Shippan Point
Shippan Point (or Shippan) is the southernmost neighborhood in Stamford, Connecticut, located on a peninsula in Long Island Sound. Street names such as Ocean Drive West and Lighthouse Way reflect the neighborhood's shoreline location. It is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city, with about 1,100 homes (including condominiums)[1].
Many of community's large homes overlook the water and have private beaches. It is even possible to see the skyline of Manhattan from the southernmost part of the peninsula.
The neighborhood is just southeast of South End, one of Stamford's poorer neighborhoods, which is currently in planning phases for a major redevelopment.
Running down the middle of the peninsula, Shippan Avenue is the main road of the community, with many of the streets on either side dead-end roads ending in private beaches owned by neighborhood associations.[1]
Shopping and restaurants
Unlike a similar seaside community, Rowayton in Norwalk, there is no central business district of any size in Shippan, but further up Shippan Avenue there are stores, and downtown Stamford is very close by. Spazzio (401 Shippan Avenue) and Cafe Sylvium (371 Shippan Avenue) are two dining spots where many Shippan residents spot each other.[1] Brennan's restaurant at 82 Iroquois Road is also a spot where "all the locals hang out."[2]
Marion Castle
A waterfront mansion known as Marion Castle (1 Rogers Road) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in the style of a French chateau either in 1914 (according to an Oct. 2, 2005 New York Times article) or in 1916 ("completed in 1916," according to a July 2006 article in New Canaan/Darien Magazine[3]) for Frank J. Marion, a producer of silent films. Today (July-2006) the pile is owned by Thomas L. Rich, a Stamford real estate developer well known in the area. Mr. Rich has allowed the usage of the home extensively for non-profit community events.[1]
Local organizations and associations
Shippan is home to two yacht clubs: The Stamford Yacht Club and Halloween Yacht Club. The Woodway Beach Club is also in Shippan.
Community groups include the Shippan Point Association, Shippan Point Gourmet Club (which sponsors dinners at members' homes six times a year)[1] and Shippan Point Garden Club.
The "Shippan Shuffle"
It's become so common for residents to move from one home to another in the neighborhood that the practice has been called the "Shippan Shuffle." "It's not unusual for people to have lived in more than one house here," a near-lifelong resident said. "In fact, there are probably 100 people here now who have done that." [4]
A Christmastime tradition
The Shippan Point Garden Club encourages residents to decorate their doors "according to specific guidelines" at Christmastime, and even people from outside the neighborhood drive through to see the doors. [3]
Off-shore wreck
The Isabel, a wooden passenger steamship, ran aground off the point on September 28, 1915. There were no fatalities. Scattered wreckage remains in the 20-foot-deep area.[5]
Notable residents
Current
Current residents include the current mayor of Stamford, Dannel Malloy (in a converted barn on Ocean Drive)[1], and artist Helen Frankenthaler.
Past residents
- Harry Connick Jr.[3]
- Faye Dunaway[3]
- The family of the Gillespie brothers, formerly publishers of The Advocate of Stamford (the house no longer exists).[3]
- U.S. Rep. Schuyler Merritt "who chaired the commission that created the Merritt Parkway" lived at 75 Rogers Road.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f [1] New York Times, Oct. 2, 2005, Real Estate section, "A Neighborhood to Move Around In,'" by Lisa Prevost. Page accessed on 22 June, 2006
- ^ New Canaan-Darien Magazine, "A Gateway to the Sound: Shippan" by Leslie Chess Feller, page S4, July 2006], this article also agrees on Spazios and Cafe Sylvium as local hangouts.
- ^ a b c d e f New Canaan-Darien Magazine, "A Gateway to the Sound: Shippan" by Leslie Chess Feller, page S4, July 2006]
- ^ [2] New York Times, Oct. 2, 2005, Real Estate section, "A Neighborhood to Move Around In,'" by Lisa Prevost, page accessed on 22 June, 2006, Gail Molloy, a real estate agent who lives in Shippan, was quoted in Darien/New Canaan Magazine defining the "Shippan Shuffle" the same way, "A Gateway to the Sound: Shippan" by Leslie Chess Feller, page S4, July 2006.
- ^ Wreckhunter.net click on "Explore Our Wreck Lists" then on new page click on "Wrecks in Connecticut" Last accessed on July 1, 2006