West Side of Stamford
Encyclopedia
The West Side of Stamford, Connecticut
, also known as Richmond Hill, is one of the oldest sections in the state of Connecticut. It is located north of the Waterside neighborhood, west of Downtown
and east of Greenwich, Connecticut
. The different sections of the West Side including Vidal Court, Fairfield Court (recently demolished), Spruce Street(The Renaissance building, the Trinity, & MLK Building), Connecticut Avenue, Friendship Building and Southwood Square (formally known as Southfield Village).
The West Side of Stamford is generally the area immediately west of Downtown Stamford
, covering the area north of Interstate 95 between the Greenwich
town line and the Rippowam River
. The northern boundary is commonly taken as West Broad Street and Palmers Hill Road. Another version of the boundaries of the West Side has it located between Stillwater Avenue, Broad Street, West Main Street and West Avenue up to Exit 6 Interstate 95
. The West Side of Stamford, along with the South End
, are considered the city's more dangerous and crime-filled neighborhoods. The West Side has been a center for drug and gang-related violence for many years. However, in recent years an effort from the city and the police department has lowered the crime rate of the West Side and has made it a much safer place to live and work.
population, but much less than in the past. After World War II and the emergence of Italian-Americans from the working class, African American
s became a larger presence, and more recently Haitian Americans and non-white Hispanics have moved to the neighborhood. The Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Church on Schuyler Avenue in the neighborhood was built for Italian-Americans in the early twentieth century at a time when Roman Catholic Churches were organized for groups by national origin.
Many Italian-Americans in the neighborhood in the Twentieth century immigrated from Minturno
, Italy
and communities near it. The Minturnese Social Club, founded in 1939 and only made up of members whose families hailed from Minturno, had 120 members in 2007. A Minturnese tradition, the Festa de la Regna ("Festival of Wheat") celebration of harvest day and honoring the Madonna delle Grazie, is still honored with an annual procession. On July 8, 2007 the procession was held on Stephen Street after a Mass said in Italian at the Sacred Heart Church. The procession included women in traditional black and white dresses, a float with miniature palm treas, a stuffed rooster, sheaves of wheat and an Italian flag, a marching band, a woman in red, white and green traditional dress with a sheaf of wheat and men carrying a yellow throne with a portrait of the Maddona delle Grazie.
Another group of Italians in Stamford, came here from Settefrati
, Italy
. They also have a Social Club located on 23 Virgil Street, in Stamford, CT. The Settefratese tradition in Stamford is to have a Mass for their Patron Saint, La Madonna di Canneto, followed by Sagne e Fagioli at the Club.
with a campus of more than 10 acres (40,468.6 m²), is the largest institution in the neighborhood, the Yerwood Community Center is located in West Stamford, as is Lione Park, and the Westover Elementary School. The public E. Gaynor Brennan Golf Course is to the north
The New Covenant House soup kitchen, established in 1978, is in the neighborhood and is the only soup kitchen set up to help people in Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan and Darien. Run by Catholic Charities of Fairfield County, the soup kitchen provides daily hot meals and extreme nourishment to the homeless.
Pellicci's Italian restaurant has been located at the same address on Stillwater Avenue since 1947. The family-owned restaurant is known for unpretentious, old-fashioned Italian cooking. Joe DiMaggio
, Nancy Sinatra
, Tony Bennett
and Walter Cronkite
have all dined there. The eatery sells more than 1,000 pounds of baked chicken a week.
Department's Fire Station # 3 serves the neighborhood.
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, also known as Richmond Hill, is one of the oldest sections in the state of Connecticut. It is located north of the Waterside neighborhood, west of Downtown
Downtown Stamford, Connecticut
Downtown Stamford is the central business district of the city of Stamford, Connecticut, USA. It is an economically thriving area of the city, with major retail establishments, a shopping mall, a university campus, the headquarters of major corporations and fortune 500 companies, as well as other...
and east of Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
. The different sections of the West Side including Vidal Court, Fairfield Court (recently demolished), Spruce Street(The Renaissance building, the Trinity, & MLK Building), Connecticut Avenue, Friendship Building and Southwood Square (formally known as Southfield Village).
The West Side of Stamford is generally the area immediately west of Downtown Stamford
Downtown Stamford
Downtown Stamford is the central business district of the city of Stamford, Connecticut, USA. It is an economically thriving area of the city, with major retail establishments, a shopping mall, a university campus, the headquarters of major corporations and fortune 500 companies, as well as other...
, covering the area north of Interstate 95 between the Greenwich
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
town line and the Rippowam River
Rippowam River
The Rippowam River is a river in Fairfield County, Connecticut. It drains a watershed area of and flows for from Ridgefield to Long Island Sound, which it enters in Stamford's harbor....
. The northern boundary is commonly taken as West Broad Street and Palmers Hill Road. Another version of the boundaries of the West Side has it located between Stillwater Avenue, Broad Street, West Main Street and West Avenue up to Exit 6 Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Connecticut
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
. The West Side of Stamford, along with the South End
South End of Stamford
The South End of Stamford, Connecticut is a rapidly growing neighborhood located at the southern end of the city, just south of the Downtown neighborhood. It is expected to be greatly changed with redevelopment over the next decade...
, are considered the city's more dangerous and crime-filled neighborhoods. The West Side has been a center for drug and gang-related violence for many years. However, in recent years an effort from the city and the police department has lowered the crime rate of the West Side and has made it a much safer place to live and work.
Ethnic groups
The West Side has a large Italian AmericanItalian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
population, but much less than in the past. After World War II and the emergence of Italian-Americans from the working class, African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s became a larger presence, and more recently Haitian Americans and non-white Hispanics have moved to the neighborhood. The Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Church on Schuyler Avenue in the neighborhood was built for Italian-Americans in the early twentieth century at a time when Roman Catholic Churches were organized for groups by national origin.
Many Italian-Americans in the neighborhood in the Twentieth century immigrated from Minturno
Minturno
Minturno is a city and comune in the southern Lazio, Italy, situated on the north west bank of the Liris , with a suburb on the opposite bank c...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and communities near it. The Minturnese Social Club, founded in 1939 and only made up of members whose families hailed from Minturno, had 120 members in 2007. A Minturnese tradition, the Festa de la Regna ("Festival of Wheat") celebration of harvest day and honoring the Madonna delle Grazie, is still honored with an annual procession. On July 8, 2007 the procession was held on Stephen Street after a Mass said in Italian at the Sacred Heart Church. The procession included women in traditional black and white dresses, a float with miniature palm treas, a stuffed rooster, sheaves of wheat and an Italian flag, a marching band, a woman in red, white and green traditional dress with a sheaf of wheat and men carrying a yellow throne with a portrait of the Maddona delle Grazie.
Another group of Italians in Stamford, came here from Settefrati
Settefrati
Settefrati is a comune in the Province of Frosinone in the Italian region Lazio, located about 120 km east of Rome and about 40 km east of Frosinone.-Main sights:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. They also have a Social Club located on 23 Virgil Street, in Stamford, CT. The Settefratese tradition in Stamford is to have a Mass for their Patron Saint, La Madonna di Canneto, followed by Sagne e Fagioli at the Club.
Local institutions
Stamford HospitalStamford Hospital
Stamford Hospital is a private, nonprofit, community and teaching hospital in Stamford, Connecticut, with 440 affiliated doctors.The hospital has 305 inpatient beds in medicine, surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, and medical and surgical critical care units.As of 2005, Stamford Hospital...
with a campus of more than 10 acres (40,468.6 m²), is the largest institution in the neighborhood, the Yerwood Community Center is located in West Stamford, as is Lione Park, and the Westover Elementary School. The public E. Gaynor Brennan Golf Course is to the north
The New Covenant House soup kitchen, established in 1978, is in the neighborhood and is the only soup kitchen set up to help people in Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan and Darien. Run by Catholic Charities of Fairfield County, the soup kitchen provides daily hot meals and extreme nourishment to the homeless.
Pellicci's Italian restaurant has been located at the same address on Stillwater Avenue since 1947. The family-owned restaurant is known for unpretentious, old-fashioned Italian cooking. Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
, Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
, Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
and Walter Cronkite
Walter Cronkite
Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. was an American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years . During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll...
have all dined there. The eatery sells more than 1,000 pounds of baked chicken a week.
Fire Department
The Stamford Fire RescueStamford Fire Rescue
The Stamford Fire and Rescue Department provides fire suppression and rescue, as well as first-responder emergency medical services alongside five volunteer fire departments to the City of Stamford, Connecticut.-Personnel profile:...
Department's Fire Station # 3 serves the neighborhood.