Greenwich: The Perspective of Time Project Gallery
For an overview of this Club Project, please click here.
Presenting submitted presentations and images for the project. Some of the galleries will also include a story behind the images. Please be patient as the galleries load for each section
Greenwich Avenue Straightened by Jean-Marc Bara
Greenwich Overhead Wires Essay by Jean-Marc Bara
Greenwich Railroad by Carol Battin
French Farm by Carol Battin
French Farm by Mike Harris
Fire House by Mike Harris
French Farm by Sally Harris
Art In Public Places by Dallas Molerin
Tomac Burial Ground by Dallas Molerin
Conde Nast Publishing by Dallas Molerin
Monuments by Dallas Molerin
Neighborhood Bars by Mike Harris
Remembrance of Things Past by Bob Weinberg
Fire House Destruction by Jean-Marc Bara
Putnam Cemetery by Jean-Marc Bara
Tools of French Farm by Bob Weinberg
Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich by Sandy Gennrich
French Farm by Jerry Pollack
French Farm by Craig Perry
French Farm by Nora Perry
Union Cemetery by Dan Fredland
Last Two Greenwich Farms by Roger Busch
Round Hill Country Store by Roger Busch
Firehouse by Roger Busch
Junior League of Greenwich by Sally Harris
Greenwich Adult Day Center/Old Pump House by Sally Harris
Schools in Old Homes by Mike and Sally Harris
The Town That No One Knows by Mary Waldron
Sample Images as Possible Idea Generators
Jean-Marc Bara: Greenwich Avenue Straightened
From my home, Greenwich Avenue is only a ten minutes walk. Walking down and up the Avenue is a frequent and pleasurable activity for my wife and me. We never cease to be interested by the constant change in the Avenue, from the way the storefront and store windows look to the turnover of tenants occupying the buildings.
I thought it would be interesting to take a snapshot of this favorite walking ground at one point in time. I chose the stores along the East sidewalk and I photographed the 0.7 miles of the Avenue between Putnam Avenue and Railroad Avenue on the morning of January first 2013. The first day of the year is one of the few times where there is not a lot of traffic on the Avenue.
The Avenue is not straight and not flat. In fact the segment I photographed spans about 120 feet in elevation. For both practical and cognitive reasons, I chose to straighten the Avenue and show it as a horizontal segment. The practical reason is this makes it more attractive to frame. The cognitive reason is, when exploring a city our brains tend to remember streets as straight segments to and assume that corners are at right angles [for more on this phenomenon, see Aris Venetikidis TED Talk “Making sense of maps”]. So I presented the Avenue the way our brains tend to assimilate the information, to avoid distractions and thus allow one to more easily mentally walk down the Avenue while glancing at the photograph.
The printed photograph is 10 feet wide and 2.5 inches high. It is split in 3 panels of 40 inches each. The scale is about 1:360, e.g. each inch on the photograph represents roughly 30 feet.
Enjoy the walk!
Jean-Marc Bara: Greenwich Overhead Wires Essay
QUESTION: IN 2038, 25 YEARS FROM NOW, WILL WE STILL SEE OVERHEAD WIRES IN GREENWICH, OR WILL THEY BE UNDERGROUNDED BY THEN?
I started photographing the streets and buildings of Greenwich for this exhibition and quickly noticed that, except for very few streets such as Greenwich Avenue, it was difficult to find an angle where the view was unpolluted by poles and wires. Electric, telephone, and cable wires and poles seem to be everywhere you look. This is in contrast with the many beautiful and carefully maintained, buildings, homes, gardens, walls and gates in Greenwich. We quickly get used to the poles and wires, but if we really open our eyes, we see they are everywhere, whether directly, their shadows on walls, or reflected in windows.
Selecting views that avoid the poles or wires, or “photoshopping” them out is the photographer’s natural instinct. This is not dissimilar to avoiding tourists or garbage cans in travel photos. Since this exhibition documents what Greenwich looks like today, this “avoidance” approach seems to me to introduce a visual bias for future generations interested in the Greenwich of 2013.
Rather than fighting the poles and wires I decided to embrace them and document the current state of visual pollution they create. My aim is to contribute to the discussion about overhead versus underground wires in Greenwich.
Carol Battin: Greenwich Railroad
My idea was to compare the Greenwich Main Railroad Station and its commuters past
and present. Unfortunately the only time I could photograph commuters was on Friday
mornings. My research was therefore skewed because the current hard core
commuters often skip Fridays and for many offices it is a day for casual clothes. On the
other hand it simply allowed the great differences between now and then to shine
through.
The New York New Haven Railroad first came to Greenwich on December 17, 1848 with
a single track. By 1910 there were four tracks. Today the line is the second biggest
commuter railroad in the United States. Greenwich is 28 miles from Grand Central
Station in New York City. It takes 42-57 minutes by train (depending on whether you
take a local or express). Now most of the trains are electric rather than diesel.
The commuters of the 1950’s and 60’s were mostly men in trench coats and suits.
Todays commuters reflect the change in our society. They are more casually dressed
and half are women. Some are students on their way to school. There are plenty of
commuters that come to Greenwich to work. The latest statistics from MTA says there
are 2,804 weekly commuters from Greenwich to New York City. Greenwich.
Carol Battin: French Farm
Lake Avenue, Greenwich, Connecticut
Designed by the architect Henry van Buren Magonigle the Farm was built in 1910 for a
family named French. Later the Wierdsma family purchased it and then in 1972 David
Wiedsma and his brothers inherited the four acre Farm site. David was determined to
restore the site, create distinctive gardens and place his various collected art in it.
In 1975 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the US Department
of the Interior.
The garden is unique. Among many other things it has wandering peacocks, a giant
black sheep, a structure called The Pterodactyl Tower built in 2002 from a demolished
NY brownstone and acres of lovely flowers and shrubs. The manor house was built in
1906; the cottage in 1911. The original chicken coop still has birds crowing. With the will
and resources of one man, David Wierdsma, it continues to function even though he
died in 2011. It is private property run by a non profit trust called Friends of French Farm
meant to preserve the site for the future enjoyment and education of the community.
Visitation is only by prior arrangement.
I spent a delightful 2 hours in the pouring rain walking around the farm and taking
pictures. Mike Harris had suggested that the camera club visit the site as part of the
History of Greenwich Project. I was smiling and felt rejuvenated despite the weather
after my stroll. The whimsical art pieces, the noisy peacocks, the old farm buildings and
implements were charming. The caretaker/executor was knowledgeable and the garden
was delicious.
Mike Harris: French Farm.
Mike Harris: Fire House.
Sally Harris: French Farm.
Dallas Molerin: Art in Public Places.
In 1976 the Greenwich Arts Council formed Sculpture 76 as a way to observe our country’s 200th anniversary. It was to be an outdoor exhibition of fifteen large-scale sculptures created by living American artists, installed in public spaces throughout the town.
Art in Public Places, a committee of the Greenwich Arts Council, oversees an ongoing program of conservation and maintenance of the public sculpture in Greenwich. Pictured here are a few of the 30 sculptures that exist today from Byram Park to Greenwich Point.
Source: Greenwich Arts Council
Dallas Molerin: Tomac Burial Ground.
Tomac Burying Ground is the oldest cemetery in Greenwich. Our earliest settlers are buried among the unmarked stones at the north end. It was probably used soon after Elizabeth and Robert Feake landed at Tomac Cove in 1640. With Capt. Daniel Patrick, they founded Greenwich by buying the land from the Asamuck and Patomuck bands of Indians. The transfer of land on July 18, 1640 was witnessed by Robert A. Husted.
On May 11, 1665, the General Assembly declared Greenwich as a “Township entire of itself”.
Buried in Tomac Burying Ground are at least 27 veterans of the Revolutionary War, 6 veterans of the War of 1812, and one veteran of the Civil War.
Source: The First Congregational Church of Greenwich
Dallas Molerin: Conde Nast Publishing.
Two large monuments (columns) straddle East Putnam Ave and marked the entrance to the Conde Nast Publishing Company Complex. Although worn by the weather, you can still see such names as Vogue, Town and Country and House and Garden carved into the pillars. These and the four story tower on the main building are what remain of the once magnificent Conde Nast Publishing Company complex. The company moved to Greenwich in 1911, and operated here until the 1960s.
Nast hired well-known landscape architects Lowell and Ferruccio to unify the 33-acre plot, which straddled East Putnam Avenue. It was necessary to blast bedrock to create a park-like environment. There were a pair of semi-circular driveways, and the moon-shaped lawn was divided down the middle by East Putnam Avenue.
The interior provided a pleasant working environment for the 1,000 people who worked there. The workspace was kept very clean. Large windows stretched from the floor to the ceiling and provided ample light.
Unfortunately, on October 29, 1929, Conde Nast stock plummeted from $93 to $4.50 per share. Conde Nast owed the banks $2-million at this point in time, so the crash really hurt. They tried to expand in the 1930s to salvage what he could, but technology was changing, and it became too expensive to maintain such high standards of printing. .
The printing operations ceased for good in the 1960s. Computer technology changed publishing drastically. All that remains of his publishing empire are the two columns, ghosts of the circular driveways and the tower which is now part of the Hyatt Regency complex. It was the end of an era.
Source: Greenwich Library
Dallas Molerin: Monuments
Mike Harris: Neighborhood Bars
I was born in Wheeling, West Virginia. One of the rites of passage into adulthood was my first visit to the Alpha, our local neighborhood bar. In the ensuing years I spent many an evening hanging out with my buddies. We would drink our Carling Black Label beer and rub elbows with locals from all walks of life. For me it was not just the evenings with my friends. It was also a life learning experience.
Greenwich became my home in the late 60’s, and I sought out a new neighborhood bar. What better choice than the Bruce Park Grill. It served great burgers, pizza and non-premium beer, but a big plus was the shuffleboard table, which ran twenty-two feet along one side of the establishment. I loved to test my skills against others, and I was always impressed with the uncanny ability of my opponent to leave that “puck” or “weight” at the very end of the table.
In recent years I have joined a group of friends who meet twice a month for lunch at the Two Door on Hamilton Avenue. I cannot stop ordering Scotty’s special. Rob and Donna make every visit a treat.
I worry about neighborhood bars. I worry that our desire for a more sophisticated way of life will drive these social Meccas of the middle class from Greenwich. The Horseneck is gone. So is Augies. Tomorrow, will there be no more Two Door? Will there be no more Bruce Park Grill?
Bob Weinberg: Remembrance of Things Past
Today, the small family cemetery has almost completely vanished. It is quite rare to find a family cemetery in suburbia-even in Greenwich. The cemeteries that were photographed were probably started in the early 1800’s and continued through the end of that century. It was nice to note that someone was remembered to this day with the showing of the American flag. Many of the stones are so weather beaten that the dates were not discernible. Also, there are some very small stones that were probably for children. While these small areas of remembrance were initially started as a practical matter, today it is a rarity.
Jean-Marc Bara: Fire House Demolition
Jean-Marc Bara: Putnam Cemetery
Bob Weinberg: Tools of French Farm
Sandy Gennrich: Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich
At the Pool
Greenwich Boys Club was founded in 1910 to help young boys from disadvantaged circumstances — “the street type sort of kid” — develop good character, primarily through athletic and recreation programs. When girls joined the Club in 1985, every boy remembers the biggest change in the aquatics program: swimsuits were now required.
Girls
While the Club was originally founded as a Boys Club, and men only held positions of authority on the Board of Directors, women were always involved and “served as the backbone for the Club’s activities.” In 1957, the Club held a “Swim and Dance” event which was the first event that included both boys and girls. In 1985, the Club expanded its mission and allowed girls to be full members. This change in membership also meant a change in facilities. The Club built girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms, and hired women as staff members. As a co-ed organization, programming was expanded to include new gender-specific opportunities like “Go Girl!” which encourages girls to rap about making the right choices and helps them build strong self-images.
Positive Interactions
One of the key components of the Club is to provide safe and positive adult-child relationships. Executive Director Bob DeAngelo says that many of the members don’t have a positive reinforcing adult in their life. The Club is a place that provides the building blocks of self-esteem and dignity that is often not provided at home. There is a higher percentage of single-parent kids, and many of the parents don’t speak English. The Club helps members with their homework in addition to providing activities and team sports.
Digital Learning
According to the 2012 KPBC Internet Trends Report, there are over 2.4B global internet users in 2012 and the US has 78% internet penetration. Social Media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, FourSquare, and Flickr have led to more than 500M+ photos being shared daily. New in the news are trends like 3D printing.
Boys & Girls Club recognizes that digital literacy is a key component to success. The 2nd floor used to be dedicated to vocational training that housed the wood shop, metal shop, and electricity classes. Several rooms are now hosting computer classes which help members learn critical skills like searching the internet to creative and critical literacy supported by online tools.
Diversity
Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich serves 350 kids in its after school programming and another 300 in evening programming. Members are from 6-18 years old, with the average age between 7 and 11. The demographics of the Club are diverse. As with the rest of the country, the Club serves more and more members of Hispanic descent, and they report that almost 50% of the Club in after school programs are Hispanic.
Jerry Pollack: French Farm
Craig Perry: French Farm
Nora Perry: French Farm
Dan Fredland: Union Cemetery
Roger Busch: Last Two Greenwich Farms
In 2007 there were two working farms in Greenwich, both in the northwest corner of town near the intersection of King Street and Bedford Road. Now there is only one.
John and Kathy Augustine are shown on their active farm in the photographs on the left. They enjoy their way of life and have no plans of giving up their farm despite a persistent stream of offers from prospective business developers for their valuable ten acre property.
John’s father purchased the property for his residence in 1951. He worked for the telephone company and for pleasure did some gardening for his own use. One day he put up a small stand to sell some of his excess XXX and was pleasantly surprised that he brought in $25. Thus a business was born.
Purdy’s Farm, shown in the second gallery, is up the street from Augustine’s Farm. This two acre farm closed for business in 2008 and the property was sold to the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2012. Their plans for the property have not yet been announced.
Augustine’s Farm
Purdy’s Farm
Roger Busch: Round Hill Country Store
The Round Hill Store, at the intersection of Round Hill Road and Old Mill Road, has been in continuous operation for more than 200 years, making it one of the oldest general stores in the area. In 1937 an automobile service station with two fuel pumps was added next door.
Both the store and the service station maintain strong ties to the past. The store is part convenience store, part museum and part neighborhood gathering place. On a stroll through the store one will find, in addition to the everyday staples, a collection of model trains and toy cars together with selves full of kitchen and cleaning products from the early 1900’s. The service station, not surprisingly, has a strong business in the maintenance and repair of antique cars.
Pictured in the repair shop is Bill Strain, whose grandfather purchased the store in 1915. The store and service station are run by Bill’s extended family. Bill is a Mayflower descendent.
Round Hill Country Store
Round Hill Country Station
Roger Busch: FireHouse
Sally Harris: Junior League of Greenwich
The Junior League of Greenwich has been in the forefront of changing the face of the town since its founding in 1959. When a need is identified in town, the members of the JLG work with community partners to find a solution. The HQ of the organization is in the former Red Cross building on the Post Road across from Christ Church. Examples of projects include the Boundless Playground in Bruce Park – where a town playground was transformed into one that is accessible to children of all abilities – including those with physical, developmental, cognitive and sensory challenges. Skate Park addressed a need to provide a safe place for teenagers to enjoy skateboarding. Finding a location for the park was difficult, but the parking lot adjacent to the Teen Center by Roger Sherman Baldwin Park was chosen and the Skate Park is celebrating its tenth anniversary this summer. A project in the works is refurbishing the Greenwich Community Pool and Byram Park. Greenwich’s only outdoor community pool has a capacity of 40 bathers. When the pool is at capacity, families must wait on line in the hot sun for a “turn” (20 minutes) to swim.
Sally Harris: Greenwich Adult Day Center/Old Pump House
GADC originally opened in a section of Nathaniel Witherell , but in 2003 the Board decided to move to a freestanding facility. The old Pump House on the Mianus River originally built in 1927 was chosen as the perfect place, and after an extensive renovation was opened for business in 2008.
Mike and Sally Harris: Schools in Old Homes
Greenwich Country Day School
The current GCDS campus was originally three residential homes on Old Church Road in Central Greenwich. The Lower School science building was formerly a pool house, the Dance studio was a barn, and for many years, there was a swimming pool between the upper school and middle school that was the original residential pool. In 2008 a major renovation of the campus included building a brand new LEED certified upper school. In addition to ensuring the new building was sustainable, the architects were charged with designing the building so that it continued to blend in with the neighborhood – ergo the white clapboard siding and chimneys. Not pictured: faculty members are housed across Fairfield Road in the old Tudor style FAO Schwarz estate.
Eagle School
The Eagle School campus is located on property purchased in 1903 by C.W. Post the cereal magnate, who built his estate known as the Boulders. His daughter Marjorie Merriweather Post married Edward Close and the young couple settled on the estate. They lived there until the main house of the Boulders was severely damaged in a fire. Since then, several schools occupied the buildings: Edgewood School, Haithcox School and Daycroft School and finally Eagle Hill School. The current Griffin Academic Center was the old stable, with the beautiful tiled floors still in tact. The Hardwick House, the main house, is now a dorm, dining room and classroom building.
Mary Waldron: The Town That No One Knows
Sample Images as Possible Idea Generators.
These can be used alone or to support and inspire other Club Artist’s Essays
