located next door to us," she recalled.

White clearly enjoyed chatting with fellow longtime Westport residents, such as George Marks. Marks is a former head of the Westport detective bureau. (His son, George Marks Jr., recently retired from the Westport Police Department and now lives in South Carolina, he said.)

In the early 1960s, a time before the civil rights movement called for systematic changes, Westport's black population was largely segregated in Westport. Several black people lived in Westport in rooming houses at 22 ½ Main Street, said Marks.

Working as "domestics" -- that is, maids, cooks and butlers -- for wealthy local families, they lived in a rooming house which was accessed from an alleyway at 22 ½ Main Street.

Mary Gail (Horelick) Gristina, a former Westport resident, was one of the committee members who helped Molloy organize "Main Street Memories."

Her grandfather, Thomas Horelick, lived on Main Street in the early part of the 20th century. Gristina wanted to participate in this project because she feels it gives people a greater sense of community.

"It's also interesting to see how the town has developed over the years," Horelick added.

Marlena Estabrooke grew up in Southport, however she said that much of her childhood -- and adulthood -- is spent in Westport, especially on Main Street.

"I miss the small shops and the way that everyone who worked in them knew you," Estabrooke said. "It was a lovely time back then."

Molloy, too, is saddened by the demise of many of Westport's mom-and-pop stores. In researching the map, she relied on a telephone directory found at the Westport Library. She said that the original shopkeepers are "all gone."

"Main Street Memories" helps people to not only remember what the town used to look like but also it gives parents and grandparents a chance to share these special memories with their children.

Horelick said that she overheard one family pointing out to their 12-year-old daughter what Westport looked like when they were growing up here.

"The parents were raised here but had moved away," she said. "They now returned to Westport and wanted to point out all of its changes."

All proceeds from Main Street Memories are donated to the Westport Historical Society. For more information, call (203) 222-1424.