Thursday, August 4, 2022

Rocklyn & the Binney's, Market Boats, Greenwich Harbor & More Police Please!




This podcast is made possible by Peter F. Alexander of Site Design Associates; the Long Island Sound Institute (LISI), the Ambassador Museum United States of America, Kevin M. J. O'Connor of Jeffrey Matthews Wealth Management

and listeners like you everywhere! 


On today’s 5th of August 2022 show, we’ll travel back in history to a period the late Town Historian William E. Finch, Jr., referred to as 'the flowering of Greenwich,' when the word ‘Greenwich’ was synonymous with the word ‘millionaire.’ ‘The Great Estates Greenwich, Connecticut 1880-1930’ was published by the Junior League of Greenwich. 


Rocklyn, a waterfront Norman-style fieldstone retreat in Old Greenwich like none other, with grand vistas of Long Island Sound was built in 1895 by Edwin and Alice Binney -whose family would go on to make remarkable contributions to the community. 




As Rob Marchant of Greenwich Time reported, “Binney made a fortune in the production of carbon black, a prime ingredient in automobile tires, and in petroleum and natural gas. The couple was associated with the invention of the Crayola crayon. He devoted great attention to his family home, as well as to the small community of Old Greenwich. Binney and his wife later donated much of their land to the town of Greenwich for parkland, which bears their name today.”



One of Judge Frederick Augustus Hubbard’s talents was storyteller, published under the pen-name Ezekiel Lemondale and about what he called ‘cracker barrel stuff.’ We’ll feature his comments about Greenwich Harbor. 




Greenwich Before 2000 is an updated, revised edition of Before and After 1776: The Comprehensive Chronology of the Town of Greenwich. What happened from 1686 to 1691? Tune in and find out.


On Crimes and Misdemeanors, we provide a new twist: there was a cry for more policemen in what was the Borough of Greenwich in 1907. 




At that time, Greenwich had one of the smallest police forces in the area, and one the town had was terribly overworked. 


From his column Greenwich Life As It Is-And Was, Edwin Edwards shared with his readers a history of market boats and the Upper Landing on the Mianus River when it was the center of business in Greenwich, years before Greenwich Avenue would rise to prominence. 



In 1908 automobiles were a new and exciting phenomenon in Greenwich. In August of that year an Automobile Carnival was planned. Prizes would be offered for the best decorated automobile. It was envisioned as a parade of sorts, taking drivers, their automobiles and passengers around the roads of Greenwich, all planned for a moonlit night. 



I'll have more about Discover Greenwich Creating a Sense of Place, celebrating the 90th year anniversary of the Greenwich Historical Society. I'll have news of exhibits, activities and events for the public. 


It’s the 5th of August Year 2022. You’ve come to the right place to learn about the history of the Town of Greenwich, Connecticut, one of America's most interesting and extraordinary communities.  We’ll have all this -and more- as history continues to unfold. Stick around!





Be sure to check out all the events and activities where you can immerse yourself in Greenwich history, thanks to the Greenwich Historical Society. Learn more at GreenwichHistory.org

Contact me at GreenwichATownForAllSeasons@gmail.com. I’m on Facebook, too. Just look for Jeffrey Bingham Mead and send me a friend request. The show is also available on Facebook at Greenwich, A Town For All Seasons. 


Learn more about the show -and listen to past episodes for free- on the web at GreenwichATownForAllSeasons.blogspot.com


Be sure to tune in for our next show which is scheduled for Friday, the 12th of August 2022. 




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