Since the beginning of the 21st century, Bridgeport has begun extensiveredevelopment of its downtown and other neighborhoods. Bridgeport's crime rate started going down significantly around 2010; by 2018, it had been reduced by almost 50 percent.[17] Bridgeport is home tothree museums,[18] theUniversity of Bridgeport,Housatonic Community College, and part ofSacred Heart University[19][20] as well as thestate's only zoo.[21] Bridgeport is officially nicknamed "Park City", due to its 35public parks taking up 1,300 acres, including two large ones. Although none are headquartered within the city itself, more than a dozenFortune 500 companies are based in itsmetropolitan area, which it shares withStamford. Bridgeport by various sites has been consistently ranked as among the 25 most ethnically and culturally diverseAmerican cities.[22][23][24][25][26]
The burgeoning farming community grew and became a center of trade, shipbuilding, and whaling. The town was incorporated to subsidize theHousatonic Railroad and rapidly industrialized following the rail line's connection to theNew York and New Haven railroad. The town was given its name because of the need for bridges over thePequonnock River that provided a navigable port at the mouth of the river. Manufacturing was the mainstay of the local economy until the 1970s.
The first documentedEuropean settlement within the present city limits of Bridgeport took place in 1644, centered atBlack Rock Harbor and along North Avenue between Park and Briarwood Avenues. The place was calledPequonnock[9] (Quiripi for "Cleared Land"), after a band of thePaugussett, an Algonquian-speakingNative American people who occupied this area. One of their sacred sites was Golden Hill, which overlooked the harbor and was the location of natural springs and their planting fields. (It has since been blasted through for construction of anexpressway.)[29][30] The Golden Hill Indians were granted areservation here by theColony ofConnecticut in 1639; it lasted until 1802. (One of the tribes acquired land for a small reservation in the late 19th century that was recognized by the state. It is retained in the Town ofTrumbull.)
In 1639,Roger Ludlow, deputy governor of theEnglishConnecticut Colony was ordered by thecolony's General Assembly inHartford to establish two plantations, one at Cupheg the mouth of the Housatonic River (today Stratford), and one at the harbor at the mouth of thePequonnock River, today'sBridgeport Harbor. Ludlow disobeyed orders and instead established a settlement in Unconway (today'sFairfield), probably due to fears of the largePaugussett settlement at Golden Hill, which was a sacred site of theirs, so it is believed that they perhaps instead settled in sparsely populated land surrounding the village.[31] In 1659, the general court in Hartford established the official borders of the Paugussett Reservation.[32]
Bridgeport's early years were marked by residents' reliance onfishing andfarming. This was similar to the economy of the Paugussett, who had cultivatedcorn, beans, and squash; and fished and gathered shellfish from both the river and sound. A village calledNewfield began to develop around the corner of State and Water streets in the 1760s.[33] The area officially became known asStratfield in 1695[9] or 1701, due to its location between the already existing towns ofStratford and Fairfield.[34] During theAmerican Revolution, Newfield Harbor was a center ofprivateering.[30][9]
East Bridgeport Bridge over Pequannock River,c. 1850
By the time of theState ofConnecticut's ratification of theArticles of Confederation in 1781, many of the local farmers held shares in vessels trading at Newfield Harbor or had begun trading in their own name. Newfield initially expanded around the coasting trade withBoston,New York, andBaltimore and the international trade with theWest Indies.[33][35] The commercial activity of the village was clustered around the wharves on the west bank of the Pequonnock, while the churches were erected inland on Broad Street. In 1787, the Fairfield County Court ordered the laying out and widening of what is now State Street and Main Street in downtown Bridgeport, along the Pequannock River then Newfield. It was assumed before the Revolution that this land would grow into a city.[36][37]
"Bridgeport grew up without a plan, or in spite of one".
— Samuel Orcutt,A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport (1886), Chapter XIX
In 1800, the village became theBorough of Bridgeport,[40] the first soincorporated in the state.[41] It was named for the Newfield or Lottery Bridge across the Pequonnock, connecting the wharves on its east and west banks.[39] Bridgeport Bank was established in 1806.[42] In 1821, thetownship of Bridgeport became independent of Stratford.[43]
Map of Bridgeport, 1824
In 1821, a small community of remainingGolden Hill Pauguasett Natives, along withfree blacks and runaway slaves was established in the South End along Main Street known asLittle Liberia, with its own churches, schools and hotels, and served as a stop in the underground railroad. Many remainingPaugusset Indians also lived there.[44]
The city's first immigrants were Irish Catholics who settled in theSterling Hill section of theHollow. Having come to the US to escape thefamine, they arrived in town during the 1830s to build the railroad. They mostly lived in wooden four to six familytenements, often subdivided homes.
In 1842, showman P.T. Barnum spent a night in Bridgeport, and there metCharles Stratton, a localdwarf. He soon became part of Barnum's act and a star under the name "General Tom Thumb". Barnum moved to Bridgeport and built four houses in the city over the course of his life, the first beingIranistan.[56]
In 1852, Barnum began an endeavor withWilliam Noble to develop the land (inherited by Noble) on the other side of thePequonnock River, across the river from Bridgeport to be known as "East Bridgeport" with Washington Park at the center.[57] The new neighborhood had homes, commerce, and factories, centered aroundEast Main Street. The neighborhood eventually became the East Side of Bridgeport (occasionally spelled "Eastside").
In 1863, during theCivil War, theBridgeport Standard ran a series of articles encouraging the creation of a public park in the city. This led wealthy residentsP.T. Barnum,William Noble andNathaniel Wheeler to purchase the land onLong Island Sound and donating the land to the city in 1864. The land on the shore becameSeaside Park. A second park was built near East Main Street, when in 1878, James Beardsley donated more than 100 acres (40 ha) to the city along thePequonnock River under the condition that the land be "kept the same forever as a public park". Both parks were designed byFrederick Law Olmsted, known for creatingCentral Park. These two large public parks gave Bridgeport the nickname "The Park City".[58]
Harvey Hubbell foundedHubbell Incorporated in Bridgeport in 1888. The Holmes & Edwards Silver Co. was founded in 1882, its wares sold nationally, and the company became part of theInternational Silver Company in 1898.[62] (The H&E brand continued well into the 1950s and was advertised in national magazines such asLIFE andLadies' Home Journal.)[63]Hungarian immigrants began to arrive, which led to the Ráckόczi Hungarian Aid Association in Bridgeport in 1887 and the American Hungarian Immigrant Aid Society in 1892.[64] They established themselves in the West End. In 1894, Bridgeport's Slavic immigrants played a major role in the development of theOrthodox Christian faith in America when they met with FrAlexis Toth (now Saint Alexis) and founded Holy Ghost Russian Orthodox Church in the city's Eastside. This parish became the mother church of allOrthodox Churches in New England.
Bridgeport in 1913, today's downtown, before the city's first high rises
In 1905, Bridgeport was already "the largest industrial center in the state, $49,381,348 was invested inmanufacturing and the products being valued at $44,586,519." The city was aport of entry with its imports being valued at around $656,271 in 1908.[9]
1912 postcard showing Main Street in downtown Bridgeport
Brideport's Italian immigrants settled in the "Central End", today's Little Italy, and the city was the 3rd most Italian in the state by 1910. Their newspapers were the weeklyLa Tribuna de Connecticut (1906–1908) and laterLa Sentinella (1920–1948)[68][69] The West End along Wordin Avenue, known as "Hunktown", grew into one of the largestHungarian communities in the US.[64] It was visited by Hungarian republicans trying to take down theAustro-Hungarian monarchy, in order to garner support. The West Side nearby was home toSlovenians,French-Canadians andSwedish immigrants. By 1910 Bridgeport had grown into second largest city in Connecticut at 102,052, behindNew Haven.[70][9]
Between 1910 and 1920, during World War I, the city's population exploded from 102,054 to 143,555, due to the city's role in the First World War.[71] Bridgeport had the largest factory in the world at the time, the newRemington Arms plant on Boston Avenue (on the East Side). Built in 1915, it had 13 separate buildings, each of them 5 stories, connected by a long corridor half a mile long. The purpose of the building was to fulfil a company order from theRussian tzar for a million rifles and 100 million rounds of ammunition. The construction site was protected by theNational Guard to preventBolshevik arson. The factory by 1916 employed 16,000 people and led to the construction of "Remington City" in the Mill Hill neighborhood, and "Remington Village" in the East End, byRemington Arms.[71]
The Remington Arms plant, bought by General Electric after the war
In the summer of 1915, a series ofstrikes imposed theeight-hour day on the town's factories; rather than moving business elsewhere, the success spread the eight-hour day throughout theNortheast.[72] Due to housing shortages in many US cities during World War I, the federal government created theUS Housing Corporation. This resulted in 7 USHC housing developments being built in Bridgeport, notablySeaside Village in the South End andBlack Rock Gardens inBlack Rock. By this point,Remington Arms was producing 50% of America's cartridges during the war, with 17,000 employees, and homes for new workers were needed. The factory became aGeneral Electric plant after the war.[73] TheFirst World War had continued the city's expansion so that, on the eve of theGreat Depression, there were more than 500 factories in Bridgeport, includingColumbia Records' primarypressing plant and a Singer Sewing Machine factory.[74]
The 1920s saw the city's population stabilize at 143,555 after the war.[75] TheRoaring Twenties brought more leisure and entertainment. In 1919, the city of Bridgeport boughtPleaseure Beach (also known as Steepchase Island) for $220,000. Pleasure Beach was anamusement park andbeach on an island in the East End next toStratford.[76] In 1920, the city parks commissioner began the process of creating azoo in Beardsley Park.[77] Bridgeport a stop became for performances with around 20 theatres. 1922 was the year the elegantly designedMajestic and Poli Palace theatres, were built downtown, along with the Savoy Hotel. The Poli Palace theatre (built bySylvester Poli) was the largest theatre in the state of Connecticut, with gilded hand-carved moldings and vaulted ceilings.[78][79] TheRitz Ballroom was opened in 1923. In 1928, the city bought an 800-acre (320 ha) racetrack and landing field inLordship to constructBridgeport Airport.[80] Spanish immigration in 1920 and 1921 brought hundreds of migrants from Spain, particularly fromPedreguer,Valencia, where "practically the entire town migrated" to Bridgeport.[81]
Birdseye view of Main StreetMain Street and Golden Hill Street, showing Stratfield Hotel
During the Great Depression the city electedSocialist party candidateJasper McLevy as mayor in 1933. McLevy's election made headlines as aNew England city had a socialist mayor. Known for cutting costs, he would serve as mayor for 12 terms, finally losing in 1957.[82]
TheGreat Migration led southernAfrican-Americans to Bridgeport around the 1930s (thanks to railroads)[83] along with black foreigners (such asCape Verdean),[83] By 1930, Bridgeport had the third largest percentage of African Americans inNew England. TheItalian population by 1930 had more than doubled, now the city's largest ethnic group.[69] The build-up toWorld War II helped the city's recovery in the late 1930s.
Suburban development made its expansion into the undeveloped North End neighborhood.[84] On Park Avenue in 1962 theMuseum of Art, Science and Industry (MASI) was opened to the public, today'sDiscovery Museum and Planetarium. Known for the newly developed approach of hands on-exhibits, the Museum became science oriented later on.[18]Continued development of newsuburban housing outside of Bridgeport in the city's adjacent suburbs such asFairfield andMilford[85] attracted middle and upper-class residents, leaving the city with a higher proportion of poor. By the 1960s,Puerto Ricans had begun to immigrate to settle to Bridgeport in large numbers, and by about 1970 had made up 10% of the city's population, or 15,000 people, the largest Puerto Rican population in Connecticut, and they would continue to grow.[86] Groups such as the localYoung Lords branch organized themselves onEast Main Street, leading to activism to advance the Puerto Rican community with increased access to health care, better housing, food and an end to poverty and police brutality.
As cities across the country were renovating their central business district after the war, Bridgeport attempted its ownurban renewal projects in its olddowntown in the early 1960s during the construction of the highways. Hunktown, with a population of 15,000 and the Irish neighborhood in the South End were demolished and replaced with highways and an industrial park. TheTrumbull Shopping Park was built just outside Bridgeport city limits in Trumbull in 1965, Connecticut's first fully enclosed shopping mall.[87][88] Bridgeport underMayor Tedesco went under the 52-acre (21 ha) State Street redevelopment project,[89] demolishing 52 acres of State Street, clearing the land for development. Replaced with modern high-rise office buildings, parking, the Route 8/25 expressway towardsWaterbury andNewtown, and a shopping mall at its core.[90]Large parts of Main Street were demolished in what was called the Congress Street Renewal project, nothing was built on the land. Constructed with federal funding, on Lafayette Boulevard and Broad Street, the 450,000 acre, 2 story (with basement) Lafayette Shopping Plaza was erected, a downtownshopping mall with aSears and aGimbels department store as anchors connected to it. Military contracts during the 1950s and 1960s enabled the Bridgeport-Lycoming division ofAVCO, founded 1951, to employ at times more than 12,000 people, building tanks, helicopters, and other military hardware. Decreased demand led to layoffs, and then closure in 1984.[91] Other examples of urban development include two city landmarks, the 12-story 855 Main Street (People's Savings Bank building), and 18-floorPark City Plaza, (State National Bank building) built 1972. The plan for three identical towers never materialized, due to theOil Crisis and corporate vacancies.
Bridgeport was largely bypassed by the New York City companies fleeing Manhattan for suburban Fairfield County locations for various reasons; the city developed a reputation for having an industrial character thanks to the factories located right along both sides of Interstate 95, and the city's lack of urban amities and its reputation as a "blue collar" city simply wasn't the image these companies wanted to identify with in order to attract top executives, Bridgeport was being farther from New York City thanStamford orWhite Plains with no immediate benefits, and the trend of establishing headquarters outside of major cities in suburban campuses all played a factor.[92] As such, most skyscraper construction models for downtown Bridgeport from the 70s were never built, unlikeHartford (a city already home to major insurance companies) orStamford. Much ofnorth downtown Bridgeport would end up abandoned, neglected and boarded up asdepartment anddiscount stores closed, leaving only federal and municipal buildings along now empty lots.[93][94]
The downtown Bridgeport areac. 1977, facing the train station (which burned down the following year)
Restructuring of heavy industry starting after the mid-20th century caused the loss of thousands of jobs and residents. Like other urban centers in Connecticut, Bridgeport suffered during thedeindustrialization of the United States in the 1970s and 1980s.[95] Pleasure Beach was sold 5 years after a rollercoaster caught fire. A year later the park closed for good.[96] The old Bridgeport station caught fire in 1978.
In September 1978, Bridgeport teachers went on a 19-day strike due to deadlocked contract negotiations. A court order, as well as a state law that made strikes by public workers illegal in Connecticut, resulted in 274 teachers being arrested and jailed.[97]In November 1978, a wave of arson passed through the city'sEast side, with the fire chief calling it as a microcosm of "the Bronx".[98] The city suffered from overall mismanagement, for which several city officials were convicted, contributing to the economic and social decline.[99] The once busy Lafayette Shopping Plaza began to lose customers afterGimbel's closed in 1984. Replaced with aRead's store, the mall was later bought by Hi-Ho Industries and renamed "Hi-Ho Mall", until it closed in 1993 and becameHousatonic Community College in 1997.[100]
Bridgeport remained the state's second city and asHartford's population continued to shrink, Bridgeport became the largest city in Connecticut in 1974, with a population of 142,546.A 1981Times article read; "Bridgeport... for years has suffered an image problem when compared with Hartford because of that city's role as state capital and as the site of a number of large corporations." MayorMandanici's response was "Hartford reported state sales taxes of $712.7 million, but Bridgeport yielded state sales taxes of $890.4 million. That's economic power, right?"[101] In 1985, Bridgeport was still Connecticut's chief manufacturing center, its major industries includingGeneral Electric, Remington Shaver,Bryant Electric, andRaybestos plants.ANew York Times in 1985 stated Bridgeport was the fifth largest banking center in New England, with five of the banks based Bridgeport having assets of more than $6 billion.[16] The largest scissors, shear and surgical materials manufacturer in the world by 1946, Bridgeport-basedACME Shear closed its Bridgeport plant in 1996 due to mergers and acquisitions. The industrial operations relocated toFremont, North Carolina. Between 1984 and 1989 the construction of the new $75 million headquarters forPeople's United Bank, the second largest bank inNew England. The 10-story Connecticut National Bank building was demolished and replaced with the new 18-storyBridgeport Center overlooking McLevy Square, and was designed by famous architectRichard Meier and was meant to give the city a new icon[16]
Bridgeport in 1989 had more homicides per capita than any Northeastern US city over 100,000 people. Bridgeport had a smaller police force than smaller cities like Hartford or New Haven, yet hiring due to city financial issues, having not recovered from the exodus of manufacturing companies, would result in even higher taxes for residents.[102][91] The city in 1995 saw a serious reduction in violent crime, notably in its East Side, where crime rate fell by nearly half, homicides dropped, burglaries by 3/4s and stolen car thefts by more than half, among other stats, as the Phoenix Project led to barricading city streets, confusing out of town drug buyers, and preventing sellers to escape.[103]
Bridgeport made numerous efforts at revitalization. In a proposal in 1995,Las Vegas developerSteve Wynn was to build a largecasino, but that project failed due to traffic concerns.[106] The project was opposed as rivalDonald Trump feared a Bridgeport casino would harm hisAtlantic City properties and proposed to build a theme park and potential casino on the same site.[106]
New waves of migrants from places such asBrazil,Jamaica, Vietnam,Laos,Cambodia, Mexico, and other nations arrived in Bridgeport. Immigrants from Brazil, after the nation's inflation crisis, established themselves in the city due to the largePortuguese population already present, easing the language barrier. Bridgeport was a common second US destination forVietnamese refugees "There's already an established community here, so that's why they come," from the New York Times in 1996. Along with them,Thai,Koreans,Chinese, and especiallyLaotians andCambodians established themselves in the city. Laotians refugees settled in the West End opening businesses[107][108] Bridgeport'sMexican population grew gradually, from 24 people counted in 1970,[109] 599 people in 1990, to 2,687 by the 2000 census, becoming at that point the second largestLatino group in the city behind the city'sPuerto Ricans (31,117 people), surpassing theCuban population. Likewise, the population from other Central and South American nations continued to increase[110] while the Cuban population continued to decrease.[110][111] "There has been a big shift in ethnic groups. Just look at the restaurants that have opened in the last few years—Mexican, Brazilian, Chilean and Jamaican." an interviewee, local chamber of council president Paul Timpanelli stated in 2000 according to theConnecticut Post.
Street scene in downtown Bridgeport, intersection of State and Main St.
In 2003, Mayor Ganim was involved in a corruption scandal after being investigated by the FBI as he received gifts from developers in exchange for being allowed to build in Bridgeport. He was sentenced to federal prison, and was replaced byJohn Fabrizi.
In the early 21st century, Bridgeport has taken steps toward redevelopment of its downtown and other neighborhoods.
In 2004, artists' lofts were developed in the formerRead's Department Store on Broad Street. Several other rental conversions have been completed, including the 117-unit Citytrust bank building on Main Street. TheGreat Recession halted, at least temporarily, two major mixed-use projects including a $1-billion waterfront development at Steel Point, but other redevelopment projects have proceeded, such as the condominium conversion project in Bijou Square.[112] In 2009, the City Council underMayor Finch approved a new master plan for development, designed both to promote redevelopment in selected areas and to protect existing residential neighborhoods.[113] The plan was updated in April 2019.[114]In 2010, the Bridgeport Housing Authority and a local health center announced plans to build a $20 million medical and housing complex at Albion Street, making use of federal stimulus funds and designed to replace some of the housing lost with the demolition ofFather Panik Village.[115]
The Steel Point (or Steelpointe) project of Bridgeport's on the lower portion of the East Side finally led to the construction of a big box retailer in 2013, along with other stores, shops, and a lighthouse with a marina and oyster bar). The plan for high-end mixed use apartments is in place, although concerns aboutgentrification have been raised. A hotel is also in the works.[116] Anew proposed train station inEast Bridgeport, meant to be completed in 2021, was postponed in 2019.
By 2013 the city and local business owners agreed that work needed to be done in the downtown area north of Fairfield Avenue, nicknamedDowntown North, above. Made up of old empty brick buildings which were neglected for years, the city and developers began their rehabilitation starting in 2015, most of which are now converted apartments or retail.[93][117] Bridgeport's downtown renovation has resulted in various restaurants, the renovation of theBishop Arcade Mall, acomedy club, and theatres. A 2022 plan to renovateMcLevy Hall is in place.[118]
Sterling Block-Bishop Arcade, a Victorian-erashopping arcade, Main St., downtown
In 2017,MGM had announced plans to build a waterfront casino and shopping center in the city, awaiting approval by the state government. If built, the development would have created 2,000 permanent jobs and about 5,779 temporary jobs.[119]After a legal battle with theMohegan andPequot tribes on the right to build a casino in Connecticut, the project "appears to be dead", and tenants such as Bridgeport Boatworks now occupy the proposed space.[120]The construction of Honey Locust Square began on the East End, which when complete will house a supermarket (something the neighborhood lacks), a public library, a health center, and a retail building.[121]
On March 10, 1860,Abraham Lincoln spoke in the city's Washington Hall, an auditorium at the oldBridgeport City Hall (now McLevy Hall), at the corner of State and Broad Streets. The largest room in the city was packed, and a crowd formed outside, as well. Lincoln received a standing ovation before taking the 9:07 pm train that night back to Manhattan.[122][123] A plaque marks the site where Lincoln spoke; later that year, he was elected president.
The Rev.Martin Luther King Jr. spoke three times at the Klein Auditorium during the 1960s, as well as at theUniversity of Bridgeport and the original Central High School (today Bridgeport CityHall)., as well as in Bridgeport City Hall. Additionally, PresidentGeorge W. Bush spoke before a small group of Connecticut business people and officials at the Playhouse on the Green in 2006.[124] PresidentBarack Obama also spoke at the Harbor Yard arena in 2010 to gain support for the campaign of Democratic GovernorDan Malloy.[125]
1914 –Caresse Crosby, the woman credited with inventing the modern bra, sold her patent to Bridgeport-basedWarnaco which mass-produced it for the first time. The alphabetbra sizing system was invented, which we still use today, in 1937 by the Bridgeport company.[128]
1949 – The first dailyUHF television station,KC2XAK aired in Bridgeport. It was a test conducted byNBC and was known as "Operation Bridgeport".[126]
1965 – The firstSubway restaurant was founded in Bridgeport. StudentFred DeLuca needed money to attend college, and with the help ofPeter Buck started "Pete's Subs". Renamed Subway, the franchise grew into one of the largest fast food chains in the world.[130]
1981 –People's Bank provided the first telephone banking service in the United States to its clients.[citation needed]
The Hollow neighborhood of Bridgeport, Connecticut, along North Avenue
Bridgeport has many distinct neighborhoods,[131] divided into five geographic areas: Downtown, the East Side, the North End, the South End, and the West Side.[132]
Under theKöppen climate classification, Bridgeport straddles thehumid subtropical climate (Cfa) andhumid continental climate (Dfa) zones with long, hot summers, and cool to cold winters, with precipitation spread fairly evenly throughout the year. Bridgeport, like the rest of coastal Connecticut, lies in the broad transition zone between the colder continental climates of the northern United States and southern Canada to the north, and the warmer temperate and subtropical climates of the middle andsouth Atlantic states to the south.
The warm/hot season in Bridgeport is from mid-April through early November. Late day thundershowers are common in the hottest months (June, July, August, September), despite the mostly sunny skies. The cool/cold season is from late November though mid March. Winter weather is far more variable than summer weather along the Connecticut coast, ranging from sunny days with higher temperatures to cold and blustery conditions with occasional snow. Like much of the Connecticut coast and nearby Long Island, NY, most of the winter precipitation is rain or a mix and rain and wet snow in Bridgeport. Bridgeport averages about 29 inches (75 cm) of snow annually, compared to inland areas likeHartford andAlbany which average 45–60 inches (110–150 cm) of snow annually.
Although infrequent,tropical cyclones (hurricanes/tropical storms) have struck Connecticut and the Bridgeport metropolitan area. Hurricane landfalls have occurred along the Connecticut coast in 1903, 1938, 1944, 1954 (Carol), 1960 (Donna),Hurricane Gloria in 1985, andHurricane Sandy in 2012.
Climate chart for Bridgeport
Bridgeport lies inUSDA gardenhardiness zone 7a, averaging about 92 days annually with freeze. The coastal location of Bridgeport allows it to be milder than locations well south but inland. For example, the record coldest low temperature atAtlanta is -8 F, while the record coldest at Bridgeport is -7 F. Coastal Connecticut is the broad transition zone where so-called "subtropical indicator" plants such ascold hardy palms and other broadleaf evergreens can successfully be cultivated. As such, Southern Magnolias,Needle Palms,Windmill palm,Loblolly Pines, andCrape Myrtles are grown in private and public gardens. Like much of coastal Connecticut,Long Island, NY, and coastalNew Jersey, the growing season is rather long in Bridgeport—averaging 210 days from April8 to November5 according to the National Weather Service in Bridgeport.
The average monthly temperature ranges from 31.4 °F (−0.3 °C) in January to 75.7 °F (24.3 °C) in July. The record low is −7 °F (−22 °C), set on January 22, 1984, while the record high is 103 °F (39 °C), set on July 22 in 1957 and 2011.[133]
Precipitation averages 44.9 inches (1,140 mm) annually, and is somewhat evenly distributed throughout the year, with March and April the wettest months. Annual snowfall averages 33.6 inches (85 cm), falling almost entirely from December to March. As is typical of coastal Connecticut, snow cover does not usually last long, with an average of 33 days per winter with snow cover of at least 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Climate data for Bridgeport, Connecticut (Sikorsky Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1948–present
Population 1840–1970[75] U.S. Decennial Census[136] 2018 Estimate[137]
Bridgeport, Connecticut – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the2010 census, there were 144,229 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city residents was 39.6%White; 34.6%Black or African American; 3.4%Asian; and 4.3% from two or more races. A total of 38.2% of the population wereHispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 50,307 households, out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% weremarried 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. Theper capita income for the city was $16,306. About 16.2% of families and 18.4% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.8% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.
According to the 2020 five-year community survey, 48.2% of Bridgeport's population speaks a different primary language at home other than English, 33.8% percent of the city's total population speaks Spanish at home, and 22.5% speak English less than very well.[141] Bridgeport has the largest percentage and population ofHispanic Americans in the state of Connecticut. The city is known for having one of the largest communities ofPuerto Ricans in the United States; Bridgeport hasthe 7th largest Puerto Rican population in the United States, with 30,250 people claiming Puerto Rican heritage in 1990, that number has grown to about 31,900 (22.10% of the population) in 2013.[142][143] 45,270 people (31%)[144] of Bridgeport's population is foreign born in 2010. Other than Puerto Ricans, 5.4% of Bridgeport's population was noted underMexican in 2013,[145] a number that has grown to 5.8% (8,479 people) in the 2020 five-year American Community Survey, meaning Bridgeport has the largestMexican population inNew England.[146]Dominicans are 5,248 (3.53%) of Bridgeport's population. The totalLatinoCentral American population (Guatemalans,Salvadorians,Nicaraguans,Hondurans,Costa Ricans,Panamanians) is 6,701 people total in the city (4.507%). 8,454 South Americans (5.697%); 4,020Equadorians, 2,326Colombians,Peruvians, and then populations from every Latin American nation exceptBolivia can be found, with the smallest group beingParaguayans at 16 people according to the census.[147][148][149] Bridgeport also has the largestCuban population in the state, with more than 1,000 of the state's 10,600 Cubans living in Bridgeport, although down from the at least 5,000 Cubans in Bridgeport in 1980, and even more before that time in the 1950s according to the CTPost. Bridgeport was once a major destination for migrating Cubans, but many families have since moved to the city's suburbs or Florida. Bridgeport, along withDanbury, CT were considered as apotential locations for a newEcuadorianconsulate, but it instead opened inNew Haven, CT, due to its immigrant welcoming mayor, in 2008.[150]
As forPortuguese-speaking peoples, the city also has the 12th largestCape Verdean population in the country.[83] The group settled inthe Hollow to work in factories and established a social club in the 1940s. The Cape Verdean Association of Bridgeport is located in the Hollow today.[151]ThePortuguese community in the city is the largest in the state and the population primarily hails from theTras Os Montes region of Portugal according to a 2018 research study, and theHollow is considered the "Portuguese section" of Bridgeport.[152] The large Brazilian population in Bridgeport and Danbury led to the opening of a Brazilian consulate in the state capital ofHartford.[153] Migration to Connecticut began in the 90s, social networks brought immigrants fromGovernador Valadares, Minas Gerais in Brazil to Bridgeport, CT andFramingham, MA.[154] Fairfield County has the 7th largest Brazilian population of the United States, and 1/3rd of them live within Bridgeport's city limits, most of whom reside in the city's North End andSt. Vincent neighborhood.
A small population of people from various majority-Muslimnations exists along with Kurds, at least 4,000 according to an estimate by a localmosque in 2008. Bridgeport Public Schools now observesEid al-Fitr, effective 2024, thanks to a campaign by city 8th graders from Park City Magnet School, which found 10% of the school body was Muslim in a school project.Bengali in 2022 was the fifth most common primary language for Bridgeport Public School students (behindEnglish,Spanish,Portuguese, andHaitian Creole, and is followed byArabic at sixth place).[155][156] There is also a sizeableKurdish population in Bridgeport, primarily fromIraq.[157] In total (and counting East and Southeast Asians), Bridgeport had 7,725Asian residents according to the 2021[158] 5 year American Community Survey, up from 2020's count, 5,553 Asians. The largest national origin groups and their estimated populations areVietnamese (1,258 people),Indian (1,153 people),Chinese, excluding Taiwanese andPakistanis (both 982 people), andFilipinos (729 people). Other groups with over 500 people includeLaotians andCambodians,Bangladeshi Americans in the city numbered 385 people in the survey.[159]
Jamaicans, the state's largest foreign-born group,[160] have a significant presence in Bridgeport, with 6.3% of Bridgeport's population being Jamaican in 2013.[161] Bridgeport in 2013 was 10.2%non-Hispanic West Indian.[162]
Bridgeport's East Side became the center of Puerto Rican migration in the 1950s. Shown here is East Main Street.
At least 92 languages are spoken as primary languages by Bridgeport Public School students according to district data in 2022. 3,145 students are missing data in primary language.[163]
TheBridgeport-Stamford metropolitan area (i.e.: Fairfield County) is home to the 7th largest percentage of Italian ancestry in the country (the population is 16.5% Italian).Italian Americans until 1985 were the largest ethnic group in Bridgeport itself, and had been since the 1920s.[164][165] According to 2010 census data, the Bridgeport MSA, containing all of Fairfield County, is the most economically unequal region in America, with 57% of the wealth going to the top income quintile.[166][167]
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 139,529 people, 50,307 households, and 32,749 families living in the city. The population density was 8,720.9 inhabitants per square mile (3,367.2/km2). There were 54,367 housing units at an average density of 3,398.1 per square mile (1,312.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 45.0%White, 30.8%African American, 0.5%Native American, 3.3%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 31.9% of the population.[168]European (white) ancestry groups include:Italian (8.6%),Irish (5.1%),Portuguese (2.9%),Polish (2.8%), andGerman (2.4%).
Since the decline of its industrial sector beginning in the middle of the 20th century, Bridgeport has gradually adjusted to a service-based economy. As late as 1985, the city was still home to company plants such asGeneral Electric, with 1,900 employees, and Remington Products, with 900, both of which are now closed.Bryant Electric didn't close its plant until 1988. The last major factory to close was theSikorskyhelicopter plant in 2015.[169] Various famous industrial companies, that were founded and based in Bridgeport, such asACME Sheer, Fortune 1000Hubbell Incorporated, etc. are now based in suburbanShelton, two towns away. Subway, which started out in Bridgeport in 1965, is now based inMilford.
Though a level of industrial activity continues, healthcare, finance, and education have become the centerpieces of Bridgeport's economy.
The two largest employers in the city are Bridgeport's primary hospitals,Bridgeport Hospital andSt. Vincent's Medical Center. Park City Hospital in the South End closed in 1993 and was reopened in 2010 as elderly and homeless housing units.[170]
In April 2022,M&T Bank ofBuffalo, New York, merged with Bridgeport-basedPeople's United Financial. The combined company is now the 11th largest bank in the United States, and gave M&T a foothold in theNew England market, in total serving 12 states. Although M&T laid off Bridgeport employees (which made national headlines),[171] the company as part of this effort madeBridgeport Center the regional M&T headquarters of New England.[172]
Palace Theatre in downtown Bridgeport, now abandoned Palace and Majestic Theater exterior in Bridgeport, on Main Street, with failed renovation proposals over the years. Savory Hotel was upstairs.
The 2025 Soundside Music Festival was cancelled.[178]
The Greater Bridgeport Symphony, established in 1945, performs at Bridgeport's 1,400-seat Klein Memorial Auditorium.[179]Gustav Meier directed the orchestra from 1972 to 2013.
TheHousatonic Museum of Art atHousatonic Community College has the largest collection of art of any two-year college in the nation. Founded in 1967 by collage art director Bob Chernow. Shows both western and non-western art from different eras, including sculptures.[181]
TheBarnum Museum celebrates the showman, circuses and Bridgeport history. Currently under renovation, a room is open to visitors every Thursday.[182]
TheBeardsley Zoo, opened 1922, there is no other center like this one in Connecticut,[183] and is the state's largest zoo.[174][184]
TheGreater Bridgeport metropolitan area is home to theMaritime Aquarium inNorwalk, 30 minutes from downtown Bridgeport.[185] One of the two aquariums in Connecticut, the aquarium focuses onLong Island Sound as well as creatures and conservation efforts from around the world.[186]
Bridgeport was once home to aLittle Asia along Wood Avenue in the West Side, established in 2012 by local business owners with a sign and a festival every year. By 2016 the name had fallen out of use, and the committee no longer exists. The more or less 3 or 4 block area is still home to Asian restaurants, an insurance and tax agency with Vietnamese, Mandarin, Laotian, Cantonese as well as Spanish language services,[187] and a Vietnamese grocery store.[188][189]
NerdWallet ranked Bridgeport the 100th most foodie city in the United States, 2nd in Connecticut behindNew Haven (which was ranked #97). Nerdwallet in 2022 ranked Bridgeport as the 17th most ethnically diverse city in the United States, making it the most diverse in New England, and the third most diverse in the New York Metropolitan Area in an annual ranking. It ranked 23rd in 2021, and #22 in 2015. It is #28 onNiche.com "2022 Most Diverse Cities in America" list. Bridgeport'sMadison Avenue, andHollow Brazilian restaurants, located alongside various Portuguese ones, have been mentioned by publications such as theNew York Times. Examples includechurascaria restaurants.[190] It is "among the top cities in the state to immerse yourself in Brazilian traditions" according to CTBites.[191] Azteca was ranked among the best Mexican restaurants in Connecticut in 2020 according toConnecticut Magazine, along with Pho Hong Thom and Pho Saigon in Bridgeport's Little Asia on the West Side for bestVietnamese places in the state.[192][193]
For college teams, Total Mortgage serves as the home court ofFairfield University's basketball team.
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard served as a minor-league baseball stadium from 1998 to 2017. It was built in 1998 to serve as the homefield of theBridgeport Bluefish. From 2001 to 2003 it was the homefield for the Bridgeport Barrage, a Major League Lacrosse team. It is downtown on a formerbrownfield site. It is visually prominent to commuters onI-95 or on passing trains. On August 8, 2017, Mayor Joe Ganim announced that the Bluefish would be ending their 20-year stint at the ballpark at the end of the 2017 season. The ballpark was converted into an amphitheatre. The Bluefish played their final home game at the park on September 17, 2017, losing by a score of 9–2 to the Somerset Patriots.[198]
Kennedy Stadium serves as a community sports facility. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, it was the home of anAtlantic Coast Football League minor league football team, the Bridgeport Jets, aNew York Jetsfarm team also known locally as the Hi-Ho Jets due to their sponsorship by the (Hi-Ho) D'Addario construction company.
John F. Kennedy stadium in Bridgeport
Fairfield University is in the neighboring town ofFairfield, and many of the athletic teams play on campus. Only the men's and women's basketball teams play in Bridgeport.
Nutmeg Curling Club, one of twocurling clubs in Connecticut, is in Bridgeport. It is the home club of the 2013 USA Mixed National Champions,[199] led by club members Derek Surka and Charissa Lin. The club is a member of theGrand National Curling Club Region.
Bridgeport nativeJim O'Rourke was the first baseball player to earn a hit inNational League history in 1876. The founder and original owner of theBrooklyn Dodgers,Charles Ebbets, married his second wife in Bridgeport in 1922, five years before his death.
In early 2024,MLS Next Pro awarded an expansion team to Bridgeport.[200]Connecticut United FC plan to play at a new stadium to be located on the waterfront at a former dog-racing track, as stadium plans were approved by the Bridgeport government in November 2023.[201]
Amateur soccer team GZS Bridgeport play in theUPSL, playing home games at Kennedy Stadium.
The city has 1,300 acres of public space, with a pocket park in nearly every neighborhood.[202] Bridgeport's public park system led to its official nickname, "the Park City". The city's first public park was the westerly portion of McLevy Green, first set aside as a public square in 1806;[203] the Clinton Park Militia Grounds (1666) and Old Mill Green (1717) were set aside earlier as public commons by the towns of Fairfield and Stratford, respectively. Washington Park in 1850 was located in the center of East Bridgeport.[204] As the city rapidly grew in population, residents recognized the need for more public parks and by 1864, Barnum, Nathaniel Wheeler and Colonel William Noble[205] donated approximately 44 acres (18 ha) to createSeaside Park, now increased by acquisition and landfill to 375 acres (152 ha).[206] In 1878, over 100 acres (40 ha) of land bordering thePequonnock River was added asBeardsley Park.[207]Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed New York City'sCentral Park, designed both Seaside and Beardsley Parks.[208] Over time, more parks were added including 35-acre (14 ha) Beechwood Park andPleasure Beach, home to an amusement park for many years. Went Field on the West End, between Wordin Avenue and Norman Street, used to be the winter headquarters of Barnum's circus.
Park City Plaza – an 18-storymodernist style building completed in 1973. Originally the headquarters for the State National Bank, it was designed by Palestinian born architect Victor Bisharat and built by the F.D. Rich Company of Stamford.[209]
Hotel Beach, a 13-storyArt Deco building built downtown in 1927 on Fairfield Avenue
CityTrust Bank building, finished 1929. Today a Citi Bank branch and apartments above.
McLevy Hall, built 1854, three stories, the original Bridgeport City Hall and County Courthouse. Renamed after Mayor McLevy.
Bridgeport was largely bypassed by Fortune 500 companies moving toFairfield County in the second half of the 20th century, due to the city's growing reputation for having a rough industrial character, thus was also largely bypassed by the skyscraper construction boom of the 1970s and 1980s, resulting in fewer modern skyscrapers than other cities[210] The tallest building in Bridgeport is currently theRichard Meier-designed 16-story, 248-foot (76 m)Bridgeport Center, which was completed in 1989 and which surpassed the 18-storyPark City Plaza, which was completed in 1973.
District Courthouse, one of three courthouses in the city (local, state and federal)
Bridgeport Public Library Main Branch
The city is governed by the mayor-council system. Twenty members of the city council are elected from districts. Each district elects two members. The mayor is elected at-large by the entire city.[213]
Bridgeport is notable for having had asocialist mayor for 24 years,Jasper McLevy, who served from 1933 to 1957.
Bridgeport is recognized for its polarizing political culture. Mayor Ganim has served the city seven terms since first taking office in 1991.[215] After his release from prison in 2015, Ganim announced his mayoral campaign to serve a sixth term in office. His campaign ran on a theme of providing him with a "second-chance," as he was renowned for his work of escaping the city from bankruptcy and build its economy from a post-industrial standpoint.[218]
In a divisive primary election between him, the city's mayor at the time, Bill Finch, and University of Bridgeport professor and real estate developer, Mary-Jane Foster, Ganim was able to receive the endorsement of the politically volatile Democratic Town Committee, paving the way to his victory for being reelected mayor at the end of year.[218]
Bridgeport's Democratic Town Committee has the authority to nominate and endorse Democratic candidates running for local office, and they have the resources to outperform challenger slates that may compete with them. The chairman is former state representative and local restaurateur, Mario Testa.[219]
Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 31, 2024[220]
Bridgeport votes Democratic at the presidential level. In 1972Richard Nixon was the last Republican to win the city; since then Democrats have prevailed, often by comfortable margins, the lone exception being 1984 whenWalter Mondale carried the city by just 76 votes (0.16 percent) overRonald Reagan.
Bridgeport city vote by party in presidential elections[221][222]
Bridgeport has one of the highestproperty tax rates in Connecticut.[223] A 2017Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Minnesota Center of Fiscal Excellence study determined that Bridgeport had the second-highest property tax burden of any U.S. city (after Detroit), and the fourth-highest for commercial properties valued at more than $1 million (after Detroit, New York City, and Chicago).[224]
In 2016, Bridgeport enacted a 29% increase in the property tax rate, among the highest one-year property tax rate increases in recent U.S. history, in an effort to reduce the municipal deficit.[225] A citywide reassessment in 2015 determined that the value of taxable property in the city was $6 billion, a decline of $1 billion; the property tax increases, combined with property value decreases, have been a consistent political issue in the city.[225]
Bridgeport is home to theUniversity of Bridgeport,Housatonic Community College,St. Vincent's College, and the Yeshiva Gedola of Bridgeport. The Yeshiva Gedola is the home of the Bridgeport Community Kollel, a rabbinic fellowship program.[226]The University of Bridgeport's Ernest C. Trefz School of Business offers undergraduate and graduate programs.
Sacred Heart University is located in the neighboring suburb of Fairfield on the town line, with its campus extending into the North End of Bridgeport on Park Avenue. Many of its students live in the city's North End. It is the second largest Catholic University in New England (behindBoston College).[227] Sacred Heart has campuses in nearbyStamford, as well asGriswold, CT andDingle, Ireland, as well asSt. Vincent's College in Bridgeport. The University of Bridgeport has secondary campuses in Waterbury and Stamford.
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 20,800 students, making the Bridgeport Public Schools the second largest school system in Connecticut afterHartford. It is ranked #158 out of the 164 Connecticut school districts.[228] 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.[229]
Public high schools
Bassick High School was established in 1929. It serves students residing south of Route 1, in the Black Rock, the Hollow, Downtown, West End and South End neighborhoods. 1181 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06605.
Central High School (CHS) was established in 1876. The current building was built in 1964. It houses the Centralmagnet program. Serves students from north of Route 1, including the North End, part of Brooklawn and St. Vincent neighborhoods. 1 Lincoln Blvd, Bridgeport, CT 06606.
Warren Harding High School is home to theInternational Baccalaureate Program (IBO) and the Health Magnet Program in association withBridgeport Hospital, St. Vincent's Medical Center, and Bridgeport Manor. It is the alma mater ofWalt Kelly, creator ofPogo. It serves East End, East Side, Mill Hill and North Bridgeport students. 379 Bond St, Bridgeport, CT 06610.
Bridgeport Regional Vocational Aquaculture School (BRVAS) is a half-day school specializing in marine and aquaculture curricula near Captain's Cove and open to students from surrounding towns. It serves all Bridgeport applicants and applicants from neighboring towns' (Trumbull,Stratford, Fairfield,Milford,Shelton,Monroe, andRegion 9) school districts. 60 St. Stephens Rd, Bridgeport, CT.
Public magnet high schools
Fairchild Wheeler Interdistrict Multi-Magnet High School is three specialIzardSTEM high schools in one building: anIT and software technology school,aerospace/hydrospace school, and biotechnology school. It serves all Bridgeport applicants and applicants from neighboring towns (Trumbull, Stratford, Fairfield, Milford, Shelton, Monroe, Region 9). Acceptance is by public lottery. 840 Old Town Road, Bridgeport, CT 06606.
Central Magnet (part ofCentral High School) is a public preparatory magnet school. It serves all Bridgeport applicants, who must meet grade requirements to enter the lottery. 1 Lincoln Blvd, Bridgeport, CT 06606.
Public military/trade high schools
Bridgeport Military Academy (BMA) is for students looking for a career in public safety. Partnerships with localfire,police,Homeland Security and other departments. It is open to all Bridgeport applicants. 160 Iranistan Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06604.
Bridgeport is also home to private schools including Bridgeport Hope School (K–8),Bridgeport International Academy (grades 9–12), Catholic Academies of Bridgeport (Pre-K–8),Kolbe Cathedral High School (9–12), St. Andrew Academy (Pre-K–8), and St. Ann Academy (Pre-K–8).
WCUM AM 1450; 1,000 watts (formerly WJBX-AM, and before that, WNAB-AM) Spanish Format station better known as Radio Cumbre.
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 wasBob Crane, who later went on to play Col. Robert Hogan on theHogan's Heroes television comedy series.[234] WICC's transmitter is onPleasure Beach in Bridgeport on a peninsula extending intoLong Island Sound.
WEBE-FM 107.9; 50,000 watts. WEBE108 is Connecticut's Best Music Variety! The station is owned by Connoisseur Media. Licensed to Westport, CT with studios in Milford and WEBE's transmitter is located in Shelton. Besides a standardanalog transmission, WEBE broadcasts over oneHD Radio channel, and is available online.
WEZN-FM 99.9; 27,500 watts (formerly WJZZ-FM). Star 99.9 is Today's Best Mix! The station is owned by Connoisseur Media. Lincensed to Bridgeport, CT with studios in Milford and WEZN's transmitter is located in Shelton.
Elsolnews.com, a community Spanish-language weekly newspaper covering news and events, based inStamford.
HaitianVoice.com, a Bridgeport-based newspaper covering local news in English,Haitian Creole and French.
Brazil News covers stories from Bridgeport in Portuguese.[236]
Connecticut Post – Formerly theBridgeport Post and Bridgeport Telegram, which covers Bridgeport and the surrounding area. The newspaper is printed daily. It is owned byHearst Connecticut Media.
Ghost Adventures:"Remington Arms Factory" (Episode 21, November 2009)
WWE Raw (November 18, 2002; March 8, 2004; December 26, 2005; August 21, 2006; April 9, 2007; April 27, 2009; June 21, 2010, April 11, 2011, and September 17, 2012)
WWE Smackdown,ECW, andNXT (May 7, 2002; March 4, 2003; August 2, 2005; December 9, 2008; November 24, 2009; November 2, 2010; and November 15, 2011)
Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye (TV movie, 1977), bar scene of JFK campaigning with local workers filmed in the Ideal Bar on Barnum Avenue across from the former Singer Building
Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR), in neighboring Stratford; no longer offers commercial flights.
Sikorsky Memorial Airport in neighboringStratford is owned by the City of Bridgeport. It once provided regional flights to major cities, but commercial operations at the airport were terminated in November 1999.[240]
A typical Bridgeport street sign, from Thorme Street in the North End
Bridgeport has several major roadways.Interstate 95 and theRoute 8/Route 25 Connector meet in Downtown Bridgeport. I-95 runs east–west near the coast heading towards New York City to the southwest andProvidence to the northeast. Routes 8 and 25 run north–south across the city, with the two routes splitting just north of the city. Route 8 continues towardsWaterbury andTorrington and Route 25 continues towards theDanbury area. Both Routes 8 and 25 connect to theMerritt Parkway in the adjacent town ofTrumbull.
Other major surface arteries areU.S. 1 (theBoston Post Road), which runs east–west north of Downtown, and Main Street, which runs north–south towards Trumbull center. The city also has several secondary state highways, namely,Route 127 (East Main Street),Route 130 (Connecticut Avenue, Stratford Avenue, Fairfield Avenue and Water Street), and theHuntington Turnpike.
TheBridgeport Traction Company provided streetcar service in the region until 1937. The Housatonic Railroad carried passengers North through the Pequonnock and Housatonic Valleys before 1933.[241]
The city is connected to nearby New York City by bothAmtrak andMetro-North commuter trains, which serveBridgeport's Metro-North station. 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 toWaterbury via Metro-North, andNew Haven via Amtrak and Metro-North.Shoreline East service linksOld Saybrook andNew London with New Haven, which extends to Bridgeport and Stamford during weekday rush hours only.
The Bridgeport Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is responsible for most law enforcement within the geographical boundaries of City of Bridgeport.
TheConnecticut State Police Troop G barracks is located in Bridgeport but they do not primarily perform law enforcement functions in the city.
Mark Twain quote on Library Way in Midtown Manhattan
Novels set in Bridgeport include:
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, written 1889, a classic novel byMark Twain, contains the line "Bridgeport?" Said I." "Camelot", said he." when a man fromHartford, who does not yet know his has been transported to early medieval times, arrives with his escort toCamelot, confusing it for Bridgeport.
Bridgeport is the setting ofMaureen Howard's novelNatural History, which includes scenes from the city's history and depicts historical figures such asP. T. Barnum.
^Hogan, Edmund P. (1977).An American heritage: A book about the International Silver Company, p. 160. Taylor Publishing Company: Dallas, TX. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
^Judson, George (August 2, 1991)."U.S. Judge Blocks Bridgeport From Bankruptcy Court".The New York Times.Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. RetrievedJuly 17, 2010.The case attracted national attention as Bridgeport portrayed itself as a city abandoned by industry, left to bear alone the poverty and social problems of Fairfield County that its suburbs turned their backs on.
^Musante, Fred (March 31, 1996)."New Takes on the Melting Pot".The New York Times.Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. RetrievedDecember 4, 2022.
^Burr, Raymond F.,Abraham Lincoln: Western Star Over Connecticut, Lithographics Inc., Canton, Connecticut (no year given), pages 1 and 15; book contents reprinted by permission of theLincoln Herald, (Harrogate, Tennessee) Summer, Fall and Winter, 1983 and Spring and Summer, 1984
^Holzer, Harold,Lincoln at Cooper Union, (Simon & Schuster: New York), 2004 Chapter 8: "Unable to Escape This Toil," p. 201ISBN0-7432-2466-3
^Lucas, Fred (April 6, 2006)."Bush visits Bridgeport".News Times. Danbury.Archived from the original on December 9, 2012. RetrievedJuly 30, 2010.
^"Station: Bridgeport Sikorsky Mem AP, CT".U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived fromthe original on May 11, 2021. RetrievedJune 2, 2021.
^Everton Bailey Jr. (June 18, 2010)."Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez convicted of corruption". Christian Science Monitor. Associated Press.Archived from the original on September 15, 2010. RetrievedAugust 15, 2010.Corruption investigations have brought down several prominent Connecticut politicians within the past decade.... Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim was convicted of corruption in 2003, sentenced to nine years in prison and released to a halfway house in Hartford in January… crimes that came to light during a federal corruption investigation.
Core cities are metropolitan core cities of at least a million people. The other areas are urban areas of cities that have an urban area of 150,000+ or of a metropolitan area of at least 250,000+. Satellite cities are in italics.
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