Bridgeport

Bridgeport is the most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the fifth-most populous in New England. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Island Sound, Bridgeport is 60 miles (97 km) from Manhattan. It is bordered by the towns of Trumbull to the north, Fairfield to the west, and Stratford to the east. Bridgeport was the site of the world's first mutual telephone exchange (1877), the first dental hygiene school (1949), and the first bank telephone bill service in the US (1981) Inventor Harvey Hubbell II invented the electric plug outlet in Bridgeport in 1912. The city is credited as the birthplace of the Frisbee. More than a dozen Fortune 500 companies are based in its metropolitan area, which it shares with Stamford. The first documented European settlement within the present city limits of Bridgeport took place in 1644, centered at Black Rock Harbor and along North Avenue between Park and Briarwood Avenues. The town was incorporated to subsidize the Housatonic Railroad and rapidly industrialized following the rail line's connection to the New York and New Haven railroad. Showman P. T. Barnum was a resident of the city and served as the town's mayor (1871) Bridgeport's crime rate started going down significantly around 2010, and by 2018 had been reduced by almost 50 percent.

History

Bridgeport was inhabited by the Paugussett native American tribe during the start of European colonization. The town was incorporated to subsidize the Housatonic Railroad and rapidly industrialized following the rail line's connection to the New York and New Haven railroad. The first documented European settlement within the present city limits of Bridgeport took place in 1644, centered at Black Rock Harbor and along North Avenue between Park and Briarwood Avenues. A village called Newfield began to develop around the corner of State and Water streets in the 1760s. During the American Revolution, Newfield Harbor was a center of privateering. In 1821, a small community of remaining Golden Hill Pauguasettatives, along with free blacks and runaway slaves, was established along the South End of Main Street. Many remaining Paugusett Indians also lived there, but by the time Bridgeport had been built, that trade had died down. The city was named for the first bridge over the Pequonnock River that provided a navigable port at the mouth of the river. It was assumed before the Revolution that this land would grow into a city. In 1800, the village became the Borough of BridgePort, the first town in the state to be so named. It became independent of Stratford in 1806, the township of Bridge Port in 1821 and the city in 1828. It has been known as Bridgeport since at least the mid-19th century, when it was first incorporated.

Geography

Bridgeport lies along Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Pequonnock River. It straddles the humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and humid continental climate (Dfa) zones with long, hot summers, and cool to cold winters. The warm/hot season in Bridgeport is from mid-April through early November. 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. Hurricane landfalls have occurred along theicut coast in 1903, 1938, 1944, 1954 (Carol), 1960 (Donna), Hurricane Gloria in 1985, and Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Bridgeport lies in USDA garden zone 7a, averaging about 92 days annually with freeze. Coastal Connecticut is the broad transition zone where so-called "subtropical indicator" plants and other broadleaf evergreens can successfully be cultivated. As such, Southern Magnolias, Needle Palms, Windmill palm, Loblolly Pines, and Crape Myrtles are grown in private and public gardens. 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 a snow cover of at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) Bridgeport has many distinct neighborhoods, divided into five geographic areas: Downtown, the East Side, the North End, the South End, and the West Side.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, there were 144,229 people living in the city. Bridgeport is known for having one of the largest communities of Puerto Ricans in the United States. The city also has the 12th largest Cape Verdean population in the country. A small population of people from various majority-muslim nations exists along with Kurds, at least 4,000 in 2008 according to a local mosque. 45,270 people (31%) of Bridgeport's population is foreign born in 2010. 48.2% of the city'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. 22.5% percent speak English less than very well. The median income for a household in the City was $34,658. The per capita income for the city was $16,306. About 16.2%. of families and 18.4%. of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.8%. of those under age 18 and 13.2! of those age 65 or over. The City has the largest Cuban population in Connecticut, with more than 1,600 living in Bridgeport, although at least 5,000 Cubans and Cubans live in the state. The smallest population group was Paraguayans at 16 people. The largest population group is South Americans at 5,454 people, followed by Colombians, then Peruvians, and then Colombians.

Economy

Bridgeport has gradually adjusted to a service-based economy. The two largest employers in the city are Bridgeport Hospital and St. Vincent's Medical Center. In April 2022, M&T Bank of Buffalo, New York, merged with Bridgeport-based People's United Financial. The combined company is now the 11th largest bank in the United States. The last major factory to close in Bridgeport was the Sikorsky helicopter plant in 2015. The city is home to the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet, which is based in New York City. Bridgeport is also the home of the New England Patriots, who play in the Super Bowl each year, and the New York Yankees, who have the Superbowl XLIX game on Sunday, February 14. The New York Knicks play the Boston Red Sox in the World Series on Sunday night, February 17, at 8 p.m. ET. The Boston Celtics play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday evening, February 18, at 7 p.M. ET, at the Barclays Center in Boston. The game will be broadcast live on the NBC Sports Network, starting at 9 p. M.E.T. on February 19, 2015, and continuing through the following day on NBCSN, February 20, 2015 and Sunday, March 21, 2015 at 8:30 p.Sectors. 1.1. The City of Bridgeport has a population of 2.2 million. The average household income is $50,000.

Arts and culture

Bridgeport is home to the Greater Bridgeport Symphony. The Discovery Science Center and Planetarium emphasizes exhibits on science. The Housatonic Museum of Art has the largest collection of art of any two-year college in the nation. The Maritime Aquarium focuses on Long Island Sound as well as creatures and convervation efforts from around the world. Bridgeport was the annual home to Gathering of the Vibes, a weekend-long arts, music and camping festival, until it ended in 2015. It is the 100th most foodie city in the United States, 2nd in Connecticut behind New Haven (which was ranked #97) Bridgeport has five local historic districts, where exterior changes to structures are under the control of two Historic District Commissions. It was once home to a Little 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. It ranked 23rd in 2021, and #22 in 2015, on Niche.com's "2022 Most Diverse Cities in America" list. The city's Madison Avenue, and Hollow Brazilian restaurants, have been mentioned by publications such as the New York Times. In 2020, Azteca was ranked among the best Mexican restaurants in Connecticut in 2020 according to Connecticut Magazine, along with Pho Hong Thom and Pho Saigon in Bridgeport's Little Asia on the West side.

Sports

Bridgeport is home to the NHL's Bridgeport Islanders and the NBA's Westchester Knicks. The Ballpark at Harbor Yard served as a minor-league baseball stadium from 1998 to 2017. Kennedy Stadium serves as a community sports facility.Nutmeg Curling Club, one of two curling clubs in Connecticut, is in Bridgeport. It is the home club of the 2013 USA Mixed National Champions, led by club members Derek Surka and Charissa Lin. Bridgeport native Jim O'Rourke was the first baseball player to earn a hit in National League history in 1876. The founder and original owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Charles Ebbets, married his second wife inBridgeport in 1922, five years before his death. Only the men's and women's basketball teams play at Fairfield University, which is in the neighboring town of Fairfield. The Bridgeport Jets, a New York Jets farm team also known locally as the Hi-Ho Jets due to their sponsorship by the (Hi-Ho) D'Addario construction company, played in the Atlantic Coast Football League in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Bluefish played their final home game at the park on September 17, 2017, losing by a score of 92 to the Somerset Patriots. The stadium is downtown on a former brownfield site. It was built in 1998 to serve as the homefield of the Bridgeport Bluefish, a Major League Lacrosse team. The ballpark was converted into an amphitheatre.

Parks and recreation

The city has 1,300 acers of public space, with a pocket park in nearly every neighborhood. The city's first public park was the westerly portion of McLevy Green, first set aside as a public square in 1806. Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed New York City's Central Park, designed both Seaside and Beardsley Parks. Went Field on the West End, between Wordin Avenue and Norman Street, used to be the winter headquarters of Barnum's circus. It is home to Pleasure Beach, home to an amusement park for many years, and Washington Park in East Bridgeport, which is located in the center of the city. It was also the home of the American Museum of Natural History, which opened its doors in 1872. It has been home to the U.S. National Museum of Nature and Science, which was opened in 1873. It also has a museum of American art, which dates back to the 17th century. The museum is located on the East Side of Bridgeport and is open to the public every day. It opened in 1774 and has been there ever since. The Museum of American Natural History is open every day of the year except for holidays and special events, such as the New York World's Fair, which takes place in New York every year. The U.N. museum is the only one of its kind in the United States, and it is open year-round to visitors from all 50 states.

Architecture

Bridgeport was largely bypassed by Fortune 500 companies moving to Fairfield County in the second half of the 20th century. The tallest building in Bridgeport is currently Richard Meier-designed the 16-story, 248-foot (76 m) Bridgeport Center, which was completed in 1989. The city's growing reputation for having a rough industrial character led to fewer modern skyscrapers than otheir cities. Bridgeport in the early 20th Century banned further construction of the Triple Decker, very common in the Hollow, Madison Avenue, in the East Side with other working class housing styles and Victorian mansions. The West Side with Queen Ann multifamiliy homes, parts of Black Rock, and the East End neighbrohood. Bridgeport has been home to the U.S. Open and the New York City Marathon, among other sports events. It has also been the site of the Winter Olympics and the Winter Paralympic Games, as well as the Winter Games in Vancouver and Sochi, Russia. It is home to a number of cultural institutions, such as the Museum of Ice and Ice, which opened in 1998. It also hosts the New Haven Art Museum, which dates back to the 18th century and is located in the heart of the city's historic East Side. It was also the home of the American Civil Rights Movement, which began in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and later became a center of the movement's anti-war movement.

Government

Bridgeport is governed by the mayor-council system. Twenty members of the city council are elected from districts. The mayor is elected at-large by the entire city. The city's current mayor, Joseph P. Ganim, has served the city seven terms since first taking office in 1991. Bridgeport votes Democratic at the presidential level. In 1972 Richard M. Nixon was the last Republican to win the city. Since then Democrats have prevailed, often by comfortable margins, the lone exception being 1984 when Walter Mondale carried the city by just 76 votes (0.16 percent) over Ronald Reagan. In June 2006, Mayor John M. Fabrizi admitted that he had used cocaine while in office. In 2003, Ganim was indicted on charges of corruption in 2003, and served nine years in federal prison. After his release in 2015, he announced his mayoral campaign to serve a sixth term in office, as he was renowned for his work of escaping the city from bankruptcy and build its economy from a post-industrial standpoint. The 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. He 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. He ran on a theme of providing him with a "second-chance".

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut = 7.8. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 32. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 30. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Bridgeport = 3.4 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 148,654 individuals with a median age of 34.8 age the population dropped by -2.57% in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 7,700 residents per square mile of area (3,000/km²). There are average 2.75 people per household in the 48,132 households with an average household income of $41,177 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 12.10% of the available work force and has dropped -3.24% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 21.42%. The number of physicians in Bridgeport per 100,000 population = 301.6.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Bridgeport = 41.5 inches and the annual snowfall = 27 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 118. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 175. 82 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 22.9 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 45, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut which are owned by the occupant = 39.23%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 55 years with median home cost = $114,640 and home appreciation of -16.07%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $13.56 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $8,137 per student. There are 17.5 students for each teacher in the school, 559 students for each Librarian and 483 students for each Counselor. 4.61% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 7.48% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 4.52% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).