If you opened this blog expecting a Dickensian masterpiece, I am sorry. You will be sorely disappointed. However, you will find a tale of multiple municipal personalities residing in one beautiful and thriving community. With apologies to Mr. Dickens, that is a much better story, at least in my eyes.
Most towns, if not all, have different areas within them. Each with its own unique and special attributes. It happens everywhere, all the time. The larger the city, the greater the number and diversity of these areas.
These divisions can also change over time as a community's size, scope, and demographics change. Often the boundaries of these areas are fuzzy. Thereby making it hard to define their exact limits. They can grow, shrink, and even overlap. Additionally, parts of a community can often fall just beyond the actual confines of the municipality.
Analyzing areas within smaller cities is considerably easier, primarily because there are fewer areas to look at. Yet they still present many challenges. Bridgeport is no exception. We have our fair share of fuzziness and overlap. We also have much of our community that lies just beyond our city limit signs. Yet they are very much a part of Bridgeport.
As complicated as it is, residents often simplify the matter by referring to the areas of our community as either the “new part of town” or the “original (older) part of town.” However, the location of those areas in Bridgeport has changed over time and will likely continue to do so into the future.
For generations in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the division of Bridgeport ran along Main Street. We had the Grand Avenue or the Philadelphia Avenue side of Main Street. In this scenario, the newer section of town would have been the Philadelphia Avenue side with the most growth and expansion, particularly in residential housing during the 1940s through the 1960s.
With the construction of the new Bridgeport High School in the early 1960s and as more and more development was realized between the school and what is now the Meadowbrook Mall and I-79 in the years that followed a new view began to appear. Bridgeport High School became the new dividing line between the two parts of town. Our two grade schools, Simpson and Johnson, helped reinforce this separation giving each area its distinct identity. As a teacher, I heard firsthand students and parents referring to the different sides of town based on this distinction.
Today, we have grown to three significant sections within our small community. The high school remains a rough demarcation line between the previously existing two sections of Bridgeport. The development of Charles Pointe and White Oaks over the last 15 years has created a new sector within the city.
Why does any of this matter? In some towns, different factions fight over limited resources, divergent personal agendas, and incompatible visions. In many places, community residents often fear that the older parts of town will become forgotten or neglected. Unfortunately, it happens way too often. Leaving some areas of a city nearly abandoned and decaying. Even today, I have heard many residents in Bridgeport voice their concerns about this occurring here. The good news is; those fears are unfounded.
As in the past, the City of Bridgeport and Bridgeport City Council remain committed to serving all residents, businesses, and geographic sectors equally. The city offers incentives for stores to upgrade their curbside appearance. We are quick to respond to the needs of all of our residents and businesses. We pave the roads, fix the sidewalks, maintain our underground infrastructure, and respond to safety issues equally and fairly across the community in a proactive manner. Our city employees take pride in their work and the city. The members of the Planning Commission, Building Authority, Zoning Appeals Board, and Bridgeport Code Enforcement all help maintain our community standards for the benefit of all the citizens of Bridgeport.
The residents of Bridgeport also support all areas of our community. Each part of the city has its fair share of residences, retail establishments, and commercial enterprises. We welcome the growth. We embrace it. We patronize our local stores and shops. We show up in huge numbers for school and community events. Our citizens work hard to keep their homes and business properties clean, attractive, and up-to-date. The sense of community pride is palpable.
We don’t have the bickering and infighting so common in other towns. Bridgeport stands united when we are confronted with decisions or issues facing us. It is never an “us versus them” mentality within the city. It is more of an “us versus the world” viewpoint. What can we do to improve Bridgeport? How can we make the city better?
So there you have it. Maybe not a literary classic, but a tale of vision, opportunity, and accomplishment. The three unique municipal regions within Bridgeport are doing more than just co-existing. They are working together to create a thriving and flourishing community, with the city standing firmly behind them and working with each equally. We are showing what cooperation, communication, and coordination can accomplish. That is “Why Bridgeport?”
Editor's Note: Top photo shows 4th Street, while the second is of Venutra Drive. Bottom photo shows the latest work in Worthington Village. Cover photo is of White Oaks.
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